A bird's-eye view of Leeds, Sheffield, and Yorkshire
X
Leeds
New ‘Living with Covid’ plans to be discussed by senior councillors
A report found working age people living in the 10% most deprived areas were four times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those in the wealthiest 10%.
The plans set out to live with Covid-19 are to be discussed by senior councillors after a new report into the pandemic has been published by Leeds City Council.
At a meeting of Leeds City Council's Executive Board on Wednesday 27 July 2022, plans outlining how Covid-19 will be managed across Leeds in the future will be discussed.
Overall, the discussion is thought to be held around helping the most vulnerable to continue accessing support and protections and 'encouraging safer behaviours' within the general public.
Ahead of the discussions, a report entitled 'Living with Covid- What does 'Living with Covid' mean for Leeds' has been published, which summarises the key points of how Leeds can continue to move forwards with the virus without it having further implications on our livelihood unnecessarily.
Image:Unsplash
The report outlines the importance of vaccinations in Leeds and how the NHS will work to ensure that the 'Leaving No One Behind' programme can continue to support the wider community and encourage further vaccine uptake.
The impact of Covid-19 on existing health inequalities has also been highlighted as an area of discussion.
According to the Living with Covid report, working age people living in the 10% most deprived areas were four times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those in the wealthiest 10% and local areas with the highest COVID-19 mortality rates for people under 65 tended to have a lower life expectancy, lower employment rates and more overcrowded housing, deprivation, and child poverty.
During this time, inequalities in Leeds have deepened. The report states that ten years ago, 20% of the Leeds population lived in areas ranking in the 10% most deprived nationally, but now this figure now stands at 26% for the Leeds GP registered, accounting for over a quarter of the population.
The report also acknowledges that there has been a significant impact on mental health throughout the pandemic, stating that "National modelling suggests that there will be an increase in common mental health disorders, grief and trauma. These are directly related to the impact of the pandemic across areas such as financial security, bereavement and community cohesion, along with the ‘threat’ of the virus."
The report also shows that significant progress has been made in encouraging vaccine uptake across Leeds, and whilst looking forward to the "potential for new variants of concerns and surges in cases, the report outlines the work currently underway to prepare for winter, as well as plans to continue community engagement across Leeds to encourage further vaccine uptake."
Speaking about the upcoming Executive Board meeting, Victoria Eaton, Leeds City Council’s director of public health, commented: “As we move forward and begin to live with Covid-19 it is really important that individuals take personal responsibility for infection prevention, such as ensuring good hygiene practice and ventilation and that people stay at home if have a cough or cold like symptoms.
“Vaccines continue to be our best line of defence against the virus, and it is crucial that everyone in Leeds gets vaccinated, it isn’t too late to get your first dose, these vaccines help to strengthen our protection.”
Leeds Bradford Airport is set for a standstill as almost 130 workers are set to take industrial action over pay.
If you're planning on catching a flight from Leeds Bradford Airport, then you may want to double check the date.
The Unite members planning on going on strike are a mixture of air traffic control workers, customer experience staff, security staff and cleaners.
The workers involved in the dispute have recently come out of a four-year pay deal, with some of the departments having fallen behind other airports in equivalent roles.
Pay talks have been happening since December 2025, with the airport's formal offer not going far enough to address the lack of pay parity.
Strikes will take place from 03:00 Friday 16 October to 06:00 Sunday 18 October for hourly paid staff and from 06:00 Friday 16 October to 06:00 Sunday 18 October for air traffic control workers.
Strike will mean the entire airport will shut down.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Leeds Bradford Airport is very profitable and can more than afford to come back to the table with an offer that doesn't fall short of our members' expectations.
"Our hardworking members should not be paid less than those doing the same jobs at other airports. Workers taking action at Leeds Bradford Airport have Unite's full support in their fight for fairer pay."
Unite regional officer Neil Whitaker said: "We know people who have flights planned to and from Leeds Bradford Airport will be concerned to hear of industrial action, however our members have no choice but to strike.
"The airport is profitable, passenger numbers are growing and our members are a major part of its success. They deserve a fair pay rise, and management must come back to the table to deliver this."
Leeds pizza shop hailed ‘exceptional’ and ‘best in the UK’ by major reviewer
Clementine Hall
A Leeds pizza takeaway has received a glowing review from popular review duo.
Edges Pizza opened up their first permanent spot in Leeds back in June this year, after making a name for themselves slinging out pizzas at multiple pop-ups across the city.
Owners Grace and Edge from Harrogate opened Edges Pizza two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Their pizzas are a love letter to the class New York slice, think thin and crispy rather than chewy and floppy. But above all else, think absolutely delicious.
And now, they've caught the attention of a major review page, with Bite Twice Food Reviews (a page with almost 300k followers) paying Edges a visit.
The food review duo of Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany popped up in Holbeck beneath the arches to get their hands on a pizza, and the outcome is brilliant.
In the video, Bite Twice said that the pizza is 'f**cking exceptional' and up there with 'one of the best pizzas in the UK'.
Before even taking a bite, they said: "On aesthetic, I don't think anywhere in the UK is doing pizza like this".
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Then after the first bite, they go on to say: "There are very few pizzas in the UK that create this, I’m a little bit blown away".
As Londoners themselves, they go on to say that Edges is 'easily hitting with the best that we’ve got down south'.
And if that's not high praise enough, they sign off the video saying: "Leeds has got an absolute gem. I give this a stamp so hard my foot went through the pizza. Edges. Don Level."
The Hoot -
20th July 2022 
