Agenda item - Covid: Update on the Current Situation

Verbal update from the Director of Public Health.

34.1    This item was introduced by Alistair Hill, Brighton & Hove Director of Public Health. Mr Hill noted that much less testing was being undertaken under the new national ‘Living With Covid’ plan, which means that there is less data to report on.

34.2    Mr Hill told members that:

·         The weekly ONS survey shows very high rates of Covid infection. Local modelling suggests that this may be as high as one in 12 people currently infected, which would be the highest level yet recorded. However, some recent PCR testing data is showing a fall in positivity rates which could suggest that infections are likely to reduce.

·         The numbers of inpatients with Covid in local hospital beds has reduced from March.

·         There are some Covid-related deaths being reported, but death rates are generally much lower than in previous waves of the virus, and death rates locally are regularly below the 5-year average rates for all-cause mortality.

·         It is clear that vaccination significantly reduces the incidence of severe disease and hospital admissions

·         In terms of social care, there have been some cases in recent weeks, but the trend continues downwards. There are currently severe workforce pressures being experienced by homecare. The Spring booster campaign for care homes is underway and is progressing well.

·         The city council, local NHS organisations and the community & voluntary sector continue to work closely together to deliver the city vaccination programme.

·         The national Living With Covid plans see testing focused on those most at risk. However, the pandemic is not over and Covid remains a risk.

34.3    Cllr Ebel asked whether an additional booster round for the general population was imminent. Mr Hill responded that there has been nothing on this to date from UKSA or from the JVCI.

34.4    In response to a question from Cllr Ebel on the percentage of people in hospital with Covid who are unvaccinated, Mr Hill told members that this information is held by University Hospitals Sussex, if by anyone. However, capturing this data is complicated by the fact that by no means everyone in hospital with Covid was admitted to hospital because of Covid: many patients will have been admitted for another reason and/or tested positive whilst an inpatient. Mr Hill noted that Public Health and the NHS continue to work closely together to promote vaccination.

34.5    Cllr Pissaridou asked about vaccination uptake by electoral ward. Mr Hill responded that he did not have the information to hand but would circulate following the meeting.

34.6    Responding to a query from Geoffrey Bowden on the ending of free Lateral Flow Testing (LFT), Mr Hill noted that lots of testing was still taking place in health and care settings and for clinically vulnerable people. However, policy has changed at a national level, with Covid in the general population being treated like other respiratory conditions...

34.7    In answer to a question from the Chair on long Covid, Mr Hill told the committee that the ONS survey was studying the incidence of Covid symptoms persisting for more than three months (reported by 1 in 17 people). Research is at a relatively early stage, although local treatment pathways are in place. People should not hesitate to come forward if they have persistent symptoms. It is important to stress that there is good evidence that vaccination reduces the risk of developing long Covid.

34.8    The Chair thanked Mr Hill for his presentation.