Vaccinations
Public Health Scotland is encouraging young people to take up the offer of routine vaccines at school as the latest statistics show a decline in vaccine uptake rates among this group. In Orkney 63.6% of S3 pupils have been vaccinated and 76.6% of S4 pupils.
Dr Claire Cameron, Consultant in Health Protection, PHS said:
“Diseases like diphtheria and tetanus were responsible for a large number of deaths, including among children, every year before vaccinations were available. Some of the diseases that these vaccines protect against have almost disappeared from the UK as a result of so many people being vaccinated against them over the years. However, cases of meningitis still occur throughout the year and young people are at an increased risk due to the contact they have with others both in and outside of school. We need to maintain high vaccination uptake rates to reduce the risk of infections occurring.
“Being vaccinated is the best thing you can do to help protect against serious vaccine preventable diseases. We’re encouraging young people to chat to their parents or carers about the free vaccines offered, before signing and returning consent forms to school by the deadline.”
The DTP vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and polio and MenACWY protects against meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning). Both are offered to pupils in S3, at around 14 years of age, to complete the childhood vaccination course.
The most recent data also shows that boys were less likely to receive the DTP and MenACWY vaccines than girls. This is also true for the school-based Human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation programme, which helps to protect young people from HPV-related cancers later in life. This includes head, neck and anogenital cancers with the most common being cervical cancer.
HPV is a common virus which usually produces no symptoms and is usually spread through sexual contact. This means that people may not even know they’re carrying the virus. All S1 pupils are eligible for the HPV vaccine in Scotland and getting the vaccine now protects against future risks.
The DTP, MenACWY and HPV vaccines are offered through vaccination clinics at school. Consent packs consisting of a letter, consent form(s) and leaflet are sent home with young people from school. Consent forms will start to be issued as early as the end of November by some Health Boards with vaccination taking place between January and March next year.
A national campaign, Chat. Sign. Protect., which is focused on encouraging young people to talk to their parents or carers about taking up the offer of these vaccines and signing and returning their forms to school has also been launched.
Covid-19 and Flu
Since 4 September 2023 (the current Winter 2023 vaccination programme) 1,421,694 Influenza (Adult 18+), 431,513 Influenza (Children 6 months to 17 years) and 1,184,220 COVID-19 vaccines were administered in Scotland.
Among adults aged 75 years and older, 78.5% have been vaccinated against influenza and 78.1% have been vaccinated against COVID-19 during the current vaccination programme. Public Health Scotland 30th November 2023
The Number of acute COVID-19 admissions to hospital has decreased to 186 from 212 the previous week. The Number of inpatients with COVID-19 in hospital (seven day average) has also decreased to 320 from 400 the previous week.
Waste Water Analysis
The testing for fragments of coronavirus’ ribonucleic acid (RNA) in local waste water samples continues. The area served by Kirkwall waste water system shows a continued positive reading in recorded levels (23/11/23).
Weekly Deaths in Scotland
The provisional total number of deaths registered in Scotland in week 47 of 2023 (20th November to 26th November) was 1,232 (28 or 2% above the 5-year average). There were 36 deaths mentioning COVID-19. National Records of Scotland
Those figures in more detail.
There were 36 deaths involving Covid, Covid was the main cause in 24 of them.
- Age 45 -64: 3 deaths, 1 female, 2 male
- Age 65 – 74: 8 deaths, 2 female, 6 male
- Age 75 – 84: 15 deaths, 9 female, 6 male
- Age 85+ : 10 deaths, 4 female, 6 male
There were 2 deaths in Care Homes; 1 at Home/ Non-Institutional Setting; and 33 in Hospital.
There were 1,232 deaths due to all causes, an excess, taken over a 5 year average, of 28 deaths. There were excess deaths in : Dementia/Alzheimer’s +15 ; Circulatory +10; Respiratory +6; and other causes +5.
Fiona Grahame