Over 38,000 people have received first Covid-19 vaccination

Date published: 12 February 2021

More than 38,000 people in the Rochdale borough have now received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, as of Friday (12 February).

Residents who are over 70, along with health and social care workers and people in the clinically extremely vulnerable category are the priority groups currently being invited for a vaccine. The next group to be invited for a vaccination will be people in group five - people aged 65-69.

Over 70s and health and social care workers are being invited to phone or email to book a vaccination appointment.

Residents aged 70 or over and health and social care workers who have not yet received an invitation for a vaccine, and are registered with a GP in the borough (Heywood, Littleborough, Middleton, Milnrow and Rochdale) can now book an appointment at one of the four vaccination centres in the borough by calling 0300 303 0355 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm) or emailing hmrccg.hmr.enquiries@nhs.net.
 

Read more: Health and social care workers urged to book vaccine appointmentPublished: 10 February 2021

 

Housebound residents should receive a vaccination by the end of this week

In an update to councillors this week, chief executive of Rochdale Council, Steve Rumbelow said: "We expect that by the weekend we will hit the target of offering vaccination appointments to everyone in the first four priority groups.

"Following an intensive piece of work, all housebound residents have now been identified and invited for an appointment. All should be completed by end of this week.

"We are now planning how we will move down through groups five to nine, which is everyone aged between 50 and 69, and adults with certain clinical conditions such as diabetes, dementia, kidney diseases, heart problems and blood cancers.

"In the borough there are 75,000 people in these categories, compared to about 45,000 in the first four priority groups."

 

 

89% of eligible residents in the top four priority groups have had a first dose of a vaccine

Overall the rate of those eligible being vaccinated in the borough has been reported as 89% of residents in the top four priority groups (those over 70, health and social care workers and the clinically extremely vulnerable).

However, factors such as ethnicity and deprivation appear to be having an impact on the rates. Of the eligible people who have been given a first dose, only 56% of the Asian population have had a jab, compared with 86% in the white population, and 89% of eligible residents in the least deprived areas have been vaccinated compared with 76% of eligible residents in the most deprived areas.

A trial vaccination clinic took place at Castlemere Community Centre in Rochdale this week to try to reach more residents in groups where take-up is lower.

The percentage of eligible people to be vaccinated is the highest in Wardle & West Littleborough ward at just over 90%. Rates in 17 of the 20 wards in the borough are over 75% and the three wards with the lowest rates are Central Rochdale with 60%, Milkstone & Deeplish with 60% and Kingsway with 72%.

Healthwatch Rochdale has reported this week that 27% of the total feedback it has received about local health and care services has been regarding the local COVID-19 vaccination programme.

In an update, Healthwatch reported that people 'have told us that they felt receiving their vaccination was well organised and professional, with staff being friendly and helpful. Patients said they were made to feel safe, with separate entrance and exits in place, hand sanitiser and face masks being available, and staff explaining about the vaccine and any possible side effects'.

Kate Jones, Healthwatch Rochdale Chief Executive Officer, said: "Over the last year a large part of our work has been speaking to local people about their experiences of COVID-19 and providing information and advice. It has been great to hear that the majority of local people are speaking positively about receiving their vaccination and reflects the hard work of our partners to make this a positive experience."

Andrea Fallon, the council’s director of public health, said: "It’s great to see so many residents across the borough taking up the invite to have a vaccine. We are making really good progress through the main cohorts, thanks a superb team effort across the health partnership. I would like to thank the GPs, the nurses and our army of volunteers who have all played their part.

"There’s still a lot of work to do so I would urge anyone over the age of 70, who hasn’t yet been invited for an appointment, to get in touch and you will be booked in for a vaccine as quickly as possible."

---

Who is eligible?

The priority groups that are in phase one of the vaccination programme include everyone aged 50 or above, those with underlying health conditions and health care workers.

The borough is still on track to offer vaccination appointments to everyone in the top four priority groups before 15 February.

• Group 1 - residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
• Group 2 - people aged 80 years and over, and frontline health and social care workers
• Group 3 - people aged 75-79
• Group 4 - people aged 70-74, and high risk people aged 16 and over (the clinically extremely vulnerable)
• Group 5 - people aged 65-69
• Group 6 - people over 16 with long term conditions and carers (the main carer of an elderly or disabled person)
• Group 7 - people aged 60-64
• Group 8 - people aged 55-59
• Group 9 - people aged 50-54

The number of people in the borough in the top four groups is around 45,000. This includes 24,814 people in the borough who are aged 70 and over that should receive their first vaccination before mid February.

Locally, the people who are in the clinically extremely vulnerable category and the over 70s are the groups currently being invited for a vaccine. The next groups to be invited for a vaccination will be people in groups five to nine (in priority order).

 

 

Where to be vaccinated?

The borough has four community vaccination centres in operation; the site at Number One Riverside can get up to 1,250 vaccinations completed per day (depending on supply). Vaccinations are also being administered at Rochdale Infirmary five days a week.

Residents may be invited to have the vaccination at the Greater Manchester NHS Vaccination Centre at the Etihad Campus in East Manchester, one of the national large-scale vaccination sites.

The Greater Manchester centre is an additional option for people, who, once they have been contacted to make an appointment, can book through the national booking service online or over the phone. If it is not convenient for you to travel so far for a vaccination, you can opt to wait to be invited to attend one of the local vaccination centres in the Rochdale borough instead.

The local vaccination programme is being run by groups of GPs with the support of the council and NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group.

When it is your turn to receive the vaccine, you will be contacted by Rochdale Health Alliance or your GP surgery and invited to go for your appointment. If you’re not registered with a GP, you will need to register with one.

You must have an appointment to receive the vaccine. You cannot just turn up at one of the vaccination service centres.

Answers to key questions around the vaccination process can be found at:

• www.rochdale.gov.uk/covidvaccine

---

Case numbers in the borough are still coming down but more slowly than last month, with 232 cases per 100,000 people being reported for the week ending 5 February, down from 259 cases per 100,000 the week before.

The age group with the most new cases is 30-39 year-olds and the wards with the most cases include Bamford, Healey, Milkstone & Deeplish, Milnrow & Newhey and Kingsway wards.

 

---

 

A FAST test programme was set up in the borough in January, with four test sites across the borough.

Anyone who cannot work from home or comes into regular contact with the public is encouraged to take up this offer of new Find And Stop Transmission (FAST) testing to protect themselves, their loved ones, and other residents.

The FAST testing programme, which use lateral flow tests, aims to identify those who unknowingly have the virus as they have no symptoms – otherwise known as asymptomatic.

FAST tests are only for people showing no symptoms. You must not attend if you have any symptoms. Tests are free and there is no need to book you can simply turn up at one of the sites across the borough:

• Rochdale – Nye Bevan House, Maclure Road, Rochdale, OL11 1DN
• Heywood – Heywood Sports Village, West Starkey Street, Heywood, OL10 4TW (both a walk in site and a drive-through site)
• Middleton – Bowlee Sports Centre, Windermere Road, Middleton, M24 4LA
• Pennines – Hare Hill Bowling Club, Townhouse Road Littleborough, OL15 9BG

All sites are open 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 4pm at weekends.

If you have Covid-19 symptoms please do not attend one of the FAST test sites. You should book a test online or by phoning 101.

• www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

 

 

The borough has three local test centres:

• Rochdale - in the car park at Rochdale Leisure Centre, Entwisle Road, Rochdale OL16 2HZ
• Middleton - in the marquee on the Market Place Car Park next to Middleton Arena, Old Hall Street, Middleton M24 1AG
• Heywood - Heywood Civic Centre, LCpl Stephen Shaw MC Way, Heywood OL10 1LW

You must drive, walk or cycle to the site - do not use a taxi or public transport. If this is not possible, you'll need to order yourself a home test.

Bookings for 8am-1pm can be booked from 8pm the night before. Bookings from 1pm-8pm can be booked from 10am that day.