A pop-up vaccine centre will open in Renfrew today as the town continues to be ravaged by a ‘third wave’ of coronavirus.
Outbreaks bordering on 500 cases per 100,000 population are still being recorded, fortunately down from a peak of 900 the previous week.
The new unit, being set up in the Charles Avenue car park in the centre of town, will be able to vaccinate 1,000 people over the next two days.
Yet in some spots of next door Paisley, cases are now too low to be recorded.
The Scottish Government neighbourhood update has revealed the astonishing disparity of the bug in Renfrewshire.
The Renfrew West area is the worst affected with 482 cases per 100,000. The area peaked at 920 the previous week.
Renfrew North has 452 (down from 904) and Renfrew East is the third worst in the County on 314.
By comparison the Glasgow hotspot of Pollokshields East has 456 cases.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said yesterday they were continuing to look at “localised” Renfrewshire clusters and why they have happened.
Now the heat is on in Renfrew to get as many people jabbed as possible.
A spokeswoman revealed: “A mobile vaccination unit will also be in the Charles Avenue Car Park in Renfrew on Wednesday and Thursday from 11am-6.30pm and members of the public are invited to attend.”
This is strictly for people over 40 who have not had a first dose or anyone waiting for their second dose of AstraZeneca for more than ten weeks.
The Charles Avenue site can cope with 500 patients a day.
The health board added: “We are also running drop-in vaccination sessions for anyone who has missed their appointment and we are putting on additional vaccination appointments so that people can bring forward their second doses to 8 weeks.
“We’d like to thank everyone who has turned up to receive their vaccination at our various locations in Renfrewshire in the last week.
“It’s a real testament to the local public’s diligence and desire for us to control the spread of the virus as much as possible and get back to a form of normality.”
Renfrewshire’s average per 100,000 population currently stands at 129, compared to the Scottish average of 93.
Swathes of Paisley, including the centre of town have two or less.
And in some cases including Foxbar and Paisley North it may be at absolute zero.
Lochwinnoch has emerged as the worst affected village on 224, nearly 100 cases more than the county average.
(Image: Andrew Neil)
Renfrewshire Council pointed out data published by Public Health Scotland relates to areas of a few thousand people each – so relatively small numbers of positive tests could cause big variations.
A spokesman said: “Our environmental health officers are in daily contact with public health colleagues from the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to study the latest data, establish links between cases, and to plan localised responses to any areas recording higher-than-average numbers.
“That includes local test sites where cases numbers are high – the test site in Glenburn helped slow rising rates in that area and the current mobile test unit in Renfrew is aimed at doing the same.
“This proactive approach to any emerging clusters – along with the recent requirement that all close contacts should get a test – means we are identifying more cases, and this is reflected in the local data.
“These localised clusters are a reminder that – even with the ongoing success of the national vaccination scheme – Covid-19 is still out there and still spreading.
“We would encourage all Renfrewshire residents to keep following the national advice, stay within the restrictions, and to take part in regular testing wherever they can – doing so will protect you, your loved ones and your community.”
Here is how your area is faring this week, cases per 100,000 of population:
RENFREW WEST 482
RENFREW NORTH 452
RENFREW EAST 314
JOHNSTONE SOUTH WEST 230
LOCHWINNOCH 224
JOHNSTONE SOUTH EAST 217
RENFREW SOUTH 183
HOUSTON NORTH 182
PAISLEY NORTH WEST 166
ERSKINE WEST 164
PAISLEY GLENBURN EAST 151
PAISLEY GLENBURN WEST 148
LINWOOD SOUTH 147
JOHNSTONE NORTH WEST 142
PAISLEY SOUTH 137
LINWOOD NORTH 133
LANGBANK AND RURAL 127
HOUSTON SOUTH 98
PAISLEY EAST 96
KILBARCHAN 95
PAISLEY SOUTH WEST 87
PAISLEY FERGUSLIE 73
PAISLEY NORTH EAST 67
PAISLEY NORTH 0-2
PAISLEY GALLOWHILL 0-2
PAISLEY FOXBAR 0-2
PAISLEY DYKEBAR 0-2
JOHNSTONE NORTH EAST 0-2
ERSKINE CENTRAL 0-2
ELDERSLIE 0-2
BRIDGE OF WEIR 0-2
BISHOPTON 0-2
