Agenda and minutes
PDF 216 KBVenue: Remote
Contact: Amelia Christopher
Note: Meeting link: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors-and-committees/webcasts
Media
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
To receive any apologies for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Gavin Stephens and Dr Charlotte Canniff.
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MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING: 19 NOVEMBER 2021
To agree the minutes of the previous meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: The minutes were agreed as a true record of the meeting.
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
All Members present are required to declare, at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter
(i) Any disclosable pecuniary interests and / or (ii) Other interests arising under the Code of Conduct in respect of any item(s) of business being considered at this meeting
NOTES:
· Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest · As well as an interest of the Member, this includes any interest, of which the Member is aware, that relates to the Member’s spouse or civil partner (or any person with whom the Member is living as a spouse or civil partner) · Members with a significant personal interest may participate in the discussion and vote on that matter unless that interest could be reasonably regarded as prejudicial. Additional documents: Minutes: There were none.
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INFORMAL QUESTION TIME
a Members' Questions
The deadline for Member’s questions is 12pm four working days before the meeting (11 February 2022).
b Public Questions
The deadline for public questions is seven days before the meeting (10 February 2022).
Additional documents: Minutes: a Members' Questions [Item 4a]
None received.
b Public Questions [Item 4b]
None received.
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The Board is asked to review its Action Tracker. Additional documents: Minutes: Witnesses:
None
Key points raised in the discussion:
1. The Chairman noted that a written update had been provided concerning action A10/21:
The trial was not able to be carried out due to the significant rise in COVID-19 rates and increased demand on the Local Contact Tracing Service. Since then, COVID-19 rates have not declined sufficiently enough for capacity in the Local Contact Tracing Team to allow the trial to be undertaken.
2. The Chairman explained that the Surrey Heartlands ICS Resilience and Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response Board (EPRR) terms of reference had been circulated to Board members via email; and noted that a written update had been provided concerning action A17/21:
The EPRR Board has oversight of the Local Outbreak Management Plan (LOMP) however the LOMP is approved by the Local Outbreak Engagement Board so the understanding and oversight of the current plan by the EPPR Board fits well alongside several constituent Covid programmes.
3. The Chairman referring to action A24/21 noted that Tandridge District Council was the only one out of the eleven Surrey Borough and District Councils that had not joined the Community (COVID) Champions scheme. She further noted that Surrey County Council - support had been offered by the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources - was in discussion with Tandridge District Council and she would provide a fuller update at the next Board.
RESOLVED: 1. That the Board reviewed its Action Tracker.
· Actions A10/21 and A17/21 - to be marked as completed. · Action A24/21 - an update to be given at April’s Board.
Actions/further information to be provided:
None.
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COVID-19 SURVEILLANCE UPDATE
A verbal update is to be provided on the surveillance of the data and intelligence concerning COVID-19.
Additional documents: Minutes: Witnesses:
Dr Naheed Rana - Public Health Consultant, Surrey County Council Ruth Hutchinson - Director of Public Health, Surrey County Council Lorna Hart - Covid Vaccination Programme Director, Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Service
Key points raised in the discussion:
1. The Public Health Consultant (SCC) noted:
· the ongoing review of the Covid-19 data on a daily basis concerning the cases, positivity rates, triangulation with the vaccination uptake, contact tracing and other intelligence, that information was disseminated with partners across the system and led to targeted actions. · the epi curve of Covid-19 cases in Surrey since March 2020, the graph showed the number of cases as well as the tracking of the seven-day averages and most recently there was a downward trend following the fluctuation over Christmas and New Year. · that the total number of positive cases to date in Surrey up to 8 February 2022 was 328,667. · that the fourteen-day rate was a more stable indicator and the seven-day rate provided a useful benchmark; for the most recent seven-period 6-12 February 2022 the seven-day rate for Surrey was 798.9 per 100,000 population which was above the South East rate at 736.5 per 100,000 population and above the England rate at 563.9 per 100,000 population. · the breakdown of Surrey’s boroughs and districts and their ranking nationally whereby all were above the England average; Waverley (ranked third) and Woking (ranked ninth) were ranked in the top ten nationally. · a bar chart highlighting the seven-day rates for Surrey’s boroughs and districts as compared to other areas and the London boroughs. · the publicly available infographic ‘Surrey Covid-19 Summary: Cases and Rates’ which showed the seven-day average of rates and cases within Surrey’s boroughs and districts which were on a downward trend. · the vaccinations uptake figures - first, second and booster doses - for Surrey and its boroughs and districts, compared to England and the South East; Surrey’s uptake across all three doses was above the England average, Surrey was ranked highly in terms of its uptake for those with learning disabilities or a serious mental illness - that was testament to the system-wide effort. · that Omicron was the dominant Variant of Concern (VoC) taking over from Delta, a BA.2 lineage was identified on 7 February 2022 but the BA.1 lineage remained dominant. · the heat map of cases per 100,000 population in Surrey by age group between 13 January - 5 February 2022 which showed a stripe across the age groups where more mixing took place, those rates were decreasing; heat maps were also shown for each of Surrey’s boroughs and districts. · the heat maps of weekly case rates per 100,000 population by local authority for Surrey and the surrounding areas from 2 January-12 February 2022, Surrey and the South East were on a downward trend. · the intelligence and triangulation undertaken regularly, looking at the seven-day case rate and first dose uptake and how they linked to the Index of Multiple Deprivation deciles, by Middle Super Output Area (MSOA) which was a smaller geographical ... view the full minutes text for item 6/22 |
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COVID-19 COMMUNICATIONS PLAN UPDATE
A communications and engagement strategy has been developed to support the Surrey Local Outbreak Management Plan. The Communications Plan has evolved as more has been learnt about our public health response to the virus and this report provides the latest update on communications activity.
Additional documents: Minutes: Witnesses: Abi Pope - Senior Communications Manager - COVID-19 Communications Lead, Surrey County Council Ruth Hutchinson - Director of Public Health, Surrey County Council
Key points raised in the discussion:
1. The Senior Communications Manager - COVID-19 Communications Lead (SCC) noted:
· that since the last Board meeting and the emergence of Omicron, Surrey had some of the highest rates in the country and the highest rates seen throughout the past two years and so the Communications team (SCC) reverted back to the brightly coloured chevron alerts and continued to do geo-targeting. · an example of an online warning advert to the residents of Elmbridge, and Reigate and Banstead, who at one point had the highest rates in the country. · that significant communications actions at that point were supported by a multi-channel approach as not all residents were on social media: - a highway sign was put out to the whole area around Reigate and Banstead reminding drivers on the road about the high rates in that area. - the RingGo parking app was successful and alerted users to a message from Surrey County Council about the high rates in the area. - GP video messages were especially effective in Reigate and Banstead when they had exceptionally high rates. · the continued dissemination of Covid-19 data to residents through the publicly available infographic ‘Surrey Covid-19 Summary: Cases and Rates’ published twice weekly - once the living with Covid-19 plan was published Surrey County Council would revisit that approach. · that the Communications team (SCC) sought to help residents navigate the change in tone from the Government due to the move between Plan A and Plan B; explained simply through assets such as ‘What do I need to know about…’ such as Omicron and travel guidance, and with the move away from the tougher restrictions residents were reminded that ‘Covid 19 hasn’t gone away’ through ‘back to basics’ graphics of public health prevention messages. · the Communications team (SCC) continued to support the vaccinations programme through geo-targeted communications to communities or areas with significantly lower vaccination rates, such as through a TikTok style video put out on Snapchat and Instagram. · the large amount of activity on vaccinations over the last couple of months, with a focus on winter immunity, flu before the festive period, getting a booster before Christmas, information for pregnant women and all the different cohorts as they become eligible for the boosters, new communications on the Evergreen offer and gifs on the importance of getting vaccinated such as before the summer holidays. · the Communications team (SCC) commissioned research into parents’ feelings on vaccinations announced for 5-11 year olds, how they could be supported and communications would be carried out in the same way as done for 12-15 year olds. · that there had been many testing changes and so the Communications team (SCC) undertook a lot of work to: - clarify to residents what the testing situation was, to explain the new self-isolation rules (day six and seven ‘test to release’). - reiterate the ... view the full minutes text for item 7/22 |
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SURREY COVID-19 LOCAL OUTBREAK MANAGEMENT PLAN
This report details recent progress on the delivery of Surrey’s Local Outbreak Management Planincluding key outcomes, challenges and next steps.
Additional documents: Minutes: Witnesses:
Ruth Hutchinson - Director of Public Health, Surrey County Council Lorna Hart - Covid Vaccination Programme Director, Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Service Fiona Harris - Public Health Consultant, Surrey County Council Caroline Chapman - Senior Public Health Contact Tracing Lead, Surrey County Council Adam Letts - Public Health Lead, Surrey County Council Negin Sarafraz-Shekary - Public Health Principal, Surrey County Council Yazmin Castillo Munoz de Hodgson - Project Support Officer - Public Health - Community Champions, Surrey County Council
Key points raised in the discussion:
National Update
1. The Director of Public Health (SCC) noted:
· that since the last Board meeting on 19 November 2021 there had been changes nationally, regionally and locally. The COVID-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan 2021 which set out Plan A and Plan B had been in place since 14 September 2021, Omicron was named as a new VoC on 26 November 2021 and was 5.4 times more transmissible than Delta, Surrey’s rates increased rapidly, the country moved from Plan A to Plan B on 8 December 2021 and with declining rates post-Christmas the country moved back to Plan A on 19 January 2022. · the return to Plan A on 19 January 2022: saw the advice to work from home end and people returning to the office should follow the Working Safely guidance, on 20 January 2022: advice on face coverings for pupils and staff in classrooms ended, Local Directors of Public Health could still recommend face coverings in communal areas in education settings within their area, on 27 January 2022: face coverings were no longer legally required in any setting, people should consider wearing a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, the NHS COVID Pass was no longer mandatory for entry into venues/events. · key guidance changes to testing on 11 January 2022 was that: people no longer require a confirmatory PCR test following a positive LFD test result. · key guidance changes to self-isolation on 17 January 2022 was that: people with COVID-19 can end self-isolation after five full days, as long as they have a negative LFD test result on day five and day six and do not have a high temperature (Test to Release approach) - previously the guidance was for ten full days. · key guidance changes to international travel on 11 February 2022 was that: people who were fully vaccinated no longer need to take a COVID-19 test either before or after they arrive in the UK; and people who are not fully vaccinated need to take a pre-departure test. After they arrive, they need to take a PCR test on or before day two, but only need to quarantine if it is positive. They still need to complete a passenger locator form. · key guidance changes to vaccination on 16 February 2022 was that: the Government announced that all children aged five to eleven years in England would be offered a low-dose COVID-19 vaccine following updated advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). · the plans ... view the full minutes text for item 8/22 |
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DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Surrey Local Outbreak Engagement Board will take place on 21 April 2022. Additional documents: Minutes: The date of the next meeting was noted as 21 April 2022.
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