PEOPLE are being urged to take up their second jabs as infection rates from the new Delta variant of Covid-19 continue to rise across St Helens.

Latest figures released for the borough show that infection rates in the St Helens area for the week up to June 17 are 101 per 100,000 people compared to 26 cases per 100,000 during the last week of May.

This is still the lowest infection rateacross Merseyside overall, but rates are continuing to increase, particularly among 18 to 29-year-olds, who made up half of new cases locally between June 5 and 11.

There are also signs of increases of cases in schools, including in primaries, the Star understands.

As the Star reported on Friday, the number of patients being admitted to hospital with Covid remains low, but senior doctors at Whiston are keeping a close eye on developments.

It is hoped the high levels of vaccination – particularly among the older people and vulnerable – now evident in St Helens will prevent a surge in hospital patients like in the first and second waves.

However, there is still 20 per cent of the adult population in St Helens who have not had a vaccination and public health leaders have released a statement urging them to make appointments.

They are also pushing the value of the protection offered by the second dose.

Health leaders say residents who have had the first vaccination "will have substantially increased protection against the virus" but "having the second vaccination can potentially more than double the level of protection".

Everyone over the age of 40 in the borough can now access their second vaccine within eight weeks of their first.

The spread of the Delta variant indicates that it is 60 per cent more transmissible than the previous Alpha variant and is now responsible for more than 90 per cent of new Covid-19 cases in the UK.

Ruth du Plessis, director of Public Health at St Helens Borough Council, added: “Getting your second vaccination is now particularly important in light of the rising cases we have in the borough and the increased capacity of the new variant to be transferred from person to person.

“If you have a second vaccination appointment, please make sure you keep to it if you can. Also if you have been offered the chance of a second vaccination, please book your appointment as soon as possible."

A patient has a jab at Saints on Thursday

A patient has a jab at Saints on Thursday

How to book a vaccination

Residents aged 18 and over are also being encouraged to get their first vaccination appointment booked as soon as possible.

Adults aged 18 upwards can now apply for their first vaccination by either booking online at www.nhs.co.uk or by contacting their GP surgery.

Ruth du Plessis added: “People aged 18 upwards should now come forward and get that first vaccination at the earliest opportunity.

“Not only will it give you protection against the virus but will also be an important step towards your second vaccination. Having the vaccinations will protect you but will also help to significantly reduce the risk of passing Covid-19 on to others."

To help local residents get their second vaccination, two pharmacies are now providing additional appointments for residents.

Allied Pharmacies on Bold Industrial Estate and Hollowood Chemists on West End Road in Haydock have appointments available for anyone who has had the AstraZeneca vaccine approximately eight weeks ago as their first dose and wishes to bring forward their second dose, regardless of where they had their first dose.

The Allied Pharmacies site will be accepting walk in appointments on selected days, subject to availability.

For further details on appointments and opening times visit : https://www.sthelensccg.nhs.uk/covid-19-information/covid-19-vaccine-update/

Drop-in clinic sessions offering the Pfizer vaccine will also be running at The Totally Wicked Stadium on Tuesday, June 22 and Friday, June 25.

The drop-in clinic will be open from 8am to 7pm with a break between 12.30pm-1.30pm on both days.

People attending this service for their first vaccine will be given a number to call to arrange their subsequent second dose.

The Covid-19 mobile vaccination service bus will also be operating next week offering walk-up vaccinations. The bus will be sited on Tuesday, June 22 in Church Street, St Helens (next to Boots) from 1pm to 4pm and om Friday June 25 at Earlestown Market from 9.30am -2.30pm.

The mobile service will provide the AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged over 40 and second doses for anyone who had their first dose at least eight weeks earlier in line with current guidance.

What are local leaders saying?

Julie Ashurst, director of primary care and transformation at St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Vaccination uptake in St Helens borough has been good but there are still more than 20 per cent of our eligible population who haven’t taken up the offer so far.

"We hope that by making clinics more accessible and taking it into the heart of communities, people who so far haven’t had their first dose will be persuaded to come and see us and get jabbed.”

Councillor Anthony Burns, St Helens Borough Council cabinet member for wellbeing, culture and heritage, said: “With cases of the variant in St Helens continuing to rise it is especially important that residents in the borough now take the opportunity to get that second vaccination as soon as they can.

“Having one dose of the vaccine makes a significant difference and can reduce the risk of severe disease by around 33 per cent.

"However, having the second vaccination makes an even bigger difference, and can reduce the risk of serious illness from Covid by between 60 per cent and 88 per cent. That means you could have around double the level of protection, if not more."