Hackney,
18
January
2021
|
12:05
Europe/London

Coronavirus update from Dr Sandra Husbands, Director of Public Health

Dr Sandra Husbands, Director of Public Health for Hackney and the City
Figures this month show that, tragically, many more residents are again losing their lives to coronavirus as the pandemic continues into the new year. It is up to all of us to adhere to the rules to help prevent this terrible loss of life and support our health and care workers from being overburdened. 

Thankfully, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and we have made a great start vaccinating local health and care workers and people over 80. A number of vaccination centres are now opening across the borough, with plans to vaccinate thousands more of the most vulnerable people. A third vaccine has also now been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) after rigorous testing and clinical trials involving hundreds of thousands of people across the globe. 

Hopefully, coronavirus will one day go the way of previously deadly viruses like Polio, Tetanus and Smallpox, which have all been beaten by vaccines and we no longer see killing or debilitating people in the UK. 

As the COVID-19 vaccine is rolled out, we must all continue to play our part to keep Hackney safe by following the lockdown rules. The number of cases of coronavirus remains very high in Hackney,  largely driven by the newly identified variant, which is far more contagious than before. So if you do have to leave your home to go food shopping then please don’t forget to regularly wash your hands, wear a face covering and most of all keep 2m away from those not in your household or support bubble. Get tested if you have symptoms. If you are a critical worker, volunteer or carer and have to leave home for these reasons, it’s even more important to make sure you maintain the 2m distance (where possible), wear a face mask or covering and wash your hands as soon as you get home. 

If we keep up the Hackney spirit, and make sacrifices now then we can save lives, if we work together we will get through this.
Dr Sandra Husbands, Director of Public Health for Hackney and the City