Gloucestershire sees worst week in pandemic, says public health boss
Sarah Scott says she's confident the lockdown will work - IF we follow the rules
Last week Gloucestershire experienced it's worst week in the pandemic since in began last March, according the the county's Director of Public Health.
In an interview with Greatest Hits, Sarah Scott spoke to us about following lockdown rules, the new variant of coronavirus and how to protect our mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic.
You can read her comments below.
The lockdown will work if people follow the rules
With Gloucestershire now it its second week of the third national lockdown, Sarah Scott is says she's confident the lockdown will work as long as people follow the guidelines.
"We know from past experience that lockdowns can bring down the infection rate but it very much depends on us and how much we want to abide by the lockdown rules.
"Our rates remain very high at the moment, there's a lot of pressure on our NHS and also people are still dying which is clearly really, really sad.
"The lockdown will work to bring down the number of cases and to reduce the spread if we adhere to it and I think it's really incumbent on us to really adhere to the guidance".
Sarah explained she recognises people are "fed-up" of having tight regulations imposed on our lives but that following it for the shorter term will mean we'll come out of it more quickly.
Assume the new COVID variant IS in Gloucestershire
The new variant of coronavirus has been blamed for soaring case numbers across the country, particularly in the South and Sout East of the country towards the end of the last year.
Scientists say it's 50-70% more transmissible than the strain that was around during the beginning of the pandemic in March last year.
"There's been a fairly steady increase our number of cases and if anything we've seen one of the worst weeks in Gloucestershire in the last week.
"We've seen increased pressure on our hospitals and I think we're seeing the tail-end of the impact of mixing over Christmas.
"what we don't know is how many of these new cases are related to the new variant because of the proportion of tests done for it.
"My advice would be to assume the new variant is in Gloucestershire but you can protect yourself against it in the same way you do with Covid and that's by following the guidance of hands, face, space".
We have to make sure our message are relevant
A day doesn't go by where we see a message on our television, radio or social media about following coronavirus guidelines and how to protect ourselves and others from the virus.
But as the pandemic approaches its 11 month anniversary, there's always the danger of people becoming complacent.
"Different messages work for different parts of the population so what we're trying to do is keep our communications campaigns up to date and find new ways to deliver them.
"It's only natural after nearly 11 months that people are tired of living in this highly regulated way.
"Some age groups, for example the older population, are easier to reach due to the number of fatalities we've seen in this age group.
"We know we've seen the highest proportion of COVID in the 20-29 age bracket in Gloucestershire. We don't quite know why it's so high in this particular age group but we're trying different ways to communicate with them, such as on social media and behavioural insight specialists to try to help ensure our messages hit home".
It's never been more important to protect our mental health and wellbeing
The coronavirus pandemic is one of the biggest health emergencies the world has faced in the last century and the physical impact is has on us is glaringly obvious.
However, in a time where we're being encouraged to talk about our mental health more, the repercussions it's had on our mental wellbeing has already started to show.
"This is now our third lockdown, it's winter, the weather isn't very good and we're restricted from seeing our family and friends albeit for very good reasons.
"But we can't underestimate the impact this has on our mental health and wellbeing.
"You might be stuck at home on your own, facing financial struggles or having to work and home school at the same time which is very tough.
"This is just a bit of a plea to say if you're not alright, it's okay to not be alright. There are however plenty of people out there who are ready to help you.
Sarah is asking people "to reach out" if they're struggling and head to the County Council website where you can access a number of various resources, as well as other organisations in Gloucestershire and nationally where people are ready to help those who are struggling.
Head to the NHS website to see details of mental health organisations.
Alternatively, if you are in an immediate crisis:
Samaritans: Call 116 123. Phone lines are open 24/7 - 365 days a year.
Gloucestershire Covid-19 Mental Health Helpline: Call 0800 169 0398. Phonelines are open 24/7.
What is Covid-19?
Covid-19 emerged as a virus in December 2019 as the first cases are reported in Wuhan, China. Scientifically known as SARS-CoV-2, the virus created a global pandemic as it began to spread around the world. Symptoms can range from very mild to severe, causing death in some cases. Some people are completely asymptomatic and do not realise they even have the virus.
Has there been a virus like this before?
The SARS pandemic in 2003 was similar to Covid-19 in that it was also caused by a coronavirus. SARS stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The global outbreak of SARS lasted from 2002-2003, infecting over 8,000 people and killing 774. Covid-19 and SARS are both respiratory illnesses, but SARS was much more deadly and less infectious.
What are the main symptoms?
The NHS say the main Covid-19 symptoms are a high temperature, a new and continuous cough and loss or change to taste of sense or smell. NHS advises people with Covid-19 to take plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, and take paracetamol for a high temperature.
What was the Government reaction?
The UK Government announced the first of several lockdowns in March 2020. By the end of the month, more than 100 countries around the world introduce full or partial lockdowns, preventing people from going to work, restricting everyday tasks and affecting the livelihoods of billions of people globally.
Which countries have been worst hit?
During the first year of the pandemic, the US recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the world and the most deaths, reporting an unprecedented 100,000 new cases in one day on November 4th 2020. Thousands of new cases were recorded on the same date in India (46,000+), the United Kingdom (22,000+), Brazil (17,000+) and Mexico (5,000+), while Ireland records less than 1,000 (578). Hundreds of other countries also reported a high rate of infection.
How have vaccines fought against Covid-19?
Vaccines began being approved for use across the globe. By January 2021, the UK approved the use of three different vaccines. The Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and the Moderna vaccine are rolled out to the public, with older people and those with greater health concerns getting priority. In April 2022, just under 53 million people had received at least one dose of the vaccine.
What are new Covid variants?
Four new variants of Covid-19 were discovered around the world. Beta was found in South Africa, Gamma in Brazil and Delta in India, while the Alpha variant was first located in Kent, UK. New variants are not likely to make someone more seriously ill than Covid-19 would, but variants like Delta have a higher infection rate, meaning it can be more easily spread.
The Omicron variant was first detected late 2021 in South Africa. Since then, it has become one of the most dominant variants in the world, with its own sub strains - BA.4 and BA.5.