Alex: Lockdown is Needed Whilst Vaccine Rollout Progress Wednesday, 6 January, 2021 On Tuesday evening I met virtually with the head of Public Health Gloucestershire as well as the local senior NHS leadership. The data was grim. Following the discovery of the new mutation, up to 70% more contagious than the original version, the overall infection rate in Gloucestershire has risen to around 280 per 100,000. It is considerably higher in Gloucester. On average across the county the... Opinions
Alex Welcomes Approval of AstraZeneca Vaccine 30th December 2020 As I write this, news is coming in of the approval of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. This is incredibly important and welcome news for the whole country... Opinions
Alex: Discovery of Mutant COVID Strain 'Marks Grim End to Horrible Year' 24th December 2020 News of the spread of the mutant COVID strain marks a grim end to a horrible year. As I write, SAGE experts and ministers are meeting to decide whether Tier 4... Opinions
Sweden's 'Herd Immunity' Strategy Has Failed 23rd December 2020 News of the spread of the mutant COVID strain marks a grim end to a horrible year. As I write, SAGE experts and ministers are meeting to decide whether Tier 4... Opinions
Alex Urges People to Take Care Over Christmas 16th December 2020 Readers of the Echo will be aware that the situation in Gloucestershire’s hospitals is serious. Earlier this week, the number of COVID-positive patients in... Opinions
Alex Welcomes Covid Vaccine Rollout 9th December 2020 As a local nurse was the first to receive COVID-19 vaccine in Gloucestershire earlier this week, this is not a time for fanfare or jingoism. Instead, it’s a... Opinions
Alex Welcomes Government Defence Investment Which Will Help Cheltenham Cyber Plan to Flourish 26th November 2020 News of the success of the Oxford vaccine is a big boost in the run-up to Christmas. Although it still needs to be signed off by independent regulators... Opinions
Alex Welcomes News that Care Homes Will Retain Discretion Over Visiting Rules 19th November 2020 One of the most painful aspects of this pandemic, in Cheltenham and across the country, has been the restrictions on visiting loved ones in care homes. Some... Opinions
Vaccines and Mass Testing are 'Light at the end of the Tunnel' - Alex 12th November 2020 There is light at the end of the tunnel, and it is getting brighter. On Monday, early results from the world's first effective coronavirus vaccine showed it... Opinions
Alex Reluctantly Accepts Second Lockdown is Needed 4th November 2020 I deeply regret the announcement of a one-month lockdown – even if this one will be less severe than its predecessor. But after carefully weighing up all the... Opinions
