COVID-19

I understand that many people hold passionate views about the steps that they believe the Government should or should not be taking in response to the Omicron outbreak. Indeed, I have received significant levels of correspondence arguing for both no restrictions and much tougher ones.

Throughout the worst of the pandemic ‘returning to normal’ has sounded like a distant and unbelievable prospect. But a return to something like pre-Covid life is now possible, given the Prime Minister’s confirmation this week that almost all Covid restrictions will cease on 19th July.

This page is to provide information regarding Covid-19 vaccines in South Suffolk.

If you're aged 18 or over, you can now book your COVID-19 vaccine.

Please do not call your GP or local hub about getting vaccinated, unless requested, the NHS will contact you directly. 

South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge has called for school staff to be a priority for Covid vaccinations. - Credit: Office of James Cartlidge

Voting for the UK to return to a national lockdown earlier this month was one of the hardest choices I have ever had to make as an MP.

It must be stressed that we do not currently face a choice between lockdown or no lockdown. The choice in policy terms that faces us is whether to continue with local and regional lockdowns or move to a national one.

I wish I was writing about something other than Coronavirus, which I have touched on to some degree in each of my last few columns.

I entirely understand that many people are frustrated that over half a year since full lockdown we have heard much of that word again, at a time when many are understandably tiring of the situation.

In a matter of days something should be happening that has occurred at around this time of every year of my life, and probably every year of most readers’ lifetimes – schools throwing open their doors again after the summer break.