NHS Orkney continues 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:

• Monday 22 and 29 January: 2pm – 4pm
• Friday 2, 9, 16 and 23 February: 2pm – 4pm
• March dates will follow shortly

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 1,642,928 influenza (Adult 18+), 534,375 influenza (Children 6 months to 17 years), and 1,384,426 COVID-19 vaccines since September 4, 2023.

Among adults 65+, 79.64 received influenza, and 78.8% received COVID-19 vaccines by week 2. Uptake is lower for influenza and COVID-19 vaccines compared to winter 2022/23 – Public Health Scotland (18th January 2024)

The number of Influenza cases decreased in Scotland by 15%

Covid-19

The Number of acute COVID-19 admissions to hospital decreased to 274 ( week ending 14th Jan 24) from 351 the previous week .

Health Board of Treatment	31st Dec 23	7 Jan 24	14 Jan 24
NHS Ayrshire and Arran	20	20	17
NHS Borders	7	5	10
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	15	18	9
NHS Fife	37	22	25
NHS Forth Valley	17	10	17
NHS Grampian	39	26	26
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	93	108	73
NHS Highland	17	20	10
NHS Lanarkshire	38	32	32
NHS Lothian	66	49	30
NHS Orkney	3	1	0
NHS Shetland	2	2	2
NHS Tayside	28	31	20
NHS Western Isles	1	6	3
Golden Jubilee National Hospital	0	1	0
Scotland	383	351	274

The Number of inpatients with COVID-19 in hospital (seven day average) decreased to 385 (as at 14 Jan 24) from 399 the previous week.

Health Board of Treatment	31 Dec 23	7 Jan 24	14 Jan 24
NHS Ayrshire and Arran	22	19	12
NHS Borders	13	11	23
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	7	6	3
NHS Fife	30	22	18
NHS Forth Valley	19	13	12
NHS Grampian	36	52	40
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	123	135	133
NHS Highland	8	18	24
NHS Lanarkshire	29	31	42
NHS Lothian	62	51	51
NHS Orkney	1	2	0
NHS Shetland	5	4	2
NHS Tayside	38	34	20
NHS Western Isles	1	2	4
Golden Jubilee National Hospital	0	0	1
Scotland	394	399	385

Waste Water Monitoring for fragments of coronavirus’ ribonucleic acid (RNA) in local waste water samples 

The last published data for the area covered by the Kirkwall waste water system was on the 9th of January 2024 which continues to show positive readings.

The National Records of Scotland (18th Jan 2024) – weekly update:

The provisional total number of deaths registered in Scotland in week 2 of 2024 (8th January to 14th January) was 1,479 (226 or 13% lower than the 5-year average). There were 44 deaths mentioning COVID-19.

Those deaths in more detail:

Deaths involving Covid

• Age 45 – 64: 5 deaths, 4 female, 1 male
• Age 65 – 74: 6 deaths, 3 female, 3 male
• Age 75 – 84: 15 deaths, 8 female, 7 male
• Age 85+: 18 deaths, 10 female, 8 male

There were 44 deaths involving Covid, Covid was the main cause in 32 of them.

There were 8 deaths in Care Homes, 4 at Home/Non Institutional Setting, and 32 in Hospital.

Fiona Grahame