'New coronavirus strain is here' says East Riding public health lead
East Riding Council’s public health lead has said around 40 per cent of new local coronavirus infections are from the new British strain and urged people to isolate for longer.
East Riding Council’s public health lead has said around 40 per cent of new local coronavirus infections are from the new British strain and urged people to isolate for longer.
Andy Kingdom said because the new strain is more transmissible it had the potential to “supercharge” local outbreaks.
He added the proportion of new infections from the strain in the county was higher than Hull’s at 10 to 15 per cent but lower than York’s which is at 70 per cent.
Mr Kingdom also said his main worry currently was that some testing positive for coronavirus were only isolating for two or three days rather than the full 10.
Mr Kingdom said:
“Our most recent information shows the new British strain is here, it got to us eventually.
“Inevitably it will become the dominant strain, it’s competing with the earlier one to infect more people and it’s easier to transmit.
“The good news is the British strain doesn’t seem to result in worse outcomes for people, the South African one was more concerning and we don’t have enough information on the Brazilian yet.
“Vaccinations should still work against them, the question will be how effective they are.
“In the worst case we can change some of the vaccines and do jabs again, more likely they will be maybe 60 or 70 per cent effective whereas they’re between 80 and 90 per cent effective at the moment.”
Mr Kingdom said “appalling” death rates seen in parts of the county in recent days would continue to rise before they fall.
The director said:
“Thankfully we haven’t seen death rates quite as high in the East Riding and Hull.
“But we’ve probably got another month before mortality drops, it’ll be the last of the indicators to fall.
“Because of lags what we’re seeing now is the outcome of infections from late December.
“Getting the most elderly and vulnerable vaccinated will be key to keeping our infection and death rates lower than most other areas because those most at risk will be protected.”
The director said new community testing centres were opening in Bridlington, Goole, Hornsea, Pocklington and Withernsea next week for emergency services staff and others by invitation following a trial in Haltemprice.
He added using lateral flow tests there would not identify all positive cases but it would mean more “critical workers” could keep front line services running, helping the vaccine programme.
Mr Kingdom also said a mass vaccination site like those announced for Wakefield and York would not work in the East Riding as it is more rural.
He said:
“If we had one mass centre it would mean elderly people having to drive over the Wolds or from somewhere like Withernsea on icy roads in winter conditions.
“A mass site isn’t suitable, it’s better to use GP practices and pharmacies and to have a few larger centres like the one at Beverley race course.
“Overall people seem to be embracing the vaccinations really well.
“In care homes for example we’ve already vaccinated almost 40 per cent of residents and about 36 per cent of staff, and we’ll hopefully have vaccinated all of them by the end January.
“It’s an incredible achievement, staff and managers have been in tears over this after being traumatised by outbreaks and deaths in their homes but now science has got them this.
“If we can reach all our most elderly and vulnerable then we can breathe a small sigh of relief and carry on.”
Mr Kingdom said that while infection numbers remained lower in Hull and the East Riding than other areas, they could easily rise and see both back among the worst affected.
He said:
“The next two weeks will be crucial, it’s like going down a dangerous ridge on a mountain, one wrong step and we could be blown off course, we need to take these steps together.
“If we can hold numbers down now and get them falling, then we’re more likely to be the first out of the toughest restrictions when the lockdown is reviewed in February.”