Friday 4 February 2022
Graph showing 10,013 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Devon in the week 23 to 29 January 2022.
Case levels in Devon remain high (1,235 per 100,000 of population) and above the national average (1,069 per 100,000 of population) across all age groups, but especially among young people. Cases are currently highest in the Exeter area.
In this update:
Around half of the 317 care homes in Devon currently have two or more linked cases of coronavirus among staff and residents.
Care homes are working hard to manage infection, mitigate risk, and to protect their residents and staff from coronavirus.
And where there are outbreaks - two or more linked positive cases - those care homes are working even more closely with Public Health Devon to follow temporary additional measures to reduce risk.
Under the new national rules, care home visitors are asked to make arrangements with care homes in advance of their visit, so that care home providers can manage the number of people attending at any one time, to ensure safety for residents and staff.
Steve Brown, Devon's Director of Public Health, said:
"Visiting loved ones and friends who live in care homes is vitally important to the resident's wellbeing. We want there to come a time soon when additional restrictions will not be needed, but while cases in Devon care homes remain high, we ask visitors to make arrangements with their care home in advance of their visit, so that the care home can manage risk of infection to residents and staff. And that visitors follow the care home’s own policy, through careful hand hygiene, wearing of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment, and using lateral flow device tests prior to visiting."
Young people are looking out for each other, and offering practical advice and support to help to get through yet another winter of coronavirus.
Devon's Youth Service, run on our behalf by SPACE, has developed a suite of resources to help young people find trusted information, online and via social media.
Resources include video stories, made by young people who have been affected by coronavirus, talking about their experience, and passing on top tips on how to stay safe this winter.
Dan Barton, from SPACE, said:
"Young people are more likely to listen to and take advice from other young people.
"Cases of coronavirus in Devon are particularly high in young people, at primary and secondary school, so the more that can be done within those age groups to talk about risk, and managing risk, the better.
"Our campaign is to raise awareness of the impact of coronavirus on young people, and to show people what steps they can take to stay as safe as possible. There are resources that we'd love young people to share between their friends."
Many 12 to 15 year olds in Devon have already had their first dose of the vaccine, either at their school or by attending a vaccination centre.
School nurse teams are visiting schools over the coming weeks to offer second doses or first doses if still needed, so look out for the dates. Like last time, parents or carers will be asked to give their consent to have the second dose.
Remember though, second doses can only be given at least 12 weeks after the first dose or 12 weeks after a positive test result. If your child is aged 12 to 15 and it's been longer than 12 weeks since their first dose, they can wait to have their second jab at school, or can attend a vaccination centre with or without an appointment.
And with infections so high particularly among young people, if you are not showing symptoms please continue to use lateral flow tests twice a week, and daily if identified as a contact of someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.
Click to watch Koren, Managing Director of Mulholland care Agency, in North Devon
Take up of the vaccine in Devon has been pretty good, especially among older age groups. But there are locations where take up could be better.
There has been particular encouragement to care workers to take up the vaccine - important for the protection it gives them personally from catching coronavirus and potentially becoming seriously unwell; but also because it reduces risk to the people they care for, and their families and friends.
"I had the vaccinations to protect myself and those around me.
"Working through the pandemic has been a really scary time for our care workers, especially in the early days. And we were all over the moon when the vaccinations arrived.
"Having a vaccination is one of the most important things that a care worker can do right now - not only to protect themselves, but to protect their colleagues, their service users, their families and their friends."
Photo by Fusion Medical Animation on Unsplash
Those familiar with the phrase 'lightning never strikes the same place twice' might also know that is not true. The same can be said with coronavirus.
But now, if you test positive twice, over 90 days apart, this will be counted as two separate infections.
The new data shows the difference between the currently dominant Omicron variant and earlier strains of coronavirus. Where reinfection rates averaged around 1.4 per cent of cases until 16 November 2021, we've since seen a spike in infections with Omicron, with reinfections representing around 10 per cent of episodes per day.
Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon, says:
"What the data demonstrates is just how different the Omicron variant is in its ability to reinfect people who have already had coronavirus,"
"One thing is for sure, to increase our chances of not catching the virus, or at least help reduce the severity of illness if you do catch it, we must be up to date with our vaccinations, and follow sensible public health precautions.”
Watch the series of short films from Vaccine Ambassadors on YouTube.
As ambassadors, they listen to their communities to understand people's reasons for hesitancy, and they promote reliable information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination to help give people the confidence to have it.
They've worked with hundreds of people across Devon from diverse communities.
For example, Justine Smyth, works with people who are Deaf and maybe anxious about turning up for their vaccination and not being able to lip read because staff are wearing face coverings. She advises people to write down their personal details and that they are Deaf before going for their vaccination, and showing it to staff when they arrive.
And Mohamed Muganzi, Manager of Piety Mosque in Plymouth, encourages worshippers at Friday prayers to have their vaccine.
"It's very important that they get vaccinated. It's protecting themselves and protecting us."
NHS Devon’s Chief Nurse, Darryn Allcorn, said:
"Vaccine Ambassadors have played a crucial role in supporting people from different communities to have their vaccinations. We would urge anyone who hasn't yet had them to come forward."
They report that around six months after a second dose, protection against death with the now dominant Omicron variant was around 60 per cent in those aged 50 and over.
But this increased to around 95 per cent, two weeks after receiving a booster vaccine dose.
The latest data shows continuing high levels of protection against hospitalisation from the booster.
Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at UKHSA, said:
"The evidence is clear - the vaccine helps to protect us all against the effects of COVID-19 and the booster is offering high levels of protection from hospitalisation and death in the most vulnerable members of our society.
"The pandemic is not over yet and the vaccine is the best way to increase your protection against the serious consequences of this virus - please book your appointment for your first, second or third vaccine without delay."
Now, more than one in ten eligible children under the age of five in England haven't had their MMR vaccine, or are only partially vaccinated.
Measles is very contagious and can be quite unpleasant. For some, it can even lead to serious complications.
The concern is that even a small decline in uptake of the MMR vaccination could lead to a rise in cases. And as international travel resumes, there's more chance for measles to be brought in from other countries where it's more common.
Vaccinations remain the best defence against infection. Children require two doses of the MMR vaccination so it's very important that children attend their routine vaccination appointments.
If any have been missed for any reasons, GP surgeries can be contacted to book a vaccine appointment. It’s never too late to catch up.
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