MP’s grim appeal for people to ‘stick to the Covid rules’
HYNDBURN’S MP has issued a grim plea to the public to “stick with” lockdown restrictions to avoid our hospitals, surgeries and paramedics being “completely overwhelmed” in days.
Sara Britcliffe says the situation in London hospitals is “truly terrifying”, and must be avoided in Hyndburn.
It comes after the borough posted record Covid-19 infection levels.
On Monday, a Hyndburn Borough Council spokesperson said in a statement: “Hyndburn’s latest Covid-19 infection rate is 676 per 100,000 for the period 31st December to the 6th January.
“Unfortunately this is Hyndburn’s highest rate to date, with an increase of 53% from the previous week. (Also doubled the week before).”
The area with the highest seven-day rolling rate was Oswaldtwistle with 822.3 cases per 100,000.
In her monthly Observer column, Ms Britcliffe said: “I do not want to leave you under any illusion, these case increases are being translated into more hospital admissions and, sadly, more deaths.
“I don’t write any of this to scare you but to inform. I was elected to tell you the truth, to explain the hard choices we have to make and to act in the best interests of all the residents under my care.”
She said the rapid rollout of Covid-19 vaccines was the “light at the end of the tunnel”, adding: “If we can all just pull together for a few more weeks the most vulnerable groups in our society will be safe.”
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, which includes Hyndburn, recorded 31 new deaths to coronavirus between January 2 and January 11.
A total of 732 people with Covid-19 have now passed away under the care of the NHS in East Lancashire since the start of the pandemic.