The Chief Executive and
Director of Public Health will be in attendance to provide the Board with an
update in respect of the Council’s response to COVID-19.
Minutes:
The
Chief Executive provided a brief introduction to advise the Board that the
Council was currently experiencing a steady state in terms of responding to
COVID-19, with support being provided to communities and businesses as
required. The only recent decision of
note concerned IT provision to school children.
The
Consultant in Public Health delivered a presentation to the Board.
Regarding
the latest regional COVID-19 position (and trends), it was explained that over the most recent seven day period, which ended on 6 February
2021, most Local Authority areas in the North East were (in comparison to the
previous seven day period) seeing a downward trend in COVID-19 cases.
Middlesbrough had been stable over the last two-week period.
The local position showed a downward trend, which had plateaued
over the last two weeks. On 10 February
2021, there had been 64 new cases of COVID-19; 526 new cases had been diagnosed
in the last seven days; the current rate per 100,000 of the population was
373.1.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there had
been circa. 11,000 cases in the Middlesbrough Council area. There had been 858 cases diagnosed in the
last 14 days, and 1462 new cases diagnosed in the last 21 days.
In terms of COVID-19 mortality rates, up to 22 January 2021
inclusive, there had been 298 deaths.
Four of these had occurred in the previous week; the rate per 100,000 of
the population was currently 211.10. The
majority of those deaths had occurred in hospital (194), followed by care homes
(91), at home (12) and in a hospice (1).
Regarding the COVID-19 case rate by age groupings, it was
indicated that the majority of Middlesbrough’s current cases were amongst the
23-34 age group.
In terms of current clustering and outbreaks, and activities being
undertaken as part of community testing, it was explained that there were two
outbreaks currently ongoing, both of which were in high risk settings (Houses
of Multiple Occupation (HMO)): one was a mother and baby unit and the other a
supported living unit. In terms of work
places, cases had been identified at DWP offices; Cleveland Cable Company;
Teesside University; On a Roll sandwich manufacturer; and First Source.
As part of the Council’s response to the pandemic, the Council
hosted a community testing programme.
Through the programme, additional testing was provided to essential
workers who were not able to work from home during the lockdown period, which
was provided twice per week. Additional
testing was also available to any members of the public who were not showing symptoms of
COVID-19, which was in addition to the testing sites already available to those
displaying symptoms. In Middlesbrough,
three fixed sites within the community were planned: Middlesbrough Sports
Village (now live), North Ormesby Community Hub, and Newport Community
Hub. As part of the programme, essential
worker testing (mainly Social Care staff) was now live at three Council sites:
MAIN, Resolution House, and Cavendish House.
Work was also being undertaken with high risk businesses, i.e. those
with between 50-250 employees, to undertake Lateral Flow/regular testing.
Following the update, Members were afforded the opportunity to ask
questions.
A
Member referred to HMOs and to one of the identified cases, and requested
clarification around the 42 residents that had been shielding. In response, it was explained that in this
case, this referred to 20 adults and 22 children – a mother and baby unit that hosted
mainly asylum seekers. To date, there
had been seven positive cases; all those living in
the facility were required to self-isolate because of the way the venue was
structured (e.g. communal areas and shared facilities in place). The Member was concerned of the number of
people in one household. In response, it
was explained that this was similar to the other HMO where 50 people resided
(each with individual rooms, but with shared facilities). It was difficult to ask a few to isolate.
In
response to an enquiry regarding the potential reasons for the plateauing of
cases, but the number appearing to remain quite high, it was explained that one
of the things being observed was that following the first lockdown, the number
of cases had reduced to a very low level.
After the second and current lockdowns, the number of cases had reduced,
but not as far as expected. During the
current lockdown, there was still a number of people working because they were
not able to work from home, whereas after the first lockdown, anyone that could
not work from home remained at home. As
more people were leaving home to work, there was an assumption that because more people were coming into contact from different
households and mixing at the workplace, the likelihood of cross infection was
higher. This was one of the reasons for
increased support to businesses in terms of testing to help break the chain of
transmission in the workplace. The
Member commented on the movement of people in Middlesbrough, which seemed as high
as at any other time. It was hoped that
the number of cases would be reduced to that of other areas.
A
Member referred to HMOs and queried the procedures followed to deal with
confirmed cases, particularly in terms of contact tracing if individuals did
not have mobile phones or apps to support this.
In response, it was explained that as part of the measures put in place,
food (3 meals per day) and support to obtain medication was provided. Close working was undertaken with management
to ensure that outbreak control measures were in place and that residents were
supported as much as possible. Reference
was made to the New walk facility, where there had been an outbreak; there had
been no issues and the isolation period had now passed. Some segregation had been required for the
shared facilities, but residents were supported throughout. The Member commented that he had been aware
of one resident from within that facility being out in the community, and
queried whether a local lockdown had been put in place for those
residents. In response, it was explained
that there had been agreement that residents were not to leave the premises
during the isolation period; this matter would be discussed with the
management.
A Member referred to concerns raised with him by a Head teacher in
relation to the safeguarding of children who had been at home for some time and
queried, from a Council perspective, how children who were not in care, but
living in vulnerable households, were being identified and supported. In response, the Chief Executive advised that
during the last lockdown, new risk plans had been completed on every child that
was in the Local Authority’s care, and every child that had an Education,
Health and Care Plan. A review of almost
4000 risk plans had been conducted, which re-assessed the child's situation and
the issues that they would face if not attending school. Those plans had been maintained and through
the review processes in place, it was being ensured that any new concerns identified
were monitored and dealt with accordingly.
A Member referred to other areas in the North East and the
downward trend in the number of positive cases that had been observed, and
Middlesbrough remaining the same despite more testing in the area. It was queried whether this additional testing
would have an effect on Middlesbrough’s trend or not. In response, it was explained that all areas
were undertaking large amounts of testing at the moment and Middlesbrough’s
trends were going down, it was within the last two weeks that these had plateaued. Observation would continue to ascertain
whether the downward trend continued.
The Chief Executive commented that, geographically, Middlesbrough was
far more urbanised than a lot of the Local Authorities of the same population
size. More people living in an urbanised
area was a contributory factor to figures being higher, and it also needed to
be recognised that Middlesbrough was a major employment hub for all of the Tees
Valley. It was felt that everything that
could be done was being done; it was not felt to be an issue of more testing,
but due to the type of place Middlesbrough was, which meant that it would be
more susceptible to rising figures.
A Member queried the number of Teachers or Teaching Assistants
that had tested positive for COVID-19.
In response, it was indicated that this data would be obtained.
A Member referred to testing sites and queried accessibility for
areas such as Hemlington and Coulby Newham, where rates were high. In response, it was explained that the test
site at Cannon Park was a regional test site; mobile testing units were
currently hosted in Hemlington at the Viewley car park next to All Nations
Church on Mondays and Tuesdays, and on Cargo Fleet Lane in the Thirteen Group
car park Wednesday to Friday. An additional
mobile unit had been established at Pallister Park car park. Testing was spread as broadly as possible; it
was reiterated that a site had also been established at Middlesbrough Sports
Village, and intended that one would be established in the North Ormesby
area. Consideration had been given to
vehicle ownership and access to testing sites; drive-in and walk-in options
were available as appropriate.
A
Member requested that the presentation slides be circulated to the Board; this
would be actioned.
A
Member referred to the vaccination programme in respect of taxi drivers and
queried whether those drivers, who were contracted by the Council to transport
(vulnerable) children and adults, were receiving vaccines. In response, it was indicated that there was
a national list of occupations and conditions that created a priority
list. The vaccination programme was
controlled by the NHS, with the hospital conducting vaccinations for
occupations that fell within that priority list and key demographics. Mention was made to other areas and the
distribution of surplus vaccines to individuals within specific
categories. This query would be raised
with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and further information provided in
due course.
The
Chair thanked the Chief Executive and the Consultant in Public Health for their
attendance and contributions to the meeting.
AGREED that the information provided be noted, and the agreed action be undertaken.