August 4, 2021 4.33 pm This story is over 31 months old

COVID vaccines open to 16 and 17-year-olds as Lincoln still tops infection rates

Another push to get youth vaccinated
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

All 16 and 17-year-olds should be given their first dose of coronavirus vaccine, government scientific advisers have recommended as 679 cases of the virus are confirmed in Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, however, said it would recommend second doses following further safety data at a later date. It means 1.4 million older teenagers will be offered vaccinations in the next few weeks.

During a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, bosses said they expected the vaccine to provide more than 80% protection and that side effects were rare.

Dr June Raine, from the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency, said it had also been shown to be effective in those aged 12-15. She said the benefits of the jab far outweighed the risk. However, no decision on that age range has been made yet.

Professor Wei Shen Lim, from the JCVI, said: “While COVID-19 is typically mild or asymptomatic in most young people, it can be very unpleasant for some and for this particular age group, we expect one dose of the vaccine to provide good protection against severe illness and hospitalisation.”

Lincolnshire’s coronavirus cases up to August 2.

Meanwhile, Lincoln has remained top of the infection rate table nationally, with its seven-day rate increasing from 653.6 per 100,000 population to 716.

Government figures released on Wednesday showed 439 new cases in Lincolnshire, 104 in North Lincolnshire and 136 in North East Lincolnshire.

The 679 case total is 13.4% higher than last Wednesday’s 599 cases.

Government figures showed one further deaths in its figures today in the North East Lincolnshire region. However, NHS figures reported no further deaths in Greater Lincolnshire’s hospital facilities today.

Greater Lincolnshire’s seven-day infection rates up to August 3. | Image: Daniel Jaines/Data: Gov.uk

In Greater Lincolnshire, coronavirus infection rates have dropped in the past week, despite a number of districts climbing the rankings nationally.

As of Tuesday’s government figures, Lincoln was the district with the highest infection rate, however, its figure of 653.6 per 100,000 population was far below previous top players.

For instance, last Tuesday, North East Lincolnshire sat sixth highest with an infection rate of 908.7, but this week is 13th, having slashed its rate by nearly half to 471.3.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday, August 4

82,835 cases (up 396)

  • 54,583 in Lincolnshire (up 439)
  • 12,822 in North Lincolnshire (up 104)
  • 16,109 in North East Lincolnshire (up 136)

2,224 deaths (up one)

  • 1,633 from Lincolnshire (no change)
  • 305 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
  • 286 from North East Lincolnshire (up one)

of which 1,331 hospital deaths (no change)

  • 822 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)
  • 43 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
  • 1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
  • 465 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)

5,952,756 UK cases, 130,000 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.