August 19, 2021 5.33 pm This story is over 31 months old

Booster COVID jabs from September as Lincolnshire records 504 new cases on Thursday

And 16 and 17-year-olds can get the vaccine too
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

There have been 504 new cases of coronavirus confirmed across Greater Lincolnshire on Thursday as government ministers said COVID “booster” jabs could begin next month.

The latest government data for the region showed 329 cases in Lincolnshire, 85 in North East Lincolnshire and 90 in North Lincolnshire.

One further death was confirmed of a North Lincolnshire resident in the data, however, NHS figures showed no further deaths in Greater Lincolnshire’s hospitals.

Nationally, cases increased by 36,572 to 6,392,160 while deaths increased by 113 to 131, 373.

Lincoln has dropped out of the top 10 places with the highest infection rates in the UK, according to the latest seven-day figures.

The Lincoln City area was at the top of the table for over a week, but since August 9 its infection rate has fallen from 669.7 per 100,000 population to 441.8 in Wednesday’s figures.

Lincolnshire’s infection rates from July 26 to August 18. | Table: Daniel Jaines, Data: Gov.UK

The latest news sees it drop to 15th place nationally and below North East Lincolnshire, which has climbed one spot in the same time period, even though its rate fell slightly from 470.6 to 451.8.

Meanwhile, more than three-quarters of Lincolnshire is now double-jabbed as walk-in vaccination appointments are opened to 16 and 17-year-olds this week.

Vaccine figures released by the government on Thursday showed Lincolnshire health staff have now given out 1,056,410 cumulative doses, up 14,241 on the previous week’s 1,042,169 total and an 2,318 more doses than the previous week.

Of those, 564,124 are first doses, while 492,286 are second. The Lincolnshire population is 634,453 according to Office for National Statistics 2020 population estimates. This means the percentage of the population over the age of 16 to have received a first dose is now 89%, while 76% have had their second.

A chart showing the number of people who have received the coronavirus vaccination by date of jab. | Image: GOV.UK

Nationally, health secretary Sajid Javid said he was “confident” COVID booster jabs could be given to the most vulnerable from September.

Final advice is due from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on the benefits of a third dose following a meeting on Thursday.

However, during a visit to North Cumbria, Mr Javid said: “We are going to have a booster scheme, it will start sometime in September.”

“I couldn’t tell you exactly when because before we start it, as people would expect, we need to get the final advice from our group of experts, our independent scientific and medical advisers – the JCVI.

“So, we’re waiting for their final opinion and, looking at everything and the timing of that, I’m confident that we can start in September when we will start with the most vulnerable cohorts and start offering that third jab.”

The Office for National Statistics today has said that nine in 10 adults are estimated to have antibody levels now.

However, new research suggested that people infected with the Delta variant may still pass the virus on, despite being double jabbed.

University of Oxford scientists said levels of the virus could be equally as high as those who are unvaccinated, but that the vaccine was preventing the disease becoming too severe or leading to death.

Dr Koen Pouwels, one of the lead researchers of the study, said: “The vaccines are better at preventing severe disease and are less effective at preventing transmission.”

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Thursday, August 19

92,222 cases (up 504)

  • 60,283 in Lincolnshire (up 329)
  • 14,272 in North Lincolnshire (up 90)
  • 17,667 in North East Lincolnshire (up 85)

2,249 deaths (up one)

  • 1,653 from Lincolnshire (no change)
  • 307 from North Lincolnshire (up one)
  • 289 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)

of which 1,352 hospital deaths (no change)

  • 834 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)
  • 44 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
  • 1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
  • 473 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)

6,392,160 UK cases, 131,373 deaths

DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF THE LATEST UPDATE. POSTCODE DATA INCLUDES DEATHS NOT IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES OR IN HOSPITALS OUTSIDE AUTHORITY BOUNDARIES.