Over 35,000 people have received first Covid-19 vaccination

Date published: 05 February 2021

More than 35,000 people in the Rochdale borough have now received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Residents aged 70 or over who have not yet received an invitation for a vaccine, and are registered with a GP in the borough (Heywood, Littleborough, Middleton, Milnrow and Rochdale) can now book an appointment at one of the four vaccination centres in the borough by calling 0300 303 0355 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm) or emailing hmrccg.hmr.enquiries@nhs.net.

The priority groups that are in phase one of the vaccination programme include everyone aged 50 or above, those with underlying health conditions and health care workers.

The borough is on track to offer vaccination appointments to everyone in the top four priority groups before 15 February.

• Group 1 - residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
• Group 2 - people aged 80 years and over, and frontline health and social care workers
• Group 3 - people aged 75-79
• Group 4 - people aged 70-74, and high risk people aged 16 and over (the clinically extremely vulnerable)
• Group 5 - people aged 65-69
• Group 6 - people over 16 with long term conditions and carers (the main carer of an elderly or disabled person)
• Group 7 - people aged 60-64
• Group 8 - people aged 55-59
• Group 9 - people aged 50-54

Rochdale Online understands that the number of people in the borough in the top four groups is around 45,000. This includes 24,814 people in the borough who are aged 70 and over that should receive their first vaccination before mid February.

The government has announced recently that at the same time as the adults over 16 with long term conditions (in group 6) the vaccine will also be offered to those who are in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill.

Locally, the people who are in the clinically extremely vulnerable category and the over 70s are the groups currently being invited for a vaccine. The next groups to be invited for a vaccination will be people in groups five to nine (in priority order).

In an update to councillors this week, chief executive of Rochdale Council, Steve Rumbelow said: "Patient numbers are reducing in Pennine Acute Hospitals but this is not the case across Greater Manchester. The Infirmary is close to vaccinating all of its staff and chasing down any that have so far not been done."

He also said that as at 3 February there were '7,900 [people] in the first four groups still to be vaccinated' and that this means 'we are still on target to offer appointments to everyone in the first four groups by the 15 February deadline'.

"Along with our clinical leads we are now planning for people in groups five to nine to be vaccinated, and also scheduling second appointments for those who have received their first dose."

A significant milestone has been reached this week as more than 10 million people in the UK have now received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, including 9 in 10 people aged 75 and over in England.

 

 

The borough now has four community vaccination centres in operation; the site at Number One Riverside can get up to 1,250 vaccinations completed per day (depending on supply). Vaccinations are also being administered at Rochdale Infirmary five days a week.

Residents may be invited to have the vaccination at the Greater Manchester NHS Vaccination Centre at the Etihad Campus in East Manchester, one of the national large-scale vaccination sites.

The Greater Manchester centre is an additional option for people, who, once they have been contacted to make an appointment, can book through the national booking service online or over the phone. If it is not convenient for you to travel so far for a vaccination, you can opt to wait to be invited to attend one of the local vaccination centres in the Rochdale borough instead.

The local vaccination programme is being run by groups of GPs with the support of the council and NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group.

When it is your turn to receive the vaccine, you will be contacted by Rochdale Health Alliance or your GP surgery and invited to go for your appointment. If you’re not registered with a GP, you will need to register with one.

Appointments for the local vaccination centres are not currently being made weeks in advance because deliveries of the vaccine are only known about a few days in advance. Admin staff can only book a first appointment for a patient when the vaccine is available so at the moment appointments will be at short notice.

You must have an appointment to receive the vaccine. You cannot just turn up at one of the vaccination service centres.

Answers to key questions around the vaccination process can be found at:

• www.rochdale.gov.uk/covidvaccine

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Case numbers in the borough have come down from earlier in the month, with 259 cases per 100,000 people being reported for the week ending 29 January, down from 306 cases per 100,000 the week before.

The age group with the most new cases is 40-49 year-olds and the wards with the most cases include Central Rochdale, Milkstone & Deeplish., Norden, Milnrow & Newhey and West Middleton wards.

At the council's monthly Covid-19 engagement board meeting earlier this week, it was reported that the borough had hit a peak during the week to 10 January, when more than 840 new cases were recorded.

Although high, this was not at the levels seen in the October and November peak – and rates are now falling again.

Public health specialist Anthony Threlfall said: “What we can deduce is that our third wave, which is to do with the December period, is not going to be as bad as the second wave.”
 

Read more: Rochdale appears to ‘over the worst’ of Covid third wave – but concerns remain about rapidly spreading new strainPublished: 05 February 2021

 

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A FAST test programme was set up in the borough last month, with four test sites across the borough.

Anyone who cannot work from home or comes into regular contact with the public is encouraged to take up this offer of new Find And Stop Transmission (FAST) testing to protect themselves, their loved ones, and other residents.

The FAST testing programme, which use lateral flow tests, aims to identify those who unknowingly have the virus as they have no symptoms – otherwise known as asymptomatic.

FAST tests are only for people showing no symptoms. You must not attend if you have any symptoms. Tests are free and there is no need to book you can simply turn up at one of the sites across the borough:

• Rochdale – Nye Bevan House, Maclure Road, Rochdale, OL11 1DN
• Heywood – Heywood Sports Village, West Starkey Street, Heywood, OL10 4TW (both a walk in site and a drive-through site)
• Middleton – Bowlee Sports Centre, Windermere Road, Middleton, M24 4LA
• Pennines – Hare Hill Bowling Club, Townhouse Road Littleborough, OL15 9BG

All sites are open 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 4pm at weekends.

If you have Covid-19 symptoms please do not attend one of the FAST test sites. You should book a test online or by phoning 101.

• www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

 

 

The borough has three local test centres:

• Rochdale - in the car park at Rochdale Leisure Centre, Entwisle Road, Rochdale OL16 2HZ
• Middleton - in the marquee on the Market Place Car Park next to Middleton Arena, Old Hall Street, Middleton M24 1AG
• Heywood - Heywood Civic Centre, LCpl Stephen Shaw MC Way, Heywood OL10 1LW

You must drive, walk or cycle to the site - do not use a taxi or public transport. If this is not possible, you'll need to order yourself a home test.

Bookings for 8am-1pm can be booked from 8pm the night before. Bookings from 1pm-8pm can be booked from 10am that day.