October 19, 2021 11.07 am This story is over 28 months old

“Challenging winter” ahead amid concerns over “waning immunity,” with 801 new COVID cases on Monday

West Lindsey now in top 10 infection rates nationally

Coronavirus cases are rising again, with 801 positive tests recorded in Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, as the government admitted winter will be “challenging” and health advisers warn of “waning immunity” from vaccinations.

Monday’s figure is 9.7% higher than the 730 cases at the same point last week.

The latest government data also shows one death of a Lincolnshire resident has been taken off the records, while two new deaths were reported at Greater Lincolnshire’s hospitals.

The latest COVID stats for Lincolnshire are:

  • 801 new cases of coronavirus in Greater Lincolnshire with 643 in Lincolnshire, 63 in North East Lincolnshire and 95 in North Lincolnshire
  • One death taken off the government figures – this happens when data is revised or looked at again in some way
  • Hospital data showed two deaths in the region’s facilities, with one patient each at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals Trust

The latest data for Lincolnshire shows West Lindsey is currently the area with the fifth highest infection rate nationally with a rate of 743.4 per 100,000 population.

Other authorities in the top 100 authorities include South Kesteven District Council whose infection rates have increased to 654.2 and East Lindsey with 576.6.

Greater Lincolnshire as a whole has seen a rise in infection rates and, on average, sits above the England average of 424 per 100,000 population.

Out of the region’s authorities, six areas sit above that national average with five moving up the rankings, but five going down.

North Lincolnshire, which has spent several weeks near to the top of the area has now dropped to 133rd highest and is the only authority to see a drop in rates in the past few days.

Lincolnshire’s infection rates from September 27 to October 19 | Table: Daniel Jaines, Data: Gov.UK

Sky News has reported that Downing Street has admitted winter will be “challenging”.

Asked about rising rates, Downing Street said it was keeping a “close watch” on the latest statistics, but that they were “still broadly in line” with modelling.

They said the vaccination programme continues to be the first line of defence, along with new treatments, testing and public health advice.

“It is thanks to our vaccination programme that we are able to substantially break the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths.”

However, Professor Andrew Hayward, a member of SAGE, has told BBC Radio 4’s World At One that waning immunity is “probably part of” the reason infections are high.

“I think it’s concerning that we’ve got very high rates of infection and higher rates of hospitalisation and mortality than many of our European counterparts,” he said.

“Whenever we approach a winter period we expect respiratory virus infections to increase, so I think it’s very important that we go into that with as high a level of population immunity, especially in elderly and clinically vulnerable groups, as possible.”

He added there was “huge potential” for the NHS to come under pressure, resulting in a “lot of unnecessary deaths” and said vaccination rates needed to be higher.


Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, October 18

128,664 cases (up 801)

  • 85,178 in Lincolnshire (up 643)
  • 21,194 in North Lincolnshire (up 95)
  • 22,292 in North East Lincolnshire (up 63)

2,375 deaths (down one)

  • 1,736 from Lincolnshire (down one)
  • 327 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
  • 312 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)

of which 1,428 hospital deaths (up two)

  • 876 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up one)
  • 44 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
  • 1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
  • 507 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one)
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.