HEALTH bosses are expecting a surge in Omicron infections across North Yorkshire in January - with an urgent plea for people to get their Covid booster jab now.

A major countywide multi-agency operation has been stepped up over the Christmas and New Year period to get Covid booster vaccines into everyone who is eligible.

Richard Flinton, chair of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which includes the county and district councils, NHS and emergency responders, said: “Please avoid being lulled into a false sense of security that things are better up here than in London, which is currently the epicentre of the Omicron outbreak.

“We are expecting the peak for North Yorkshire during January. That means the more people who get their booster jabs now, the better placed our county will be to deal with it. Please act now, to buy time and to protect yourselves, your loved ones and the County’s businesses and public services.”

Walk-in sites are operating across the county, including pharmacies - one in Knaresborough even opened for boosters on Christmas Day.

Fire and Rescue officers are lending support by driving around North Yorkshire ensuring vaccines are where they need to be and at the right time.

By Christmas Eve, 75 per cent of eligible residents had taken up the offer of a booster jab but more than 70,000 had not come forward.

“Some people might be tempted to put off having their booster until they have got through their Christmas and New Year festivities,” said Richard. “So we are asking everybody to go and get a jab as a priority.

“The booster is critical in protecting the population against the impact of Omicron and in protecting the NHS from being overwhelmed.”

He said partner agencies were all involved in surge planning and that every resident and business could play their part in the fight against the variant. He asked employers to consider giving staff who had not taken up a booster jab time during the day to get one.

Louise Wallace, North Yorkshire’s director of public health, said North Yorkshire’s Covid rates, which had reached more than 650 per 100,000 in Selby just before Christmas, were rising rapidly in every district.

She said: “These are worryingly high rates and so it is imperative we also take steps to protect each other by wearing face masks when required; keeping rooms ventilated and open to fresh air when meeting indoors and washing hands regularly."

Amanda Bloor, from the NHS in North Yorkshire and York, said progress across the region showed people were taking the Omicron threat seriously.

“We are making great progress across North Yorkshire and York in delivering the enhanced Covid-19 booster roll-out.

“Already we have vaccinated almost three quarters of our eligible population and work will continue to ensure that all those eligible have been offered their vaccination by the end of the year.

“If you are in your 28-day post-Covid recovery period and have not been able to receive your jab yet, vaccination clinics will continue into 2022 to allow those who have missed out or who are not eligible until 2022 to receive their booster.”

The Omicron surge is already disrupting services as increasing numbers are infected.

Amanda said: “The NHS in North Yorkshire is already experiencing high demand and Omicron will undoubtedly lead to staff absences and the service will be severely strained as we go into winter, traditionally a time of greatest pressure. Some leave is being cancelled to deal with the pressures, therefore I urge people to be patient and respectful of staff and to use the service wisely.”