Residents in Trafford have reported receiving message alerts from their GPs and doctors surgeries today following a spike in coronavirus cases in the borough.
New cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) were confirmed to have jumped in the Greater Manchester borough of Trafford last week, but health officials have insisted that the numbers remain “very low” overall.
A total of 77 new cases were recorded overall for the week between 18th – 25th July.
57% of those were people aged 25 or below.
Trafford Council has described this spike in cases “striking”, but is putting it down to the number of people between the ages of 17-23 choosing to get tested and have praised young people for doing so.
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It’s great to be out and about but make sure you stay covid alert!
We have low numbers of cases in Trafford but have seen a rise amongst young people so please stay outdoors if you can, avoid crowded places and protect your more vulnerable friends and family. pic.twitter.com/03wPNnIi99
Now, people across the borough have started receiving message alerts from their GPs or doctors surgeries warning them to take extra care.
The message alert – received by residents either via text, email or other – states that “numbers are low”, but cases are in fact rising “especially amongst 17-23 year olds” and they should “take extra care if seeing family and friends”.
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It reads in full: “While numbers are low, COVID-19 cases are rising especially amongst 17-23 year-olds in Trafford.”
“If you, or members of your family go to public places, please do the right things to protect yourself and those around you; keep social distance, wash your hands regularly, wear a face covering where possible, and if you have symptoms, book a test here.”
“If you are in a higher risk group, please take extra care if seeing family and friends.”
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In a statement released yesterday, Eleanor Roaf – Director of Public Health at Trafford Council – said: “We have seen a rise in young people coming forward to be tested and this has led to an increase in positive cases.”
“We don’t know exactly why this is but we are thanking younger people for acting responsibly in coming forward for tests when they feel ill. We think that the young people have been contacting each other and raising awareness of the importance of testing.”
“If this is the case, we would like to thank them for their efforts, as this will help us stop further spread of the disease.”
“I would urge everyone to continue to stick to the rules around social distancing and hand-washing when they are meeting up with friends or going out to pubs and restaurants.”
Health leaders in Trafford are praising young people for coming forward to be tested for coronavirus.
Cllr Jane Slater – Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Equalities – added that while any increase in cases was a “cause for concern”, she was “reassured” that people were coming forward to be tested.
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She said: “No one should be complacent as the virus has not gone away and still poses a risk especially to the vulnerable in our society”.
For more information, visit the Trafford Council website here.
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For further information and guidance amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, do refer to official sources via gov.uk/coronavirus.
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The cheapest Christmas Markets in the world for mulled wine have been revealed
Daisy Jackson
The most affordable Christmas Markets for drinking mulled wine have been revealed – and Manchester is nowhere in sight.
With Christmas markets across Europe preparing to welcome millions of visitors, festive fans looking to enjoy a warming cup of glühwein without breaking the bank might want to take note of the latest findings.
Festive experts at Christmas Tree World have analysed mulled wine prices at Christmas markets around the world to discover where visitors can enjoy the seasonal favourite for less.
Topping the rankings is Brussels’ Winter Wonders, where mulled wine is available for as little as £2.14 – about a third of the price of a mulled wine at the Manchester Christmas Markets.
Cologne Cathedral Christmas Markets and Strasbourg’s Christkindelsmärik share second place, with starting prices of just £2.56.
Other European favourites also feature prominently in the rankings. Budapest’s Christmas Market at the Basilica takes fourth place, with mulled wine costing £3.19, while Prague’s Old Town Square Christmas Market comes in sixth at £3.55.
Germany makes another strong appearance, with Dresden’s Striezelmarkt and Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt (which handily just launched new direct flights from Manchester) both offering mulled wine for £3.85.
Meanwhile, Vienna’s Christmas World rounds off the European entries in ninth place, with prices starting at £4.28.
For those planning a festive adventure further afield, Tokyo’s Christmas Market also makes the top five, with mulled wine costing £3.22.
However, not every destination offers such a bargain. Across the Atlantic, New York City’s Winter Village takes the title of the most expensive market in the study, with mulled wine costing a rather less festive £11.74. Chicago’s Christkindlmarket isn’t far behind, charging £8.80.
Manchester Christmas Markets start on Friday 6 November – we’ll see how our prices stack up then.
Sir Ian McKellen pays emotional tribute to long-time friend and fellow northern actor Sir Patrick Stewart
Emily Sergeant
Sir Ian McKellen has paid an emotional tribute to his long-time friend and fellow northern actor, Sir Patrick Stewart, following his death.
Sir Patrick Stewart – who was born and bred in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, and is best-known for his theatre work alongside an illustrious 60-year screen career, taking on prominent roles in franchises such as Star Trek and X-Men – sadly passed away at the age of 86, with his death being announced publicly yesterday evening (29 October).
And now, his long-time friend and fellow northern actor, Sir Ian McKellen, has paid tribute.
Sir Patrick and Sir Ian shared the stage together countless times over their decades-long careers, but also famously starred alongside each other in the X-Men franchise, and subsequent Marvel movies, as Charles Xavier/Professor X and Magneto.
The tribute, shared across Sir Ian’s social media platforms, reads: “Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt. Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.
“We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions.
“My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in ‘Star Trek’. “But Patrick think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?”
“Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did, for not just his devoted Trekkies, but film and theatre audiences who marvelled at his using international celebrity to star in a string of cinema successes (‘X-Men’ of course) and in great classical plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter and Beckett at Stratford-upon-Avon, in London’s West End and on Broadway.
“America was his adopted home, where he met his adored Sunny who has cared for him through sickness and health, through thick and thin.
“But he never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire.”
The Manc -
29th July 2020 
