Lincolnshire is having a “bleak midwinter” as the coronavirus death toll soared, local health bosses said.
Over the past seven days, 94 of Lincolnshire’s 651 deaths – nearly 15% – have mentioned COVID-19 on the death certificate.
At the end of November the county’s average weekly deaths had risen by nearly 60% on the previous year from 175 to 275.
The figures are part of a Christmas Carol style warning, with Lincolnshire County Council’s director of public health professor Derek Ward playing all three ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future: “behave over the festive period or face the consequences”.
Professor Ward said: “I’m sorry, I am the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and it is not a fun role, but it is my job to look after the people of Lincolnshire.
Steve Braunias: Smith & Caughey s, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas - our traditions
18 Dec, 2020 04:00 AM
4 minutes to read
Smith & Caughey s department store Santa prepares for the Christmas rush. Photo / Jason Oxenham And so happy Christmas to near ones and dear ones. I love everything about Christmas! sings my daughter, who is 13 going on 5. All of it. Not just the presents! Family. No school. Even the smell of it. Christmas has a smell, don t you think? I think she has in mind a hedge on the corner of our street; it flowers this time of year, little white flowers that seem to have two scents, a light, cheerful scent by day and a stronger, darker scent by night. Its aroma carries the memories of Christmases past – I can measure my daughter s childhood in Christmases, her waiting in line for Santa upstairs at Smith & Caughey s, her Xmas Eve tradition of watching The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, her lovely, pretty face, getting older but no less radiant.
Long term COVID-19 patients to get specialist help at North Lincolnshire hospitals
One of just 69 trusts in England to be picked
Staff working on ward 29 at Scunthorpe General Hospital. Photo: NLaG
Hospitals in Grimsby and Scunthorpe have been picked to offer specialist support to patients suffering with long term symptoms of COVID-19.
New research has found that one in five people who test positive for the virus develop longer symptoms, with around 186,000 people nationally suffering problems for up to 12 weeks, according to the Office for National Statistics.
North Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, which controls Scunthorpe General Hospital, Goole and District Hospital and Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby, is one of just 69 trusts in England to be chosen.
Ghostly stories raise money for Lincoln food bank
Rising spirits during a difficult year
All proceeds from the book will go to the Lincoln Community Larder.
Staff at the University of Lincoln have released a book of ghost stories to raise money for Lincoln Community Larder.
Ghosts, Ghouls, and Other Things to Run From: An Anthology of Terrifying Tales and Scary Stories can be bought in both eBook and paperback via the Amazon Kindle store, costing £4.99.
All proceeds from sales will go directly to Lincoln Community Larder, in an attempt to ‘raise spirits’ during a difficult 2020 for all.
All the authors and contributors of the book. | Photo: University of Lincoln
Christmas Vacation, It s a Wonderful Life, or
Elf? Those are mine, but what cocktail pairs best with yours?
It s a Wonderful Life + Mulled Wine
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas + Deviled Margarita
Miracle on 34th Street + Eggnog
Elf + Holiday Amaretto Sour
A Charlie Brown Christmas + Buzzing Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate
National Lampoon s Christmas Vacation + Gingerbread Beer-tini
Every Hallmark Christmas Movie + Sparkling Rose Cocktail
A Christmas Story + Holiday Negroni
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer + Rudolph s Sleigh Sidecar
White Christmas + White Russian