Sheffield hospitals reveal 'positive news' on Covid patients after Tier 3 announcements

While there are still more than 270 patients in the city’s hospitals with Covid-19, including 22 in intensive care, that figure has remained ‘broadly stable’ rather than continuing to rise, and there has been a slight drop in the number of daily admissions.

Kirsten Major, chief executive of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Royal Hallamshire and Northern General, said: “There is some more positive news this week as the number of COVID-19 patients we are providing care for has remained broadly stable rather than continuing to rise.

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"We are currently providing care for 273 patients and 22 in ITU. We have also seen a slight drop in COVID-19 patients admissions from an average of 25 a day to less than 15 a day this week.

"We are hopeful that we are starting to see the impact of falling community infection rates but we cannot be complacent and would urge everyone to continue to be vigilant and follow the new restrictions announced today when they come into force next week.

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"Also remember that the simple actions of washing your hands frequently, keeping a 2m distance from others, limiting the number of contacts you have and wearing a face covering does make a difference and has had an impact over these last few weeks.”

She was speaking today, Friday, November 27, the day after it was confirmed that Sheffield would be placed under new tougher Tier 3 restrictions once the national lockdown ends next Wednesday, December 2.

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The Government has said that pressure on the NHS locally plays a big factor in deciding which areas should be placed in which of the three tiers.

With the tiering system due to be reviewed by December 16, a reduction in the number of coronavirus patients in South Yorkshire’s hospitals could persuade the Prime Minister to ease the restrictions in the region and move it down to Tier 2.

But other factors, including the Covid-19 infection rate, particularly among over-60s, would also have to be taken into account.