The number of over 60s catching Covid-19 is rapidly rising - the worrying trend in the borough

‘The number of over 60s catching Covid-19 is rapidly rising and sadly so are deaths’ says Rochdale Council’s director of public health.

Public health officials are urging local residents not to mix with each other as cases in residents aged over 60 rise to double the national rate.

Rochdale Borough Council is calling on the public to think about the potentially devastating consequences of continuing to mix with their loved ones as the numbers of deaths in the borough surge.

Covid-19 deaths in the borough have quadrupled in the last three weeks, with 16 Covid-19 related deaths recorded in the last seven days. Almost all of these deaths were of people over the age of 60.

Last week 20 per cent of the 6,200 people who were tested in the borough were positive for coronavirus.

 

 

The national 7-day rate per 100,000 is 246 but it is double that in the borough of Rochdale at 598. The borough’s rate is even higher for the over 60s. Rochdale currently has the second highest rate for over 60s in the North West.

The outcomes for older people who catch Covid-19 are significantly worse than younger people. People over 60 are more likely to become unwell with the virus, more likely to be hospitalised and more likely to die.

Until October the borough of Rochdale had more people in their twenties testing positive for Covid-19 than people over 60 but this changed in the middle of October.

Andrea Fallon, Rochdale Borough Council’s director of public health said: “The number of over 60s catching Covid-19 in our borough is rapidly rising and sadly this is now translating into a greater number of deaths.

“Household transmission is still the most common way that the virus is being spread across our borough and we all need to follow the lockdown guidance. Making sure that we do not visit anyone we don’t live with is so important – if you haven’t already done so, have a discussion with friends and family about not visiting each other until we are allowed to do so.

“It only takes one visit, one occasion or one slip-up where we don’t follow the guidance which then allows the virus to take hold, and then lives can be lost. Not putting ourselves in the situation in the first place helps as does establishing a routine of regular handwashing, minimising trips for shopping, wearing a face covering and keeping our distance. As well as this, we need to remember to look after our overall health by taking care of ourselves and consulting with our primary care practice if we are otherwise unwell.”

 

 

Councillor Allen Brett, leader of Rochdale Borough Council, said: “The news of a potential vaccine breakthrough was welcome, but I want to be clear that this isn’t an immediate solution and a tough winter awaits us. Now is not the time to ease our resolve, quite the opposite, so we must all continue to follow the guidance, helping to protect our hospitals, care homes and vulnerable people.

"The next few weeks are absolutely vital in our continued fight to bring the Covid-19 transmission rate down, ensuring our most vulnerable residents, care homes and supported living settings are protected from the virus.

“I know people have sacrificed a lot since March but, to be blunt, every time you follow the guidance you could be helping to save the lives of some our most vulnerable residents. There is no more powerful message than that, as we enter a key phase in our work to drive down the infection rate across the borough.”
 

Read more: Andy Burnham warns against complacency after coronavirus vaccine newsPublished: 12 November 2020

For the latest guidance and for support visit rochdale.gov.uk/coronavirus.