September 17, 2021 5.04 pm This story is over 30 months old

Greater Lincolnshire COVID cases hit 3,141 as government announces travel restrictions overhaul

Lincolnshire prepping for booster jabs
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

There have been 3,141 cases of coronavirus confirmed so far this week in Greater Lincolnshire, as the government announces major overhauls to travel abroad, including the scrapping of the traffic light system.

Government figures on Friday showed 288 new cases in Lincolnshire, 78 in North East Lincolnshire and 87 in North Lincolnshire. The total weekly figure so far is 16% higher than last week’s 2,714.

Three further deaths of Greater Lincolnshire residents were confirmed in the government figures, leaving the weekly total at 19, almost double compared to the 10 for last week.

NHS data, meanwhile, confirmed four further deaths across both Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire hospitals. The weekly total of 12 is five more than last week’s seven.

Nationally, the rolling cases total increased by 32,651 to 7,371,301 while deaths rose by 178 to 134,983.

NHS bosses in Lincolnshire are preparing for the roll out of the covid booster vaccinations for people aged 50 and over.

In line with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice, those eligible to receive a booster include:

  • those living in residential care homes for older adults
  • all adults aged 50 years or over
  • frontline health and social care workers
  • all those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19complications, and their adult carers
  • adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals

Lincolnshire’s coronavirus cases up to September 17. | Image: GOV.uk

Rebecca Neno, director of covid and influenza vaccination programmes for NHS Lincolnshire, said: “We are now waiting for final operational guidance and legal frameworks to come through, which should allow us to begin offering booster vaccinations from the middle of next week, as well as third doses to those people who are immunosuppressed.”

Those able to receive the booster will be given a Pfizer vaccination, irrespective of which one they have previously had and will need to be at least six months past their second dose.

Residents are being told not to contact the NHS or GP practices, who will be in touch when the patient’s turn comes round.

Elsewhere walk-in opportunities are available to people aged 16 and over on a ‘first come, first served’ basis for first and second vaccinations, as follows:

  • PRSA MVC, Boston – offering Pfizer and AZ walk-ins, first and second doses, 8.30am-7pm seven days a week. AZ only available Tuesdays.
  • Lincolnshire Showground MVC – offering Pfizer and AZ walk-ins, first and second doses, 8.30am-7pm seven days a week, AZ only available Wednesdays.
  • Boston Market Place – offering Pfizer first and second doses, 8.30am-3.30pm, Saturday, September 18
  • The Table Tennis Club, Meres Leisure Centre, Grantham – offering Pfizer and AZ walk-ins, first and second doses, 9.30am-12pm Saturday, September 18 (and every Saturday morning until the end of October).
  • Storehouse, Skegness – offering AZ and Pfizer walk-ins, first and second doses, 9am-4.30pm, Saturday and Sunday, September 18 and 19
  • Marisco Medical Practice, Mablethorpe – offering AZ and Pfizer walk-ins, first and second doses, 9am-4.30pm Sunday, September 19.

Nationally, the government has announced measures to simplify and relax a number of restrictions on foreign travel on Friday.

The Department for Transport announcement saw the scrapping of the requirement for double-jabbed people returning to the UK to get PCR tests, from the end of October.

Meanwhile, the ‘traffic light’ system for overseas travel will also be simplified from October 4, with the green and amber list removed entirely – leaving only a red ‘no go’ list.

A number of destinations including Turkey, Pakistan, The Maldives, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Oman, Bangladesh and Kenya have been removed from the red list.

Mr Shapps said: “Today’s changes mean a simpler, more straightforward system. One with less testing and lower costs, allowing more people to travel, see loved ones or conduct business around the world while providing a boost for the travel industry.

“Public health has always been at the heart of our international travel policy and with over 44 million people fully vaccinated in the UK, we are now able to introduce a proportionate updated structure that reflects the new landscape.”

Elsewhere, England’s ‘R’ number continues to remain stable at 0.9 to 1.1. The number, which represents how many people an infected person will pass the virus to on average, has been around the same mark for a couple of weeks now.

The Office for National Statistics has said that around one in 80 people in England is estimated to have had coronavirus in the week to September 11.

The figure is down from one in 70 the previous week and is the equivalent of about 697,100 people.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Friday, September 17

106,868 cases (up 453)

  • 70,194 in Lincolnshire (up 288)
  • 16,705 in North Lincolnshire (up 87)
  • 19,969 in North East Lincolnshire (up 78)

2,314 deaths (up three)

  • 1,693 from Lincolnshire (no change)
  • 316 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
  • 305 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)

of which 1,390 hospital deaths (up four)

  • 851 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up two)
  • 44 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
  • 1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
  • 494 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up two)
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.