The most recent information collected by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports an increase in the percentage of people testing positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland likely caused by infections compatible with Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5.
Orkney now has the highest rates of infection in Scotland.
The most recent tests of Kirkwall’s waste water confirms the high rate of Covid in the islands. Waste water data for Kirkwall will also be affected by increasing numbers of tourists and visitors.
The waste water data is only relevant for Kirkwall. Stromness currently has by far the highest numbers currently testing positive for Covid
The stats from ONS state that the number of people in the UK who are infected with Covid are as follows:
- England: 1 in 50
- Scotland: 1 in 30
- Wales: 1 in 45
- Northern Ireland: 1 in 45
The data is for the week ending 11th of June 2022.
In the week ending 3rd of June 2022 there were 186 deaths related to Covid in England and Wales which is a slight decrease. In Scotland in the week ending 12th of June 2022 there were 38 Covid related deaths, an increase of 18.
Hospital admissions have also increased of people with Covid and 1 in 32 people in the UK are reporting having Long Covid symptoms. For secondary pupils – 1 in 20 have long Covid symptoms.
Increasing Covid cases also affects workplaces and staffing. Incomes have dropped at a time when we are also experiencing a cost of living crisis.
The ending of enforced restrictions has given the virus many more opportunities to transmit and to mutate. People are expected to use their common sense in order to limit transmission and to protect others. It is easy to do:
- get your vaccine when offered to ensure you are fully protected
- stay at home if you’re unwell with symptoms or have a fever
- open windows when socialising indoors
- wear a face covering in indoor public places and on public transport
- wash your hands to protect yourself
Care for yourself and others to help slow down the spread of the virus and reduce pressure on our health services.
Categories: Local News
And now they’re shaping up for the Magnus Fest – let’s see what kind of spike that produces.
Me? Still staying home – going a bit nuts – a bit stir-crazy, but am assured that it’s a sane response to an insane situation.
Staying home – if you can – is certainly the most sensible approach at the moment.
Unfortunately, one of us doesn’t have this option just now… sometimes people have to travel to hospital which means that particularly vulnerable persons are exposed to very unsafe environments.
Our so-called lifeline services (subsidised by the government and hence the taxpayer to provide such services) adhere to first-come-first-serve policies which means that no cabins whatsoever are available on the Northlink Ferries where patients could withdraw from the crowds and travel safer. Apparently, it is more important to accommodate holidaymakers and tourists than providing the lifeline to residents of the Northern Isles these services are designed for.
There is no priority booking system in place. Other remote places have such a system, for example Tristan da Cunha, one of the UK overseas territories.
Thereby, patient travel becomes Russian Roulette.
I have thought about this. I’m not on one of the outer isles, but – I dread needing to go to see the doctor, never mind going to hospital, and just hope hope hope that I won’t need to. I haven’t even let myself think of the possibility of needing to go to hospital other than the Balfour, and therefore needing to travel by ferry. I just don’t let myself think about it. It’s not a good frame of mind to be in, and I ‘mind myself’ not to let it go too far.
That’s just me though – I can stay home, Mike goes shopping once a week, being very careful, and has to go into work sometimes, being very careful.
I very much am aware that I/we are fortunate in our situation – others are not so fortunate.
And meanwhile – front page of the Orcadian – two headlines – ‘Covid cases on the rise Page 10’ and ‘Sensational KGS school show delights – Page 20’. Not wanting to be a kill-joy, but I thought – does no-one else see what the juxtaposition of those head-lines tells us?
Yes — I was wondering why Orkney’s road fatalities (per head of population) was recognized as the highest in Scotland, while our straight covid numbers were reported as “the lowest in the country” — when in fact our “per head of population” covid figure is also the highest !
Maybe more transparency would encourage us to be a little more careful.
Thank you “The Orkney News”!