This week has seen Covid-19 cases in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire’s hospitals begin to stabilise. However, the number of people presenting at hospital with Covid-19 is still high and 40% higher than at the height of the first peak in April.

The number one way that people can help to lower this number is to follow the national lockdown rules which came into force on 5^th November – stay at home if you can, do not mix households and follow hands/face/space.

More details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november

Latest figures:

• We have seen 339 admissions relating to Covid-19 in the seven days to 8th November, compared with 361 for the previous seven days.
• We have 411 beds occupied by Covid+ patients as of 10th November, this compares to 456 on 3^rd November.
• Of those 411 beds, 7.8% were mechanically ventilated.
• We now have 40% more people in hospital than we did at the height of the first wave – a drop from last week’s position of 50%
• There were 51 deaths in hospitals from 5th to 11th November – for comparison, the whole of July and August saw just two deaths. 
• In September, we saw 530,413 appointments in general practice, 3.5% more than the same month last year.
• Of those half a million appointments, 56% were face-to-face, and just under half (48%) were on the same day or the next day, up from 44% for September last year. 
• In the last week (4^th to 10^th November), 25,402 flu vaccinations have been administered across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. This means we now have 50% of the eligible population protected from flu.
• The NHS has well established plans for delivering vaccinations across the country including the annual flu jab and children’s immunisations and work is underway to build on these tried and tested approaches, so that when a Covid-19 vaccine is ready, staff can deliver it safely.

Dr Andy Haynes, Executive Lead, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care System, said: “We are starting to see the numbers of coronavirus cases in our hospitals begin to stabilise which is promising news. Despite this, as a system we are still seeing 40% more coronavirus patients than we did at the peak of the first wave in April. We are also still seeing a rise in the number of deaths within our hospitals, which is a stark reminder of why we are in a national lockdown. I would urge the public to continue to take the measures seriously so that we can continue to reduce the infection rate within the community and, in turn, in our hospitals. We have been planning for a potential Covid-19 vaccine for several months now and as those plans continue to be refined, and as we wait for a confirmed vaccine, it’s really important that everyone continues to stick to the rules as they are the only way to keep us all safe”

Remember:

The NHS is here for you and so if you are concerned about a new lump or mole or have any other health issues then please get in touch with your GP or in an emergency call 999.  If you are unsure which service you need, call 111 or go to 111 Online who will advise you on the best service for your needs.

If you have symptoms of coronavirus, including a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of smell or taste, then get a test by calling 119 or go online to https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test 

The best way that we can all help with the situation is by following the national lockdown restrictions but remember that healthcare is a specific exemption – so if you are ill please get in touch like you would usually and stick to your appointments unless you hear otherwise.