Covid 19 & Vaccinations
- Vaccination uptake is currently 67.7% for 1st dose and 62.0% for 2nd dose in Birmingham residents aged 16+. Booster uptake is 66.1%.
- In the 7 days up to 25th November, there were 3,689 cases reported in Birmingham (323.5 cases/100k population), an increase of 8.8% compared to 3,393 cases (297.5/100k population) in the previous week.
- Birmingham’s case rate is ranked 125th in England (out of 149 upper tier local authorities), with Surrey the highest (673.0/100k population) and Newham the lowest (232.8/100k population).
- Comparing the week ending 25th November with the previous 7 days, cases increased in all age groups, except the 60-79 and 80+ age groups. The largest increase was 14.3%, in the 20-39 age group, followed by an increase of 10.8% in the 0-19 age group. The 0-19 age group accounted for 39% of all cases.
- Spread appears to be primarily occurring through household, social and workplace interactions.
The government has ordered an extra 114 million Covid vaccine doses for booster programmes over the next two years. Ministers say the deals - for both Pfizer and Moderna jabs - will 'future proof' the UK's vaccination programme.
Walk-in appointments for vaccination are taking place at vaccination centres across the Birmingham City Council area for those aged 16 and over. Please check the latest availability via: www.birminghamandsolihullcovidvaccine.nhs.uk/walk-in over 16s can also continue to book in advance online as normal including bringing forward your second dose if your appointment is more than 8 weeks from your first vaccine: www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination.
My thanks to Dr. Rahul Dubb and his team for all the work they are doing. Whilst having my booster jab this week, I was very interested to hear how things are going on the front line in Sutton Coldfield and commend the magnificent response they have mounted to the new Omicron variant.
Dr. Dubb explained that they are planning to continue to work 6-7 days a week to increase the capacity at the Town Hall as space allows. They have added to their vaccinating and administrative teams to enable this work to be carried out whilst also managing the housebound patients and an increasingly busy GP practice. In order to achieve this, they are prioritising vaccinations by most ‘at risk’ and ‘age groups’ and aim to get the booster programme rolled out in the very tight timescales needed.
To help Dr. Dubb and the team they are urging people to be patient as they will contact patients to book an appointment. Meanwhile, please maintain vigilance in hand hygiene, face masks social distancing as per the government guidance. With everyone working together they aim to get his booster rollout programme out at pace.
For the latest information please visit: Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
For the latest foreign travel information please visit: www.gov.uk/search/all?keywords=travel&order=relevance
Royal Sutton Coldfield Updates
4th December is ‘Small Business Saturday’ and in the run up to the weekend to help promote the day, I have enjoyed visiting three businesses in the constituency. A particularly sweet visit was to a Vesey based cottage industry called ‘Brummie Honey’ run by Bee Keeper Phil Rogers together with his wife Ann and their daughter Faith; and having purchased one of their 1lb jars, I can thoroughly recommend their delicious produce! Brummie Honey has 20 hives in and around Sutton which produce 800 pounds of honey per annum with their main sales via Facebook and Instagram being in June, July and August. www.brummiehoney.com
I also paid a visit to WAA Chosen for the first time in seven years and met with directors, Ellen Spencer and Matt Guest. This Sutton Coldfield grown business, started in 1986 by Suttonian Andrew Wilson, is a full-service independent marketing and communications agency based right in the heart of our Royal Town and specialises in automotive and transport, construction and trade and leisure and lifestyle. This independent creative communications agency currently has an £8 million turnover and employs 52 staff many of whom are local and they are currently recruiting. WAA Chosen also has ambitious international growth plans in place for the next three years.
Last but not least, I visited the Rhodehouse, a new venue in the centre of Sutton Coldfield opened by Terry Monaghan who also owns five accident and repair centres in Reddicap and employs 80 people mainly from the area.
The Rhodehouse offers live music, great food and drink and opened in July this year. It has jazz nights on Thursdays and will shortly start themed film and food nights such as ‘Jaws with fish and chips’.
On Thursday evening I had the pleasure of attending the retirement celebrations for Professor Sir David Eastwood, Vice-Chancellor and Principal at the University of Birmingham.
One of the longest-serving Vice-Chancellors in the Russell Group, Professor Sir David Eastwood joined the University of Birmingham in 2009, having previously served as Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), a post he held from September 2006. Former posts also include Vice-Chancellor of the University of East Anglia and Chief Executive of the Arts and Humanities Research Board. While at Birmingham he has also held senior roles on a number of sector and regional groups including as Chair of the Russell Group, Universitas 21, Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), and UCAS.
Westminster news and Parliamentary business
This week I spoke in the chamber on the Government’s White Paper on adult social care and calls for coherent policies to enable people to stay in their homes for as long as possible. This is very important, as I told the House of Commons for us in Sutton Coldfield for being able to remain in your own home is a key priority for many. We are working hard so that the Royal Sutton Coldfield Cottage Hospital’s can provide new services in this respect which will have a real impact in Sutton Coldfield. Please click to hear in full and The Rt Hon Gillian Keegan’s response.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_ISScG9BoY
I also participated in the All Party Parliamentary Group on Trafficked Britons in Syria third evidence session chaired by Baroness Warsi. This was a private closed session with family members of those detained in Syria.
My Adjournment Debate on Dignity in Dying application has been successful for Wednesday 8th December at approximately 7.30 pm which can be viewed live on the parliamentary channel 232.
Opportunities, Events and Information
Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Tickets - General Sale Now Open
Tickets are now back on sale and this time it will be on a first come first served basis, so people are encouraged to go to birmingham2022.com to plan their visit to the Games.
Buy your tickets for Birmingham 2022 now!
Secure your seat to #B2022 right now by buying tickets here → https://bit.ly/3pcsxnx
Be quick - tickets are now being sold on a first come, first served basis.
On the 10th of December, over 3 million people across the UK will celebrate Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day!
To sign up visit: www.savethechildren.org.uk/christmas-jumper-day/register
Travel on the roads: National Highways is advising drivers to plan their journeys over the festive period with the M42 in North Warwickshire fully closed for seven days for HS2 works.
HS2 will be carrying out work between junctions 9 (Dunton Interchange) and Junction 10 (Tamworth Interchange) to prepare the ground for movement of the Marston Box bridge in Winter 2022.
Marston Box is the bridge that will carry the HS2 line across the M42 motorway near Junction 9, north of Lea Marston and Curdworth in North Warwickshire.
To ensure the safety of the workforce, the road will be fully closed from 9pm on Friday 24 December (Christmas Eve) to 9pm on Friday 31 December 2021 (New Year’s Eve).
National Highways is urging drivers to check their vehicles before setting off and to allow additional time for journeys.
National Express West Midlands is making small changes to many of our bus timetables to improve the punctuality of our services. We are adding in buses and drivers to improve reliability, especially at school times. Customers in Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country should check our website for up-to-date information on the new times for their bus.
In addition, I’d like to draw Birmingham and Walsall members’ attention to a couple of route changes which may affect your residents and constituents.
The number 77 bus between Walsall and Sutton Coldfield:
- Most journeys will run between Sutton Coldfield and Streetly (Hardwick Arms) only and will no longer serve Walsall.
- The route of the 77 will be the same between Sutton Coldfield & Blackwood Road, then Foley Road West and Chester Road to Hardwick Arms.
- Bus 935 provides an alternative between Streetly and Walsall. Bus 934 provides an alternative between Barr Beacon and Walsall. Service 6 will still run directly between Sutton Coldfield and Walsall.
- All journeys on Sundays and some on weekdays will still run to Walsall (as service 77A).
As your MP I am here to help. If you feel I can assist with any concerns, please do not hesitate to get in contact by emailing me on andrew.mitchell.mp@parliament.uk
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