Professor Mike Holmes, who coordinates York’s Covid vaccination centre, says the jab is preventing many people having to go into hospital as the Omicron wave sweeps across York.

THE New Year brings more uncertainty as we see cases of Covid increase across the world again. Many many people have unfortunately caught the Omicron variant over the festive period. The good news is that, thanks to the vaccine programme, less people are becoming seriously ill enough to be admitted to hospital, unlike earlier in the pandemic.

One of the challenges this time, however, is the large number of our health and care staff being absent from the workplace. More than 80,000 NHS staff were absent each day last week, a rise of 13 per cent from the previous week and half of these were down to Covid. Across all doctor’s surgeries in York we have a serious shortage of reception and administrator staff too, so manning our front desks and phones has been a real challenge. We hope this situation improves, but staff absence and recruitment issues remain a real cause for concern. You can help by using the online enquiry services, where possible, to free up our phone lines.

Thankfully, testing for Covid is being simplified and if you now have a positive Lateral Flow Test, you no longer have to take a PCR test to confirm this result. This should make it easier for people and their employers.

At the vaccination centre, we continue at pace, welcoming around 42,000 people since the Government announcement in mid-December. We’ve now vaccinated well over half a million people at the centre and we’re offering walk ins for first and second dose vaccinations every day. Booster vaccinations continue, by appointment, and bookable via the NHS website. Please remember you don’t need to know your NHS number to get vaccinated, or be registered with a GP. If you are still unsure, whey not pop down and talk to one of our health professionals on hand at the vaccination centre to have a non-judgemental chat in a safe environment.

The school-based immunisation programme will now re-commence with the new term in and schools will let families know about these clinics.

This next weekend we’re launching our ‘Big Flu Weekend’ at our Askham Bar Health Village. Anyone eligible for the flu vaccination who hasn’t yet had one, can book to have theirs using the link below on 14th, 15th and 16th January. Those patients over 50 or in the at-risk categories should book in for their flu jab.

BOOKING LINK FOR BIG WEEKEND: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/big-flu-weekend-flu-vaccination-clinic-tickets-181863276957

Our babies and children’s treatment clinics also continue and we urge any parents or carers of children under five to ask about them. If you have a child with breathing problems, our teams can help and you don’t have to take them straight to A&E. You can visit our York clinic by ringing NHS111 or ask your York GP.

Some exciting news for York is the possibility that we could be expanding and taking on additional premises later this year for our services. For some time, Nimbuscare, on behalf of our 11 GP Practices in York, has been looking at other possible sites to deliver healthcare services across the city and we have now asked for permission to change the use of an existing facility in Acomb. Working with our partners across the city, we have applied to the City of York Council to change the use of the Acomb Gables site in York to use as a primary care medical centre.

Our long-term ambition is to offer more integrated community services for our population.

We passionately believe community health, care and voluntary services being delivered together, within the community, will have a positive impact on the people of York.

Our aim is to reinvest into the community and I think this will be a really positive move for the people of York.