New Milton Advertiser 22nd Jan 2021

4 · Friday 22nd January 2021

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Thousands given Covid jabs while others wait

Locals’ frustration as some centres suffer delayed deliveries

statistics were available. As well as the smaller sites already open locally, this week a major clinic was established at Bournemouth International Centre. Four more are set to launch in Southampton and other Hampshire cities. To make it easier for pen- sioners to get to their appoint- ments, from Monday Hamp- shire County Council will also allow them to use their bus passes before 9.30am, which will last until schools reopen to all students. Despite the activity, progress with vaccine has encountered problems, such as Highcliffe Medical Centre where late de- livery meant it started giving jabs to patients only within the last week. Brockenhurst parish council- lors at their latest meeting re- ported older people still waiting – including a 92-year-old wom- an from the village who had to chase up the NHS. She had first been offered an appointment in Exeter but managed to switch it to a local venue for today (Fri- day). One unhappy resident, who did not want to be named, complained: “GP surgeries are maintaining a wall of silence and only repeating the mantra ‘wait until you are called’.” This week the NHS West Hampshire CCG said the pro- HAMPSHIRE firefighters are getting behind the wheel of am- bulances to help paramedics cope with the pressures of the pandemic. Up to 20 personnel are tak- ing part in the scheme, with around 20 more set to be added soon, following an agreement between Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) and South Central Ambulance Ser- vice (SCAS). Severe pressure from a spike in virus cases prompted the ambulance service to request

those shut for maintenance. It tweeted: “We have taken the decision to leave most of our car parks open for local people, as the first lockdown showed that closing them would lead to large amounts of parking on verges and blocking narrow vil- lage roads and cause real and ir- reversible damage to this fragile landscape.” Meanwhile, Christchurch res- idents were told that Dorset Po- lice and BCP Council workers are carrying out visits to local supermarkets amid concerns about retailers failing to comply with Covid-19 regulations. Large stores and other retail businesses accounted for most of the 69 complaints made to the council’s environmental health and trading standards teams during the start of Janu- ary, said the council. There have been reports of customers failing to socially distance or wear face coverings, with fears the virus can spread easily if rules are not followed. Thanking the majority of peo- ple following the regulations, Dorset Police Supt Heather Dixey said the visits were not “to carry out enforcement, but to help support our businesses and partner agencies”. SCAS and HFRS to learn from each other. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank our part- ners for their assistance during this time as we work together to care for our communities and, of course, our patients.” It is one of several initiatives HFRS has supported through- out the coronavirus crisis, with Basingstoke fire station set to host a community vaccination centre. It builds on collaboration be- tween the two emergency ser- vices which has been in place since 2004 and included co-re- sponder firefighters deployed to life-threatening medical emergencies from a number of Hampshire fire stations. been disrupted, they admitted, by a delayed delivery and gov- ernment advice the partnership must instead give first doses to 1,000 other patients. The part- nership had been warned it could lose its licence to vacci- nate if it did not comply. Although Pfizer stood by its study that the second dose should be given three to four weeks after the first, Dr Howard said that research showed peo- ple who had the first dose were still very well protected after 12 weeks. Dr Howard highlighted those with disabilities – such as Down’s syndrome – got priority under guidelines. The NHS has instructed hos- pital trusts across the UK to vaccinate staff as soon as possi- ble and locally there were calls to prioritise people in certain professions. Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Under- hill wants the designation for police officers and key council workers. Deborah Burrows, who runs the Healthy Pet Store in Tot- ton, said staff manning essen- tial outlets should be higher up the queue too. According to NHS figures for England, nearly 4-million first dose vaccinations had been made by Tuesday, plus almost 435,000 second jabs.

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THOUSANDS of people have been vaccinated in the New For- est and Christchurch although there are growing concerns that progress has been patchy. While some people aged in their 80s and 90s continue to wait for an invitation to get their jab, others just below them on the priority list, such as those deemed vulnerable and over 70, have already begun to get theirs. As the roll-out of the pro- gramme continues, the organ- isation running it in the New Forest, the NHS West Hamp- shire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), has urged people to wait to be contacted. The A&T asked for local fig - ures but was told only national • Double glaze your whole house

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POLICE have criticised week- end visitors who travelled to the New Forest from as far afield as Guildford, despite people being urged to “stay at home” during the lockdown. Officers highlighted packed car parks across the national park and made a plea for the public to take the message se- riously after patrolling sites to ensure compliance with the coronavirus restrictions. The appeal on Facebook by Totton police came after the town’s neighbourhood policing team was struck by the virus, with members off work over Christmas and several others forced to self-isolate. The post said: “We have found that every single car park in the New Forest is ram-packed with vehicles. “When members of the pub- lic were asked where they have travelled from, some said that their home addresses are in places such as Guildford and Dorset. People are travelling from areas that are not local to the New Forest. “We are in a lockdown, you should only be travelling locally. Guildford is over 55 miles from the New Forest. This is not lo- cal.” additional support to cope with the current demand. Having volunteered for re- deployment to SCAS, the fire - fighters are utilising their life - saving skills for an initial period of four weeks. HFRS assistant director of operations, area manager Dan Tasker, said: “These volunteers are the definition of everyone playing their part in the fight of Covid-19. “I am so proud to see our teams playing a key role in pro- tecting the local community. “I want to extend a huge thank you to all those who have already volunteered their time and skills during this crucial time. “HFRS are ready, willing and gramme was “well underway”, adding people aged 70 and over and listed as clinically extreme- ly vulnerable will now also start receiving invitations to have the vaccination. It added: “Our teams are working hard to ensure that we can vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible and so if you are invited please come and get vaccinated. “We need the public to play their part too, so please don’t contact the NHS to seek a vac- cine. We will contact you and when we do contact you, please attend your booked appoint- ments at exactly the time you’re asked to, so that we can avoid queues in this cold weather.” The CCG advised people to make sure their GP has up cor-

rect contact details, including a mobile number if possible, but to do it online to avoid blocking phone lines. However, New Milton Coast- al Medical Partnership told their patients aged 80 or over to contact them from next week if they had not had a jab invita- tion. Drs Jayne Tabot and Will Howard revealed to 150 mem- bers of the New Milton Resi- dents’ Association on Monday the partnership had already ad- ministered more than 4,000 jabs and offered one to every care home resident. In New Milton some who have had the Pfizer jab cannot get their second doses. Original plans for administer- ing follow-up booster jabs had able to support our NHS col- leagues wherever we can.” Most of the firefighters in - volved in the scheme were trained by SCAS in spring last year to drive ambulances under emergency conditions. Their deployment – set to increase by another 20 in the coming weeks – adds to SCAS’s 1,900-strong frontline work- force. “We are incredibly grateful to our partners in HFRS for their help and support during Covid-19,” said SCAS assistant director of operations Paul Jef- feries. “This is a great opportunity to build on our joint-working relationships and also will pro- vide a fabulous opportunity for

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Lockdown-flouters drove from Guildford to visit New Forest

They added: “The pandemic is very much real. The Totton team have only just recovered from self-isolating due to con- tracting Covid-19. Please take this seriously.” Several Facebook users vent- ed their frustration with the rule-breakers, with some claim- ing the long-distance travel- lers prevented Forest residents from exercising in the district. Others argued the Forest car parks should be locked so only those who walk or cycle to the areas will be able to visit them. Forestry England defend- ed its policy of keeping the car parks open, other than Officers were patrolling sites around the New Forest

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