Update on the Vaccine Roll-Out in Enfield

You will have seen in the national media a number of reports outlining progress on the coronavirus vaccine roll-out programme and that the infection rate has fallen.  This is to update you on the current position in the borough.

As with the national picture infection rates in Enfield have fallen steadily in the past two weeks and this trend is expected to continue. 

As of 17 February the infection rate was 80 per 100,000 residents, down from 142 per 100,000 the previous week.  Our vaccine programme is also rolling out nicely with over 62,000 people in the borough having received their first dose of a vaccine.  The new target is to offer the vaccine to all those aged 65+ by 15 March.

The vaccine is perhaps our strongest tool in coming to the end of this pandemic;  when it is offered to you it is strongly advised that you accept the offer.  This is both to protect yourself and your loved ones.  It will protect your love ones by reducing the potential pool of infection for the virus.  We have already seen the early effects of the vaccine programme in the fall in death rates of our more elderly residents, this will continue as more people are vaccinated. 

At present we are all being asked to continue to practice Covid-secure behaviours; hands, face and space.  This is likely to continue until the infection rate has fallen much lower and will ensure that the virus is contained until other impacts of the pandemic are lessened such as hospital admissions. 

However, to reiterate the above please be assured that all indicators are now heading in the right direction and it appears that we are beginning to see the end of the pandemic.

A panel of experts and General Practitioners have been running webinars to  provide advice and information about the vaccine and the roll-out, below is a recording of one of the live events.

You can listen to some of the concerns and the answer to questions which you may have and it will give you the facts so that you can make an informed choice about having the vaccine. 

Watch here.

 

Kind regards

Glenn Stewart

Assistant Director of Public Health