The Government is right not to overeact and although Greater Manchester should be vigilent, it is not calling for further Covid resrictions said the Mayor of greater Manchester Andy Burnham
Giving his first press conference of 2022, the Mayor said that Covid patients in Greater Manchester’s hospitals not requiring ICU have more than doubled in the past fortnight,however he added that the number of Covid patients in critical care is ‘remarkably stable’ during the Omicron crisis
There though have been rises among both elderly patients and within care homes
The Mayor said that around one in seven NHS staff across Greater Manchester are absent saying that January will be a very difficult month for public services across the region.
More than 600 patients are stuck in hospital due to social care staff shortages in the region adding to the problems in the region’s hospitals
13 per cent of Metrolink staff,14 per cent of firefighting staff and 9 per cent of Greater Manchester Police staff are also off work.
The Mayor welcomed reports that there is about to be a change on testing in particular that asymptomatic people able to use a positive lateral flow as their first day of isolation,”
“That could bring flexibility back to the frontline.” he said
Burnham said that “It has been a sobering presentation today and it’s a very challenging month ahead of us. There is no doubt about that.
“If there was to be a message nationally that could be strengthened, I think it can be to the ‘work from home’ request.”
