NI health trust cancels cancer surgeries because of Covid-19 hospital admissions continues to rise

A Northern Ireland health and social care trust has taken the "extremely difficult decision" to cancel some cancer surgeries because Covid-19 hospitals admissions are continuing to rise.

The Belfast Trust confirmed the decision on Wednesday evening in a statement.

“Regrettably, the Belfast Trust has made the difficult decision to cancel some cancer related procedures which we are currently working to reschedule as soon as possible.

“Covid-19 admissions continuing to rise has put increasing pressures on hospitals, which led to the trust taking the extremely difficult decision to cancel surgeries in order to expand our support teams caring for Covid-19 patients.

“We do not underestimate the anxiety and distress this causes patients and families affected and we sincerely apologise for this,” read the statement.

The development comes on the same day Northern Ireland reported an additional 1,600 new infections and three additional Covid-19 related deaths.

Intensive care unit beds are at 96 per cent occupancy with 32 patients requiring treatment across Northern Ireland.

There have been more than 60 new hospital admissions across Northern Ireland in the last seven days.

The man leading the development of Northern Ireland’s Covid Certification Service has confirmed some users were shown the vaccine details of others.

The service was set-up to allow fully vaccinated people in Northern Ireland provide vaccination certification to various third parties.

Dr. Eddie O’Neill also said whilst the length of time users were able to see other peoples’ vaccine data was very short, the Department of Health (DoH) had contacted the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as part of due diligence in protecting citizen’s data.

As soon as the glitch was identified the Covid Certification Service was stood down.

People wanting to apply for Covid-19 vaccination certification can do so by ringing the following number: 0300 200 7814, available Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm.

However, it can take up to 10 days to process.

Latest walk-in mobile vaccination clinics – no appointment necessary – for first dose jabs.

Belfast HSC Trust

Western HSC Trust

South Eastern HSC Trust

Southern HSC Trust

Northern HSC Trust

Walk-in first dose jabs - no appointment necessary - are now available at all the Trust vaccination centres.

Or you can book an appointment online at a vaccination centre, at a time to suit you.

For online booking page go to: https://covid-19.hscni.net/get-vaccinated/

The vaccination centres are located at:

REMINDER: The regional vaccination centres will close for first doses on Saturday 31 July.

Please note: the vaccination centres and mobile walk-in clinics are only offering Pfizer or Moderna vaccines for first doses.

Participating pharmacies are offering Astra Zeneca first doses for people who are aged 40 or over

Details of participating pharmacies and how to book are online at: covid-19.hscni.net/community-pharmacy-covid-19-vaccination-service(external link opens in a new window / tab)

Walk-in jabs are available at the vaccinations for second doses as well as first doses – providing the required interval has passed since your first jab. The required interval between first and second doses is six weeks for Pfizer and eight weeks for Astra Zeneca.

Three more deaths of patients who had previously tested positive for Covid-19 have been notified by the Department of Health in Northern Ireland.

A further 1,600 cases of the virus have been reported in Northern Ireland, the department said.

On Wednesday morning, there were 244 Covid-19 positive patients in hospital, with 32 in intensive care.

In total, 2,224,108 vaccines have been administered.

BBC Radio Ulster broadcaster, Stephen Nolan, was left speechless after speaking to a member of the public called "Peter from Lurgan" about Covid-19 on The Stephen Nolan Show on Wednesday morning.

The radio programme was focusing on the issue of how to encourage people

“I would just like to ask, if the vaccine is as good as they say it is, why is it we still have to wear a mask, stay six feet apart and still have sanitise?

“I know a fella who works with me who recently had the vaccination and is in bad shape at the moment - he is taking tremors.”

Mr. Nolan, despite disagreeing with what the man just said, said his team would speak with the man off the air about the possibility of investigating the circumstances surrounding the man’s work colleague.

However, the conversation took surprising turn when the caller said he understood the 80 per cent efficacy of the Covid-19 as meaning 80 per cent of a person’s physical body being protected.

“Are you actually saying to me that you think when people talk about being 80 per cent efficacy it means it could cover your nose and your ears but not your toes - are you serious?”

“Yes, I am serious - I just don’t get the logic of it,” replied the caller.

Mr. Nolan asked the caller to explain all of the people who have died and those in hospital with Covid-19.

The man replied by saying it “just a bad bout of flu”.

“I find your ignorance scary, I feel sorry for you that you are so ignorant - to hear this out loud in the middle of a pandemic is shocking,” said Mr. Nolan.