Booster appeal as Covid admissions rise

AMID a rise in hospital admissions for Covid-19 in the North, GPs are urging people to take advantage of the latest booster vaccination programme.

Dr Jo Deehan, who is also a local councillor, was speaking after the Public Health Agency (PHA) confirmed that the number of people who were admitted to hospital with Covid-19 had risen again in recent weeks.

Dr Deehan said, “The increase in infection is most likely due to people’s immunity waning as it’s been a while since people received the spring booster. It could also be down to the fact that people are meeting more frequently which would lead to the spread of infection.”

Dr Deehan stressed that the new strain of Covid-19 is at a very low level in the North.

“The good news is that the severity of Covid, or the chances of it causing serious complications or mortality, is much less than it was in 2020/21 and this is because the public have either been vaccinated or have built up natural immunity,” she said.

“Next month will see the roll-out of the booster and I would encourage people to attend because the booster does give enhanced protection against the infection.”

A PHA spokesperson said, despite the recent rise in Covid admissions, it still remained at relatively low levels compared with the last two years, but warned it may rise further.

“In the last year, there has been a wave of Covid-19 infection every three to four months and the increases are due to waning immunity and the evolution of the virus,” they continued.

“Each vaccine campaign and wave of infections increases the number of people who have immunity, so the rate of serious infections then falls again.”