Nottingham Covid surge caused by Tory mismanagement

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Nottingham was the area with the highest number of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 as of 10 October. The government has put the city under the 'high' (tier-two) restrictions.

The alarming increase in cases has again exposed the bankruptcy of the government's handling of the crisis. It ignored the blatantly obvious - that the full return of schools and universities would exacerbate the infection rate due to crowding together large numbers of young people.

Nottingham had what was seen as a low rate of cases - 12 per 100,000 - in early September. Schools went back on 1 September. As of the week to 10 October, cases had shot up to 880 per 100,000 - over ten times the average for England of 81. Numbers in Nottinghamshire (excluding the city) had also increased.

The areas with the highest number of cases are around the two universities. Of course, the news generally downplays the impact of poor and overcrowded working conditions, and there are multiple factors.

However, it is clear that bringing over 40,000 young adults into the city would inevitably increase infections. But the students are not to blame - it's the government and university management!

Gary Freeman Nottingham Socialist Party

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