A virtual Covid media briefing with Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Public Health Directors held today 8 January at 11 am.
Alison Challenger – Public Health Director for Nottingham City Council and Jonathan Gribbin for Nottinghamshire County Council and Dr Andy Haynes, Executive Lead, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care System updated and answered question from the media.
Current situation
Jonathan Gribbin for the county said: ‘We find ourselves back in national lockdown – stay at home except for limited number of activities. Ave infection rate across England 612 / 100,000.
‘For Nottingham there is enormous concern, rising steeply across all areas of Nottinghamshire across all age groups. R value for Nottingham between 1.1 – 1.5 a rate of spread that is of deep concern.
Loxley House Nottingham
Alison Challenger for the city said: ‘Nottingham 408 cases per 100,000 increasing rapidly. Must follow lockdown rules.’
‘Several weeks of lockdown ahead of us, but must try to keep our families and communities safe.’
Dr Andy Haynes: ‘It’s a very concerning situation in healthcare and hospitals, 70% higher than April peak, 500 Covid patients in hospitals, 20% of beds occupied by Covid patients, intensive care running at 200% of capacity, half are non-covid patients. Staff sickness at 10%.
‘Infection level at 1 in 50 people infected.
‘Vaccinations – two approved and in use – we need to vaccinate 20 care home residents to prevent one death and 160 over 80s to prevent one death. We have seven vaccination sites now open, including four local community sites. 80-plus residents and care home residents should have been vaccinated by the end of January.
All were positive about the vaccines rolling out, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are doing well on this with seven locations currently operating with more of these and the possibility of GPs and pharmacies all becoming involved soon.
Questions:
How many vaccinations per week do we think we’ll achieve?
Figures will be released daily by area from Public Health England from next week.
‘AH – Hope to achieve 80,000 per week by the end of January. Sites and staffing coming online and in place. Vaccine supply will be crucial – also GPs will come online. Issues will be related to sustaining the workforce long term to continue at this pace. Need supply of people coming forward to help.’
More updates and numbers later today.
