Parts of Harrogate district miss out on vaccine centre pledge

Those north of Ripon and living in large parts of Nidderdale are missing out on the government’s vaccine centre pledge.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised that everyone will be within 10 miles of a vaccine centre, but there is still work to do in North Yorkshire.

A map released as part of the UK Covid-19 vaccines delivery plan shows that, while there are two centres in Harrogate, there are no places to get a jab in Ripon or Nidderdale.

Residents in Masham currently have to travel to Leyburn or Northallerton if the NHS calls upon them to be vaccinated.

With the elderly and vulnerable first in line for a vaccine, the government believes that it is important they do not have to travel far.

96% of England’s population currently has a vaccine centre within 10 miles but the government hopes to increase that to 100% by the end of January.

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Its vaccine delivery plan outlines how 206 hospital hubs, 1,200 local vaccination sites and 50 large vaccination centres should be able to make that a reality.

The plan also reveals how in “highly rural areas,” where public transport is an issue, the local vaccination centre will be a mobile unit.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in a government press conference yesterday:

“The third part of the plan is expanding where you can get vaccinated. As of Friday, 96% of the population in England lived within 10 miles of a vaccination site and we’re expanding the number of vaccination sites further, right across the whole of the UK.

“This expansion will include community pharmacy and roving vaccination centre on top of the hospitals and GP practices and the seven mass vaccination sites that we’ve opened.

“This huge expansion means that by the end of January, everyone will live within 10 miles of a vaccination centre either fixed or roving.”

Have you or a relative struggled to get to the vaccination centre? We’d like to hear from you. Get in touch on contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Four covid deaths in three days at Harrogate hospital

A further two deaths of patients who tested positive for coronavirus have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital today.

It means four covid-related deaths have been announced at the hospital in the last three days.

According to NHS England statistics, today’s two deaths were recorded on January 9.

Another 50 infections in the Harrogate district were confirmed today by Public Health England.

It takes the Harrogate District’s seven-day infection rate to 494 people per 100,000.

The England average is 611 and the North Yorkshire average is 436.

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The Harrogate district’s top five covid hotspots

There have been 633 covid infections recorded in the Harrogate district in the last seven days, according to government statistics.

The infection rate has rocketed over the last month and the current seven-day average rate is now 494 people per 100,000.

But there are considerable variations within the district.

The government breaks each district into smaller areas known as middle super output areas, each with a population of about 7,200 people.

According to the latest figures, the middle super output areas with the most current infections are central Harrogate and central Knaresborough.

The more rural Pateley Bridge and Nidd Valley, which has been consistently less affected throughout the pandemic, has the fewest current infections.

Most infections

1 Central Harrogate 76

2 Knaresborough Central 61

3 Harrogate West and Pannal 59

4 Killinghall and Hampsthwaite 53

5 Starbeck 47

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Fewest Infections

1 Pateley Bridge and Nidd Valley 13

2 Hookstone 17

3= Dishthorpe, Baldersby and Markington

3= Spofforth, Burn Bridge and Huby 19

5 Masham, Kirkby Malzeard and North Stainley 21

 

Harrogate district coronavirus rate nearly 500 per 100,000 people

The level of coronavirus in the Harrogate district has continued to set new records, as the country’s chief medical officer warned of “avoidable deaths”.

A further 83 infections were confirmed in the district today by Public Health England, taking the total since the start of the pandemic to 5,429.

It means the district’s seven-day rate is now 494 cases per 100,000 people.

Although high, the rate is below the England average of 610 cases per 100,000.

The growth rate hit 3.5 for the first time today, which means there have been 3.5 times more infections in the last 14 days than were recorded in the previous 14 days.

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Harrogate District Hospital has not recorded any coronavirus deaths today. However, the hospital did see another two patients who tested positive die yesterday.

Professor Chris Whitty, the country’s chief medical officer, warned this morning the “country is perhaps facing the most serious [battle] yet”.

Urging people to follow restrictions, he said:

“Hospitals are always busy in the winter but the NHS in some parts of the country is currently facing the most dangerous situation anyone can remember.

“If the virus continues on its current trajectory many hospitals will be in real difficulties, and very soon.

“This means that the time people wait for care will continue to increase to potentially unsafe levels.

“Hospitals won’t have room to take redirected emergency cases in regional networks, staff to patient ratios which are already stretched will become unacceptable even in places likes intensive care.

“There will be avoidable deaths.”

Strayside Sunday: Return to lockdown shines a light on those leading us

Strayside Sunday is our weekly political opinion column. It is written by Paul Baverstock, former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party. 

Here we are again.

Locked down tight. Shielding from the any one of the three Covid-19 variants currently spreading across the land at exponentially increasing rates. Working from home if at all possible and avoiding all but necessary travel. Obsessively checking and rechecking our place in the vaccination queue and hoping against hope that the ability of the NHS to get vaccines into the arms of the population matches the prodigious available supply of those vaccines.

I fully support Boris Johnson’s decision to return to a national lockdown. With record numbers of positive Covid-19 tests being reported each and every day and as high dependency and critical care beds in our hospitals approach full capacity, he and the leaders of the Kingdom’s devolved parliaments had little choice but to turn the door key once more. Sir Keir Starmer, who is quickly establishing a reputation for himself as both Cassandra and Statesman, gave the Prime Minister his fulsome support. Clearly he has been spooked by the confidential briefings on the spread of Covid-19 he receives as Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. Regardless, we should laud him for his principled stance.

One person to whom the nom de guerre Statesman could never be attached is Gavin Williamson. Surely Mr Williamson can now confidently be ranked as the worst Education Secretary to have ever graced the government benches. Schools’ leaders and staff are in open revolt, stoked up as ever by their unions, angered by Mr Williamson’s combination of myopia, lettuce-like communication skills (green, wet and limp) and post-hoc policy announcements.

Parents must again help school their children at home and confront a patchwork quilt of online educational provision, which follows, broadly speaking, the established pattern that those who would benefit most from excellent services are those least likely to have the opportunity to do so. And those parents least able to afford the required time away from work to help their children learn are faced with the worst of Hobson’s choices: work to earn now and limit their children’s educational opportunities or prioritise educating the kids and struggle to earn the money needed to put food on the table.

Mr Williamson is self-regarding and childish (the man keeps a Tarantula on his House of Commons office desk for ‘House of Cards’ effect, for goodness’ sake), he is dishonourable (Theresa May sacked him as Secretary of State for Defence because she had “compelling evidence” he had leaked confidential and sensitive National Security Council – he denied it but everyone in Westminster didn’t believe him for a minute, such is his reputation for cheap and transparent politicking), he is, well, a bit thick (which we ought to forgive him for) and, given that, inexplicably arrogant (which we shouldn’t).

In the end, though, I believe that we get the politicians we deserve. If I’m right, the current crop of British politicians serve only to confront us with the inconvenient truth of our just desserts. The view in the mirror of our public life is unedifying. To change it we have to care more, watch more, say more and do more. We must. If we don’t, there is every danger that we will follow in the misguided footsteps of the United States and undermine the fabric of our polity so as to expose its limited foundations and character.

It’s remarkable that a third national lockdown in the United Kingdom is only the second story this week, and second by a long chalk. The events in Washington DC on January 6 and 7 were truly extraordinary. A sitting President walked into the garden of the White House and incited the supporters he has anyway spent four years inflaming to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue, lay siege to and storm the Capitol building that is home to both houses of Congress. This on the day of a joint sitting to ratify the US Electoral College votes and elevate the Biden/Harris ticket to power.

The MAGA (Make America Great Again) gang overran the Capitol Hill police and security staff and tried to establish mob rule. Windows were smashed, crash barriers were upended, walls were scaled, offices were occupied, weapons were brandished, a woman died of gunshot wounds and three others lost their lives. Donald Trump almost got his Presidential death wish, to bring down American democracy because it didn’t give him the electoral result he wanted.

Trump, his family and assorted sycophants have brought low the United States’ reputation as the cradle of democracy. Using his bully pulpit, the social media wild west, friendly and partisan television networks, toadying public officials, a successful populism that enflames and exploits the prejudices of the ignorant, 60 fallacious lawsuits and pure brass neck, this man tried everything to cling on to the power he lost in November’s elections. Thank goodness that America’s system of government and judiciary held in the face of such a brazen assault. The alternative is unthinkable.

Unless the powder keg explodes between now and January 20, Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th US President that day. Frighteningly, a YouGov poll of Republican voters conducted this week reports that fully 45% of them believe that Biden’s Democrats stole the election.  Biden will consequently step into a smouldering crucible, packed with the combustible tinder of opposing views. For all our sakes, we have to hope his unique political emollience can walk the US back from the brink.

That’s my Strayside Sunday.

Health bosses urge patience on covid vaccine as 76 further cases confirmed

Health bosses have urged people to be patient on the covid vaccine as a further 76 cases have been confirmed in the Harrogate district.

The number takes the total number of coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic up to 5,236, according to Public Health England figures.

The district’s seven-day coronavirus rate stands at 471 per 100,000 people and is the fourth highest in North Yorkshire.

Meanwhile, health bosses in North Yorkshire have urged people to be patient over the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine.

It comes after vulnerable residents told the Stray Ferret earlier this week that they were frustrated at the lack of information on the vaccine locally.

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The jab is currently being offered to the over 80s, frontline health staff and care home workers and residents. Those over 75, over 70, as well as clinically and extremely vulnerable patients, will follow.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson set a target to vaccinate those four priority groups by February 15 following the country being placed into another national lockdown.

But local health officials have asked people to be patient and wait to be invited by their GP for their vaccine appointment as the programme is ramped up nationally.

Amanda Bloor, NHS North Yorkshire CCG accountable officer and chair of the North Yorkshire and York group of NHS and local government chief executives, said: 

“It’s heartening to see patients’ enthusiasm to have the covid vaccine, but it’s important those at most risk of falling seriously ill and dying from coronavirus are vaccinated first.

“Your GP surgery is following the necessary guidance and will be in touch with you when it’s your turn to be vaccinated – please do not contact them.”

Meanwhile, Harrogate District Hospital is currently treating 24 patients who tested positive for coronavirus.

The number is an increase on the 16 which the trust reported last week.

According to NHS England figures, a further patient who tested positive for covid died at the hospital on January 6. It takes the total number of deaths at the hospital since March up to 111.

The hospital has treated and discharged 335 people diagnosed with covid – 11 of these since last week – but its current number of in-patients with covid has risen from 16 on New Year’s Eve to 28 yesterday.

Just eight covid fines issued in Harrogate district last month

Just eight people have been fined by police in the last month for covid breaches in the Harrogate district.

Figures published last night by North Yorkshire Police revealed four fines were given to visitors to the district and four to local people for indoor gatherings between December 2 and January 5.

Other areas within the county were dealt with far more severely: a total of 362 and 308 fines were issued in the Scarborough district and York respectively over the same timeframe.

North Yorkshire issued 710 fines in total for covid breaches.

The highest number — 334 — were handed out for indoor gatherings. The second highest category was for local residents, who received 191 fines.

A total of 161 fines were given to visitors and nine were for outdoor gatherings.

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Yesterday Superintendent Mike Walker, gold commander for North Yorkshire Police’s response to covid, said people would notice a higher police presence during the third lockdown.

He added police would step up patrols and anyone found in breach of the rules faced fines of up to £200.

Chief Inspector Rachel Wood said:

“I cannot stress enough how serious our current situation is. As a nation we have moved into new national restrictions and we are being told to once again stay home to save lives and protect our health service.

“Our local patrol plans have been revised and we have increased our presence and visibility in our local communities. We will take enforcement action against those who are breaking the rules and putting the wider community at risk from this deadly virus.”

In September, the force said it had issued 1,151 fines for covid regulation breaches up to that point in the pandemic.

 

Harrogate district covid rate six times higher than a month ago

The Harrogate district’s seven-day covid rate has passed the 400 mark for the first time as infection rates continue to rocket.

The average now stands at 460 people per 100,000 and is the third highest in North Yorkshire.

The rate is now nearly six times higher than it was four weeks ago when the figure stood at just 79.

North Yorkshire’s average is 444 while the national rate is 636.

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Public health bosses in North Yorkshire warned this week that case rates were likely to worsen in the coming weeks.

A further 120 infections were confirmed today in the district by Public Health England.

The figure takes the total cases since the start of the pandemic up to 5,160.

Meanwhile, the vaccination centre at the Great Yorkshire Showground reopened today.

Residents raised concerns about a lack of information on the centre earlier this week when it appeared to have been closed for most days over the Christmas period.

Police to challenge rule breakers on Harrogate district roads and beauty spots

North Yorkshire Police has said it will challenge lockdown rule breakers on the Harrogate district’s roads and beauty spots.

Superintendent Mike Walker, the force’s lead for coronavirus, today set out the countywide policing strategy for the third national lockdown.

He said police presence and visibility would increase to “reassure” people, and anyone caught breaking the rules would be challenged and possibly fined up to £200.

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Supt Walker said:

“Under these new regulations, if you are outside of your home without a reasonable excuse, or gathering indoors or outdoors with others, the police can take enforcement action against you and you can be fined up to £200.

“I would also stress that it is important to stay as close to home as possible. While exercise is permitted, this should be done in your local area, preferably from your doorstep.

“The new restrictions have been put in place to limit people’s movements in order to suppress the spread of a deadly virus. If you travel further than is essential, you are putting yourself and those communities you visit at risk of contracting this virus.

“Our health service is at a crucial point and as a nation we face a very serious situation, so it’s vital that we stick to the rules and stop the spread of the virus.”

 

Harrogate district covid cases hit another high as 157 confirmed

The Harrogate district’s daily coronavirus cases hit another record high today as infection rates continues to soar.

Latest Public Health England data show a further 157 people tested positive in the last 24 hours.

The figure is an increase on the previous record high of 141 on Monday.

It takes the total number of cases in the district since the start of the pandemic to 5,040.

Central Harrogate is the worst affected area, with 43 infections in the last seven days.

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The district’s seven-day infection rate has now increased to 387 people per 100,000. Richmondshire remains the highest district rate in the county with 469.

The county-wide rate stands at 399, and the England average is 608.

The figures come as public health bosses in North Yorkshire warned yesterday that case rates will likely worsen over the next two weeks.

Officials said the new variant of coronavirus, which spreads between people easily, was almost certainly in the county.