There are concerns over the impact a rise in Covid cases is having on Lincolnshire hospitals.

Hospitals in Lincolnshire are seeing an increase in patients needing treatment for conditions impacted by Covid.

The number of cases are still relatively low but are increasing in the county.

It's putting an extra strain on local hospitals as they prepare for the winter season.

Rebecca Neno is the Deputy Director for System Delivery at the NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board. She says it's already adding to demand:

"So certainly from the hospital perspective, across the NHS we are seeing more people seeking help for COVID, or they have a current illness, and then they get COVID, and that exacerbates that - which is typically what we're currently seeing, rather than people needing hospitalisation for COVID.

"So, the number of people seeking that help has gone up, certainly in the past week and it adds to the demand we have, because what that means is if people need to be admitted to hospital, they clearly need to be looked after in in a slightly different way from an infection control perspective.

"If they've got COVID, you know we try to look after those individuals, in individual rooms or in small groups, where other people already have COVID as well.

"So that just means additional places, an organisational pressure, if that makes sense."

Rebecca added that it's important people remember how to stay safe this winter:

"Overall I guess my message is, COVID is still out there, we are seeing that in the health service, in terms of demand. So it's about those simple messages of - making sure you're washing your hands regularly, trying to keep in ventilated areas...

"Clearly as the weather changes, people will stick inside, but keep a window open... All those basic things that people have talked about throughout throughout the pandemic."

To find out more about if you're eligible for a jab go to NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board.

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