By Jasmine Rapson2020-12-23T12:44:00+00:00
Additional trusts in covid hotspots such as Kent and London to start giving covid vaccine
A total of 18 trusts have been added to the vaccine programme, bringing the total number of hospitals up to 82
Several NHS trusts in covid hotspot areas will start receiving batches of the vaccine for the first time, according to NHS England.
Barts Health Trust, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells and Bedfordshire FT are among the latest set of trusts that will start providing the covid vaccine to over 80s and health and care staff.
These three trusts all operate in tier four areas with the highest rate of covid.
A third of major hospital trusts in England currently have more Covid-19 patients than at the peak of the first wave of the virus, new analysis shows.
In two regions – eastern England and south-west England – more than half of trusts are above their first-wave peak.
Other trusts have seen their numbers rise so rapidly that they could pass their first-wave peak within days.
The analysis by the PA news agency found that of the 127 acute hospital trusts with a 24-hour (type 1) A&E department in England, 42 (33%) had more Covid-19 patients on December 18 than at the peak of the first wave in the spring.
Third of major hospital trusts now have more patients than first peak
The total number of Covid-19 patients in all hospitals in England currently stands at 16,183
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A third of major hospital trusts in England currently have more Covid-19 patients than at the peak of the first wave of the virus, new analysis shows.
Doctors say temporary hospitals can t open because there are not enough staff to adequately service them
Enormous structures were hailed at start of pandemic as a solution to growing crisis in UK hospital capacity
But many are still lying empty as crisis continues to spiral amid concerns over whether they will ever open
London, Birmingham and Tyne and Wear all on standby while Manchester is only open for non-Covid care
Exeter and Harrogate open as specialist diagnostics centres while Bristol is only for local NHS services
I live or work in a care home, what happens now?
Residents and staff do not need to do anything at present but should wait to be contacted by NHS England.
Mr Hancock said he hoped care home residents would start being vaccinated before Christmas. We hope to be vaccinating in care homes before Christmas . but we can only do that as fast as is safe to go, he said.
On December 5, the MHRA approved the way doses of the vaccine would be distributed to care homes and said it will be ready for distribution within the next two weeks.