The cumulative total of Covid cases in Orkney is now at 400 as 17 new positive test results were recorded in the Health Board area.

The stats for Scotland published on 23rd October 2021 are as follows:
- 2,403 new cases of COVID-19 reported
- 30,051 new tests for COVID-19 that reported results
- 8.7% of these were positive
- 0 new reported death(s) of people who have tested positive*
- 61 people were in intensive care yesterday with recently confirmed COVID-19
- 896 people were in hospital yesterday with recently confirmed COVID-19
- 4,302,382 people have received the first dose of the Covid vaccination and 3,890,477 have received their second dose
*Due to a data issue, no new deaths data is available today. We hope to include the latest deaths in tomorrow’s update.
Please remember to:
- get the vaccine when you are offered it
- wear a face covering where required
- wash your hands regularly, and cover your nose and mouth if coughing or sneezing
- self isolate and take a PCR test if you have symptoms
- take regular tests if you don’t have symptoms to reduce the risk of spreading the virus
- meet outside if you can, and open windows when indoors
- keep your distance from people not in your group
- work from home, or do a mixture of home and office working if possible
- use the apps: COVID status (vaccine passport), Protect Scotland and Check-in Scotland

Categories: Uncategorized
Seventeen new cases. Four hundred in all. The population of the Orkney Islands is about 22,000.
So, that’s about 1.8%. 1 in 55.
Maybe doesn’t seem like a lot – but it is.
And avoidable.
No changes are being made to officially regulate our behaviour. Travel to and from the islands is still free & easy.
What is there to say?
Especially the test positivity rate (13.7%) which is the highest for the day across Scotland, should make us think whether perhaps a bit too much socialising without any reasonable precautions (such as proper masks) is taking place.
If we ever want to get back to normal, then we are definitely on the wrong path.
The longer the infections can spread and the higher the levels in the community are, the longer it will take to finally get out of this.
Science has told us long ago that vaccines alone will not be enough and that non-pharmaceutical interventions are needed at the same time.
Is it so difficult to exercise a degree of caution?
There was a time when people clapped for carers… now it seems that many are quite happy to put even more of a strain on healthcare staff… this can’t be right.