Over 60s to be offered covid vaccine in Harrogate district

Coronavirus vaccines are set to be offered to the over 60s and those with underlying health conditions in the Harrogate district.

Health bosses at NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group said today the programme was ready to be rolled out further.

The national booking service website is now open to those people over 60 and with underlying health conditions to book their jabs.

Appointments booked in this way are usually offered at a larger regional vaccination centre or a pharmacy.

People will also be contacted by their local GP-led vaccination site inviting them to have the vaccine.

It comes as 48,753 people have been vaccinated in the district so far, according to latest NHS England figures, while 247,629 have received a first dose across North Yorkshire and York.

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Amanda Bloor, accountable officer at NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: 

“We continue to encourage everyone who is invited for a vaccination to take up the offer to protect not only themselves but their families and loved ones.

“It’s also important that people attend for their second dose when the time comes to get the maximum protection offered by the vaccines currently being administered.

“We’re seeing high take-up of the vaccine in North Yorkshire and York, but if you were one of those in the first four priority groups who did not initially come forward it’s not too late if you’ve changed your mind – you can get in touch with the national booking service online or by calling 119 to get an appointment at one of the larger vaccination centres.

“In North Yorkshire and York we are on target to offer vaccinations to everyone in the nine priority groups by the middle of April.”

Health bosses have urged those who do not want an appointment at a larger vaccination centre or pharmacy not to contact their GP surgery, as a local NHS team will contact them directly.

Vaccinations for the Harrogate district are currently being offered at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Ripon racecourse and the former Lidl supermarket in Knaresborough.

People may also be invited to the mass vaccination centre at Askham Bar near York and the Elland Road stadium site in Leeds.

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48,000 people have covid vaccine in Harrogate district

More than 48,000 people have had the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine in the Harrogate district.

NHS England has started to publish local data on the amount of people who have been vaccinated across the country.

According to the figures, 48,753 first doses have been given in the district so far.

The number includes:

It comes as a vaccination site is due to open in Knaresborough today at the town’s former Lidl supermarket.

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The Knaresborough site is run by Homecare Pharmacy Services, which is based in the town.

Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said this week that it was likely other community pharmacies could start offering the vaccine in North Yorkshire as the rollout filters down to everyone over the age of 18 by the end of July.

Ms Bloor added that the county is on track to achieve the government target of offering all over 50s the jab by April 15.

The new centre will mean the district will have vaccination sites in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough.

In an interview with the Stray Ferret, Dr Chris Preece, a GP partner in Boroughbridge and Knaresborough, said that the Great Yorkshire Showground site was able to carry out up to 1,800 vaccinations a day.

A further 12 covid cases confirmed in Harrogate district

A further 12 covid cases have been confirmed in the Harrogate district.

According to today’s Public Health England figures, it takes the total number of cases to 7,262.

Meanwhile, the district’s seven-day covid rate has fallen to 85 per 100,000 people.

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The North Yorkshire rate stands at 77, while the national average is 107.

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

Two further covid deaths at Harrogate hospital

Two more patients who tested positive for covid have died at Harrogate District Hospital.

According to NHS England figures, the deaths were reported yesterday and Tuesday.

It takes the covid death toll at the hospital to 158.

A total of 45 patients are currently being treated for covid at Harrogate hospital, according to trust statistics.

Meanwhile, a further 12 cases of covid have been confirmed in the Harrogate district today.

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It takes the total number of infections to 7,250 since March.

The district’s seven-day average rate of infection stands at 94 people per 100,000.

Elsewhere, the county average stands at 85 and the national rate is 112.

Killinghall and Hampsthwaite remains the area in the district with the highest number of infections, with 20 in the past seven days.

Harrogate district records 30 new covid cases

The Harrogate district has recorded a further 30 covid cases today.

According to Public Health England figures, the number takes the total amount of cases since March to 7,238.

Meanwhile, the district’s seven-day covid rate of infection has fallen to 88 people per 100,000.

The rate for North Yorkshire stands at 83, while the England average is 116.

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Killinghall and Hampsthwaite remains the area with the most covid cases in the last seven days, with 23 infections.

Boroughbridge and Marton-cum-Grafton is the second highest in the district with 15.

No further covid deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital.

Harrogate district vaccine boost as over 50s prepare for jab

The Harrogate district is to receive a vaccine boost this week, as inoculations are set to be rolled out to the over 50s.

A vaccination site in Knaresborough, which will be able to administer jabs to 1,000 people a week, is due to open in the town’s former Lidl on Saturday.

It means the district, which now has vaccination sites in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough, is on track to achieve the government target of offering all over 50s the jab by April 15.

The Knaresborough site is run by Homecare Pharmacy Services, which is based in the town.

Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said today it was likely other community pharmacies could start offering the vaccine in North Yorkshire as the rollout filters down to everyone over the age of 18 by the end of July.

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Speaking at a media briefing today. Ms Bloor said the Knaresborough site would administer 800 vaccines next week and had the capacity to give up to 1,000 jabs per week. She added:

“This is just part of the wider rollout across the country. I think it is likely other community pharmacies will start to come on stream.

“As of yesterday, North Yorkshire and York reached 249,000 first doses of the vaccines. So it’s significant progress and the teams are doing a fantastic job.

“We have moved further down the priority list, so we are working on the over 65s. There’s no need to contact your GP. You will be contacted directly.”

‘Long slog to May’: Harrogate businesses react to covid roadmap

Businesses in the Harrogate district have given a mixed reaction to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s route out of lockdown restrictions today.

Mr Johnson outlined a four-phase “roadmap” that he said would be “cautious but irreversible”.

Step one will see schools re-open and care homes allow visits on March 8 and outdoor sports resume on March 29; step two will see non-essential retail and pubs and restaurants reopen non April 12; step three will see two households permitted to meet indoors and hotels and cinemas reopen on May 17; stage four will see all remaining restrictions lifted on June 21.

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Kimberly Wilson, chair of guesthouse association Accommodation Harrogate, welcomed bars and restaurants being in the same bracket as hotels.

She said:

“I’m glad to see that they are in the same strand so everything can reopen at the same time

“But we would want as much notice for reopening for hospitality. It takes time to get your ducks in a row.”

She hoped government offers support to hospitality businesses over the next few months before reopening.

Kim Wilson of the Camberley Hotel on Kings Road

Kim Wilson, of the Camberley Hotel on Kings Road, Harrogate.

Ms Wilson said measures such as an extension to the cut in VAT and the furlough scheme would help hospitality businesses survive.

But Paul Rawlinson, owner of Baltzersens cafe in Harrogate, said:

“We’re still in February and mid-May feels like a long way away. It’s a long, old slog. 

“We’ll pick ourselves back up and push on. In two or three months we might be in a more normal position.”

David Steca, owner of barbershop Steca No 6, said he was “fed up” with the restrictions.

He added:

“Hopefully we will receive more financial support if we are closed another seven weeks.”

Simon Colgan, owner of Harrogate’s Blues Bar, said:
“It’s nice to be able to start to plan towards a date.”

Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said the district “can go into the spring sharing a strong sense of optimism but should continue our cautious approach”.

He added:

“Our emergence from the shadow of covid will throw up new challenges about preparation for the possibility of future pandemics, about the future of high street retail, about how we work, about how changes to human activity, demonstrated during the pandemic, affect the environment and many more challenges too.”

150 have died from covid as Harrogate reaches sombre milestone

The Harrogate district has reached a sombre milestone today as 150 people have died in hospital after being diagnosed with covid.

To recognise this moment, the Stray Ferret is providing space for family and friends to pay tribute to loved ones who they have lost.

Each day since the first patient died on March 16 last year, we have reported the statistics, but behind the numbers are individuals with families and friends who loved them.

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On top of those who have died in hospital, 128 have died in care homes since the start of the pandemic.

Today 17 more cases of covid were recorded in the past 24 hours – the district in total has recorded 7,161 coronavirus cases.

To bring home the human cost of the pandemic in our district, the Stray Ferret will publish tributes from those who have been hit hardest by covid and help to tell their story.

If you have lost someone close to you due to the virus and want to pay tribute to them, get in touch on contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Harrogate hospital reports further coronavirus death

Harrogate District Hospital has reported a further death from a patient who tested positive for coronavirus.

The patient died on February 17, according to NHS England figures.

It takes the death toll at the hospital since March to 149.

Meanwhile, a further 32 cases of coronavirus have been recorded in the Harrogate district.

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It takes the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 7,144, according to today’s Public Health England figures.

The district’s seven-day covid rate currently stands at to 93 per 100,000 people.

Elsewhere, the North Yorkshire average is 87 and the national rate is 127.