This item provides a verbal update from the Director of Public Health on Covid-19.
Minutes:
Councillor Richardson welcomed Dr Nicola Lang who provided a verbal update on the Council’s work in response to Covid-19. Dr Lang confirmed that the infection rate for H&F was 27.5 per 100,000 people, a figure derived from a seven-day rolling average. The number of cases across London was increasing rapidly and identified an upward trajectory of infectious cases at the end of August. 3% positivity (an increase from July of 1.3%) indicated that for every 100 people tested, three tested positive for Covid-19 and it was confirmed that the percentage was increasing. The full presentation can be found here:
Dr Nicola Lang, Director for Public Health located at 05:15 minutes
Dr Lang outlined the telephone exercise undertaken to identify patterns or trends in treatment and behaviour. This revealed that between 1 August and 8 September, of 183 new Covid cases identified in the borough, 40% fell within the 20-29 age group and about 70% had recently been on holiday. This was an emergent issue and the Council had implemented four main strategies in the outbreak management plan:
1. The evidenced based deployment of mobile testing units within the borough. Where numbers were identified in a ward, a mobile unit was deployed in easily accessible sites and a test did not need to be booked in advance. H&F was one of four London pilots where individuals testing positive received a follow up welfare telephone call.
2. A CRM (customer relationship management) had been set up using a robust IT system. allowing data to be collected and analysed more effectively. CRM data revealed behavioural patterns that chimed with the underlying trends identified by PHE within the same age group. The Council had significantly increased engagement and environmental health officers reinforced the message that it was the responsibility of businesses to help customers adhere to social distancing regulations through innovative communications work using a variety of channels. Significant work with NHS colleagues had also been undertaken in residential care homes and a robust testing system was in place with reinforced messaging. A mobile testing unit had been established at Westfield Shopping Centre to offer testing to young people as they were likely to use the Centre.
3. A third strand was to ensure that there was a contingency plan for each likely scenario and setting. Dr Lang explained that they had worked closely with homeless hostels and universities and various plans had been formulated to deal with emerging scenarios. The opportunity to plan would also address the need to ensure that other vaccinations were up to date. Dr Lang outlined a mapping programme that would show the location of every local case which allowed for autonomous checking of clusters both locally and nationally, an approach which was attributed to the progressive attitude of the council towards data collection and analysis.
4. The fourth stand of the containment strategy focused on community leadership. Officers had worked closely with community and faith leaders and forums from ethnic groups to ensure clear messaging and to listen to concerns. Ward councillors had raised awareness about the support available from Mutual Aid Groups (MAGs), foodbanks and the Smile Brigade.
Dr Lang cautioned that the number of infectious cases was rising, andvigilance was needed. Councillor Richardson welcomed the update and thanked Dr Lang, Linda Jackson and their respective teams for leading such a comprehensive and innovative response to the pandemic.
Victoria Brignell enquired if the council would be involved in enforcing new Covid-19 regulations that limited gatherings to groups of six people and how this might be managed. A second question was about whether people would be encouraged to take up flu vaccinations. Dr Lang responded that in terms of immunisations they were working closely with the NHS and that the Immunisations Working Group had been re-established. All staff were being encouraged to have the flu jab through a voucher scheme delivered through Superdrug. Carol Lambe added that the CCG were working closely with providers and Primary Care Networks to address flu jab and immunisation take up, prioritising vulnerable groups. Janet Cree added that joint work had been undertaken to encourage immunisation take up and that further details could be provided about this.
Councillor Lloyd-Harris expanded on the question of enforcement and how retailers could be encouraged to comply. Linda Jackson explained that there were several enforcement responses that could be applied. Providing guidance in the first instance, environmental health officers followed up with improvement notices and worked closely with police on tackling unauthorised events, although it was difficult to monitor the whole borough. Councillor Richardson thanked officers for their detailed update.
ACTION: CCG to provide further information about the joint work on immunisation take up.
RESOLVED
That the verbal update and actions be noted.