Admissions to hospital for Covid doubled in two days
WARDS IN NORTH CURRENTLY HAVE 1,460 PATIENTS
DAILY Covid-19 related hospital admissions in the North East and Yorkshire NHS region more than doubled in just two days.
Wards in the region reported their combined highest level of Covid-19 patients since January 26, 2021, with 384 admitted on Tuesday December 28. The latest figures show a sharp rise in Covid19 hospital admissions, up from 244 on December 27, 157 on Boxing Day and 146 on Christmas Day.
More than twice as many patients were admitted to hospitals in the North East and Yorkshire on December 28 than December 26, the data published on the Government’s Coronavirus Dashboard shows.
In total, there are 1,460 Covid-19 patients in hospitals across the North East and Yorkshire, with 81 on ventilation beds. Eight ‘surge hubs’ will be set up across England to prepare for another wave, although the nearest one to the North East will be at St James’ University Hospital, Leeds.
The UK was under a national lockdown in January 2021, the last time Covid-19 daily hospital admissions were as high as the most recent figures. Currently, England is under ‘Plan B’ measures but venues like nightclubs, pubs and restaurants can remain open. There are tougher restrictions in Scotland and Wales, leading to speculation that revellers will travel to Newcastle from Scotland to celebrate New Year’s Eve in late night venues.
The Government is facing increased calls to prioritise NHS staff for Covid-19 tests following rising hospital admissions across the UK, amid fears that rising infection rates could strike down key health workers.
NHS Providers chief Chris Hopson reportedly warned that daily data on Covid-19 hospitalisations should be interpreted with care.
He told the Times that the absence of large numbers of seriously ill older people was providing “significant reassurance”, although they could change after the Christmas period.
Mr Hopson added: “Trust CEOs know that the government has a high threshold to cross before it will introduce extra restrictions and can see why, in the absence of that surge of severely ill older people, that threshold hasn’t been crossed yet.”
The latest data comes as the Government said it has met its target of offering every eligible adult in England a booster jab by the end of the year.
However, health leaders have warned up to 40% of booked appointments are no-shows, and some vaccination clinics are only a third full.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the “vast majority” of intensive care Covid-19 patients are not fully vaccinated.