Derriford Hospital consultant frustrated at unvaccinated patients

During December there were times when up to 80% of Covid patients in intensive care at Derriford were unjabbed

A senior hospital consultant says he is frustrated about the number of unvaccinated people in intensive care.

Surgeon Commander Stuart Dickson, of Plymouth's Derriford Hospital, said nationally, 61% of people in intensive care with Covid had not been jabbed.

"There have been times in the last month where that rate has been as high as 80% at Derriford Hospital," he said.

Gary Streeter, Conservative MP for South West Devon, urged people to take up the offer of jabs.

Sometimes whole families are unjabbed said Mr Dickson

"No-one in this country has the right to be free to harm others," he said.

"And people who are unvaccinated and are now clogging up our Covid wards are harming others, others waiting for treatment."

Mr Dickson said "whole households" were sometimes unvaccinated.

"Unfortunately that leads to the situation sometimes where we see multiple members of the family admitted to hospital and some unfortunately do die," he said.

Mr Dickson said "quite often" patients who had chosen not to be vaccinated "begin to express regret about that decision".

"Vaccination remains the key intervention which reduces the risk of both hospitalisation and admission to the Intensive Care Unit," he said.

"Even if you haven't been vaccinated at this stage, getting a first vaccination begins to build the immunity that you require.

"It really isn't too late, so please reconsider getting that vaccine."