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Agenda item

Vaccination programme update

Minutes:

The Board considered a presentation from Matt Pearce (Agenda Item 5) on the vaccination programme. Key points were as follows:

·         87.4 percent of West Berkshire’s adult population had received one dose, which was higher than the national and regional averages of 78.5 percent and 82.5 percent.

·         76.4 percent of West Berkshire’s adult population had received two doses. Again this was higher than the national and regional averages of 67.5 percent and 71.7 percent.

·         Vaccine take-up had been slightly higher in the older age groups. There had been a slight slowing of take-up amongst the younger age groups, but rates were still fairly high, and work and work was underway to encourage those remaining to come forward.

·         Children aged 12-15 who were clinically vulnerable to Covid, or who lived with adults at increased risk of serious illness, were now eligible for a vaccine. This included children with severe neuro-disabilities, Down’s syndrome, underlying conditions resulting in immunosuppression, and those with profound and multiple learning disabilities, and severe learning disabilities.

·         All 16-17 year olds in England were being offered their first dose, or the chance to book one by 23 August. No second dose was planned.

·         A walk-in site finder was being launched online by NHS England

·         Local plans were being developed for deployment of vaccines to the above cohorts.

·         There had been a change to the national self-isolation policy:

o   From 16 August, anyone identified as a close contact of a positive case would no longer have to self-isolate, providing they had been fully vaccinated and were not displaying Covid symptoms.

o   All close contacts, regardless of vaccination status were advised to take a PCR test as soon as possible.

o   Those who were fully-vaccinated would only be required to self-isolate following a positive PCR test.

o   Anyone under 18 years old who had been identified as a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case would also no longer be required to self-isolate. Instead, they would be given advice about whether to get tested and depending on their age would need to self-isolate only if they tested positive.

·         Groups still required to self-isolate if identified as a close contact of a positive Covid-19 PCR test result:

o   Those who had not received their Covid-19 vaccination or both doses of the vaccine.

o   Those who had received their second dose within the last 14 days.

o   Those who had tested positive following a PCR test

o   Those who had been fully vaccinated and were displaying Covid-19 symptoms (ahead of getting a PCR Test).

·         Key messages were:

o   There was strong evidence that contacts of cases, including those who had been vaccinated, had higher Covid positivity than the general population.

o   Vaccination reduced, but did not eliminate, the risk of acquiring and transmitting infection.

o   Individuals exempt from self-isolation were advised, but not require to: limit  contact with the clinically extremely vulnerable; take part in regular asymptomatic testing; wear a face-covering in enclosed spaces; and practise social isolation for the period of time they would have been required to self-isolate.

o   Guidance for household and non-household contacts was available on www.gov.uk.

Councillor Martha Vickers noted that many people had phobias of vaccinations, and asked what support was being given to them by GPs to come forward and receive them, and raised two residents who had been encouraged to be vaccinated. Matthew Pearce noted that there was no data for this, but work could be done with GP to break down those barriers and assist. He noted a similar phenomenon with pregnant women that was being tackled.

The Chairman asked what messaging was going out to 16-17 year olds to receive their first dose vaccination, noting that there were 4,200 teenagers eligible and that booking would be available to them on 23 August. Matthew Pearce had held talks with the CCG to identify a site suitable for that age group, and information would be available later that week on how they could access that. Meradin Peachey noted that there was an identified need for more walk-in sites. Matthew Pearce added that it was the Pfizer vaccine being offered, which raised further logistical issues.

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