Mark Adams, Director of Public Heath (South Tees) will be in attendance to provide an update on COVID-19 and the local Public Health / NHS response.
Minutes:
The Director of Public Health provided an update on the ongoing response and recovery to COVID-19 and made the following points:
• Covid infection figures for Middlesbrough were falling, albeit slowly with town sitting at 97th in the league tables. The peaks of infection in Middlesbrough during September were 407 compared to approximately 200 in October.
• It was commented that the 0-19 age group were inflating the infection figures although there was a notable decline in infections across all age groups.
• It was noted that only one school had mobilized onsite Covid testing and that positive cases at that school were very low.
• Schools generally reflected the community transmission rate.
• Schools were maintaining some social distancing processes, including the bubble system.
• In terms of hospital admission figures; there were 47 cases including those needing critical care. However, while these numbers were falling the health system as a whole was still stressed.
• The Covid related mortality rate was much smaller than in previous waves.
• There were currently 76% of people having received the first dose of the Covid Vaccine with and 68.8% having had the second.
• There was a similar pattern of vaccine take up by age range to previous patters, with the number of over 50s that were unvaccinated was coming down, albeit slowly.
• A discussion took place regarding the so-called winter plan the main. It was commented that the main strategy was to build and maintain defences through pharmaceutical interventions and vaccines as well as advising people on how to take care of themselves. This strategy was known as Plan A.
• There was also the potential for a Plan B in the event the winter period placed strain on the health system. This included face coverings being made a legal requirement.
• Guidance was being produced for vaccinating healthy children as part of third phase of the vaccination rollout.
• Vaccine boosters were to be Pfizer or Moderna with Primary Care Network’s targeting care homes in the first instance.
• In terms of the vaccine for young people; there has been locally not vaccinate 12-15 year olds if their parents had not consented.
The chair commented that Middlesbrough had previously followed other areas in terms of infection rates and queried if this would be the case going forward. It was confirmed that other areas may now be following Middlesbrough, and that the town was likely to have experienced its infection peak.
A member queried what actions were being taken with regard to room ventilation to assist with Covid compliance measures. It was confirmed that in some venues, such as schools, carbon monoxide monitors were being deployed to ensure that air quality in those venues remained safe should occupancy levels be high.
A discussion took place about demonstrations held outside a school in Newcastle by so-called anti-vaxxers. It was confirmed that such activity was not present in Middlesbrough.
A Member queried what stage the vaccination process was at in schools. The Director of Public Health stated he would provide current information on this. It was commented that there was pressure to complete the vaccination process in schools by the half term break but this was made difficult by the need for parental consent.
ORDERED that:
1) The Director of Public health provide members with vaccination progress in schools;
2) The slides presented to be the panel be circulated to members and;
3) The information presented to be noted.