Covid rapid lateral flow test kits are in short supply in Ripon, with pharmacies currently out of stock and awaiting deliveries.
Supplies of lateral flow tests are patchy at best in most of the country. Our reporter visited pharmacies across Ripon to find out what the situation is like on the ground locally.
Being unable to take tests poses problems for people requiring a negative result to be able go to work. People have also been urged to check they are negative before attending busy New Year’s Eve events.
Day Lewis Pharmacy, which has shops on North Street (pictured below) and Westgate, ran out of kits yesterday, but was hoping to receive a delivery later today.
The free kits are available on a first-come-first-served basis, but those wanting them have to provide a code, which they obtain online.
Boots, which is based in Market Place West, has a sign on its door which reads:
“Due to a surge in demand, unfortunately lateral flow tests are temporarily unavailable.”
And across the city at the Morrisons supermarket pharmacy, a supply of tests kits received yesterday was soon gone and no further delivery was expected today.
A member of staff at the pharmacy said:
“They went almost as quickly as they arrived. We are hoping that more of the test kits come in tomorrow.”
Lucy Kitching, who works for NHS England, had a frustrating evening trying to order test kits online via the government website, which states:
“Picking up rapid lateral flow tests from a local pharmacy or collection point is the quickest way to get them for most people.”
Ms Kitching told the Stray Ferret:
“As a member of my family caught covid, I need to take lateral flow tests, as well as a PCR test, before I can go back to work.
“I spent a lot of time on the website, which eventually crashed and as I was unable to order a test kit online I decided to try the Boots in Ripon, but discovered that they don’t have any currently available.
“Fortunately, I have friends that can let me have some, so I will just have to rely on them.”
Read More:
- Covid cases across the Harrogate district rise to new high
- Ripon’s New Year’s fireworks display is cancelled
The rollout of covid jabs to 12 to 15-year-old pupils in Harrogate schools has been delayed, amid fears they now won’t happen until February.
The government initially said all children in that age group would be offered jabs by half-term, which starts this weekend.
Harrogate’s Ashville College issued a statement today saying vaccinations were due to be supplied and administered by the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust childhood immunisations team on school premises.
The independent day and boarding school added:
“Ashville College can confirm there is unfortunately a delay to the roll-out of the 12 to 15-year-old covid vaccinations.
“The college has notified parents of this and will re-organise vaccinations on-site as soon as supplies allow. In the meantime, we have advised parents of pupils aged 12 to 15 to arrange their own vaccination at a drop-in clinic via the NHS website page, ‘Book or manage your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination’.”
The college, which was unable to give an estimated start date, blamed the situation on vaccine shortages.
Read more:
But a spokesperson for Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said this was incorrect. They added:
“Whilst our covid vaccination programme for children aged between 12 and 15 is operating across North Yorkshire and areas in the North East, current staffing capacity has impacted on how soon we can visit some schools.
“We are continuing to develop our timetables and have given all schools a provisional date as to when we will be visiting and will notify them at least one week before our planned visit. Consent packs will be sent to families one week prior to the session. If the opportunity arises, we will look at bringing forward these dates so that we can undertake vaccinations sooner.
“We welcome the recent announcement that parents will now be able to check the NHS National Booking System to see if they can book a covid vaccination for their child at a convenient location, such as a vaccination centre.
“The booking service provides an additional choice alongside the school immunisation programme so that children can be vaccinated as quickly as possible.”
Two parents, who asked not to be named, have contacted the Stray Ferret today saying they have been told by their children’s schools that vaccines won’t be given now until February.
One parent said the Harrogate district’s vaccination programme was lagging five months behind other parts of the country.
“Why are we so far behind given that Harrogate is a hotspot for covid cases at the moment? How many young people will unnecessarily develop long covid as a result of these delays?
The district’s covid rate was 727 per 100,000 people yesterday — the highest in the county.