Archive, September 2020: This article reports local cases and advice from 2020. Restrictions, testing and isolation guidance have since changed. See NHS COVID-19 information for current guidance.

In September 2020, Derbyshire’s then Director of Public Health, Dean Wallace, urged High Peak residents to follow the government advice in force at the time after a rise in coronavirus cases. The original report said the High Peak had 65 cases between 1 and 14 September, compared with 23 in the previous two weeks.

He said in the 2020 report:

“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a rise in the High Peak which isn’t surprising given the close proximity to the areas affected by the extra restrictions, but we can’t afford to be complacent in Derbyshire. It’s vital that everyone plays their part in helping to beat this virus which is still spreading.

“The message is simple. Keep washing your hands, cover your face in enclosed areas, keep a safe distance from others and keep social gatherings to no more than six people – including children — both indoors and outdoors.”

“We’re closely monitoring the situation and will take action if needed in the future. But if we all stay alert and take sensible precautions we can prevent the spread of this very contagious virus and all get back to what we love to do more quickly.”

“We know that the testing system nationally has been struggling to keep pace with demand, but we are working with the Government to get extra testing capacity into the High Peak.”

The report also described the testing and contact-tracing arrangements then in place. Those arrangements and the restrictions described in the quotation were specific to 2020; consult the NHS for current information.