Agenda item

To receive an update on the following areas:

(a)  Surveillance

(b)  Testing

(c)  Vaccination

Chris Williamson, Head of Public Health Intelligence delivered a presentation to cover surveillance on COVID-19, from the monitoring report as part of Southwark’s Outbreak Prevention and Control Plan, December 2020. The tabled presentation covered data on the following areas:

i.  Key messages

ii.  Testing

iii.  Testing: 4 weeks from 23/11/20 to 20/12/20*, PCR only

iv.  Contact Tracing

v.  Cases

vi.  Case Demographics

vii.  Case Distribution

viii.  NHS111

ix.  Secondary Care

x.  Horizon Scanning

In response to a question and answer session, the Board noted the following points:

·  Current testing picks-up the new strain of the COVID-19 virus.

·  Across London, there are just under 3000 patients in hospitals and for South East London the hospitals are just about managing with their capacity although this position is constantly changing.

·  There was approximately a two-week turnaround of data to know the hospital admission rates of COVID-19 related cases.

·  Latest figures report 260 COVID-19 related deaths in Southwark and the expected annual death rate was 300.

·  It remains to be seen if the Test and Trace System can keep up with the number of cases identified due to the new strain of the virus.

Jin Lim provided a verbal presentation to cover testing, as the second area of the monitoring report.

In response to a question and answer session, the Board noted the following points:

·  The Public Health Team (PHT) are committed to working with the schools to support them through their challenges to be tested.

·  Early conversations the PHT were having with pharmacists located near schools had agreed, where feasible, to rollout the rapid testing system to support the schools with their logistical challenges in the New Year.

Sam Hepplewhite provided a verbal presentation to cover vaccinations, as the third area of the monitoring report. The Board noted that presentation slides were prepared and would be made available after the meeting.

In response to a question and answer session, the Board noted the following points:

·  Eligible residents were advised to wait to be contacted by the NHS to receive their vaccination.

·  A Southwark resident aged over 80 would be contacted by the NHS, and those whom do not receive an NHS appointment will do so in the next cohort. As there are only 975 vacancies per box and needed to be delivered within 3.5 days of arrival by two Primary Care Networks (PCNs) covering the North and the South of the borough.

·  The vaccination offer will not be a ‘one-time’ offer. Residents will receive the vaccine by the NHS by following the priority list.

·  Lateral flow testing, Southwark’s messaging is to follow-up your positive lateral flow test result with a PCR (Polymerise Chain Reaction) test and then with a lateral flow test and continue with the testing process.

·  A step-by-step process would be followed in a coordinated way to reach and complete the priority list and work through all the logistics. This was inclusive of care homes and all settings the residents were located in.

·  QHS, Southwark’s care home provider were expected to coordinate the systematic approach in the New Year.

·  Those who were 75 years’ and over would receive their vacancies as soon as practicable.

·  NHS England were keen to move at a pace, which means having more Hospitals becoming vaccination sites along with setting-up mass vaccination sites in localities. 

·  SEL CCG intend to make the eligibility messages clearer.

·  Having a workforce in place to deliver the allocated amount of BioNTech/Pfizer vaccines within 3.5 days was the challenge and subject to Oxford/AstraZeneca, vaccine being approved for mass rollout would enable more flexibility to vaccinate on mass and have a different delivery model in place.

·  A booking system was in place to deliver the vaccines within the 3.5 days and there had been no wastage of vaccines delivered by SEL CCG.

·  1-11 tier groups were identified on the national eligibility list. Key workers and the general population fell into group 11 to receive the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine.

The Chair thanked the presenters and noted that the rates of those being infected by COVID-19 and the new strain of the virus was something to be very cautious about now that London were in Tier 4 lockdown (Government announcement, 19 December 2020). The Chair emphasised the importance for everyone to continue to follow the guidance and protocols in place to remain safe during this seasonal period and beyond.

It was noted, that the COVID-19 Community support lines remained open since March and should residents need support during the pandemic they should not hesitate to use the support that was on offer. The Community support offer was set up in collaboration with the council, NHS England and the voluntary sector.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the Health and Wellbeing Board considered the implications of the recent COVID-19 surveillance data for Southwark (the COVID-19 dashboard was presented with the most recent data on the day).

2.  That the Health and Wellbeing Board received the update (Appendix 1) from the Outbreak Prevention and Control Executive on the actions taken to prevent, identify and control the COVID-19 pandemic in Southwark.

3.  That the Health and Wellbeing Board noted that London was moving to Tier 3 restrictions from 16 December, and noted the additional restrictions (Appendix 3); and supports the additional activities being proposed in paragraph 32 in relation to prevention and control.