Reduce NHS pressure, protect ourselves and others, and enjoy Christmas

17 December 2021

It’s in our gift to reduce pressure on NHS services, protect ourselves and others and enjoy the Christmas we’ve all been looking forward to.

That’s the message from the Director of Public Health, Lucy Wightman, this week as a further 4,385 residents test positive and COVID related hospital admissions rise by 16%.

The Omicron variant is now circulating in Northamptonshire. Our coronavirus infection rate per 100,000 population is 588.4 - significantly higher than the 519 national average and South Northamptonshire’s rate, 895.4, is ranked at the highest rate in England.

Northamptonshire’s Director of Public Health is reminding all residents that, ‘just because you can, doesn’t mean you should,’ and urging restraint and caution when it comes to household mixing and gathering in crowds.

A reminder to residents of the Government guidelines:

• If you haven’t already, get vaccinated.
• Get tested if you are showing symptoms and self-isolate if required.
• Take a Lateral Flow Test at least twice weekly and before mixing with another household.
• Let fresh air in if you meet indoors - meeting outdoors is safer.
• If you’re travelling to England from abroad you must take a PCR test before the end of day two following your arrival and self-isolate until you get a negative test result, even if you’re fully vaccinated.
• If you’re a contact of someone who may have been infected with the Omicron variant, you must self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of your age, vaccination status or any negative test results.
• Remember basic measures such as wearing face coverings when in crowded areas, keeping your distance whenever possible and washing your hands regularly.

Since the start of the pandemic our communities in Northamptonshire have rallied around one another and worked tirelessly to keep each other safe. Once more I’m asking that everyone plays their part and together, we will overcome this latest challenge.

While there is so much we don’t know in terms of the severity of the Omicron variant, the scientific community is agreed on its rapid transmissibility.

We don’t want people to panic but we need residents to realise that this is a very real and immediate threat. The choices we all make across the coming weeks and days will make a difference to the NHS’s ability to keep residents safe. We are seeing case numbers double roughly every two days so each and every one of us needs to do whatever we can do to stop the spread, reduce the pressure on the NHS and protect ourselves and others.Lucy Wightman, Joint Director of Public Health, North and West Northamptonshire Councils

This week's data surveillance report, an analysis of the county’s recent coronavirus cases and rates over the period 6 to 12 December 2021, shows:

• 4,385 residents tested positive for COVID-19 this week. This is a decrease of 1% compared with previous week.
• Northamptonshire’s infection rate per 100,000 population is 588.4, which is higher than last week (570.0) and significantly higher than the national average (519).
• West Northamptonshire’s rate is 638.3, significantly higher than both the national and Northamptonshire averages.
• North Northamptonshire’s rate is 530.5, similar to the national average and significantly lower than the Northamptonshire average.
• The South Northamptonshire area has the highest case rate (895.4) in Northamptonshire, followed by the Daventry area (717.6)
• The South Northamptonshire area case rate is currently the highest case rate in England (and the whole UK).
• Seven people died in Northamptonshire within 28 days of a positive test.
• Positive cases for both males and females aged 0 to 9 years have continued to increase since the beginning of November. The case volume for those aged 0 to 9 years have now become similar to that of 40 to 49-year-olds.
• The age group with the most positive cases for both males and females was predominately 10- to 19-year-olds, followed by 40- to 49-year-olds.
• Over the last 4-week period the number of cases amongst people aged 60+ have decreased but numbers remain high.
• Overall, more women than men tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 28 days.
• The latest data shows a total of 121 COVID-19 patients occupied hospital beds in Northamptonshire on 14 December 2021, which represents a 16% increase when compared to the previous week (7 December 2021).