COVID in Fife: ‘Sharp increase’ in hospital admissions with many unvaccinated
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NHS Fife said the omicron variant had added “ yet more pressure” on services, and hospitals across the Kingdom were extremely busy and under continuing strain as just under 270 staff self-isolate or deal with positive COVID test results.
Community hospitals across Fife have also seen a sharp rise in the number of in-patients wards affected by COVID, and this has resulted in new visiting restrictions in these areas.
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Hide AdDr Christopher McKenna, medical director, urged people to get vaccinated to help ease the pressure.
He said: “Our hospitals are currently extremely busy.
“Not only are our wards very busy, our A&E is very busy, as are the admission areas and our community hospitals.
“Patients are coming into hospital who are extremely unwell with COVID, and many of these patients haven't been fully vaccinated.
“Some of these patients are young adults, and some of these patients are also pregnant.”
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Hide AdDr McKenna said “a considerable number” of people admitted to hospital in recent weeks for non-COVID related conditions have also being found to be positive for the virus during the initial screening process - adding more pressure on departments.
NHS Fife announced last month that it would have to retract non-urgent services in order to protect emergency and cancer care, having continued with much of its outpatient and non-urgent surgical programme throughout 2021.
Added Dr McKenna: “As always, our staff are going above and beyond to provide patients with the best care possible but that is far from easy, with significant pressures on all areas.
“We need people in Fife to do all they can to help keep each other safe – that means getting fully vaccinated if you haven’t already.#
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Hide Ad“Vaccination is far and away the best means of reducing your risk of becoming seriously unwell due to COVID.”
He warned that January would be “an incredibly challenging month” for healthcare services in Fife but said: “We will persevere, and with the help of the people of Fife we will get through it.”