What's happening in West Lancs?

• The number of people testing positive for covid-19 in West Lancs has started to rise again with a 13% rise in cases in the last 7 days

• West Lancs hospital admissions have also started to rise but are still significantly below the peak of January this year

• See the situation in your postcode here.

This week the Prime Minister has announced a move to Plan B measures in England to help slow the spread of the Omicron covid variant.

The most recent data suggests that Omicron has a very high growth rate and is spreading rapidly.

Plan B measures include: 

• From 10 December, a face covering must be worn in most public indoor venues, other than hospitality venues.
• From 13 December, you should work from home if you can.
• From 15 December, you will need to show your NHS COVID Pass to enter places where large crowds gather, like nightclubs or large sporting events.

Read more about the new measures:  www.gov.uk/coronavirus

1. Book an appointment online

The big change this week is you can now book your booster appointment for 3 months after your second dose, if you book online.  

This change does not yet apply to walk-in clinics (see below)

Book your appointment here

Or phone for free on 119

2. Find a walk-in clinic

The new expanded eligibility does NOT yet apply at walk-in clinics so at walk-ins you need to be:

• 6 months since your 2nd dose
  

and must be:

• Aged 40+, or
• Aged 18+ with high risk condition
• Health and social care workers
  
  

Find a walk-in centre here 

or visit some of the West Lancs clinics this week:

• Skelmersdale Health and Wellbeing Hub is likely to offer more walk-ins next week.  Check West Lancs CCG’s social media channels for the latest or visit this web page:  www.westlancashireccg.nhs.uk/popupclinics/

• Walk-in clinics are being run again this weekend at O'Brien's Pharmacy in Burscough:

One year ago this week, the vaccination programme started in Lancashire and South Cumbria with Doreen McKeown being given the first vaccination. 

Twelve months later, an incredible 3 million doses have been administered in this region – as part of the 120 million doses across the UK.

A massive thank you to all the NHS staff and many volunteers who have worked together to make the vaccination programme an incredible success!

You will need to self-isolate and get a PCR test here.

Remember to get a PCR test if you are symptomatic and not a lateral flow test.

If you don’t have symptoms

Anyone in West Lancashire is eligible to free lateral flow tests for themselves and their families to use twice a week.

You can either:

• Collect FREE tests from a symptom free local collection site to use at home later. Find your nearest collection point here.  Or

• Order FREE home testing kits online to be delivered to your home, here.

If you test positive

The Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme is still available and will be in place for eligible West Lancs residents until 31 March 2022. 

If you're isolating and on a low income, unable to work from home, and facing financial hardship then you could be entitled: www.westlancs.gov.uk/more/emergencies/coronavirus/test-and-trace-support-payment.aspx

Have you had an appointment at your local GP practice since March 2020? 

This could be:

• By telephone
• Over video
• Face-to-face

If yes, could you help with the Lancashire & South Cumbria-wide GP patient survey?

As part of the Winter Access Fund to support patients to access primary care, Lancashire & South Cumbria ICS wants to hear the views of patients about how you’ve found using your practice since the onset of the pandemic.

The data from this survey will help them develop improved ways to support people.

If you can spare 5 minutes, do give your views here   

As the booster campaign steps up, more volunteers are urgently needed to help at the vaccination centres.

Vaccination centres rely heavily on volunteers providing marshalling in buildings and car parks to help people feel safe and confident when attending for their appointments.

A minimum commitment of a couple of hours a week is needed.

You will get full training and travel costs.

Find out more and sign up here.

Can you help us get the word out?

We are working with West Lancashire Borough Council to get accurate information into the heart of communities and would be grateful if you could pass this on to your networks.

Please join in these efforts by cascading these messages on to your work colleagues, friends and families using the share buttons below: