Public health boss discusses latest Eastbourne covid-19 figures

It comes after a recent rise in weekly infection rates placed the town high on the list of local authorities in England.

But Darrell Gale, director of public health in East Sussex, says it is no cause for alarm.

Speaking to the Herald, he said, “Any figure that moves rapidly in one direction or another always concerns us in public health but we can’t go on just one figure.

“New infections in very small numbers are happening and being imported into the borough and this leads to a fluctuation of infections.

“A tiny increase in 2-3 cases, which might all be linked in a household family setting, means we go right to the top of the list.”

Eastbourne authorities released a joint statement last week reminding everyone the virus has not gone away, after the week leading up to July 11 saw a higher rate of infections in the town.

As of Thursday (July 23), there have been 436 confirmed cases in Eastbourne, according to Public Health England – and an infection rate of 422.6 per 100,000 people.

For comparison, in Leicester there have been 4,695 cases at a rate of 1,321.7.

However, nearby Hastings has a much lower number of confirmed cases than Eastbourne at 131, and an infection rate of 141.1 per 100,000 people.

Mr Gale said, “Eastbourne is really interesting, it’s a self-contained large town with a good age spread. Despite stereotypes, it’s got a lot of young people.

“It’s a mixed population and has multiple risks. Not everyone is shielded because of their age.

“Because it’s more connected to London, more commuting, faster than say Hastings, it hasn’t had the protective impact that they have had.”

Across Sussex he says there have been more cases down the A23 corridor, in Crawley and Brighton, which stop at Arun in West Sussex or Rother in the East.

While Mr Gale said the Eastbourne figures do not suggest a ‘spike’ in infections, he said, “It’s a good place to be that people are concerned. Everyone needs to be taking the measures, including mask wearing in shops, seriously.”

From July 24, mask wearing will be mandatory in shops in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Children below the age of 11 and those with specific health conditions will be exempt.

Mr Gale said, “We are doing everything to keep the rates low in East Sussex but support our businesses to return to as near normal as we can.

“There will be a wave of illness from a downturn in the economy and people not being able to have jobs and a good quality of life.

“There are a lot of people that are scared. No one’s forcing anyone to do anything they don’t want to do.”

“We are talking really small numbers, it’s generally household numbers and people who are asymptomatic.

As pubs and bars are reopening, Mr Gale says, there are going to be one or two cases linked to a place in some situations.

They might not even be linked to each other, he said, “with tiny numbers it’s really random stuff.

“If a business decides to close for cleaning that sends out another wave of anxiety into the community, but that’s going to be some of the new normal.”

Reflecting on the coronavirus crisis, and how it has affected his job and his colleagues, he said, “It’s unprecedented. We know the doctors and nurses are doing a great job but managers in the health service are all working their socks off.

“It’s phenomenal. We’re just about keeping it together.”

• Coronavirus symptoms include a new persistent cough, a change in smell or taste, or a fever.

• To arrange a test, visit http://www.nhs.uk/coronavirus

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