NHS Orkney are still working their way through the Autumn/Winter vaccinations 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, you can visit the drop-in clinics at The Balfour: 9th , 16th and 23rd February, 2pm – 4pm. March dates will be announced shortly.
Scotland’s Covid-19 vaccination programme this spring 2024 will be offered to
- adults aged 75 years and over
- residents in a care home for older adults
- individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed (as defined in tables 3 or 4 in the COVID-19 chapter of the Green Book)
This should be offered around 6 months after the last vaccine dose, although operational flexibility around the timing of the spring dose in relation to the last vaccine dose is considered appropriate (with a minimum interval of 3 months between doses). More information on operational flexibility will be provided in the COVID-19 chapter of the Green Book.
According to the latest figures published by Public Health Scotland in the winter 2023/24 programme, Scotland administered 1,649,156 Influenza (Adult 18+), 538,440 Influenza (Children 6 months to 17 years) and 1,390,079 COVID-19 vaccines since September 4, 2023. Among adults 65+, 79.9% received influenza, and 79.2% received COVID-19 vaccines by week 5.
Uptake is lower for both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines compared to winter 2022/23.
The number of reported cases of Influenza in Scotland is estimated to be down 20% for the last week , 4th February.
Covid
The number of acute COVID-19 admissions to hospital has decreased to 198 (week ending 4th February 2024) from 239 the previous week.
| Health Board of Treatment | 21 Jan 24 | 28 Jan 24 | 4 Feb 24 |
| NHS Ayrshire and Arran | 10 | 8 | 11 |
| NHS Borders | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| NHS Dumfries and Galloway | 4 | 12 | 4 |
| NHS Fife | 22 | 31 | 20 |
| NHS Forth Valley | 12 | 16 | 13 |
| NHS Grampian | 8 | 15 | 15 |
| NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde | 56 | 62 | 47 |
| NHS Highland | 5 | 10 | 6 |
| NHS Lanarkshire | 35 | 27 | 20 |
| NHS Lothian | 34 | 36 | 34 |
| NHS Orkney | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| NHS Shetland | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| NHS Tayside | 12 | 14 | 22 |
| NHS Western Isles | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Golden Jubilee National Hospital | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scotland | 209 | 239 | 198 |
Over the same period the number of inpatients with COVID-19 in hospital (seven day average) has also decreased to 270, from 354
| Health Board of Treatment | 21 Jan 24 | 28 Jan 24 | 4 Feb 24 |
| NHS Ayrshire and Arran | 15 | 20 | 13 |
| NHS Borders | 22 | 22 | 17 |
| NHS Dumfries and Galloway | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| NHS Fife | 26 | 33 | 24 |
| NHS Forth Valley | 16 | 17 | 12 |
| NHS Grampian | 31 | 19 | 17 |
| NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde | 115 | 114 | 75 |
| NHS Highland | 13 | 13 | 12 |
| NHS Lanarkshire | 45 | 38 | 30 |
| NHS Lothian | 32 | 52 | 45 |
| NHS Orkney | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| NHS Shetland | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| NHS Tayside | 21 | 11 | 12 |
| NHS Western Isles | 3 | 10 | 9 |
| Golden Jubilee National Hospital | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Scotland | 343 | 354 | 270 |
Waste Water Monitoring to pinpoint fragments of coronavirus’ ribonucleic acid (RNA) in local waste water samples continues.
The last recorded results for the area covered by the Kirkwall waste water system was on 30th of January 2024. It continues to show positive readings.
Published by the National Records of Scotland: the provisional total number of deaths registered in Scotland in week 5 of 2024 (29th January to 4th February) was 1,419 (81 or 6% higher than the 5-year average). There were 35 deaths mentioning COVID-19.
Those figures in more detail
Deaths Involving Covid
- Age 45 – 64: 3 deaths, 2 female, 1 male
- Age 65 – 74: 3 deaths, 1 female, 2 male
- Age 75 – 84 : 15 deaths, 5 female, 10 male
- Age 85+ : 14 deaths, 8 female, 6 male
Of the 35 deaths involving Covid, Covid was the main cause in 21 of them.
There were 3 deaths in Care Homes; 1 at Home/Non Institutional Setting; and 31 deaths in Hospital.
There were 1,419 deaths due to all causes. There were excess deaths, taken over a 5 year average, in Cancer +12; Dementia/Alzheimer’s +26; Circulatory +11; Respiratory +43; and Other Causes +50
Fiona Grahame