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PROF SAUL FAUST
The vaccination programme in the Royal Borough has seen ‘thousands of people’ receive the jab, a meeting heard this week. There have also been ‘very tiny’ levels of vaccine wastage.
The vaccine rollout is proving “brilliant”, confirms Professor Saul Faust, director of NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility, University of Southampton.
During this pandemic he is focusing on delivering COVID-19 Janssen vaccine trials, stressing the jabs are “absolutely essential” in beating the bug.
“Without the vaccine and NHS deployment, we will not be able to prevent further waves and impact on the NHS. Even if the infection becomes a condition like ‘flu, the vaccine will stop people dying and most people becoming so ill they have to go to hospital,” he assured.
Urging everyone to have the vaccine, and not worry about delay between doses, he added: “The vaccination programme is being rolled out in the way that is best for the UK population to try to ease pressure on the NHS and stop people dying.
“It is better to give one dose to more people and then top it up.”
DATCHET: A planning application for The Manor in Datchet to become a mixed hotel with HMO (house in multiple occupation) has been withdrawn.
The hotel, run by MG Hotels, submitted plans to change following an agreement with the council which would see some rooms used for the homeless.
Out of the 43 rooms available, 30 would have been made available to the Royal Borough.
The application had received concerns with fears raised about its future use, which forced Sam Gill, director of MG Hotels to release a statement to ‘reassure the community’.
However the application was withdrawn on Thursday, February 11.
Ward councillor David Cannon (Con) said: “The application to change the hotel into a permanent HMO was an inappropriate development for Datchet.
“There were substantial planning grounds to object to this application, which although now withdrawn, will not impact on the current support of the homeless being supported in this village hotel.”
MG Hotels did not respond to request for comment before the Express went to press.
‘Vaccine champions’ in Slough have been recognised by the Government for their efforts trying to improve coronavirus vaccine uptake in the town. Residents have been urged to take up the COVID-19 vaccine when offered.
The Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership has identified digital and physical connectivity as two key areas to help the region recover from the impact of COVID-19. The partnership’s Recovery and Renewal Plan has now been published.