Coronavirus: 5 reasons to feel positive about situation in Chesterfield currently – amid concerns about Indian variant
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To help ease some of that anxiety, here we give some reasons to be positive about the current pandemic situation in Chesterfield…
1. Hospital Covid-free
On Friday, Chesterfield Royal Hospital said it was Covid-free. A hospital spokesperson told the Derbyshire Times: “It’s hugely encouraging for the trust that we currently have no patients with a positive diagnosis of Covid-19 but it is important to remember that it has taken a lot of hard work, both within this hospital and out in the community to get to this point. We all have a responsibility to continue to follow all Government guidelines as they change and the safety measures we’ve implemented within the hospital to keep those numbers down. This virus is still out there in the community and is still a danger to health. We want everyone to make sure that our continued combined efforts can allow us to further recover, keep those numbers down and allow us all the opportunity to enjoy the summer that we’ve been hoping for.”
2. Zero deaths recently
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Hide AdGovernment data shows between May 8 and May 14, there have been zero deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test in Chesterfield. This shows no change compared to the previous seven days.
3. Vaccine success
In Chesterfield, 56,865 people have now received a dose of a coronavirus vaccine. 29,297 have had their second jab. Amid concerns about the Indian variant of Covid-19, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was ‘no evidence to suggest that our vaccines will be less effective in protecting people against severe illness and hospitalisation’. Public Health England research suggests coronavirus vaccines have saved 11,700 lives and stopped 33,000 people becoming seriously ill with Covid-19 in England. The analysis found people in their 70s and 80s had seen the biggest fall in deaths and hospital admissions. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the figures were ‘remarkable’ and added that getting a vaccine is ‘one of the most important things you will be asked to do in your lifetime’.
4. Low cases
Between May 8 and May 14, 15 people received a positive coronavirus test result in Chesterfield. This shows an increase of 15.4 per cent compared to the previous seven days. But don’t forget that positive test results are significantly lower now than they were earlier this year – on a single day in January, for example, 85 were recorded (January 12).
5. More freedom coming – but ‘greatest caution’ urged
The Prime Minister said he did not believe that the ‘present evidence’ showed a need to delay the next stage in the easing of lockdown in England on Monday – when pubs and restaurants will be allowed to serve customers indoors and six people or two households can meet in a private home. But he added: "I have to level with you that this new variant could pose a serious disruption to our progress and could make it more difficult to move to step four in June. I urge everyone to exercise the greatest caution because the choices we each make in the coming days will have a material effect on the road ahead."