Elderly told to scrap Covid vaccine appointments because of the snow

Some elderly people were told not to attend their coronavirus vaccine appointments because the snow was so heavy today.

Hospital bosses advised older people not to visit Newcastle’s Centre for Life mass vaccination hub due to the conditions, urging them to rebook their appointment.

The Newcastle NHS Hospitals Foundation Trust tweeted: ‘It’s easy to do by calling 119.

‘No need to risk travelling in the bad weather.’

When asked on Twitter if younger people who were able to travel could take the slots so they were not ‘wasted’, the Trust responded: ‘We don’t waste precious vaccine supplies, we continue to vaccinate health and social care workers.

‘There is enough vaccine supplies for everyone who wants a jab to have one. We ask people to be patient and wait for their invitation.’

❄️❄️⚠️⚠️We’re advising older people who are booked for their COVID-19 vaccine at the Centre for Life today to rebook for another day when the weather is better. It’s easy to do by calling 119. No need to risk travelling in the bad weather. pic.twitter.com/BdefJADbiQ

— Newcastle Hospitals (@NewcastleHosps) January 14, 2021

It came after heavy snow and freezing rain battered parts of the UK.

The Met Office had issued an amber snow warning for parts of Scotland and northern England overnight, with up to 11cm falling in the Perth and Kinross area and 5cm in Cumbria by 9am, and large accumulations elsewhere.

A further yellow warning for snow and ice remains in place until 9pm today, stretching from the northern Highlands to South Yorkshire.

The rest of England is likely to see heavy rain, particularly in London and the South East, while Wales and Northern Ireland are predicted to stay mostly dry.

Nicky Maxey, a Met Office spokeswoman, said on Thursday that unsettled conditions are set to last into next week, and she urged people to be alert for new warnings from the forecaster.

She said: ‘When we go into tomorrow there may well be an ice warning issued, we are certainly looking at some potential for frost.

‘With the temperatures warming up through the day there’s potential the snow starts melting.

‘If it freezes overnight there’s a chance of frost and ice tomorrow morning.’

Police Scotland’s road policing unit warned against travelling in the wintry weather.

Chief Superintendent Louise Blakelock said: ‘Government restrictions on travelling remain in place across Scotland because of the ongoing pandemic.

‘People should not leave their homes unless for essential purposes and work from home where possible. The best way to stay safe is to stay at home.

‘In the current wintry weather please consider if your journey is exempt under the regulations and also if it really is essential and whether you can delay it until the weather improves.’

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