The first case of Omicron on the Island has been confirmed by the UK Health Security Agency.
The COVID-19 variant is sweeping the country with some element of panic caused by the national media’s coverage of the situation.
Latest data shows that hospitalisations have increased by 10.4% over the past 7 days, at a time when hospitals are traditionally busy. Deaths within 28 days of a positive test have actually fallen by 5% over the past 7 days.
There is talk of further restrictions coming into force, but Government officials have said that there will be no new restrictions this side of Christmas. No reassurances have been given about January though.
The news comes in the same week that Bob Seely MP asked ‘what went wrong?’, referring to the point that vaccines were billed as being the way out of the pandemic.
Simon Bryant, director of Public Health for the Isle of Wight, said:
“Over the coming weeks it is likely that Omicron will become the dominant variant.
“During this time it is important that everyone takes sensible precautions — take regular lateral flow tests, get a PCR test if you have symptoms, isolate when asked, wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, ventilate rooms, use the NHS COVID-19 app, get your vaccine and boosters as soon as you can.
Article continues below this advertisement “It is important to break the chain of transmission as quickly as possible. The quickest way of doing this is for individuals who test positive to self-isolate immediately.
“Even if you are feeling well, I would urge everyone to play their part to keep their community safe. If you are contacted, please follow the instructions on testing you are given as soon as possible.”
Councillor Karl Love, Cabinet member for Public Health, added:
“If you or your family are travelling on or off the Island, please take a rapid response LFT before you travel to check your COVID status. If the result is positive, stay home and book a PCR test.
“It was inevitable this variant would migrate to our Island. While there is currently only one confirmed case, there will be others in the coming weeks. Get your vaccination and remember the basics — hands, face, space and fresh air. Everything we do helps to keep ourselves and our community safe.”
Number issue.. ‘reduction of 5% in deaths over the last 7 days’. That means there must have been at least 20 deaths. Something wrong there… 50% maybe? A typo ?
I think that percentage is a national, not local, figure.
If the IOW ferries or whoever is responsible had tested everyone coming over and going to IOW…we would not be in this situ again …please tell me why aren’t people being tested before boarding ????
Because the ferry companies have no authority to test or ask for them as believe it or not the island is part of the UK and not a foreign country.
Yeah, bloody shame about that! How much better it could be here if it was independent and not part of the rest of this mess of a country!
I bet over the Xmas period the holiday makers will certainly bring over this new variant Omicron just like last xmas and Easter ,i will not believe Bob Sealy who reported the holiday makers were not to blame for that increase ,who the hell is he kidding ,Cornwall was also in the same situation we both had the least number of cases ,only to upgraded to a higher band
Boring – nearly all cases are symptoms of a cold – usual knee jerk panic reactions over nothing. I note that this time around the focus is on cases and not deaths – as there are none. Before we were told not to focus on cases, just deaths as it was the better statistic to follow to gauge the impact. Now it is cases – ….
Nothing like changing the goal posts to suit the narrative.
Sadly there has been a death on the mainland. 70yr old pensioner who wouldn’t have the jab despite his son pleading with him to have it. Very sad.
I can’t help wondering what will happen to the people who cannot have the jabs for medical reasons? Very frightening for them. How to keep safe when it’s even more infectious now and so many people don’t care about taking care?
The symptoms are only mild if you have either had the jab or have had covid already. The problem is that even if deaths are lower it still puts a massive burden on the NHS. People who need to visit the hospital for out patent appointments can not! Unfortunately the national press make a meal out of it because they need to earn advertising money. We have not had any consistency in reporting. Personally I have had all the jabs as I don’t like having a cold or flu and having the jab is a simple fix. It also makes very unlikely that I’ll pass it on if I did have it. Why anyone would so no to the option of not being ill is beyond me.
The amount of people going back to there unhygienic grimey ways as they have had a vaccine they think there getting the world back to normal…….before the keyboard warriors start….have a watch of boris on his ways of explaining the pandemic, he has no clue and with words like (should/hopefully ) after christmas we will be In a lockdown again and once things calm down a new variant will pop up so it will be him saying roll your sleeves up a 4th is required, they have purchased over 500mill doses-do the maths =)
Isle of Wighter..I’ll go out on a limb, and guess you’re not a virologist, or indeed have any remote level of expertise in that field, so probably best to keep those totally ill informed comments to yourself really.
Well said Stuart. Well if Isle of Wighter was educated on the little isle then he probably doesn’t know how to differentiate fact from fiction. He’ll sit in the pub with his other scared friends while they chat about conspiracy theories to make themselves feel better. It’s hilarious really. The idiots are taking over.
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest !!
Given the apparent stupidity of a large number of islanders just watch this rip through the island, of course it will be the fault of the government, council or whoever else they can blame but never themselves.
Oh no, they will never be accountable. Because of course they’re „right“. They won’t believe until it’s too late.
Roll on Pi (and Rho, and Sigma, and Tau, and Upsilon, and Phi, and Chi, and Psi, and Omega…)
I hope I live long enough to see the effect of the Omega variant.
If I do I expect to be water resistant to at least 500 metres and viewing the news of which alphabet is utilised to denote future variants through a scratch free sapphire crystal.
This virus OMICRON is driving people mad it’s only a mild virus as a South African scientist has said it’s more transmitting which is understandable but deaths of it are 1 they NHS are under pressure because people have left they NHS and because of brexit NHS people have returned to there country’s .The media and the Government are making it ten time worse by scaremongering people let’s get on with are life’s and let’s have a Lovely CHRISTMAS
Brexit has nothing to do with it or people leaving the NHS.
Of course Brexit has had an impact on the pressure of the NHS. You don’t lose thousands of qualified staff returning to countries of origin after being told to leave by Brexit voters, and then pretend it hasn’t had an effect on the capability of the NHS.
Just another thing about OMICRON we’ve been having football stadiums full of people and no one has died from being In them also pubs and clubs have been full but no one has died from being in them people or like the first virus . Come on government stop scaremongering we will get through this
I’m fully vaccinated too
I’m currently at St Mary’s as a patient, I’ve just been in intensive care for 12 days on a ventilator, it saved my life..
there has been deaths since I have been here, I’ve been very fortunate, this is an evil thing and people should be waking up, being vigilant and praying they don’t get infected. I cannot praise the team enough in intensive care, they are doing an amazing job and I’m eternally grateful… however I’m not out of the water yet as I still cannot breathe on my own. I don’t usually post comments but felt I had to spread awareness.
Had you been vaccinated ?, my cousin is triple vaccinated and was admitted to Hospital very low oxygen and blood clots on the lung.
Now at home.
And why are you using a phone in the hospital? Can’t you read the signs that say switch off all phones in the hospital? Can’t breathe but can still send messages to websites. Methinks you are a blagger…
Never seen a sign recently saying don’t use your phone in hospital.
You can use your phone if you are a patient in hospital
Just one important piece of information missing from your testimony , where you vaccinated?
Wishing you a full and speedy recovery. You are very brave. Thank you for your post. Perhaps it will silence the ‘non believers’ for a while and make them think!!!! Though I doubt it, you just can’t help a stupid!!!!!!
Well, you triggered 6 stupid and counting lol!
Get well soon
Thank you for sharing your story
X
My advise to people take plenty of Zinc and Vitamin D on a daily basis
It does help.
It has been shown that Vitamin D itself actually has little effect on the functioning of the immune system, but rather that people who tend to go out in the sun more and eat a balanced diet are healthier overall, more likely to be young, have better mental health, a better social support network and get more exercise. Taking Vitamin D and Zinc supplements can be beneficial and people are welcome to take them (as the bottle advises, of course), but you cannot rely on them to protect you from COVID-19 or any infection, the best ways to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 remains getting vaccinated, wearing a mask and opening windows or meeting outside.
Agree – vitamin C + Magnesium.
Hardly surprising when so many people still refuse to wear a mask.
‘Exempt’ people are just as capable of spreading it as anyone else.
Absolutely agree
‘Sensible’ – a perfect example of an oxymoron.’ oxymoron’. Taking out the first syllable would make more sense.!
“…..Now it begins”
I had a hospital appointment over Southampton on the 9th December and was unfortunate enough to be on the same ferry as about 60 under 11 school children. A week later I was pinged by NHS App saying I had been in contact with someone who had tested positive for Covid and then I had to do a PCR test which luckily was Negative. No masks on children and other people were not always putting masks back on when moving around the ferry, which they should have done, but no one enforcing that.
obviously the kids not wearing mask and others taking theirs off didn’t make any difference to you, as you didn’t catch it – what are you whining about
Like I said I was lucky but no way of telling if some other passengers were infected and could also go on to be ill and pass on to others. Masks on transport are mandatory.
Remember it’s not the unjabbed that are passing the virus on, double & triple jabbed still get the virus & there’s still been deaths. If people choose not to have the vaccine it’s their choice & their business.
I’m no expert but would we really spend billions of pounds if there was nothing to worry about?
And why is the rest of the world doing the same…
Vaccination clearly saves lives but if you don’t want or cannot be bothered to have one that’s ok but I bet those not vaccinated will expect NHS workers to save their lives if they do catch it despite the risk to them
People are and will always be selfish sadly and people will die because of their actions or lack of them
Dear Islander,
Don’t buy into this fear mongering. Look at the stats. There might be tens of thousands of cases but the deaths are lower than in previous peaks. I said it from the outset, virus’s lose potency with time. It is not in a virus’s interest to kill its host. It will be the less deadly mutations that are spread rather than the more deadly ones. This “omicron” variant is the beginning of the end. We’ll get through this year’s mutation and next year’s will be gentler still and the whole thing will be over. Do not buy into their fear peddling. Yours,
Your friendly neighbourhood Mark.
Also the latest official figures show that there are only 65 patients in hospital with the omicron variant. Wish them a speedy recovery. New figures showed fewer people have died or been hospitalised with omicron in South Africa despite record cases there. I also believe that this goddam Covid is getting weaker and weaker. Stay safe everybody and have a great Christmas. My deepest sympathy to anyone that lost any family member to Covid.
Good to see some people paying attention in class !.
I came here for the woke Qanon experts, who spout the same nonsense like the little sheep they are. I wasn’t disappointed.
Just listen to itv news and there now considering cutting the numbers of people being able to congregate in households over Christmas after all the shit the government caused over this last year they’ve got no chance of all my family listening to it they’ve spent loads of money on Christmas food for the big day and we will be meeting up. Most people I’ve spoken too are still going ahead as well we are all vaccinated. Merry Christmas
AS OF THIS MORNING THERE IS 129 PEOPLE IN HOSPITAL WITH OMICRON THATS OUT OF 60 MILLION POPULATION SO EXTREMELY DANGEROUS 🙂