GGD Fryslân: Infections increased by half

Friday 15 October 2021 13.24 hours

Leeuwarden For the first time in a month, Frisian coronavirus infections increased. This was reported by GGD Fryslân. There were 778 positive tests this week, more than half a week ago. “Partly because of flu season, coronavirus testing remains important.”

The increase in the number of infections is as high as the national average. Where Friesland led the way a month ago with the number of infections per 100,000 inhabitants, the province is now in the middle category. Although positive tests are increasing again, this is true to a much lesser extent for hospital admissions who have been transferred to GGD.

explainable

The fact that the numbers are now rising is understandable. Since September 25, most of the restrictive measures have been lifted and people are getting in touch with each other more. The effect of such relaxation is usually noticeable after two weeks. Because of the colder weather, people spend more time indoors, where the virus can spread more easily, especially if ventilation is inadequate.

Clusters of groups

The number of groups of more than three injuries that can be linked together is increasing. There are only a few large clusters of more than ten cases. The infection is common in almost all age groups. Only among teenagers there were fewer new infections. Over the age of 70, the numbers remain low.

Griepseizoen

Meanwhile, the flu (influenza) season is officially set. This means that more people are getting cold symptoms. These complaints are usually indistinguishable from Corona complaints. While the course of corona can be more dangerous, especially for people who are not immunized.

GGD Fryslân continues to invite people with complaints to continue testing and is expanding testing options. So that the corona spreads as little as possible and there is no overload on hospitals by both corona patients and influenza patients. Vulnerable groups receive an invitation from their GP to get a flu shot. This vaccination reduces the chance of getting the flu and limits the course of the disease.

Pricks in villages and community centers

GGD will soon use so-called pop-up sites: a day or two of vaccination in a village hall, community center, or other building. This provides greater comfort than the vaccination bus, now with lower temperatures.

Moreover, people are expected to find their way to a trusted community center easier than the vaccination bus. The first time GGD Fryslân will make use of this temporary site will be on 3 and 4 November at Wijkcentrum De Hooidollen in the Bilgaard district of Leeuwarden.

The GGD is phasing out the use of the vaccination bus. Next week the bus will be in Gorredijk (today 15 October) and Oldeberkoop (Wednesday). Anyone over the age of 12 can get vaccinated there without an appointment.

Vaccination rate

Of all the 570,000 Frisians over the age of 12, 77 percent were fully vaccinated. 3,089 rounds were taken this week. In more than a third of those cases, this occurred without an appointment. Spontaneous vaccination takes place only on the bus at all four fixed locations (Drachten, Heerenveen, Leeuwarden and Sneek), up to one hour before closing time.

Adolescents are currently the largest group of all age groups to be vaccinated. Three out of five young adults between the ages of 12 and 18 have now had their first shot.

There are separate Sneek consultation hours on Tuesdays and Saturdays for Frisian residents who are afraid of needles. About twenty people have used this in recent weeks.

Numbers

During the past week, 6,737 tests for corona were conducted among the residents of Freslin. Almost 1,600 more than the previous week. A total of 556,084 tests have so far been performed by the Frisians at GGD. In the northeast corner, infection rates have remained relatively high.

With 778 people infected this week, a total of 55,239 Frisians have now tested positive. Six hospitalizations have been reported to GGD Fryslân in the past seven days (four in the past week). For the first time in a month, a death was reported to GGD.

municipalities

Nordist-Frieslin and Uchtkarsplen recorded the highest number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants last week. In seven of the eighteen municipalities there was more than double. The numbers fell in Tytsjerksteradiel and Dantumadiel.

Municipal infection numbers (in parentheses last week): Noordoost Fryslân 135 (97), Leeuwarden 90 (67), Heerenveen 86 (37), Smallingerland 82 (49), Achtkarspelen 78 (31), Súdwest-Fryslân 62 (54), Waadhoeke 58 (23), Tytsjerksteradiel 41 (50), De Fryske Marren 39 (23), Opsterland 38 (23), Dantumadiel 29 (31), Weststellingwerf 12 (5), Ooststellingwerf 11 (2), Terschelling 10 (5), Harlingen 4 (2), Vlieland 2 (0), Ameland 1 (0) and Schiermonnikoog 0 (0).