Agenda item

Agenda item

COVID-19 Update

Report of the Director of Public Health, Manchester City Council and the Medical Director, Manchester Health and Care Commissioning

 

The Director of Public Health (DPH) will deliver a presentation to the Committee with the latest available information on data and intelligence and a progress report on Operation Eagle. The Medical Director (MHCC) will also present the latest on the Manchester Vaccination Programme building on the update provided in February.

 

 

Minutes:

The Committee considered the joint presentation of the Director of Public Health and the Executive Clinical Director Manchester Health and Care Commissioning that provided an update on COVID-19 activity that included the latest available information on data and intelligence.

 

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were: -

 

·                How successful had the door knocking been to encourage residents to get tested during the mass testing exercise;

·                Had there been any delays in schools obtaining test results for pupils returning to schools;

·                Noting the two week delay in obtaining the results of testing for Variants Of Concern and the potential impact this could have on infection rates;

·                What work was being done with the local Universities to ensure the safe return of students;

·                Noting the key stages and dates of the roadmap announced to ease the lockdown restrictions;

·                The Committee paid tribute to all staff and volunteers for delivering the vaccination programme, with particular reference to the Woodhouse Park Lifestyle Centre;

·                Members provided personal accounts of their positive experience when receiving the vaccination;

·                The importance of engaging with and encouraging the uptake of vaccinations amongst specific groups such as the traveller community, asylum seekers and others who may not be registered;

·                What activity was being undertaken to ensure that all housebound residents received the vaccination; and

·                Noting the relationship between social and economic deprivation and the need for appropriate consideration being given to the location of vaccination sites.

 

The Director of Public Health responded to questions by stating that the door knocking undertaken as part of the mass testing exercise had been undertaken by Council staff and partners and had been very successful in encouraging residents to take a test, he further stated that whilst this work was very labour intensive it had provided an opportunity to speak and engage with residents and the learning from this would inform future engagement and communications work.

 

The Director of Public Health commented that the key dates and lifting of measures announced to ease the lockdown would continue to be closely monitored to understand the impact of these on infection rates. He stated that the delays between the dates would allow for any impact to be understood prior to the implementation of the next stage. He stated that he was not aware of any issues relating to school testing and the time taken to obtain the results, however if Members were aware of any issues to alert him to this. He further stated that he shared the concern raised by the Member regarding the delays in the testing for Variants of Concern and he continued to escalate these concerns.

 

The Director of Public Health stated that regular meetings were held with the local Universities to plan for the return of students, including the provision of Covid secure arrangements to deliver learning. He advised that the advice to students was to test prior to returning to their place of study and then again when they arrive in the city, adding that the testing site at the Armitage Centre would be retained.  

 

The Executive Medical Director MHCC stated that positive work was underway with partners to engage with specific community groups, such as asylum seekers and travellers to promote and facilitate the take up of the vaccination. She stated that using trusted community figures and voices would help support this activity and overcome barriers that existed. In addition, she described that a pilot project was being developed to specifically address the issue of non-registered residents, using the learning obtained both nationally and internationally. In response to a specific question regarding Eastern European residents raised by a Member she stated that she would look into this following the meeting.

 

The Executive Medical Director MHCC informed the Members that individual GP practices were now responsible for contacting and following up the vaccination of housebound residents who had not been vaccinated, and if there were any incidents where this was not happening Members should contact her directly. She further commented that the ability of residents to access vaccination centres was understood and the move now was to offer the vaccination at the resident’s GP practice in addition to the mass vaccination centres.

 

Decision

 

The Committee notes the report and presentations.

Supporting documents: