Slough covid: one year since severe restrictions implemented

This led to people requiring a meal to enjoy alcohol in their favourite pubs and restaurants, a ban on indoor mixing, the rule of six applying to people meeting outdoors, and people for a large part being banned from seeing their loved ones in care homes.

In October last year, the Government instituted a system to attempt to manage the outbreak of coronavirus in England by dividing the country up into upper tier local authorities and imposing different measures depending on how many coronavirus cases there were in each area.

Places were divided into three tiers: Tier 1, 2 and 3.

READ MORE: 'Mums & school kids' driving up Covid cases as 53,000 residents yet to be vaxxed

While Tier 1 meant rule of six restrictions were still in place, life continued as normal for the most part, albeit with a mask mandate on public transport and in the shops.

Slough went from Tier 1 to 2 on Saturday, October 24. This decision effectively shut bars and pubs which only served alcohol, as these drinks could only be ordered ‘with a substantial meal’.

But the Tier 2 restrictions were only in place for less than two weeks, as a fresh month-long lockdown was announced on Halloween last year and came into effect on Bonfire Night, November 5, 2020.

The second lockdown ran from November to December 2 and led to the closure of all non essential shops and businesses, with schools remaining open.

Slough left the second lockdown in Tier 3, which ended social mixing and also forced pubs, bars, restaurants, cafes, shisha lounges and indoor entertainment venues to close.

The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Slough reached their peak during the 2020 Christmas New Year period.

334 cases were recorded on a single day on December, 29, which is the highest number reported in a day in one area of Berkshire since the pandemic began.

READ MORE: Berkshire covid figures as infection rates dip after record breaking month

Slough and the rest of Berkshire went into the even more restrictive ‘Tier 4’ on December 20, which effectively put the area in lockdown with everyone encouraged to stay at home and not travel away from the area in which they lived.

But this designation was short lived, as on January 5 of this year, the third lockdown was announced, which would last until July.

After a drastic dip from January to May of this year, coronavirus cases in the town have been trending upwards.

Slough remains the area of Berkshire that has been worst affected by the pandemic.

A total of 24,834 have tested positive for Covid-19 in Slough, and sadly, 377 of those people died.

Table 1: total number of coronavirus cases reported up to November 6, 2021

The total number of coronavirus cases in every area of Berkshire. Credit: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter, created using Meta Chart

Table 2: total number of coronavirus deaths reported up to October 22

The total number of coronavirus deaths in every area of Berkshire. Credit: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter, created using Meta Chart

Figures taken from the Public Health Berkshire Covid-19 Dashboard.

Slough also has the lowest vaccination uptake in Berkshire as well. 69.3 per cent of the eligible population has received their first dose, with 61.1 per cent of people receiving their second dose as well.

Area vaccine dosage received % of population

1st vaccine 2nd vaccine

Slough 69.3 61.1

Reading 70.9 64

Windsor & Maidenhead 82 74.9

Wokingham 85.2 77.7

West Berkshire 86.1 79.2

Bracknell Forest 82.7 75.3

The tier system of managing the outbreak has been abolished for the whole of this year.

There are rumours that the Government could introduce its ‘Plan B’ in an attempt to curb infections.

This would mean the roll out of the controversial vaccine passport, reinstating mask mandates, and possibly even asking companies to close their offices and make staff work at home.

However, it seems the days when different restrictions applied to different areas has ended.