Thursday, July 1, 2021 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
NEWS |11
To advertise email advertising@wokingham.today
CORONAVIRUS LATEST
Vaccinations go on the move to ensure nobody is left behind By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today VACCINATIONS are going on the move to make it more convenient for people to get their covid jab.
Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is co-ordinating visits across Wokingham, Reading and West Berkshire boroughs. Anyone is welcome to visit the specially adapted vaccination van, and they don’t need to be registered with a GP. Healthcare professionals and wellbeing teams will be on board the Health on the Move van to answer Covid questions and offer the vaccination. Details of where the van will be visiting will be published over the next few days. Wokingham residents are asked to keep an eye on Wokingham. Today’s website for updates to find out when it will be in their area. Katie Summers, director of partnerships for the CCG, said: “We know that for some people it’s not easy to get to a vaccination centre which is why we’re bringing the van closer to you. “And we know some people still have concerns about the safety of
QUESTIONS: Health professionals will be on hand to answer queries about the vaccine Picture: Berkshire West CCG
the vaccine so we’ve got local, trusted medical professionals on hand to help, answer questions and deal with any concerns that are making people feel anxious.
“We’re working in partnership with our voluntary and community sector and faith leaders to build vaccine confidence and focus on ensuring everyone is protected and no one gets left
Long covid symptoms helped through singing DOCTORS at the Royal Berkshire Hospital have teamed up with the English National Opera (ENO) to help patients suffering from symptoms of long covid. The musical and medical venture has singers and therapists from ENO running online coaching sessions with patients at the hospital’s long covid clinic. The holistic online programme teaches selfmanagement tools for patients experiencing breathlessness and associated anxiety. In the weekly group sessions, patients are given the tools and techniques used by
singers to help them focus constructively on their breathing. Patients are taught to retrain their breathing through singing. Lullabies are used as the musical starting point as their purpose is to calm. Last year, 90% of those involved in the six-week pilot reported definite improvements in symptoms and wellbeing. Participants also said it reduced how isolated they felt. Now the programme is being rolled out to 1,000 patients across the country. At the Royal Berkshire Hospital, it’s being led by Dr Deepak Ravindran, lead
Whole class isolation is risk aversion gone mad says MP ON MONDAY, one of the borough’s MPs raised his concerns about whole classes of pupils having to self-isolate after a positive covid case. James Sunderland, whose Bracknell constituency includes Finchampstead, Crowthorne and Wokingham Without, said it is risk aversion gone mad. “Current covid policy
dictates that if a single child tests positive for coronavirus at school, the entire class is sent home and forced to isolate for 10 days,” he said. “We owe it to our children to get back to normal.” Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees Mogg replied, stating: “While in some cases a whole class might
clinician for Berkshire Long Covid Integrated Service. He oversaw the creation of the long covid clinic, one of the first in the country to establish such a venture. “The success of the ENO pilot last year is showing good results and proving that breathing through singing can help those suffering with breathlessness,” he said. “The programme provides vital physical and emotional support to those experiencing the effects of long covid and it’s great to see the ENO working with the NHS on such creative measures to help people with this illness.” be required to isolate, we know that many settings are using seating plans and other means to identify close contacts and minimise the number of individuals that need to isolate.” Mr Rees Mogg said it is not an “absolute rule” but a matter of judgement. He added: “I hope people will use their judgement wisely.” � For more information about self-isolation guidance for school pupils, staff and families, visit: www.gov.uk
behind in the vaccine roll out,” she added. “Please pay us a visit because the quicker we all get jabbed the quicker we can all get back to doing things that we’ve missed so much.”
Covid infection rate exceeds 100 in borough THE RATE of infection in the borough has exceeded 100 cases per 100,000 people for the first time since February — during the second wave. On Tuesday, June 29, there were 36 positive cases, and the infection rate was 104, higher than 72.5 last week. It brings the total case number to 9,086. This is lower than the national rate of infection at 145.4 per 100,000 people, which has risen 72.8% in the last week. On the same day, Bracknell Forest saw its rate per 100,000 rise to 102 from 77.5. There were 22 new cases on Tuesday, June 29. The figures in neighbouring Reading borough are higher than in Wokingham again this week, with an infection rate of 156.4, higher than last week’s 141.6. On Tuesday, Reading reported 66 positive cases – it had 88 on Monday. Windsor and Maidenhead had 34 new cases reported that day, and its rate per 100,000 has risen from 46.9 to 99.7 this week. West Berkshire recorded 19 positive cases, and its infection rate is 67.5, up from 56.2 last week. Slough’s infection rate is 89.6, up from 62.2 last week. It recorded 33 covid cases on Tuesday. Nationally, 44,581,771 people have been given their first dose of a vaccine in the UK, and 32,721,762 people have had their second dose. In England, this is 37,382,390 first doses and 2,522,043 second doses. On Tuesday, there were 23 deaths in the UK within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test. There were 265 patients admitted to hospital with the virus.
