HQ, ASHY & HENNY
UK UPDATE
THERE HAS BEEN A RAPID DETERIORATION REGARDING THE UK’S COVID SITUATION
THEY’RE AT THEIR HIGHEST DAILY TOTAL OF CASES
TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN UK TO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE REACHED 2M ON WEDNESDAY
ON MON 14TH DEC THERE WAS A NEW, MORE CONTAGIOUS STRAIN OF COVID ANNOUNCED- THOUGH THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT IT MAKES YOU MORE ILL OR THAT THE VACCINE WON’T WORK
THE STRAIN HAS SPREAD ACROSS THE UK AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO OVERWHELM THE NHS
THE NEW STRAIN IS UPTO 70% MORE CONTAGIOUS
ON SAT, BORIS ANNOUNCED A TIER 4 FOR LONDON AND PARTS OF THE SOUTHEAST
WALES ENTERED LOCKDOWN SATURDAY
SCOTLAND AND IRELAND WILL ENTER LOCKDOWN ON BOXING DAY
TRAVEL WITHIN UK IS RESTRICTED
THERE IS SERIOUS CONCERN WITHIN THE SCIENCE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE NEW STRAIN
VIRUSES NATURALLY MUTATE WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE TO TAKE FLU JABS EVERY YEAR
UK HAS A PRETTY STRONG GENOMICS COMMUNITY
HENNY
UK HAS A SOPHISTICATED GENOMICS SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM
MUTATIONS HAPPEN WITH VIRUSES
THIS NEW MUTATION IS MORE CONCERNING, THE VARIANT HAS 14 SEPARATE MUTATIONS WHICH IS MANY MORE THAN USUAL STRAINS. SEVEN OF THE MUTATIONS SIT ON THE SPIKE PROTEIN. THE SPIKE PROTEIN IS THE ONE THAT STICKS ONTO HUMAN CELLS WHICH MAKES IT MORE CONTAGIOUS
SO FAR THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST IT’S MORE DEADLY
THE NEW VARIANT APPEARS TO INFECT CHILDREN MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS STRAIN
THIS NEW STRAIN COULD HAVE IMPLICATIONS ON HOW SCHOOLS ARE RUN
IT WILL ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL WE SEE THE VARIANT STRAIN HERE
IT’LL BE A BIGGER RISK TO US BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE SOCIAL DISTANCING RULES
THIS IS WHY IT’S IMPORTANT THAT YOU MUST ISOLATE IF YOU’VE BEEN ASKED TO
IT’LL ONLY TAKE ONE PERSON TO SEE A RESURGENCE ON THE ISLAND
TRAVEL
COMIN HAVE CONSIDERED THE RISKS THIS POSES TO PUBLIC HEALTH. AS SUCH, THEY HAVE TAKEN THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS:
LEVEL 4
THERE WILL BE NO RETURN TO LEVEL 5 AT THIS STAGE
ALL CATEGORIES OF EXCEPTIONS HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED EXCEPT FOR:
-
MAINTENANCE OF CRITICAL SERVICES
-
SECURING HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE SERVICES
-
CIRCUMSTANCES OF PUBLIC INTEREST
THERE WILL BE NO EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES GRANTED OUTSIDE THE ABOVE CATEGORIES.
CERTIFICATES OF COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED
CERTIFICATES ALREADY GRANTED WILL BE HONOURED
KEY WORKERS
FROM TOMORROW ALL THOSE ARRIVING TO THE ISLAND WILL BE TESTED
OUTDOOR EXERCISE
FROM TOMORROW, OUTDOOR EXERCISE NO LONGER ALLOWED FOR PEOPLE SELF-ISOLATING
NEW TESTING
NEW TESTING WILL REQUIRE PEOPLE ENTERING THE ISLAND TO BE TESTED ON DAY ONE OF ISOLATION AND DAY 13
IF YOU TEST NEGATIVE ON DAY 13, YOU WILL BE ALLOWED OUT OF ISOLATION ON DAY 14
IF YOU TEST POSITIVE ON DAY 13, YOUR ISOLATION WILL BE EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER 14 DAYS
TESTING WILL COST THE INDIVIDUAL £50
IF YOU DON’T WANT A TEST, YOU HAVE TO ISOLATE FOR 21 DAYS
NEW POLICES:
IF YOU ARE ALREADY ON THE ISLAND, THE ISOLATION RULES DO NOT CHANGE
HOPE THIS IS SHORT TERM: COMIN WILL REVIEW IN TWO WEEKS
IF YOU HAVE TRAVEL PLANS: REVIEW THEM AND ONLY TRAVEL IF NECESSARY
OUR BORDERS ARE OUR BIGGEST LINE OF DEFENCE
FOOD SUPPLIES
CLOSING OF THE FRENCH BORDER HAS AFFECTED THE FLOW OF GOODS INTO THE UK
WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE UK
FOOD FOR XMAS IS ALREADY HERE OR AT THE DEPOT: “YOUR CHRISTMAS DINNER IS SAFE”
THERE IS NO NEED TO PANIC BUY
IN THE COMING WEEKS, SUPPLIES OF SALAD, CITRUS AND SOME SEASONAL FRUIT AND VEG MAY BE AFFECTED
THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF FOOD AND SUPPLIES SO THINK RESPONSIBLY
VACCINE UPDATE
PROGRAMME TO START 4TH JANUARY
THIS IS NOT A RACE SO IT’S IMPORTANT NOT TO RUSH
THIS IS A MEDICAL PROCEDURE AND WE WANT TO GET IT RIGHT
IT SHOULD NOT BE TREATED ANY DIFFERENTLY THAN ANY OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM
QNS
SAM – FASTYR MIE, LOTS TO TAKE IN. BORDER TESTING WILL BE AT THE SAME TIME OF VACCINATIONS HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU ABOUT ALL THIS EXTRA WORK?
ASHY – WE WOULDN’T BE DOING IT IF WE WEREN’T CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN DELIVER
HQ – TESTING IS REMAINING AT THE GRANDSTAND, WE’VE BEEN LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL TESTING AND HAVE BEEN PLANNING THIS FOR A WHILE
SAM – CHARGE £50 FOR TWO TESTS – WILL THIS INCLUDE PEOPLE IN PATIENT TRANSFER?
HQ – PEOPLE TRAVELLING FOR MEDICAL REASONS WON’T BE CHARGED. THE TAXPAYER HAS LOST MONEY FROM COVID SO IF PEOPLE CHOOSE TO TRAVEL THEY CAN PAY FOR THE TEST.
LEANNE – IF THE NEW VARIANT TRAVELS TO THE ISLAND, WITH CHILDREN BE AFFECTED, WILL IT CHANGE HOW YOU WILL ROLL OUT THE VACCINE?
ASHY – IT’LL EFFECT THEM THE SAME AS ADULTS BUT NOT HIGH RISK IT’S JUST BECAUSE CHILDREN MIX MORE
HENNY – VACCINE IS TO PREVENT SERIOUS ILLNESS AND DEATH. THE NEW VARIANT DOESN’T MAKE PEOPLE MORE ILL SO IT WON’T AFFECT THE VACCINE ROLL OUT.
LEANNE 2ND QN – HOW WILL IT AFFECT STUDENTS?
HQ – IF THE UK STILL HAS TIER 4 THEN THEIR TRAVEL MIGHT BE RESTRICTED BUT WE DON’T KNOW HOW ARE STUDENTS WILL BE AFFECTED YET.
WE ARE REVIEWING EVERYTHING IN TWO WEEKS
PAUL – WHY AREN’T YOU TESTING AT POINT OF ENTRY INSTEAD OF GRANDSTAND?
HQ – THAT’S A GOOD POINT PAUL
HENNY – YES IT IS, BUT IT’S BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE THE TIME TO SET UP AND BUILD A SAFE FACILITY AT THE PORTS. BETTER TO MANAGE AND SWAB AT THE GRANDSTAND
HQ – VERY SLICK OPERATION AT THE GRANDSTAND
ASHY – IF WE WERE DOING IT AT THE PORTS THAT WOULD CREATE THREE DIFFERENT SWABBING TEAMS IT WOULD MEAN PULLING STAFF FROM ELSEWHERE WHICH WOULD MEAN SUSPENDING OTHER DAY TO DAY HEALTH CARE WHICH WE DON’T WANT TO DO.
HQ – THIS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY MEASURE
SIMON – WITH 14 MUTATIONS WITHIN THE NEW VARIANT WHAT IF IT CHANGES AND IT MAKES THE VACCINE NO USE?
HENNY – FORTUNATELY THE VACCINES CAN BE TWEAKED IF IT CHANGES, LIKE THE ANNUAL FLU VACCINE
SIMON – WILL THIS AFFECT THE PROTOCOLS AT HOSPITAL?
ASHY – NO IT SHOULDN’T AS IT’S NOT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY IF IT DOES THEN IT WILL HAVE TO CHANGE
IF YOU DO HAVE COVID-19 SYMPTOMS STAY HOME, DON’T GO TO A&E AND CALL 111
TIM – WE’RE GETTING COMMENTS THAT YOU’RE NOT BEING CAUTIOUS ENOUGH. EVERY OTHER COUNTRY IS CANCELLING UK TRAVEL AND THE UK IS DISCUSSING SCHOOL CLOSURES. WHAT WOULD MAKE IT LEVEL FIVE HERE?
HQ – WE WILL REVIEW IN TWO WEEKS AND WE ARE INTRODUCING MORE MEASURES, SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED MONITORING IF THAT’S FELT NOT TO BE ENOUGH THEN WE WILL MAKE CHANGES BUT WE DIDN’T WANT TO HAVE A KNEE JERK REACTION
TIM – HOW WILL WE KNOW IF THE NEW STRAIN IS ON THE ISLAND?
ASHY – WE STILL HAVE ACCESS TO TEST WHAT STRAIN WE HAVE
HENNY – WE WOULD NEED TO SEND TO UK GENOMICS FOR TESTING AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPLORE ACCESS TO THAT FROM THOSE NETWORKS
ADRIAN – THE CHANGES TO KEY WORKER EXEMPTIONS ARE THEY BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE GRANTED EXEMPTIONS WHEN THEY WEREN’T HERE FOR MATTERS OF GENUINE NATIONAL IMPORTANCE?
HQ – IT’S NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT, IT’S PURELY BECAUSE OF THE NEW MUTATION OF THE VIRUS WE WANT TO TIGHTEN UP AND STAY BUSINESS AS USUAL.
ADRIAN – THERE WILL BE FAMILIES WHO HAVE GONE AWAY FOR CHRISTMAS, HOW WILL THEY BE AFFECTED?
HQ – THEY CAN GET HOME BUT THEY WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE TEST ON DAY 1 AND DAY 13. A LOCAL CHARITY HAS SAID THEY WILL HELP OUT IF THEY ARE IN DIFFICULTY PAYING.
ALEX – HOW DO YOU DEFINE A KEY WORKER WITH PUBLIC INTEREST?
HQ – MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. DEFINITIONS WILL BE PUBLISHED ON OUR WEBSITE. POWER STATION ETC. SADLY WE DON’T HAVE ALL THE SKILLS ON THE ISLE OF MAN
ALEX – HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME TO THE ISLAND FOR COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS?
ASHY – THE GENERAL AVERAGE HAS BEEN 80 APPLICATIONS A WEEK BEING APPROVED
JOSH – HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT MASK WEARING, SOCIAL DISTANCING COME INTO EFFECT IF THE STRAIN COMES TO THE ISLAND?
HENNY – WILL BE INTRODUCED WHEN WE HAVE COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION
WE MUST CONTINUE TESTING, IDENTIFICATION, WIDER TESTING, CONTAINMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION AND EXIT TESTING.
JOSH – HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO LEVEL 5? DO PEOPLE NEED TO RUSH BACK TO THE ISLAND?
HQ – WE WEREN’T CLOSE BUT I CAN’T SAY NEVER. WE WILL REVIEW IN TWO WEEKS. WE TRY OUR BEST TO GIVE NOTICE TO PEOPLE.
CLOSING
THE EVENTS OF THE PAST FEW DAYS HAVE BEEN A SERIES OF TWISTS AND TURNS
THE SUCCESS OF THE ISLAND IS DOWN TO YOU
