Scarborough's coronavirus infection rate remains the same
Residents are being reminded to stay vigilant though
Last updated 17th Mar 2021
Residents in Scarborough are being urged to remain vigilant and to take the coronavirus vaccine when it is offered to them.
Scarborough’s coronavirus infection rate has remained at 30 per 100,000 people for the second day running as health chiefs seek to calm fears over the safety of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
A number of countries, including Germany, France and Spain, paused the use of the vaccine this week while possible links to blood clots and related conditions were investigated.
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has said that the evidence does not suggest a link and that people should not stop attending vaccine appointments.
Speaking at a meeting of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum this morning Amanda Bloor, NHS North Yorkshire CCG accountable officer, said vaccination safety was “the number one priority” for the NHS.
She said: “It has been absolutely clear that people should still go and get their Covid vaccine when they are asked to do so.
“The phenomenon of blood clots can occur naturally and they are not an uncommon thing.
“So far over 12 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca have now been given across England, and the number of blood clots that have been reported, after having gotten the vaccine is not greater than the number that would have occurred naturally in that vaccinated population.
“And this follows the data from the international trials of the vaccine, which have actually found that there were fewer cases of blood clots, among the group who have the real vaccine than there were in the group that was given a placebo.”
Mrs Bloor also told the meeting that the number of people in hospital in Scarborough with Covid-19 was now three, a reduction of one from last week.
She added that despite falling numbers of Covid patients hospitals across North Yorkshire, down 33 to 96 in the last seven days, people should still continue to observe the rules of the lockdown.
Mrs Bloor said: “We are still in that national lockdown position, and so people should only be leaving their home for permitted purposes which clearly includes going to access health care or going to get your vaccine first or second dose and when outside please wear a face covering, maintain social distancing and good hygiene is really important as it helps prevent the spread of the virus.”
Mobile testing facilities will be available in Whitby, Scarborough and Filey this week for anyone with symptoms to get tested.
To see the locations and to book a test visit www.northyorks.gov.uk/book-coronavirus-covid-19-test
William Street Coach Park in Scarborough is also still offering testing seven days a week from 8am until 8pm.
Tests can be booked at https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test.