Vaccinations
NHS Orkney is continuing to vaccinate against both Flu and Covid, recognising both can be serious, even for healthy people.
If you are eligible for vaccination and have missed your appointment, or you are a household contact or carer and haven’t yet had your vaccine, please come along to one of the drop-in clinics at The Balfour below:
- Mondays 15, 22 or 29 January: 1400 – 1600
If you require more information regarding your eligibility please call the team on 0300 303 5313, or visit NHS Inform Winter Vaccines.
You can also find information on the dedicated Vaccination Programme page.
In winter 2023/24, Scotland administered 1,638,133 Influenza (Adult 18+), 532,476 influenza (Children 6 months to 17 years), and 1,380,023 COVID-19 vaccines since September 4, 2023.
Among adults 65+, 79.4% received influenza, and 78.6% received COVID-19 vaccines by week 1. Uptake is lower for influenza and COVID-19 vaccines compared to winter 2022/23. – Public Health Scotland (11th January 2024)
Covid
The Number of acute COVID-19 admissions to hospital has decreased to 350, week ending 7th January 2024, from 381 the previous week.
| Health Board of treatment | 24 Dec 23 | 31 Dec 23 | 07 Jan 24 |
| NHS Ayrshire and Arran | 26 | 20 | 20 |
| NHS Borders | 12 | 7 | 5 |
| NHS Dumfries and Galloway | 11 | 15 | 18 |
| NHS Fife | 28 | 35 | 19 |
| NHS Forth Valley | 9 | 17 | 17 |
| NHS Grampian | 25 | 39 | 26 |
| NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde | 87 | 93 | 105 |
| NHS Highland | 12 | 17 | 20 |
| NHS Lanarkshire | 42 | 38 | 31 |
| NHS Lothian | 53 | 66 | 48 |
| NHS Orkney | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| NHS Shetland | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| NHS Tayside | 25 | 28 | 31 |
| NHS Western Isles | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| Golden Jubilee National Hospital | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Scotland | 333 | 381 | 350 |
The Number of inpatients with COVID-19 in hospital (seven day average) has increased to 399 for the same period from 394
| Health Board of treatment | 24 Dec 23 | 31 Dec 23 | 07 Jan 24 |
|---|
| Health Board of Treatment | 24 Dec 23 | 31 Dec 23 | 07 Jan 24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHS Ayrshire and Arran | 21 | 22 | 19 |
| NHS Borders | 27 | 13 | 11 |
| NHS Dumfries and Galloway | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| NHS Fife | 37 | 30 | 22 |
| NHS Forth Valley | 33 | 19 | 13 |
| NHS Grampian | 26 | 36 | 52 |
| NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde | 128 | 123 | 135 |
| NHS Highland | 9 | 8 | 18 |
| NHS Lanarkshire | 38 | 29 | 31 |
| NHS Lothian | 78 | 62 | 51 |
| NHS Orkney | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| NHS Shetland | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| NHS Tayside | 40 | 38 | 34 |
| NHS Western Isles | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Golden Jubilee National Hospital | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scotland | 448 | 394 | 399 |
Cases of Influenza in Scotland have decreased by 13% over this period.
Waste water monitoring for fragments of coronavirus’ ribonucleic acid (RNA) continues to show positive results throughout Scotland with varying levels.
The data for the area covered by the Kirkwall waste water system was last published on 28th December 2023:
The provisional total number of deaths registered in Scotland in week 1 of 2024 (1st January to 7th January) was 1,311 (113 or 8% lower than the 5-year average). There were 45 deaths mentioning COVID-19. – National Records of Scotland (11th January 2024)
Those statistics in more detail.
Deaths involving Covid
For week ending 25th December 2023 – There were 30 deaths involving Covid, Covid was the underlying cause in 19 of them. There was 1 death in a Care Home; 2 at Home/Non-Institutional Setting; and 27 in Hospital.
For week ending 7th January 2024 – There were 45 deaths involving Covid, Covid was the underlying cause in 30 of them. There were 6 deaths in Care Homes; 2 at Home/Non-Institutional Setting; and 37 in Hospital.
| Age | wk1 All | wk52 All | wk1 F | wk52 F | wk1 M | wk52 M |
| 15 – 44 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 45 – 64 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | ||
| 64 -74 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | |
| 75 – 84 | 14 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 8 |
| 85+ | 17 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
Globally, the number of new cases of Covid increased by 52% during the 28-day period of 20 November to 17 December 2023 as compared to the previous 28-day period, with over 850 000 new cases reported. The number of new deaths decreased by 8% as compared to the previous 28-day period, with over 3000 new fatalities reported. As of 17 December 2023, over 772 million confirmed cases and nearly seven million deaths have been reported globally. WHO
Excess Deaths
In week 52 there were 1,053 deaths due to all causes and in week 1 (2024) 1,311 deaths due to all causes.
Excess deaths are calculated taking an average over 5 years. In week 52 there were excess deaths in dementia/Alzheimer’s +10, and Other Causes +13. In week 1 (2024) There was 1 excess death in Circulatory.
Fiona Grahame