330 positive covid cases reported in Harrogate district

The Harrogate district has reported 330 positive covid cases, according to the latest daily government figures.

Nationally, the number of infections also remains high. Figures show 189,846 cases have been recorded as the Omicron variant continues to spread.

The Harrogate district’s seven-day covid rate has reached a record high and stands at 1094 per 100,000 people.

Across the county, the rate stands at 879 and the England average is 1,305.

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As the number of infections continues to rise, many residents have reported difficulties obtaining lateral flow tests in the Harrogate district.

Yesterday, our reporter visited pharmacies across Ripon and found they were in short supply, with pharmacies currently out of stock and awaiting deliveries.

Health chiefs call for patience on Harrogate district vaccines

Senior health officials in North Yorkshire have appealed for patience over the vaccination programme amid concern by some people about a lack of information.

Vaccination for the Pfizer-BioNTech jab got underway this month at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate.

Several people who have been inoculated have told the Stray Ferret the process was smooth and efficient.

But we have also received numerous calls and emails from people wondering why they haven’t heard anything yet. Some have parents in their 90s.

The North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which represents agencies involved in tackling covid, urged people to be patient at a media briefing today.

Richard Webb, North Yorkshire County Council’s director of health and adult services, said the NHS was working “as quickly as possible” to administer the vaccine and that residents should wait to be contacted by their GP or local NHS trust.

Mr Webb added:

“Our colleagues in the NHS are working around the clock to prepare to receive the latest batches of vaccines. Please be patient, it’s a massive logistical issue.

“They are moving as quickly as possible to get people vaccinated.”

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The media briefing also revealed there has been a big increase in the number of people being tested at the covid testing centre in the Dragon Road car park in Harrogate.

Matthew Robinson, senior resilience and emergencies officer at North Yorkshire County Council, said that on December 21, 280 people were tested at the site, the highest daily total to date.

This is more than double the figure of some previous weeks, which reflects the growing spread of the virus.

From December 21-27 over 1,200 covid tests took place.

Harrogate mum told to drive to Oldham next month for coronavirus test

Two Harrogate parents have voiced their frustration with the coronavirus testing process in the week children return to school.

Both are worried that, without enough testing capacity, covid-19 will spread in schools and children could take it home to vulnerable family members.

There are no permanent testing sites in Harrogate and some people have been sent to testing facilities nearly two hours away.

One mum, who asked to remain anonymous, said she has been shielding after chemotherapy and was reluctant to send her two children back to school this term.

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Her youngest son went back to school on Tuesday. A couple of days later, he developed coronavirus symptoms so she tried to book him in for a test.

She tried to get a home test but none were available. She tried to book in for one of the coronavirus testing sites, but the closest was in Oldham and the earliest date available was mid-October. She said:

“The schools cannot send the classes home until they have a confirmed positive test result. If there is such a long wait for tests then a lot of the time the damage will already be done and these children could take the virus home to vulnerable family members.”

Luckily, her son’s school had ten emergency coronavirus test kits which they have used and sent off for analysis. They are still waiting for the results.

No results

Another parent, who also wanted to remain anonymous, managed to get his 16-month-old daughter booked in for a test in Leeds. Two days later, without any test result and with his daughter’s condition worsening, the father took her to hospital in Harrogate.

The hospital tested her for coronavirus and a few hours later the results came back as negative.

Both parents have written to Andrew Jones MP calling for more coronavirus testing capacity. The Stray Ferret contacted Mr Jones but did not get a response before publication.