Dr Tom Black on Covid-19 and getting back to ‘normal’

However, I expect that it will be a different normal where face coverings, hand-washing and social distancing in some shape are part of everyday life.

Delivering the vaccine was always going to be a huge challenge both in terms of the number of patients who would be receiving it, as well as the logistical issues around maintaining a steady supply of the vaccine to surgeries and hospitals.

Currently the arrangements we have locally are working well. Patients should expect to be called to either the Foyle Arena or to their own GP practice for vaccination. This will be to receive their first dose, most likely of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, with your GP, and the Pfizer vaccine if you are in the 65-69 age group.

Both vaccines need a booster dose that will be given 10-12 weeks after your first dose, and both vaccines are effective against the variants of the virus in the community at present. Most people over 65 will soon have had their COVID vaccine, and GPs are now vaccinating the clinically extremely vulnerable and will soon be vaccinating the vulnerable patients who normally would be called for flu vaccines due to an underlying condition.

A key thing to remember is that the vaccine does not stop you getting Covid, but it means if you do get it you will, hopefully, not get it as severely. It is also well known that people are at increased risk of infection immediately after their first vaccine and this is explained by a false sense of security. Immunity takes time to build up and maximum immunity is only achieved about a week after the booster dose. So, even after vaccination, we will all have to maintain social distance and wear masks.

I sincerely hope that we will soon see a steady reduction in the number of patients being admitted to hospital and a reduction in the death rate. But this will only happen if we continue to be careful and keep the transmission rate of the infection low.

The local COVID centre will be open until the rates reduce significantly. In the meantime, GPs will continue to provide most services virtually, but will bring patients in when they need to be seen. If you have a health concern, contact your GP.

Dr Tom Black is a GP in Derry. He is also chairman of the British Medical Association in NI.