Number of covid patients in North Yorkshire hospitals almost doubles in a week

The number of covid patients in North Yorkshire’s hospitals has almost doubled in the last week.

Senior health officials are urging people to continue to get the vaccine as cases in the county continue to surge.

Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group told a meeting of North Yorkshire’s Local Resilience Forum today that there had been a jump in the number of patients in the last seven days.

She said: 

“We have seen that the number of patients who have covid in our hospitals has risen over the last week.

“As of yesterday there were 23 patients in our hospitals and that figure is up from 12 this time last week so we have seen an increase of 11 patients.”

The numbers include six patients in York Hospital and three in Harrogate. There are currently no covid patients at Scarborough Hospital.

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The rise in patients comes as the Delta variant of covid continues to spread throughout North Yorkshire, particularly in those under 30, with the number of cases having tripled in a fortnight.

The current infection rates per 100,000 in the county are 139 in Selby, 124 in Craven, 108 in Richmondshire, 91 in Harrogate, 51 in Ryedale, 44 in Hambleton and 28 in Scarborough.

The overall rate for North Yorkshire is now 81. At the start of June, the county’s rate per 100,000 people was just 18.

Mrs Bloor said everyone who was eligible for a vaccine, which is now all over 18s, should come forward to get the jab.

She said: 

“We all know how important vaccination is.

“Anything that all of us can do to encourage any of our friends, colleagues, families and people in our communities who have not felt able to come forward yet and take their vaccine [will help].

“We can see from the numbers in our communities and from the numbers of patients in hospitals that the most effective weapon against covid is to have a vaccine and have two doses.

“It may not prevent you from getting the disease itself but it will prevent you from becoming seriously unwell and potentially requiring hospital treatment and stay in hospital.”

Mrs Bloor added that “there was still a link” between the rise in infections and hospitalisations and it had not yet been broken.

So far, 355,012 people have had two doses of a covid vaccine in North Yorkshire according to Public Health England figures.

Harrogate district records highest covid rate in four months

The Harrogate district’s seven-day covid rate of infection is at its highest level since February.

The rate now stands at 91 cases per 100,000 people, according to latest North Yorkshire County Council figures.

The last time the rate was as high was on February 22, when it reached 92.

North Yorkshire’s average is 81 and the England rate is 100.

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The Harrogate district recorded a further 28 infections today, according to Public Health England.

It takes the total number of infections in the district since the start of the pandemic to 8,093.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital.

NHS England figures show the last death was reported in April and the total number of covid-related deaths since the start of the pandemic remains at 179.

Nidderdale Show in Pateley Bridge cancelled due to covid

Nidderdale Show in Pateley Bridge, the Harrogate district’s last agricultural show of the year, has been cancelled.

The event, which attracts about 15,000 people, was due to take place in Bewerley Park on September 20.

But Nidderdale Agricultural Society’s show committee announced on Saturday it had decided unanimously to cancel the event due to covid.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the committee said:

“This decision has not been taken lightly and is due to the many uncertainties and risks currently involved in the organisation of an event such as ours during the ongoing covid pandemic.

“The nature of our show and showground is such that implementing the rules and regulations involved in delivering a covid-secure event would be extremely difficult to achieve and would place a huge burden of responsibility on our members and many volunteers, as well as expose the society to unacceptable financial risks.

“Most importantly, the primary concern is the health and safety of everyone involved in organising the show, of all those who attend the show and of everyone in our local community.”

The statement added the committee intended to put on a “bigger and better show” on Monday, September 19 next year.

The announcement means the vast majority of agricultural shows, which are a major part of summer life in the Harrogate district, have been cancelled.

However, the Great Yorkshire Show and Weeton Show are due to go ahead on July 13 to 16 and July 18 respectively.

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Harrogate district reports 21 covid cases today

Another 21 cases of covid-19 have been reported in the Harrogate district.

According to Public Health England figures, it takes the total cases confirmed since the start of the pandemic to 8,012.

No further covid deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital. The last death was recorded on April 11.

There are currently no covid patients being treated at the hospital, according to latest Public Health England statistics.

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The Harrogate district’s seven-day covid rate currently stands at 62.2 per 100,000 people. The North Yorkshire average is 56 and the England rate is 85.1.

Meanwhile, after six months in operation, Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground vaccination centre will give its final jab today.

Another 21 covid cases in Harrogate district

Another 21 cases of covid have been reported in the Harrogate district.

According to Public Health England figures, it takes the total cases confirmed since the start of the pandemic to 7,991.

No further covid deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital. The last death was recorded on April 11.

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There are currently no covid patients being treated at the hospital, according to latest Public Health England statistics.

Elsewhere, the district’s seven-day covid rate currently stands at 61 per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire average is 56 and the England rate is 83.

Great Yorkshire Showground vaccination site to close this weekend

Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground vaccination centre is set to close this weekend.

After six months in operation, the site will give its final jab on Saturday.

Vaccinations will still continue in Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge. However, Ripon Racecourse will only be offering second doses, including to people who had their first jab at the showground and still need to receive their second.

The move comes as the government aims to give as many vaccinations as possible ahead of a potential lifting of the remaining covid restrictions on July 19.

A post on the Harrogate Spa Surgery Facebook page said:

“We would like to extend our huge gratitude to all the local GP practices, Yorkshire Health Network and volunteers involved in setting up and running the centre over the past six months.

“The vaccine uptake across the region has been fantastic. Thank you to our patients for their willingness to come forward for vaccination and their patience in waiting for their invitations to arrive. 

“Clinics will continue to run at Ripon Racecourse over the coming weeks for second doses only.”

The Great Yorkshire Showground site first opened its doors on December 22.

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Seventeen GP practices in the district and the Yorkshire Health Network, the federation of GPs, came together to look for a suitable venue to hold vaccinations.

They settled on the showground because of its size and the need to keep batches of the Pfizer vaccine refrigerated on site.

At full capacity, the centre could give up to 1,800 vaccines a day and reached its 100,000th jab in April.

Dr Chris Preece, a GP partner in Boroughbridge and Knaresborough and one of the practitioners who helped to set up the site, told the Stray Ferret previously that people had been left “very emotional” after having their vaccine.

So far, a total of 205,231 vaccinations have been given across the Harrogate district.

The figure includes 111,517 first doses and 93,174 second doses, according to latest Public Health England data.

It means the take-up for a first vaccine in the district is currently 78%, while for a second dose it is 65%.

Pateley Bridge GP surgery reassures patients after appointment frustration

A Pateley Bridge surgery has reassured patients that face-to-face appointments are available after people expressed frustration at not being able to see a GP.

It follows a backlash from patients after Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for North Yorkshire CCG, said national reports that surgeries were closed were “a myth”.

Ernie Butler, a Darley parish councillor, told the Stray Ferret that he often had to wait weeks to get an appointment at Pateley Bridge surgery.

Now, the surgery has sought to reassure patients that it has been open throughout the pandemic and that it continues to have face-to-face appointments “where clinically appropriate”.

A statement from the Pateley Bridge practice said:

“We would like to reassure all our patients that we have been open throughout the pandemic. Since the first lockdown we have and continue to offer telephone, video and online consultation as well as face to face appointments where clinically appropriate.

“We remain open and whilst we are (like most surgeries) running a total triage service, we continue to see patients face-to-face. In the interests of keeping patients safe we have been using our three sites differently over the last year by having a designated site for potential or confirmed covid patients as well as having a separate site for shielding patients to be seen.

“This has worked really well and we are confident this has reduced the risk of infection to all our patients and staff but in particular our most vulnerable patients.

“Given the massively successful vaccination campaign and easing of lockdown restrictions, we are constantly reviewing our protocols but understandably this is being done cautiously in the interests of our patients’ safety.

“We’d like to thank our patients for being so supportive and understanding during an unprecedented 15-month period.”

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Local GP practices have been running telephone and online assessments for patients since March last year.

The process, known as “total triage” assesses people first before offering face-to-face appointments.

It has been used throughout the pandemic and NHS England guidance says it has been used to “reduce avoidable footfall in practices and protect patients and staff from the risks of infection”.

Another 19 covid cases reported in Harrogate district

Another 19 cases of covid have been reported in the Harrogate district, according to latest Public Health England figures.

It takes the total cases since last March to 7,970.

No further covid deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital. The last death was recorded on April 11.

There are currently no covid patients being treated at the hospital, according to latest Public Health England statistics.

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Meanwhile, the total number of vaccinations given in the district has reached 205,231.

According to latest government figures, 111,517 people have had a first dose of a covid vaccine and 93,714 have had a second dose so far.

Elsewhere, the district’s seven-day covid rate currently stands at 63 per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire average is 52 and the England rate is 81.

Self-isolation payments widened for Harrogate district low-income earners

Self-isolation payments of £500 are to be made available to more low-income earners in the Harrogate district.

The one-off payments were introduced by the government and administered by Harrogate Borough Council from September to compensate for any loss of earnings workers may suffer as a result of having to self-isolate because of covid.

More than £119,000 has been allocated to the council but as of this month around £68,000 remains unspent so officials have proposed to widen the rules around who can apply.

Those currently eligible must be on benefits such as Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowances, however, people who do not receive these and are still in need of help can get discretionary payments.

The proposal to widen the rules will mean a limit on those who can apply for discretionary payments based on their earnings is increased from £280 to £450 weekly.

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Julie Gillett, revenues, welfare and customer services manager at the borough council, said in a report this will mean the scheme is”available to more customers, providing more financial support within the Harrogate district.”

She said: 

“The council, together with the government, recognises that self-isolation is an important tool for controlling the transmission of the covid-19 virus.

“The self-isolation support payment schemes ensure that individuals with low incomes facing financial hardship as a result of not being able to work will be supported through this scheme.”

In December, there were warnings that thousands of people in England were being excluded from the scheme as councils reported running out of cash and loopholes leaving families ineligible.

The council said at the time that this was not an issue in the district, although it had rejected almost as many applicants as it had accepted as many who applied did not have a valid Test and Trace reference number or were not on one of the required benefits.

Currently, the scheme is due to end nationally on June 30, however, it is expected that there will be an extension as the legal requirement to self-isolate will remain in place.

How to apply

The borough council has set up a dedicated claims page on its website with information on eligibility and how to apply.

It said applicants will have to provide evidence of the notification from NHS test and trace, such as a text message, when making an application, as well as a bank statement to show your income has fallen.

Employed people will be asked to show proof of employment, for example your contract or payslip, while the self-employed will need to show evidence of their trading income and that their business cannot be carried out without social contact.

Applications will need to be made within two weeks of your quarantine period ending.

Workers who have to self-isolate after travelling abroad and those who can work from home while they isolate won’t be able to claim.

Birstwith Show cancelled due to covid uncertainty

The organisers of Birstwith Show have cancelled this year’s event due to uncertainty over the lifting of lockdown restrictions.

The event, which has taken place most years since 1867, had been scheduled to return on July 31.

Traditionally held on the last Saturday in July, the village event attracts up to 2,000 people and is one of many country and agricultural shows in the Harrogate district.

However, organisers have now decided to cancel the show for the second year running due to concerns over health, logistics and the extension of social distancing restrictions.

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A post on the Birstwith Horticultural Society Events Facebook page, said the organisers would not be able to know if it would be legal to put on the show until a week beforehand.

It added:

“Our decision was based on several points, first and most importantly the health of the community and those who would be visiting the village. 

“There was also the logistics of what would be needed to be put in place to keep everyone safe. 

“And lastly we would have only one week notice from a government announcement whether we could go ahead or not. 

“This would not be fair to those supporting us, the acts, marquee, food and drink suppliers etc. It also normally takes a year to plan the event in normal times, with the ever changing rules and regulations one week would just not be possible.”

The show is the latest to be cancelled due to covid.

Both Tockwith Show and Ripley Show organisers cancelled the events earlier this year.

Masham Steam Engine and Fair Organ Rally has also postponed its event this year amid the uncertainty.

However, the Great Yorkshire Show announced yesterday it will go ahead next month.

The event had been in doubt following the government extending social distancing restrictions until July 19.

Weeton Show is also set to go-ahead as planned next month.

Paula Harper, chair of the show, said: 

“Weeton Show 2021 was planned from the outset under the restrictions in force at the time –  pre-purchase of tickets, masks when inside, social distancing, hand sanitisation and so on – and we continue to plan for a covid safe show.

“We are working closely with local authorities and for this year only the show will be scaled down, so that more of it will be held outdoors and certain competition sections will have fewer classes than usual.”