West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin writes for the Observer..
AS I WRITE this, over 90 per cent of over 80-year-olds in Worcestershire have received a first inoculation and the County is doing a first-class job of reaching the most vulnerable. At the moment, the only constraint on the pace of delivery is the speed at which the vaccines can be manufactured. I am so glad that almost everyone who is offered an injection is agreeing to have one. It is a scientific miracle that there are so many vaccines available only one year on from the start of the pandemic. It’s also testament to the excellent work of the Vaccines Task Force that the UK has secured such a strong pipeline of these miracle drugs.
There are comprehensive plans to add open more mass vaccination sites in Worcestershire and one in West Worcestershire – at the Three Counties Showground – is expected to open as soon as supplies allow. The Covid rules still apply, of course, and people still need to follow the rules and protect themselves and others. But I am confident that the programme of vaccination is a critical element in the decision to release us all from lockdown and crucially, to get our schools and the economy back open.
The dramatic rise in vaccination capability has gone hand in hand with a similar increase in our ability to test people. There are test centres opening all over the county, including in Malvern and Pershore, meaning that people can get certainty about whether they are carrying the virus, even without symptoms. If you are likely to be seeing people at work, you can now get a swift, free test for reassurance.
Hats off to all of you who are working from home and also home-schooling. I’m sure you want to see schools re-opening to all students as soon as possible. All the evidence shows that children’s long-term development could be jeopardised by missing school and the Government has allocated a £1 billion to help young people catch up on their studies through extra teaching and £100 million to help with learning at home.
In the meantime, if you are offered a vaccination appointment, please go.
