Julie Webster, Director of Public Health for Wirral submitted a report and provided the Adult Social Care and Health Committee with an update on the implementation of the Wirral COVID-19 Outbreak Control Plan to date.  The appendix to the report provided the COVID-19 weekly surveillance Report (25 September 2020).

The report informed that on 22 May the government had asked all councils to develop local COVID-19 outbreak plans. Wirral’s local outbreak plan gave an overview of how Wirral would Keep Wirral Well and could be found on the Wirral Council website:

https://www.wirral.gov.uk/sites/default/files/all/Health%20and%20social%20care/Health%20in%20Wirral/Coronavirus/COVID-19%20Outbreak%20Management%20Plan%20for%20Wirral.pdf

It was reported that the Outbreak Plan set out how this target would be implemented and outlined the three key principles that formed the basis of the Plan namely to prevent, control and manage outbreaks of COVID-19.

Since the publication of the plan 7 priority actions - Intelligence and Surveillance, Care Homes and Schools, High Risk Workplaces, Communities and Locations, Local Testing Capacity, Contact Tracing in Complex Settings, Vulnerable People and Communication & Engagement - had been progressed.  A summary of key progress was provided in the report.

Members questioned the Director of Public Health on a number of matters that included actions relating to Care Homes, Ethnicity and Track and Trace arrangements for Wirral. Further questions followed on the subjects of procedures in respect of asymptomatic individuals attending A&E and actions being taken to tackle the backlog of issues arising from the period of lockdown earlier in the year. The Director responded accordingly.

Moved by Councillor Phil Gilchrist, seconded by Councillor Moira McLaughlin, it was:

RESOLVED – That the contents of the report the progress made to date be noted and the ongoing COVID-19 response be supported.