They say that a week is a long time in politics and this past week has certainly felt that way!
On Monday evening the Prime Minister announced that because
of the worrying continued spread and escalation of numbers of the new mutant
strain of COVID-19 we would be going into a Stay at Home Lockdown from the 5th
of January. This Lockdown is due to continue at least until the latter part of
February but could go on into March if needed.
These are not easy decisions to make and these restrictions
will be difficult for many of us, but I cannot stress how important it is for
people to follow them, Stay Home as much as you can, and stop the spread of the
virus.
My thanks as ever, go out to all involved in the frontline
fight against the virus, those working in the NHS, health and social care, and
key workers across various sectors who are working so hard to keep the country
going, not to mention our strong and resilient community volunteer groups who
have done so much to ensure no vulnerable people get left behind.
Even as we entered lockdown, there is still hope on the
horizon as the Moderna vaccination was approved for distribution at the end of
last week.
The Prime Minister has also confirmed that the army will be
used to help ramp up the vaccine distribution, and on Monday this week the
Government its plan for the largest vaccination programme in British history,
that should ensure tens of millions of people will have had the COVID-19
vaccine by the spring.
We have already vaccinated more people in the UK than have
been vaccinated in the whole of the EU put together. This plan looks to ensure
at least 2 million vaccinations per week with over 2,700 vaccine sites across
the UK.
By the end of January, everyone in England will be within 10
miles of a vaccination site or, for a small number of highly rural areas, the
vaccine will be brought to them via mobile teams. There will also be capacity
to deliver at least 2 million vaccinations in England per week by the end of
January and all residents and staff in over 10,000 care homes across the
country will be offered a vaccine by the end of the month.
This will mean every at-risk person has easy access to a
vaccination centre, regardless of where they live.
The expansion of the programme will also mean all adults
will be offered a vaccine by the autumn.
The government and the NHS have also mobilised a workforce
of over 80,000 health professionals to help in the delivery of the programme
across the different vaccination sites, with over 200,000 additional members of
the public expressing their interest in helping with the non-clinical elements
of the rollout such as administrative support, logistics, stewards and first
aiders.
This is a massive programme and will do so much to ensure we
beat the virus, but during this Lockdown, and while the vaccine continues to be
delivered across the UK, it is more important than ever before, with the light
at the end of tunnel now in sight, that we do all we can to follow the rules,
Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, and Save Lives.
As ever, if you need my assistance with anything then my
team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by email at
Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , by telephone on 01872 229698.
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