Cases in city reach record levels
Around 10,000 Wearsiders have already been given their first Covid-19 vaccine – as the latest lockdown comes in to help battle the sharp rise in cases across the city.
The figure of how many members of the vulnerable group of residents have been given their first shot of the jab has been revealed as Sunderland City Council begins to handle the third national lockdown, which came into force yesterday.
The vaccination campaign launched at Grindon Lane Primary Care Centre on December 15, as the Pfizer and BioNTech began its roll out, with the second approved immunisation, made by Oxford AstraZeneca, first given at the city's hospital on Monday.
While that is good news, it comes as figures show Sunderland recorded the highest number of cases in one day on Wednesday, December 30, with 295 positive tests.
Gerry Taylor, the city' s Executive Director of Public Health and Integrated Commissioning, praised people for everything they have done so far during the pandemic.
But she said with the new variant of the virus spreading rapidly it was all the more important to redouble those efforts.
She said: "We’ve recently recorded the highest ever number of cases in a day in the city and with the new variant of the virus being between 50% and 70% more transmissible, it’s much easier to pass on to others.
"That’s why it is more important than ever that we all follow the rules of the national lockdown and stay home unless for a specific number of reasons set out by government such as shopping for basic necessities or to go to work if you cannot do so from home.
"With the NHS under incredible pressure due to the pandemic, it's vital that that we do everything in our power to protect it so that it's there for everyone who needs it.
"The good news is that the vaccination programme being led by the NHS is well underway in the city and around 10,000 people from priority groups have already been vaccinated.”
She added: “Inevitably it will take time to vaccinate all of those who need it and that’s why we must keep doing everything we can to protect ourselves and others in the meantime.