Sunderland's health chiefs ‘preparing for the worst, hoping for the best' regarding a second wave - and when they think it might hit

Last week, Sunderland City Council’s director of public health Gillian Gibson warned the city was on a “knife-edge” with the number of cases of Covid-19 doubled in the space of a fortnight, with 14 cases in the area.

Yesterday’s Government figures, based on tests in laboratories and the wider community, show per 100,000 people, 1.1 have been found to have the virus as of Saturday, July 25, compared with 2.9 per 100,000 on Saturday, July 18.

While this is welcome news, Ms Gibson has said all guidelines must be followed to keep it under control, with any rise posing the risk it could “increase exponentially.”

She has said the council is working hard to keep people informed of the situation so they can understand why it is important to keep to the social distancing rules and other guidelines, while this year’s flu jab campaign is to be ramped up earlier to protect those most vulnerable.

Studies suggest that as long as people stick to the measures, it will remain under control.

However, with the flu season due to hit this winter, it will be the most likely time for a second wave, with the council’s team telling the director they are “hoping for the best, preparing for the worst.”

While still in the pipeline, it is hoped the Covid-19 vaccine will soon follow.

"If we have a second wave, it could be worse than the first because we might have the flu in circulation at the same time,” she said.

"If you have one and then the other, or both flu and Covid-19 at the same time, you’re going to be pretty poorly.

"We need to continue what we are doing now.

"People are desperate to get back to normal, and so am I, but we can only enjoy the freedoms we can now because we are following the guidelines.”

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