COVID R rate spikes nationwide as third vaccine approved
Almost one in 50 people had the virus last week
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The UK’s R (reproduction) number has risen as the country’s medical regulators have approved a new vaccine for use.
An additional 10 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine have been ordered by the government after it was said to meet the strict safety and quality standards.
It comes as the Office for National Statistics estimates that almost one in 50 people had the virus during the week to January 2.
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has said the coronavirus reproduction number has risen to between 1 and 1.4 up from its December figure of 1.1 and 1.3.
South Holland and Deepings MP Sir John Hayes said the Government had to act quickly in calling lockdown 3
| Updated: 17:00, 08 January 2021
MP Sir John Hayes says that the Government had to act quickly in calling a national lockdown.
South Holland, like the rest of the UK, was placed into the third national lockdown
following an announcement on Monday by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Following days of telling parents that school was the right place for children, Mr Johnson closed the schools and urged people to stay at home for seven weeks due to rising case numbers.
Sir John Hayes MP is singningup to efforts to cut lebels of single-use plastics and increase the supply of water fountains.Photo by Tim Wilson.(16170721)
From 2nd to 341st: How Boston halved its COVID infection rate in a month
50% fewer patients at Pilgrim hospital
Boston Pilgrim Hospital | Photo: ULHT
In just over a month, Boston’s COVID infection rate has halved, coming down from the second highest in the UK to 341st.
At the end of November 2020, Boston had the second highest infection rate in the UK, according to the government coronavirus dashboard.
However, in just a few weeks, its infection rate has more than halved from 515.9 per 100,000 people on November 30 to 240.8 on January 6.
Part of the reason for Boston’s low ranking is actually a large increase in infection rates in other parts of the UK, such as in the Barking and Dagenham district, which has overtaken Boston with an infection rate of 1,546.2 (as of January 6).
The Mariners have signed Sam Habergham on a deal until the end of the season. | Photo: Grimsby Town FC
Former Lincoln City full-back Sam Habergham has joined Lincolnshire rivals Grimsby Town on a contract until the end of the season.
The 28-year-old will be eligible for the Mariners’ trip to Port Vale on Saturday, January 9 after becoming Paul Hurst’s first signing since taking over as manager.
Habergham helped Lincoln City to promotion back to the English Football League in 2017, but he has not played since having surgery on a knee injury in 2019.
He was released from his contract at Lincoln City after having not played a game during the 2018-19 season and became a free agent.
Schools and care homes are the COVID-19 outbreak hotspots in Lincolnshire
Over 200 outbreaks across the county
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Health bosses in Lincolnshire are dealing with 208 COVID-19 outbreaks more than they have experienced since the pandemic began with care homes and schools being the main hotspots.
Lincolnshire County Council’s assistant director of public health Tony McGinty confirmed the level of infection in general communities was so high that it was “getting past the defences of some of the organisations that are trying to keep it out of their doors”.
“We have more incidents and outbreaks now than we have had so far in our experience with COVID,” he said.