To receive an update from the Assistant Chief Executive and Chief Strategy Officer.
Minutes:
The Assistant Chief Executive provided the board with a brief update on the activity around communications and engagement. The council continued to provide bespoke advice and guidance to businesses and stakeholders through the work of our regulatory services and other services within the council not least of which our commissioning services working with our care providers on the Island, who had a very good and strong working relationship in terms of providing advice and support to that sector of the market.
Regulatory services and environmental health covid support officers had been visiting businesses and providing advice and guidance, Communication and engagement activity occurred across a range of channels that the council had available and where appropriate we continue to work with partner agencies to support communication. In particular our partners within the IW NHS trust, the CCG and Police across the Island.
The approach as a council had been one of providing factual content and updated information linked to Government announcements and supplemented with more emotive content about the impact that covid is having on the Island, work was being developed to enable people to describe and explain personal experiences of Covid and the impact it had on families and individuals.
Currently we had a single clear message which was stay at home, and only undertake essential journeys. If we do have to go out then hands-space-face is behaviour should be observed, and the importance of making space for one another was stressed. This remained the most critical message that we needed to make, our behaviours as individuals was most important.
We continued to provide information on the availability of our helpline, community support and the really good work that is undertaken in the community in terms of local community hubs and volunteers providing support to individuals. Access to testing had increased recently, and we continue to provide the message that if anybody had any symptoms, however low level they may feel that is, it is important to self-isolate and get a test.
The business grant process and availability went live earlier in the week and there had already been a huge response to that in terms of applications for business grants.
Advice and guidance to signpost mental health support services, domestic abuse support services as well as promoting online activities that individuals can access were being provided. The self-isolation toolkit was available and continued to be developed this may include things you might like to have in your cupboard, or have available for you at home, so that if the worse comes to the worse and you do contract covid you can get some low level support for yourself at home by being prepared.
Concern was raised regarding the number of businesses that had to stay open who are providing services, although not technically classed as key workers. It was understood that some of the businesses on the Island that have stayed open in manufacturing were doing essential work to keep different parts of the world open, everything needs to be done to protect workers who had to go out to work in the community.
The board asked if there was any information or confirmation that nasal sprays stops the virus from moving into your lungs and also stops anything you inhale from infecting other people, because the virus is wrapped in this spray, the DPH advised that he had not seen anything about this spray, and advised caution, we know this virus spreads through droplets from the mouth and nose, so actually we needed to prevent that spread, by stopping that transmission through to other people, Public Health England looked at the evidence on a very regular basis about what will prevent spread.
The Leader advised that the helpline 823600 was available, we do not want our islanders to feel that they cannot turn to us for support in any form, He would thanked council staff and partners in relation to the media:
• Isle of Wight Radio – tremendous support
• Vectis Radio – for the community
• The County Press
• On the Wight
• Island Echo
• BBC
• ITV
• Other outlets
social media users were, thanked for the excellent work they had been doing with us, hoping to be proven beneficial.
The board recognised that there were some people who were key to keeping everyone going and protecting us from all the other dangers that might befall us at Winter. As we know, the hospital especially, the primary care and the GP’s come under significant pressure in Winter without covid. It was recognised that as a community we needed to support those people in the best possible way. The next stage was Lateral Flow Testing, work had been undertaken to help secure his for the Island.