Health bosses in Lincolnshire are urging people to bring their COVID-19 vaccines forward following the change in dosing strategy announced by the Prime Minister earlier this week.
Among a raft of new changes, Boris Johnson on Monday confirmed that Britons under the age of 40 would be offered their second coronavirus vaccine at eight weeks instead of the previous 12.
The move is an attempt to get all adults vaccinated by the winter. Leaders are also looking at bringing in a third vaccine dose for the over-50s later this year.
Lincolnshire County Council’s Director for Public Health Professor Derek Ward said there had been a 15-fold increase in cases between the end of May and the beginning of June and there was “no question the rates are going up”.
“Number one is getting a vaccine, all the evidence says that even one dose is going to reduce both the chances of you getting it but if you do get it then the chances of you getting a severe disease.
“The quicker we can get two doses, the better. The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) change to safe for younger people, rather than wait 12 weeks between two doses wait eight weeks makes perfect sense.”
The latest vaccination data released on Thursday shows that there have been 979,053 cumulative doses of the coronavirus vaccine in Lincolnshire between December 8 and July 4.
A graph showing the change in Lincolnshire’s 7-day infection rates since April. | Image: Gov.Uk
This is a rise of 17,488 from last week — 10,327 fewer than the 27,815 jabs given in the previous week and half the vaccinations of the previous week’s 33,649 total.
Professor Ward added: “In younger people where your immune response is going to be pretty good regardless – the benefits of having two doses, slightly quicker will outweigh the slightly better immune response you might get for that extra four week gap.”
He, in particular, urged unpaid carers to get their vaccine.
“What we’ve got to remember is that the entire country would fall over without unpaid carers, doing what they do.”
“They are massively important to allow the NHS to functional our social care to function, we’ve got to look after them,” he said.
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Elsewhere, Professor Ward said the rules around face coverings should have been kept as the county sees increasing case numbers.
“If you look at the seven days between the end of May and the beginning of June, we had 100 cases in Lincolnshire. If you look at the current seven days, we’ve got 1,500, so we’ve seen a 15-fold increase in our numbers.
“Now it’s still only 1,500 out of three quarters of a million people but there’s no question that the rates going up.”
He said he could not predict how high numbers could go, but that they would be certain to rise once restrictions were lifted – though he hoped they would not reach the same levels as last November.
“I would have potentially brought that in sooner, because I think we all seen a lot of children young people miss out on school because they are deemed to be close contacts,” he said.
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Face coverings will once again be made compulsory in shops and on public transport from Tuesday, November 30 — but pubs and restaurants are exempt for now.
The Prime Minister announced the new, temporary measures to respond to emergence of UK cases of the Omicron COVID variant, with the first two cases in Nottingham and Chelmsford.
The government said the measures are precautionary, and will be reviewed in three weeks. MPs are due to vote on confirming the measures after they come into force.
The other significant change affects international travellers, with everyone entering the UK (other than those coming from the Common Travel Area that covers the Channel Islands and Ireland) will have to take a PCR test by the end of the second day after their arrival and self-isolate until they receive a negative result.
Travel restrictions have already been implemented to slow the spread of the variant. From Sunday, November 28, South Africa, Botswana, Lesostho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibi, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Angola were added to the UK’s travel red list.
About COVID-19 Omicron
The Omicron variant contains a large number of spike protein mutations as well as mutations in other parts of the viral genome.
Early indications suggest this variant may be more transmissible than the Delta variant and current vaccines may be less effective against it.
A rapid rise in infections in South Africa has been attributed to the spread of this new variant of COVID-19.
Health secretary: “plans as normal for Christmas”
Sajid Javid told Sky News’ Trevor Phillips On Sunday it would be “irresponsible to make guarantees” but the measures announced this week in reaction to the Omicron variant will “buy us time” to enable scientists to assess it.
“People should continue with their plans as normal for Christmas, I think it’s going to be a great Christmas,” he said.
But Mr Javid said the country was “nowhere near” reintroducing measures such as working from home or social distancing, arguing that they carry a “heavy price” economically, socially and in terms of mental health.
He added that he was expecting the government’s vaccines advisers to advise him “imminently” on broadening the booster programme to younger age groups.
The first two UK cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant have been identified, one of which was in Nottingham, near the Lincolnshire border.
Two cases of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 identified in the U.K.
Individuals and their households are self-isolating and contact tracing is ongoing
From 04:00 Sunday, November 28, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Angola will be added to the UK’s travel red list
After overnight genome sequencing, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed that two cases of COVID-19 with mutations consistent with B.1.1.529 have been identified in the UK.
The individuals that have tested positive, and all members of their households, are being re-tested and told to self-isolate while further testing and contact tracing is underway.
One case has been located in Chelmsford and the other in Nottingham.
The two cases are linked and there is a link to travel to Southern Africa. UKHSA is carrying out targeted testing at locations where the positive cases were likely to have been infectious.
In addition, in line with updated advice from the UKHSA, from 4am Sunday Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola will be added to the travel red list. Travellers who have returned from these four countries in last 10 days must isolate and get a PCR test. UKHSA are following up recent arrivals from these countries.
This adds to the six countries placed on the red list on Friday.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid said:
“Thanks to our world class genomic sequencing we have been made aware of two UK cases of the Omicron variant. We have moved rapidly and the individuals are self-isolating while contact tracing is ongoing.
“We will do all we can to protect the UK public against this emerging threat and that is why we are surging testing capacity to the impacted communities and introducing travel restrictions on a further four countries: Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola. We will not hesitate to take further action if required.
“This is a stark reminder that we are not yet out of this pandemic. Getting the vaccine has never been more important – please come forward for your first jab if you haven’t already and if eligible, book your booster as soon as possible.”
Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said:
“We will continue to work closely with the international community to quickly gather and analyse information on this variant to understand any possible increase in transmissibility or resistance to vaccines.
“It is important that everyone takes sensible precautions – get a PCR test if you have symptoms, isolate when asked, wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, ventilate rooms, get your vaccine and boosters as soon as you can.”
Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of UKHSA, said:
“We have identified these cases thanks to the UK’s advanced sequencing capabilities which means we are able to find variants and take rapid action to limit onward spread. We are particularly grateful to public health colleagues in South Africa for early sharing of information on the Omicron variant to support global health security.
“We are continuing our efforts to understand the effect of this variant on transmissibility, severe disease, mortality, antibody response and vaccine efficacy.
“If you have any COVID-19 symptoms you must isolate and get a PCR test immediately
“It remains vital to come forward for vaccination, wear a face covering in crowded places and try to meet people in well-ventilated areas.”
From 04:00 on Sunday, November 28, non-UK and Irish residents who have been in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola in the previous 10 days will be refused entry into England. This does not apply to those who have stayed airside and only transited through any of these countries while changing flights.
UK and Irish residents arriving from 04:00 Sunday, November 28, must isolate in a government-approved facility for 10 days. During their stay, they will be required to take a coronavirus PCR test on day 2 and day 8.
About B.1.1.529 Omicron
The UKHSA designated variant B.1.1.529 as a variant under investigation (VuI) on Thursday 25 November. In response, the government announced that six African countries – South Africa, Botswana, Lesostho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia – would be added to the red list.
The B.1.1.529 variant includes a large number of spike protein mutations as well as mutations in other parts of the viral genome. These are potentially biologically significant mutations which may change the behaviour of the virus with regards to vaccines, treatments and transmissibility.
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