Fri 05 November 2021 12.44 pm
LEEUWARDEN – The number of new corona infections in Friesland has never been as high as last week. An additional 1943 positive tests were added, 343 more than a week earlier. The highest score to date was in the week before Christmas (1801) last year. The increase of one fifth is slower than the national average of one third.
More than 80% of adult Frisians have now been fully vaccinated. Still, the infection rates are high. According to the GGD Fryslân, this has two important causes. Since the relaxation of September 25, people have been in contact with each other again. And the Delta variant that is now circulating is much more contagious than the original virus and the British variant. As a result, a higher vaccination rate is also necessary to protect everyone.
The close contacts also make vaccinated people infected. Although the chance of a serious disease course is very small for them, sometimes vaccinated people (often older people in poorer health) also have to be hospitalized. Vaccinations, however, remain the only way out of the crisis. Without vaccination of 457,000 Frisians, an estimated twenty times as many people would have ended up in hospital than now.
Pressure on hospitals
At the moment, 36 people with COVID-19 are in Frisian hospitals, which as a result have to scale down regular care again. The national measures announced this week are therefore urgently needed. Starting with the most important thing: keeping your distance, washing hands and having it tested in case of complaints. The aim is to stop the growth in the number of infections, so that not too many people have to go to hospital at the same time.
Nursing homes
The coronavirus is also penetrating nursing and care homes. The number of positive tests rose from 123 to 134 in a week. This mainly concerns residents. There are currently seven small clusters and two clusters with more than ten infections in the homes. In home care, the figures rose sharply for the second week in a row, this time from 43 to 85 positive tests.
Elderly people living at home are also a risk group. Especially if their health is less good, the risk of serious corona complaints is higher, also among vaccinated people. 266 people over the age of seventy became infected, 88 more than last week. The number of positive tests in people in their sixties rose from 153 to 202 in a week.
The number of infections rose in all age groups. People in their forties now form the largest group.
Ask about vaccinations
Demand for vaccinations has increased since new measures were announced on Tuesday. The Corona Check app must be displayed in more places. In the days after the press conference, almost twice as many people nationwide made a vaccination appointment as usual. The GGD advice line is often called about this. However, that is not necessary. Vaccination is possible without an appointment and all information and opening hours are on this website.
Record in Damwâld
In Damwâld people were queuing for the vaccination bus. 194 shots were taken, a record. The total number of vaccinations remains fairly stable in a week at 3682. Last week, 4,771 shots were taken, the highest number in five weeks. The GGD has now given 731,790 vaccines to 570,000 Frisians over the age of 12. 2653 third shots have now been taken. About 11,000 Frisians who have a poor immune system are eligible for this shot. For them, an extra shot is important to get good protection.
Boosterprik
At the beginning of December, all mobile people over eighty can get a booster shot at the GGD. This shot is intended to boost the slightly decreasing effect of the vaccine over time. Residents of care institutions are vaccinated there. Care workers involved are also eligible for the booster shot. From January, the age group sixty to eighty years will receive an invitation.
With a view to the extra shots, the GGD Fryslân will soon reopen the vaccination location in Heerenveen and an extra injection location in the Sionsberg Medical Center in Dokkum. Extra pricking lines will be opened in the existing locations in Leeuwarden, Drachten and Sneek.
Launch pop-up locations
This week GGD Fryslân started vaccinating in neighborhood and village houses. On the first two days of a so-called pop-up location, in Bilgaard in Leeuwarden, 98 shots were taken. Testing without appointment is also possible at all other locations and in the vaccination bus. The bus will be in Oldeberkoop on Monday and in Joure on Thursday. Due to the colder winter weather, the bus will run for the last time the following week (Dokkum, November 15).
From 10 November it will be possible to obtain a vaccination or information about it at three pharmacies in Sneek. This is a four week trial. Making an appointment is not necessary. Interested parties must, however, bring a face mask and ID.
The numbers
In the past seven days, 12,254 corona tests have been taken among residents of Fryslân, compared to 9,206 a week earlier. The finding percentage – which part of the tested people is positive – rose to 18.6 percent. A total of 584,965 tests have now been carried out by Frisians at the GGD.
The number of infections comes to 59,907 with this week’s 1943. Last week there were 1600 positive tests. Nine hospital admissions were reported to GGD Fryslân, three more than last week. Just like last week, three deaths were reported.
Municipalities
The number of positive tests rose in thirteen of the eighteen Frisian municipalities. The number of new infections in Noardeast-Fryslân is still the highest in proportion, but the figures fell by 20 percent this week.
The municipal infestation figures (in brackets last week): Leeuwarden 268 (202), Noordoost Fryslân 226 (280), Súdwest-Fryslân 226 (144), Heerenveen 186 (157), Smallingerland 167 (102), De Fryske Marren 145 (154 ), Tytsjerksteradiel 133 (105), Waadhoeke 108 (113), Achtkarspelen 100 (105), Opsterland 95 (49), Dantumadiel 94 (77), Weststellingwerf 79 (49), Ooststellingwerf 60 (36), Harlingen 29 (12), Terschelling 21 (11), Ameland 11 (4), Vlieland 1 (0) and Schiermonnikoog 0 (0).
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