April 28, 2021 2.01 pm This story is over 44 months old

Lincolnshire hospitals braced for “potential third wave” of COVID-19

Coronavirus levels stable so far
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Lincolnshire health bosses said they’re preparing for a “potential third wave” of COVID-19 coming to the county, but not of the same magnitude as previous waves due to enhanced testing, vaccination and immunity.

They have also said they “aren’t seeing a major impact” on the county’s coronavirus levels since the next set of restrictions eased on April 12.

The government’s roadmap out of lockdown allowed pubs and restaurants to operate outside, non-essential retail, hairdressers, salons, gyms, zoos and theme parks to open as well as enabling people to meet outside in groups of six.

Clair Raybould, Director of Operations at Lincolnshire’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said in Wednesday’s Board Meeting: “We still need to maintain strong infection prevention control as individuals, but also across all of our services […] and we have also been asked to plan for a potential third wave.

“Although not of the magnitude of previous waves, that is still part of our planning and that sits alongside our recovery plans as well.”

Professor Derek Ward, Lincolnshire County Council’s Director of Public Health, said: “We aren’t seeing a major impact on relaxation and the reintroduction of the rule of six outdoors at this point which is a positive.”

He added: “There is no question in my mind that we are seeing a real push down on transmission because of where we are with our vaccination numbers.”

Read: Lincolnshire third in country for COVID-19 jabs roll-out      

Testing is also high in the county with 111,000 tests taken in the seven days up to April 25. These include rapid lateral flow and PCR tests, which can be ordered online, picked up from most pharmacies as well as from other sites across Lincolnshire.

Professor Ward said: “Plenty of tests, relatively low numbers at the moment and no major outbreaks of concern, so generally very positive news.”

It was also confirmed in the meeting that as of last night, two patients were in hospital beds across Lincolnshire.