People are having to wait longer for ambulances due to “extremely high demand” caused by covid and the easing of lockdown measures.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust issued a statement today saying demand was at winter levels.

It said demand had increased throughout April, May and June and more staff were isolating or sick due to covid.

The trust reiterated its call for people to only call in serious or life-threatening circumstances.

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Nick Smith, executive director of operations at the trust, said:

“We have been experiencing periods of extremely high demand, particularly during the last few weekends and this has had a significant impact on our operations.

“We have continued to respond to those in need as swiftly as possible, but acknowledge that some patients are having to wait longer than we would like them to.”

The Harrogate district has recorded a further 87 coronavirus cases today.

With cases climbing locally, the Harrogate district’s seven day infection rate is now at 218 per 100,000, which is higher than the England rate of 206 per 100,000.

According to Public Health England, the total number of cases in the district since last March stands at 8,702.

A total of 331 cases of the Delta variant have been confirmed in the Harrogate district, according to latest government figures.

The number represents cases up to June 30 – and is a 42% increase from the 233 that were reported for the seven days up to June 23.

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Despite the high number of cases, Harrogate District Hospital is currently caring for just four coronavirus patients.

The hospital has not reported any coronavirus-related deaths since April 11. The covid death toll at the hospital remains at 179.

The high number of cases and relatively low number of coronavirus patients suggests the vaccine programme is working.

Another 75 covid infections have been recorded in the Harrogate district in the past 24 hours, according to Public Health England.

It is almost double yesterday’s figure of 42 and is the highest daily figure since January 13, when there were 86 infections.

However, separate figures released today by NHS England show the spike in infections is not leading to an increase in hospitalisations. There are currently two covid patients at Harrogate District Hospital – down from three last week, which suggests the vaccination programme is working.

The Harrogate district data reflects the national picture where cases have risen by almost 70% in a week but deaths have increased by just 11% and hospitalisations by 6%.

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The current seven-day rate of infection in the district is 173, slightly above the England rate of 172.

There have been no further covid-related deaths at Harrogate District Hospital. It means the death toll remains at 179.

A senior consultant at Harrogate District Hospital has urged people not to visit the emergency department unless necessary due to an ‘unprecedented’ number of patients.

Dr Helen Law, a consultant in emergency medicine, spoke after figures revealed the number of people seeking treatment had risen by 23 per cent compared with two years ago.

Over seven days from June 1 this year, 1,115 patients attended the emergency department compared with 939 patients during the same period in 2019, pre-covid.

The figures were released by West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts, which represents six NHS trusts in Yorkshire. The six trusts together have seen an average rise in the number of emergency patients over the same period of 17%.

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Dr Law said:

“We are seeing unprecedented numbers of people seeking treatment at our hospital and I know the situation is the same across West Yorkshire.

“We are highlighting this because at the current rate it is simply not sustainable to treat this many people on any long-term basis.

“Emergency departments are seeing significant numbers of patients seeking treatment for issues that are non-emergencies.

“Everyone in the NHS is here because we want to make people better and no one would ever say, ‘Don’t come to hospital’.

“But I would urge anyone planning on coming to the emergency department to ask themselves: ‘Is this an emergency?'”

The increase in patients is not believed to be linked to coronavirus.

The number of covid patients has remained low at Harrogate District Hospital over summer and currently number just three.

Pannal Sports Junior Football Club has raised over £2,000 in just four hours for a life-saving defibrillator.

The fundraising campaign followed the shocking scenes of footballer Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest on the pitch during a Euro 2020 game last week.

The club said the event “really hit home to a lot of people” how important having a defibrillator on site is for any sporting facility.

More than 100 people donated money to the successful crowdfunding campaign which means the club can install a defibrillator at their ground on Leeds Road.

Currently, it would take 10 minutes to get to the nearest defibrillator, which could be the difference between life and death.

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Nick Viles, chair of Pannal Sports, said:

“The recent events at Euro 2020 have highlighted the importance of having this life-saving equipment close at hand in an emergency. With Pannal Community Park used by almost 1,000 people each week, either recreationally or as part of organised sport, we want to be able to provide immediate pitch side access to a defibrillator.

“This funding will allow us to install a defibrillator that will be accessible 24/7 to those using the facilities and to the wider local community.

“I would like to thank everyone who has supported our campaign by donating and helping us reach our target so quickly, meaning we can install a new defibrillator as quickly as possible.”

Donations are still being received and the club plans to use these additional funds to deliver first aid training for its junior football players.

A mobile testing site has opened in Harrogate today for the first time and is set to be there three days a week “until further notice”.

NHS test and trace staff set up the site this morning at West Park car park on Tower Street.

The car park will close on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday each week for testing.

It comes as workers continue to dismantle the permanent testing centre in the Dragon Road car park near Asda, which closed on Sunday (May 23).

Health officials announced in March that the Dragon Road site would close as the Harrogate Convention Centre. The centre said it needs the space for parking.

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The move from a permanent centre to a mobile unit is a further sign that the emergency response to the pandemic is scaling back.

Matthew Robinson, head of resilience and emergencies at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“The advantages of mobile testing sites is that we can flex and strengthen as we go.

“If cases are increasing in a particular area we will continue to provide more frequent testing in that location.”

The site at the Dragon Road car park is now closed.

This follows news that the vaccination centres in Harrogate and Ripon will also close in August.

Local pharmacy sites in Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge will play a larger part in the vaccine roll out.

For more information on testing go to www.northyorks.gov.uk/book-coronavirus-covid-19-test-if-youve-got-symptoms

All street planters and cones used to promote social distancing in the Harrogate district are set to be reviewed next month.

North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) has confirmed that the measures will remain in place until the review, which is due to be held at the end of June.

It comes amid growing calls for their removal in the form of a petition and a group of businesses in Knaresborough.

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Those people believe that Harrogate and Knaresborough need parking spaces more than the social distancing enforcements as the lockdown eases.

The county council closed off parking bays in the towns at the start of the pandemic to give pedestrians more room to spread out.

Under the Government’s roadmap, all social distancing measures are set to be dropped on June 21. That is around the time NYCC will hold its review.

A council spokesperson said:

“We can confirm all social distancing measures will be in place until the review at the end of June.

“We have met regularly with local councillors and representatives from the town council and chamber of trade over the past 12 months to ensure that the social distancing measures in place are appropriate.

“No businesses have sent us a request to remove them.”

Three Knaresborough businesses have united to call for the removal of the social distancing cones in the town centre.

The traffic cones have been in place on the High Street since the start of the pandemic but some traders and residents feel now is time for them to go.

The government is due to drop all social distancing measures next month in the final step of the roadmap out of lockdown.

However, three business owners told the Stray Ferret the cones should be removed as soon as possible so disc parking spaces can be restored.

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Hairdresser Kelly Teggin, who owns a shop on Castlegate, told the Stray Ferret:

“The car parking spaces are needed more than the room they provide for social distancing.

“When I have stood on the High Street and watched, I do not see anyone using the cones to walk around others anymore.

“But in the last few weeks when it has been busy in town, nearly all of my clients were 20 minutes late because they could not find a parking space.”

Jordan Thompson, who owns Harriets Clothing, also said:

“We need normality back and we need parking available so people can come and spend their money in time like they used to do.

“Now is the time for them to go. They are very ugly and people drive into them all the time.”

The president of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and barber shop owner, Steve Teggin, added his frustration:

“If you look at the High Street and the rest of town, it is still very quiet. A lot of people are still affected by the lack of parking.

“Unfortunately, we are losing customers to Harrogate so we have got to stop that now.”

The businesses called for people who agree to reach out to councillor David Goode, who represents Knaresborough on North Yorkshire County Council, the highways authority, by emailing him here.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire County Council whether it was considering the removal of the cones but did not receive a reply by the time of publication.

A professional cleaner from Markington says she suffered severe burns from an oven cleaner readily available for anyone online.

Vicky Buck has been cleaning for nine years but last month was left shocked when a cleaning product burnt through her skin, deep enough to cut her nerves.

Ms Buck runs her own cleaning company in the district, Ultraviolet clean. She said it was the Vanquish Heavy Duty Oven Cleaner that burnt her.

Whilst wearing protective clothing Ms Buck said “less than a teaspoon” of product fell through the tongue of her shoe and left her with a 50p size burn on the side of her foot.

Her sock had fused to her skin and she will be permanently scarred. It had also burnt through her gloves but luckily her hands healed.

After speaking to doctors at Harrogate District Hospital she has been referred to a burns specialist.

This is the burn Ms Buck was left with after a small drop of oven cleaner dripped onto her skin.

The incident happened on April 16, a few days before her 45th birthday, since initial treatment Ms Buck returned to A&E today after continuous pain. The doctors dug out the remaining dead flesh in hopes it will heal faster.

She said it was “surreal and grim” watching them remove the black skin without being able to feel it due to nerve damage.

She said:

“The bottle says professional use only and I am professional that has taken courses on chemical products but it still burnt me. It shouldn’t be so easily available, how many people could this happen to?

People really need to get the professionals in to do this. It’s no more oven cleaning for me.”

She says she is sharing her story in hopes others will be hesitant when using cleaners

The product is still available online for around £9 via a large online seller. Ms Buck suggested a product such as this should only be available to those with a licence.

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Ms Buck says when it first happened she had to take a few days off work as it was so swollen she couldn’t put shoes on or use her car pedals.

Ms Buck is on a number of cleaning forums with other professionals often asking for advice on good products, she hopes that going public with her story will stop people buying the product so easily.

The product manufacturer, Clover Chemicals Ltd, had been approached for a comment but had not responded at the time of publication.

A Harrogate GP has praised the progress of the covid vaccination programme, but says it is important people continue to follow government guidance.

Dr Bruce Willoughby has worked as a GP in a number of Harrogate practices and now acts as the GP clinical lead for primary care and population health within NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

As the vaccine programme continues to be extended to younger people and coronavirus cases decrease, Dr Willoughby has said this should not be a sign for people to relax.

The CCG is urging local residents to keep staying two metres apart from people outside their household or bubble and only meet outdoors. It says that social distancing measures such as washing your hands for 20 seconds and wearing a face covering are still vital.

Dr Willoughby said:

“While we are making excellent progress with our vaccination programme, we know that we must remain vigilant to keep the virus at bay in our communities as we continue to protect as many people as possible.

“We know that a vaccine reduces your chance of catching covid by around two thirds. And in addition to all that, you’re up to half as likely to pass it on to somebody else that you live with.

“I know we are looking forward to greater easing in government restrictions but this is no time for complacency, we still need to keep the virus under control, while we take the steps, safely, back to normal life.”

Dr Willoughby also encouraged anyone who has been invited for their vaccine to book an appointment. You can do so here.

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The current phase of the vaccine rollout means anyone aged 40 and over can book in for their jab.

Nearly 100,000 first doses of the covid vaccine have been delivered in the Harrogate district.