Agenda item

To receive a Public Health Covid-19 update

Dr Melanie Smith (Director of Public Health, Brent Council) introduced the update on Covid-19. She advised that, at the time of the meeting, Brent’s infection rates were lower than the London average and London rates were considerably lower than the rest of England. The rates in Brent were currently increasing slowly as were the rates across the capital, with a steady upward trend as the country entered winter. The testing rates in Brent overall fared favourably with the rest of the country and the positive rate was lower than England and London. The highest rates for positivity were amongst 11-16 year olds, who tended not to become severely ill with Covid-19. Rates for older age groups were being monitored.

The vaccination programme was now focussed on providing boosters, and there was still work being done on the ‘evergreen’ offer reaching out to those who had not had their first dose or second dose of the vaccine. The schools vaccination programme in Brent had started the previous week and Brent was seeing lower consent rates than the public health team would have liked, but that were expected given the JCVI had determined the risk / benefit of the vaccination for those age groups to be less clear cut than for older age groups.

The Chair thanked Dr Melanie Smith for the introduction and invited comments and questions from those present, with the following issues raised:

·         The Board had some concern about the level of take up in schools compared to the standards in the rest of North West London. Dr Melanie Smith advised that she had opened up the conversation with NHS England Leads about what Councils could do in schools, and the positive news was that the national booking system would soon open up to allow vaccination for school age children through the national system. She advised there was a need to ensure capacity outside of schools to meet that demand. Fana Hussain (Borough Lead Director, NWL ICS) added that from the 23 October GPs and local vaccination sites would have permission to vaccinate 11-15 year olds with consent, and the LDO vaccination site would be working with those age groups. Other vaccination sites were also interested in vaccinating 11-15 year olds. In relation to the recording of vaccinations, Fana Hussain advised that all vaccination sites, including schools, were using the same system in one place. Gail Tolley (Strategic Director Children and Young People, Brent Council) advised that Brent Council placed some Brent children in schools outside of Brent, and there were some schools in Brent with children from outside of Brent. As such, those records provided for immunisations taking place on a school site would include both Brent and non-Brent resident children. She advised it was important to look at the London and subregional picture to give a view.

·         The public health team would look at a combined communication to explain that the mass vaccination centre within Wembley was now closed and that the national booking system was now open to 11-15 year olds.

·         In terms of the Covid-19 position in hospitals, Simon Crawford (Director of Strategy and Deputy CEO, London North West Healthcare NHS Trust) advised that Northwick Park had 51 Covid-19 patients in beds that day, which was the equivalent of 2 wards. Of those 51, 9 were in critical care or high dependency units. The number in hospital had gone down and throughout September there were around 20-25% of Covid-19 patients in critical care or high dependency unit. In response to a query, he advised that those patients were predominantly not vaccinated but there were some vaccinated patients.

RESOLVED:

i)              To note the update.