Notts hospitals under ‘increasing pressure’

Amanda Sullivan, from NHS Nottinghamshire clinical commissioning group, described the situation in the latest Nottinghamshire coronavirus briefing.

She said: “The NHS is operating under increasing pressure and this is caused by the rise in coronavirus admissions we are seeing, work force absence due to Omicron and other causes and other winter pressures and illnesses.”

On January 4, Nottinghamshire hospitals had 443 people with coronavirus, a higher figure than in the April or November peaks in 2020.

In the week to January 2, there were 362 admissions, compared with 213 admissions the week before, showing ‘a significant rise week-on-week’, she said. There were also 25 deaths.

She said: “The numbers are continuing to rise, and we do anticipate they will continue to rise in view of the very high community transmission rates. Omicron is as serious as Delta if you are unvaccinated.

“On the intensive care unit at the City Hospital and Queen’s Medical Centre, 74 per cent of the people who are needing the critical care – the most seriously ill – are completely unvaccinated.

“We do sometimes see people who are partially vaccinated and have underlying health conditions – they may also become seriously ill as well and need that intensive care.

“We don’t have the Nottinghamshire figures for unvaccinated people and deaths, but the evidence is clear now across the whole country that vaccines do have a protective effect against death.

“If you are boosted that reduces your chances of hospitalisation by 83 per cent. It has even a further effect of people dying.”

Jabs

She said more people are ‘changing their minds’ and coming forward to get their first and second jabs, which is ‘thousands each week’.

Louise Lester, from Public Health Nottinghamshire, said: “In the most recent seven days, our rate was at 1,865 per 100,000, above the England average.

“That is 15,000 people across Nottinghamshire who have tested positive in the last seven days.

“They are high across all our districts and boroughs at the moment – highest in Gedling and Ashfield and lowest in Rushcliffe.

“All very high and driven by the working age population – 18 to 59-year-olds have got the highest rates and we do not know what this New Year will bring.”

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