East Riding Health Director answers questions on Coronavirus
Andy Kingdom has responded to queries from the public.
East Riding Council’s public health lead has answered coronavirus questions from people on support for self-isolation, vaccine passes, the vaccination rollout and more.
LDRS asked people what they would like to know about the coronavirus pandemic from East Riding Council’s Public Health Director, Andy Kingdom.
Mr Kingdom explained the science behind why restrictions have been introduced since the arrival of Omicron and on the rationale behind the way the vaccine is rolled out.
He also answered a question on the approach to schools versus nightclubs and other large venues now requiring vaccine passes or a negative lateral flow test.
Read on to find out the questions and Mr Kingdom’s responses.
What council support is in place for businesses and people working from home/self-isolating currently?
“There’s council payments available for people who are having to self-isolate, you can get government-funded grants through the East Riding to help.
“People can also contact the council to get in touch with volunteer groups for further support.
“They’re offering help with things like food deliveries, dog walking or delivering medication to people having to self-isolate.
“If people go on the council’s website, or search East Riding business support, there’s details of various grants people can apply for.
“I think there’s going to be some changes in the next few weeks because of the pressure on hospitality businesses.”
The government has since announced councils will get a share of £1bn to help retail, leisure and hospitality businesses.
Eligible businesses will be able to claim up to £6,000.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has also announced a further £30m for The Treasury’s Cultural Recovery Fund to help theatres and other venues cancelling shows during the traditionally busy Christmas period.
Could you explain the scientific reasons for the new measures and why officials deem them necessary?
The director said:
“The new Omicron variant is far easier to catch, and more people can catch it.
“It also looks as though people who’ve already had coronavirus and would have previously had some immunity to it can now catch it again and pass it on to others.
“So we need to slow the spread of it down, otherwise we’ll see a spike in cases which will put pressure on hospitals.
“The wave we could see from Omicron is big, sharp and quick.
“If that happens then hospitals would have to stop doing surgeries and other treatment to care for people with coronavirus.
“The measures that have come in recently help to make the spike smaller and spread it out, we need to be ready for it.
“The two ways we can do that is through vaccines and our behaviour.
“With Delta we could rely mostly on people having two vaccine doses, but people with Omicron cases who’ve had both jabs can pass coronavirus on more easily.
“That’s why the target for getting booster jabs to all adults has been brought forward, to stop hospitals from being overwhelmed.
“Masks, distancing and restrictions give us an extra layer of protection so we can slow the spread of Omicron even more.”
Why can unvaccinated children still go to school but adults cannot go to some venues without a vaccine pass?
Mr Kingdom said:
“Firstly, I don’t agree with the premise of the question because you can still get into nightclubs and other large venues with a negative lateral flow test result.
“Primary school children haven’t been vaccinated because he haven’t got an agreement to give them jabs yet.
“There’s incredible benefits to keeping kids in school, it’s compulsory because that’s how we get the people who will contribute to society in future.
“The issue now is that we’ve got to reduce social contacts or the virus will take over.
“Nightclubs might be fun but should that be our priority right now?
“It’s really important for the future that we’ve got as many kids in school as possible.
“It’s not only important for their education but for some children there’s safeguarding issues involved too, they go to school to get aware from difficult situations at home.
“We’re vaccinating all the school pupils we can through the 12 to 15 roll out.
“I don’t really think it’s fair to compare schools and nightclubs when it comes to coronavirus.”
Why did officials choose not to put on walk in centres, instead encouraging pre-bookings?
Local NHS officials have announced a new vaccine walk in centre for East Yorkshire at the Ennerdale Leisure Centre in Hull’s Sutton Road.
Vaccines are available for walk ins from Monday to Thursday between 9am and 6pm and until 3pm on Fridays.
In the East Riding, Willerby Hill is also open for walk ins today (Tuesday, December 21) and tomorrow, from 9am to 4pm.
Beverley Race Course has also reopened as a vaccine centre, with limited walk-in availability.
But the Hull and East Riding CCGs which co-ordinate the local vaccine roll out previously opted not to offer a walk in site, instead asking people to pre-book vaccines.
Mr Kingdom said he saw the logic in their previous decision.
The director said:
“I can’t speak on behalf of the NHS, but the most effective way to roll out vaccines is to get them into the right people in the right order.
“That’s why with the booster rollout we started with the over 70s and the clinically vulnerable, they face greater risks if they catch coronavirus than someone in their 20s would.
“Around 91 per cent of people over 70 in the East Riding have had their booster, it’s about 86 per cent for 65 to 69 year olds then drops down as you go down the ages.
“We’ve done about 160,000 boosters in the East Riding so far, but there’s still about 130,000 to go.
“If you book in advance then the NHS can plan how many doses it needs and where so there aren’t peaks or troughs in supplies.
“And having people queuing for two or three hours in the cold doesn’t help, it’s better if people can be in and out in minutes so there’s less risk of coronavirus spreading.
“It’s been difficult getting the balance right, but over the next few weeks the number of places offering vaccines is going to ramp up and capacity at existing sites will be expanded.
“The 15 minute waiting time after the shot has also been dropped which boosts capacity even more.”