As the last of the coronavirus restrictions look set to be lifted in the next few days there are concerns cases are already starting to rise.
All of Lincolnshire’s COVID-19 PCR testing sites, including the mobile units, will close later this month.
However, the chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee at Lincolnshire County Council on Wednesday said he would “not be surprised” to see them reopen later this year, with potential new variants being discovered.
Councillor Carl Macey was responding to Grantham Councillor Ray Wootten who said he was concerned about cases spiking in his area.
“Trying to genome sequence any variants is incredibly difficult for public health and it’s something that I think we need to, certainly centrally, need to be keeping a very close watching eye on,” said Councillor Macey.
“I wouldn’t be at all surprised if come the end of the year if we’re looking at bringing the testing regime back in with a different variant that’s recently apparent at this moment in time.”
So how does the COVID situation look right now?
Cases begin to swing upwards in Lincolnshire
A chart showing cases in Lincolnshire. | Image: Gov.uk
Cases in Lincolnshire have been on a slight uptick over the past few weeks according to the government’s COVID dashboard. After a daily low of 221 new cases on February 25 there has been a steady climb with the highest complete data for March 8 showing a daily case number of 905. Incomplete data for March 14 shows 1,038 cases confirmed.
The figures broadly reflect a similar pattern across the UK.
In Councillor Wootten’s ward of South Kesteven, the pattern is almost replicated in terms of highs and lows. The lowest day recently was February 26 with 36 new cases confirmed, while March 8 saw 199 cases – 22% of the county’s figures – confirmed. March 14 shows an incomplete data of 214 cases.
According to the dashboard, North Kesteven is the area with the highest seven day rate per 100,000 population at 812.5. It saw 32 new cases confirmed on February 25 – but by March 8 the figure was up to 189 new cases. Incomplete data from March 14 shows 203 new cases.
East Lindsey has the lowest infection rate of the districts at 561.1. The district’s most recent high was on March 9 with 144 new cases confirmed – the figure is on par with incomplete data from March 13 and is up from a February 26 low of 35.
Testing continues on a downward trend
Testing figures in Lincolnshire show a decrease. | Image: Gov.uk
As COVID restrictions ease, and after two years with the virus, it’s probably understandable that so does the vigilance of people.
The government’s plan for Living With Covid includes leaving people to take personal responsibility for their own safety. Free testing for the majority of people will soon come to an end, with shops already selling kits at slightly marked up prices.
The COVID dashboard shows a marked decrease in the number of tests being carried out since the festive period, with a high on January 4 of 2,050,101 tests being reported. Since mid-Febuary the number of tests being reported has mainly levelled out though again shows a slight increase over the most recent two weeks.
In Lincolnshire, testing bottomed out on February 26 with 8,915 tests being reported. It has hung around the 10,000 tests mark for the majority of days since then, though with the most being 10,998 on March 8.
At a district level, our current highest infected area North Kesteven has mostly stuck around the 2,000 tests a day mark. The figures dropped to 1,156 on February 26. the official highest number of tests were carried out on March 9 with 1,980 done – however, incomplete data for March 14 shows a higher figure of 2,007.
Fewer patients in hospital with COVID-19
Hospital patients in Lincolnshire. | Image. Gov.uk
With an increase in vaccinations and boosters – we’ll come to those in a bit – the two big indicators now being looked at as a sign of how serious the virus is, are hospitalisations and deaths.
Taking the first of those, the COVID dashboard shows a swing upwards in the number of patients admitted to hospital with a daily figure of 1,753 on March 9, up from 1,004 on February 19.
Despite this, however, the number of patients in mechanical ventilation beds in the UK has been on a slow downward trend levelled out slightly at the beginning of March, with most days between the 250-260 mark. The last two reported days of March 14 and 15 though, have increased to 280 and 281.
Data from Lincolnshire’s main hospital provider United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust shows a most recent seven-day admission average of 5.9 COVID-19 patients. In recent weeks it saw just one admission on February 12, but March 9 saw nine admissions.
The number of people on ventilator beds has dropped significantly. | Image: Gov.uk
The data showed there were 35 people in hospital with COVID on March 8, with figures showing a slight uptick but not reaching the heights of January, or even the middle of February where there were 57 patients on February 13.
In terms of the most life threatening cases, the number of patients on ventilator beds saw a sharp drop from mid December – with most days since January showing one or two patients a day registered. Though in very positive news there have been several days where there have been 0 patients in the most precarious position.
Several days without deaths in the county recently
A chart showing deaths in the county, including several days without a tragedy. | Image. Gov.uk
The number of deaths associated with COVID has significantly dropped especially when compared to the heights of the first two waves, where April 2020 reached 1,076 deaths at its peak and January 2021 reached 1,299 daily deaths, before the peak in January 2022 reached 307.
Since then the numbers haven’t exactly bottomed out, but they have been on a continuous downward trend nationally, with the most recent UK figures confirming 82 deaths on March 11.
In Lincolnshire, the highest day recently was nine deaths on January 31, and then eight on February 21. There have been seven days since February 14 that have seen 0 deaths, with most recording one or two, but some reaching four.
The last confirmed reported death in the currently highest infected district of North Kesteven, was on February 25 – though incomplete data suggests another has been reported on March 13.
Though a tragedy when anyone dies, when combined with the hospitalisation figures above, the data backs up the suggestion vaccination is working to keep the majority of cases to mild symptoms or less.
Vaccinations continue to rise – despite slowing in uptake
A graph showing the uptake of all three doses across Lincolnshire. | Image: Gov.uk
Finally we reach vaccinations, the government has claimed its programme has been a massive success and it’s clear to see why looking at the data.
Almost 92% of eligible adults have now had their first dose, followed by 85.6% having their second. Those taking up the booster jab is currently around the 67% mark, however, charts show the figure continues to rise – albeit at a slower rate than the first two. In total around 140.5 million doses have been given out.
This is to be expected given many younger generations believe that with two doses their body is strong enough and that the rapid succession of second and booster doses over the past few years has been too much. Some have also fallen by the wayside as their beliefs change about the seriousness of the pandemic.
Lincolnshire is slightly behind the national figures, showing that 85.9% of residents have had their first dose and 82.1% their second. However, when it comes to boosters we’re slightly ahead of the game at 68%.
The highest percentage of vaccinated people is in the 85-89 year olds with 97.9% of eligible adults taking up the jab. The 12-15 age group – the latest group to be offered it – currently sits around the 65.8% uptake mark.
In total 1,677,260 doses have been given, of which 483,219 are booster jabs and 583,336 are second doses.
So Lincolnshire has been doing its part, and continues to do so. What happens next, as the government has clearly laid out, is up to its residents.
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Lincolnshire Police and Crime Comissioner Marc Jones believes a new Bill giving victims of crime a stronger voice in the justice system will “drive up standards and outcomes for residents at the most critical times”.
The new Bill unveiled by government this week sets out plans to ensure victims are better heard, served and protected under wide ranging reforms.
Once passed by Parliament, the Bill will create the first ever Victims’ Law – guaranteeing greater consultation with them during the criminal justice process. It will also hold agencies such as the police, Crown Prosecution Service and the courts to account for the service they provide.
The draft Victims Bill includes measure that will:
Give victims the right to attend Parole Board hearings in full and submit questions about an offender’s suitability for release
Ensure police and crime commissioners have the power to convene criminal justice partners to improve standards and outcomes for victims of crime
Give Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lawyers a new duty to arrange a face-to-face meeting with each victim of crime before cases come to court
Increase the victim surcharge paid by offenders by 20% in a move forecast to raise an additional £20million by 2025. This will be spent on rape support centres and other measures to help victims
The Parole Board will have to consider victims’ concerns before making a decision
Lincolnshire PCC Marc Jones, as chairman of the commissioners’ national association, has been at the forefront of talks with ministers to create the new legislation.
He said: “I am absolutely committed to ensuring that anyone who is affected by crime in Lincolnshire and beyond receives the support they need.
“At a time when people need faith in the justice system they often feel further victimised by procedures that can be confusing and frustrating – we must build trust in the system by putting victims at the centre.
“This new legislation will place locally elected and accountable police and crime commissioners at the centre of the service victims receive. It will drive up standards and outcomes for residents at the most critical times.
“I will continue to work with government to ensure the Bill delivers real and lasting improvements for the victims of crime.”
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said: “No victim should feel lost in a faceless system. We’re amplifying victims’ voices, boosting their rights at every stage and making criminals pay more to help victims recover.
“We’re doing this because it is morally the right thing to do to strengthen the care for victims, but also because it is operationally critical to drive up convictions – and keep our streets safe.”
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has “only worsened the situation” of NHS dental access in rural counties including Lincolnshire as the profession reaches “breaking point”, according to the Vice Chair of the Lincolnshire Local Dental Committee.
A recent survey from Healthwatch Lincolnshire, which gained 236 responses, found that 45% had no access to an NHS dentist while one person said they were being forced to ‘self medicate’.
To find out the exact extent of the issue in Lincoln, we contacted 10 local dental practices to find out whether or not they are taking on NHS patieny, and here’s what we found out.
West Parade Dental Care, Newland Dental Care, Bupa Dental Care (both The Strait and Doddington Road), Lincoln Dental Care, Genesis Dental Care, and Brant Road Dental Practice ARE NOT taking on new NHS patients
Guildhall Dental Care are only taking on new child patients on the NHS, but not adults
Carholme Dental Practice is accepting children on the NHS, but only private and practice plan for adults
When Cathedral View Dental Practice on Burton Road was asked if it was taking on new NHS patients, it said it was unable to comment
Appleby & Associates in North Hykeham were also contacted, who said it was mainly private but did usually take children on the NHS, but currently had no spaces for this.
In addition, Treeline on Lincoln High Street, which is run by JDSP Dental Limited, is registering military patients on the NHS, but has no other capacity to take on NHS patients. However, it can take patients on privately.
The practice also says within its automated message before you get through that it is in the process of contacting former patients from Powell and Associates, which closed its doors after 140 years last summer.
Each practice has a UDA quota, which is the unit of currency for measuring the type of clinical activity expected from a dentist within a 12-month contract for a certified financial value. The value of this varies from practice to practice, but it is understood that Lincolnshire has historically low values and could be another reason why recruitment is getting even more difficult.
Responding to the issue of dental access in the county Andy Fenn, Vice Chair of the Lincolnshire Local Dental Committee told The Lincolnite: “NHS dental access was an issue for rural counties including Lincolnshire before the pandemic and the impact of this only worsened the situation, such that urban areas are seeing the same issues once the peculiarity of rural areas.
“The reasons are multifactorial, not least the crisis in recruitment, the like of which we have not seen before. The loss of EU graduates, accelerated by Brexit and the stalling of the ORE process (although this has now been resurrected) severely impacted this together with a paradigm shift where new graduates were reported to be far less keen to undertake NHS work instead, in many cases opting for higher training, working in private practices or hospital settings.
“Additionally the desire to work less hours, with more part time work being sought has become the norm. Added to this we have seen dentists from the baby boomers group retiring, taking with them a previous commitment to the NHS, typically founded on the previous ‘item of service’ contract.
“The pandemic restrictions have typically resulted in backlogs of work, along with staff burnout, staff shortages and low morale with increasing mental health issues being seen amongst team members. On top of this the NHS UDA system which was deemed to be problematic from its inception in 2006 has failed to deliver for patients and the dental teams.
“A thorough review carried out by Prof Jimmy Steele in 2008-2009 highlighted the need for reforms and identified the model familiar to graduates, which would facilitate the delivery of dentistry in line with how undergraduates had been taught at dental school.
“Unfortunately, even with a series of pilots and prototypes since that time, the failed NHS contract is still being used to provide dental care for patients despite the acknowledged shortcomings on both sides of the House and in the Lords. Contract reform has been promised since the time of the coalition government but here we are in 2022, without any real plans of substance. The profession is at breaking point with the NHS contract.”
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