The number of people being admitted to Merseyside hospitals with Covid-19 has started to rise, prompting calls for younger people to get vaccinated against the virus.
Rowan Pritchard Jones, medical director at St Helens and Whiston hospitals, said rising infection rates in the community were “now very clearly translating into people being admitted to hospital”.
Covid patient numbers have more than doubled in the last week, he said, reaching 14 on Friday (June 25) with more expected in the coming days.
READ MORE: Liverpool City Region records more than 3,000 covid cases in a week
Professor Pritchard Jones added that the patients being admitted were “younger than ever” and either hadn’t had a vaccine or had had only one dose.
He said: “Please come forward for your vaccine. This will make you safer, this will make it safer for your family and your friends.
“Our under-40s is where we see rates of vaccination drop off and it has never been easier to get your vaccine. Anybody over 18 needs to get their first jab in their arm.”
Rates of Covid-19 have surged in the Liverpool City Region over the past month, reaching 216 cases per 100,000 people on Monday compared to less than 10 a month ago as people once again mix with each other in bars and restaurants.
Knowsley and St Helens have seen especially rapid rises, with cases more than doubling last week alone.
At the same time, Prof Pritchard Jones said hospitals were “incredibly busy” dealing with a backlog of patients who could not be seen during the worst of the pandemic, adding it would be “really uncomfortable” to have to convert wards back into Covid wards.
Prof Pritchard Jones said he was particularly concerned about young men aged between 25 and 29, who were less likely to have had the vaccine but were still mixing with others and being exposed to the virus.
He said: “They’re out there feeling invincible and sadly, as we can see with the hospital admissions, they are not.
“These young men, only 46% of them have had their first jab. It’s not just to protect them, but taking that virus back home to their families.”
Prof Pritchard Jones added: “Please, I know how tired you are after this year. We know that because they also represent our staff who are coming in every day to care for people.
“But keep that space, wash your hands, wear your mask and get your jab as soon as you can.
“We’re making it as easy as it has ever been so we can win this race between the virus and the vaccine.”
This weekend, anyone over the age of 18 will be able to book a vaccination appointment on Saturday or drop in to a vaccination centre on Sunday in order to get their first jabs.
St Helens Rugby League Stadium will be providing drop-in vaccinations on Sunday (June 27) between 8am and 8pm, with appointments available for booking on Saturday.
