No evidence of COVID-19 variant in Orkney

There is no evidence that the more transmissible variant of COVID-19 is prevalent in Orkney, amid confidence that the recent rise in cases has now been contained.

Six cases were reported last week — five of which can be traced back to the same household — leading to fears that the county was on the cusp of a spike in cases similar to the situation in Shetland.

It appears the case numbers have stabilised with one case reported on Friday, the only case this week so far.

Speaking earlier this week, NHS Orkney interim chief executive Michael Dickson said: “It is a relief for me and for everyone at NHS Orkney but, as importantly, it is a relief for our community.”

He continued: “While we haven’t fortunately had any evidence that there is any of the new variant in Orkney, but to call on the Shetland experience, if people aren’t complying and people are mixing socially and thinking that the virus isn’t present, then it can spread really quickly.”

He urged people to remain on-guard to the dangers of this virus, and continue to abide by public health guidance in light of a new variant of the virus which is up to 70 per cent more transmissible.

In line with the national picture, the vaccination programme here in Orkney is being ramped up.

The health board recently took its first delivery of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, which is easier to store, transport and handle than the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine already being administered in the county.

The vaccines are being provided to care home residents and carers, people aged 80 and over, and frontline health and social care workers, and Mr Dickson praised the “staggering” speed at which the programme is progressing.

Over 1,000 doses of vaccine have already been delivered and around 2,500 appointments have now been issued for people to receive either their first dose or second top-up dose.

Mr Dickson said: “It’s great that we have no evidence of the new variant, and it’s great that it would appear that in Orkney people are sticking with the rules and stopping the spread of the virus, but getting that vaccine out there is the top priority for NHS Orkney to deal with.”

Supply of both vaccines is still limited, but Mr Dickson says this will change in the coming months and hopes to see numbers increase “significantly” by February.

He heralded the “sterling” work carried out by pharmacists, primary care specialists and many others in this “enormous” logistical challenge, and he praised the Scottish Government for committing to an equitable vaccine supply to all areas of Scotland.

The mission to vaccinate the people of Orkney is, and will remain for some time, NHS Orkney’s top priority, in what is the most important public health mission in living memory.

Mr Dickson added: “I have been very clear with NHS Orkney and all the staff that getting the vaccine out there to as many people as possible as quickly as possible is the priority.

“It might mean that we need to pause some activity that we’ve done before, but this is it. This is the most important thing that we can do.

“We can get back to a ‘normalish’ life. We can get back to what we had before. But the only way we do that is by widespread vaccinations.”