Barnet sees 27% COVID PCR positivity as London rates climb

Barnet recorded a 27 per cent positivity rate for PCR COVID‑19 tests in the latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) figures covering early October, according to data shared by Islington South and Finsbury MP Emily Thornberry. The rate is well above the London average of roughly eight per cent at the same time.

How the rates were calculated

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The UKHSA numbers are based on the number of positive PCR results divided by the total tests taken in each borough. In Barnet, the figure reflects a small sample of tests, which can cause the percentage to shift sharply from week to week. For example, the agency reported 31 cases on 9 October, with 18 positive results, before the proportion fell to 39 per cent the following week as testing volumes remained low.

Council response and public health advice

Islington Council, which has a similar testing profile, warned that the high positivity figure should not be read as a precise measure of community infection because few people are being tested. Deputy leader and executive member for health Cllr Ruth Hayes told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the borough had "just under" 50 confirmed cases in the past month, a level comparable with the same period last year.

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“"This highlights the continuing importance of vaccination for those eligible and of the role of good respiratory hygiene,"”

Cllr Ruth Hayes, Islington Council

Both the council and the UKHSA emphasised that the rise in positive tests and hospital admissions is a national pattern, not a localised outbreak. The agency said the upward trend is seen across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and also in parts of Europe and the United States.

What residents can do next

Barnet residents are encouraged to book any pending COVID‑19 booster doses and to follow standard hygiene measures such as covering coughs with a tissue or elbow, washing hands regularly and using hand sanitiser. Local health teams will continue to monitor the data and update guidance as the winter season progresses.