Coronavirus latest
NHS severely stretched as cases soar... but fresh curbs ‘unlikely’
SCOTLAND’S NHS faces a ‘perfect storm’ as new Covid cases again hit a record high yesterday.
The Scottish Government said there were 7,113 cases of coronavirus recorded in the last 24 hours to yesterday, up from a previous high of 6835 cases on Friday.
The figures included a ‘larger than usual’ proportion of tests that were processed more than 48 hours ago, due to the high volume going through laboratories. Cases have soared over the past few weeks since the easing of restrictions and the start of the school term.
On Saturday, 507 people were in hospital with recently confirmed Covid-19, with 52 patients in intensive care.
The health board areas with the highest coronavirus rates are NHS Lanarkshire with 966.5 cases per 100,000 people, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde at 885.2 cases per 100,000 and NHS Lothian with 625.9
Under-40s are being urged to get their second vaccination and not ‘leave the job half done’ amid the soaring cases, as around two thirds of new infections are people under 40 and three quarters are under 44.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said the virus is ‘still a significant threat’. He said: ‘What you are seeing in many local health board areas is that the A&E departments are almost at pre-Covid levels – and in some areas, above pre-Covid levels.
‘Add to that, 500 Covid patients across the country. And, of course, we’ve still got infection prevention control measures in place.
‘We’ve also had staff absence through illness and some taking leave, understandably. All of that is a real perfect storm putting enormous pressure on our health service.’
Last week, 17,284 out of 22,822 Scottish Covid cases were in people under the age of 44. Over the past month, 30 per cent of Covid-19 hospital admissions were in those aged under 40, and 58 per cent of admissions among unvaccinated people were under 40.
Mr Yousaf urged people in that age group to make sure they get their second dose of the vaccine.
He said: ‘It’s clear there are some people, particularly aged under 40, who have been offered a second appointment and, for whatever reason, have not yet attended.
‘Our message to you is clear. It’s not too late to get your vaccine and it remains vital that you get both doses. Please don’t leave the job half done.
‘While we are in the process of emerging from the pandemic, high case rates underline the fact that this virus is still a significant threat and the importance of getting vaccinated cannot be underestimated.’
Ian Scott, clinical lead for the respiratory ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) service Scotland, based at Aberdeen Royal infirmary, said increasing numbers of referrals to intensive care are people under 40 with Covid-19.
He said: ‘The risks with requiring ventilation and ECMO are extremely high and we feel some of these deaths could be avoided.’
It came as a leading public health expert said Covid restrictions are ‘unlikely’ to be reintroduced despite soaring case numbers.
Professor Linda Bauld told the BBC: ‘Many countries promised their populations that if they came forward and took up vaccines that would be the alternative to severe restrictions. The Scottish people have done that we’ve got over 90 per cent of people over the age of 16 with a first dose, and 80 per cent with a second dose.
‘So for a government then to turn around and say, “Oh well, actually we’re just going to go back to where we were in 2020 and shut things down again” is difficult.
‘Things would need to get a lot worse in terms of hospital capacity for that to occur and I don’t see that on the immediate horizon.’
One of Nicola Sturgeon’s top Covid advisers says the UK has lost its ‘headstart’ on vaccination. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has yet to announce if youngsters aged between 12 and 15 will get the jab.
Miss Sturgeon has supported extending the rollout. Yesterday, Professor Devi Sridhar wrote on Twitter, she said: ‘My personal opinion is UK has lost the vaccination headstart it had by JCVI wavering on teens.’