Agenda item

Further to minute 1418, the Director: Governance and Partnerships submitted a report updating Cabinet on the Council’s progress in responding to COVID-19 as set out in the mid-term recovery plan (Appendix 1), summarised key highlights and provided an overview of the national COVID-19 Response – Autumn 2021 and Road Map which would inform actions within the Mid-term recovery.

The Director in her report explained that since the previous update report to Cabinet on this subject matter in March 2021 (minute 1418 refers) progress had been made against the national plan. Key milestones included the move to Level 3 easements from 17th May 2021, which saw the reopening of the majority of the indoor and remaining outdoor economy and gathering limits increased indoors and outdoors. Guidance for close contact between friends and family was updated, with people asked to exercise their own personal judgement in line with the risks. Additionally, the Stay in the UK restriction was lifted with people able to travel to green list countries, if they permitted inbound travel.

Further progress was signalled via The Cabinet Office publishing on 19th July 2021 the COVID-19 Response – Summer 2021, which set out the roadmap for the further easing of restrictions in England to level four. While this heralded the lifting of almost all remaining restrictions, continued emphasis was placed on social distancing, the wearing of face coverings in crowded/enclosed spaces and the process of Test, Trace and Isolate. From 16th August 2021, a system of testing rather than isolation for those who were double vaccinated came into force. In moving away from stringent restrictions to everyone’s day-to-day lives and towards advising people on how to protect themselves and others, alongside targeted interventions to reduce risk, the government had undertaken several actions set listed in the report.

The Director also stated that as Autumn/Winter 2021 approached, the government aimed to sustain the progress made, while ensuring the NHS did not come under unsustainable pressure. The recently announced (14th September 2021) COVID-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan, sets out that success would be achieved by:

·         Building our defences through pharmaceutical interventions

·         Identifying and isolating positive cases to limit transmission

·         Supporting the NHS and social care

·         Advising people on how to protect themselves and others

·         Pursuing an international approach

New measures announced to support the autumn and winter plan include renewed calls for the unvaccinated to become so; the vaccination of 12-15 year-olds (one dose); booster vaccinations for the over 50’s and vulnerable groups and a concerted flu jab campaign covering a wider population than previously. Additionally, many more of the remaining measures contained within the Coronavirus Act 2020 had been repealed. Contingency plans had also been announced in the event of the continued spread of the virus leading to unsustainable pressure on the NHS. These included the re-introduction of mandatory face coverings; return to home working arrangements and possibly vaccine passports required for certain settings.  

Local authorities continued to play a key role in achieving the successful easing of national restrictions and the steps outlined in the roadmap had provided a frame for the Council’s emergence from the pandemic and reopening and return to some level of normality. These were consistent with our priorities and actions within the mid-term recovery plan which continued to be revised in line with the roadmap. The national COVID-19 response document remained relevant, providing a framework for all actions and focusing on the things that need to continue to be in place and prioritised at both national and regional level:

·         Healthcare response (Supporting NHS, Vaccines and Therapeutics)

·         Keeping people safe and responding to threats (Behaviours, Test, Trace & Isolate and Responding to variants of concern)

·         Economic and social support (Economic support, Support for vulnerable people and communities and Support for care homes)

·         Long Term (Transition from pandemic to epidemic, Living with COVID and Resilience for future pandemics)

As well as continuing to meet council priorities and responsibilities, the council would continually ensure that there was capacity to respond to the above requirements and emerging national policy changes, in the context of the pandemic. 

Resolved – (a) That the content of the report be noted, and (b) that the continuing delivery of priority actions as set out in the Director’s report be supported.