 | Nicola Adam | Associate Editor |
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Good evening, and if I've not caught you already - happy new year! Christmas already feels like a distant, mixed, memory as we delve into 2022. But it's certainly refreshing to see some optimism on the coronavirus front, with a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) suggesting cases should start to drop in the next one to three weeks. Professor Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College London, whose data was instrumental to the UK going into lockdown in March 2020, said infection rates may already be plateauing in London and Omicron numbers have been so high they cannot be sustained “forever”. But this is little comfort to those working in our hospitals and schools where they are clearly approaching the eye of the storm as post-Christmas cases spiral . Hospitalisations are going up across the country and here in Lancashire, The Blackpool Victoria Hospital has declared a critical incident, following the lead of the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, and the writing is on the wall for our other hospitals. Meanwhile, as schools attempt their first week back, staffing levels are in crisis as teachers isolate and many are struggling to manage a full class-load. More than ever we need to work together and keep calm - there is light at the end of the tunnel and community is more important than ever. Enjoy the rest of your Tuesday, Best wishes, Nicola |