GOV UPDATE – 8th JAN 2021

HOWARD, DR HENRIETTA, ALF (TREASURY MIN)

WELL GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE

THANKS FOR TUNING IN

DAY 2 OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE

ALF IS HERE TO UPDATE YOU ON THE WORK UNDERWAY TO SUPPORT WORKERS AND PROTECT THE ECONOMY

NUMBERS

ACTIVE CASES = 18

2 NEW POSITIVE RESULTS

BOTH DAY 1 ARRIVAL RESULTS FROM RETURNING TRAVELLERS

206 RESULTS IN THE LAST 24 HOURS

EXPECT TO COMPLETE TRUTH WINE BAR CONTACT TRACING TESTS THIS WEEKEND

HOWARD ON VACCINATIONS

A LARGE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS REMAIN, WE DON’T HAVE ALL OF THE ANSWERS YET

ASHFORD WILL BE BACK WITH ANOTHER DETAILED VAX UPDATE NEXT WEEK

VACCINATION INVITES HAVE GONE OUT EVERYONE 80+

ALF *REMOVES MASK*

WE HAVE IMMEDIATELY REOPENED SALARY SUPPORT AND MERA

IN PREV LOCKDOWN BOTH SCHEMES SUPPORTED THOUSANDS

SALARY SUPPORT OPEN TO ALL BUSINESS SECTORS THAT WERE ABLE TO CLAIM LAST TIME AROUND METHOD OF CLAIMING REMAINS THE SAME AS WELL AS THE CASH ON OFFER – UP TO £280 PER WEEK FOR FULL TIME STAFF

APPLICATIONS CAN BE MADE ONLINE

MERA WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE MADE REDUNDANT, SELF EMPLOYED OR ARE ON NIL PLAY- £200 PER WEEK

SOME MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR JOB SEEKERS INSTEAD

ANYONE WHO STRUGGLES APPLYING ONLINE – CALL 648125

IF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WORKS THEN THE TOTAL COST OF SUPPORT SCHEMES WILL BE BETWEEN 8 AND 10 MILLION

DISRUPTION LOAN SCHEME STILL AVAILABLE THROUGH ISLAND BANKS

VAT TEAM WILL LISTEN TO YOU IF YOU NEED TO DELAY PAYMENTS

I KNOW YOU WANT TO GET BACK WORKING AND EARNING ASAP BUT WE NEED TO GET THE VIRUS UNDER CONTROL THEN WE CAN START GETTING TRADES ETC BACK TO WORK

TRUSTING THAT SHORT SHARP ACTION NOW WILL DEAL WITH THE SITUATION

THE HEALTH OF THE NATION IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO THE ECONOMY

BY STICKING TO THE RULES YOU ARE PROTECTING LIVES, JOBS AND BUSINESSES

SUPPORT LOCAL WHERE YOU CAN

WE MUST BE A COMMUNITY WORKING TOGETHER WITH A COMMON GOAL

HOWARD

CHILDCARE – FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS, THEY CAN BE CARED FOR BY OTHERS – BUT FOLLOW THE RULES

CHILDREN OF DIVORCED OR SEPARATED PARENTS CAN GO BETWEEN HOUSEHOLDS

PEOPLE PROVIDING CARE TO OTHERS – YOU CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE CARE (SHOPPING, HOUSEHOLD HELP) AS LONG AS SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT

PATIENT TRANSFERS – THERE IS A PROCESS FOR PATIENT TRANSFERS TO RETURN TO THEIR HOUSEHOLD IF THERE IS A CLINICAL NEED. TEAM CAN HELP WITH ADVICE

KEEP CHECKING THE WEBSITE, LOADS OF INFO ON IT

CALL COMMUNITY SUPPORT 686262 FOR GENERAL QUESTIONS (NOT 111)

CONSTRUCTION SITES NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES – ENFORCEMENT TEAMS ARE NOW ACTIVE

MESSAGE IS CLEAR – STAY AT HOME

UK NEGATIVE TEST FOR TRAVEL – WE ARE ON THE TRAVEL CORRIDOR LIST SO RESTRICTIONS DO NOT APPLY TO US

ADVICE REMAINS THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT TRAVEL OFF ISLAND ATM

QUESTIONS

JOSH: LOCKDOWN COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF WE TESTING WAS MORE ROBUST…DO YOU WISH YOU HAD HAVE SPENT MORE?

ALF: WE MADE SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS AVAILABLE TO MEET GOVERNMENT NEED. WE’VE PROVIDED ALL OF THE FUNDS NECESSARY IN LINE WITH PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY. TREASURY DON’T SET THE POLICY, THEY JUST PAY FOR IT

HQ: IMPLEMENTED DAY 1 AND 13 AT THE SAME TIME AS GSY. DON’T WANT THERE TO BE ANY IMPRESSION THAT TREASURY HELD UP PAYMENT, FULL SUPPORT WAS THERE

JOSH: IF THE IOM DOESN’T REACH LOCAL ELIMINATION, WILL WE STAY IN LOCKDOWN UNTIL WE GET TO 0 ACTIVE CASES?

HQ: CONCERN IS COMMUNITY CASES, ATM WE HAVEN’T HAD ANY IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. IF WE DON’T HAVE COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION WE CAN OPEN UP.

JOSH: WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE A FORM OF LOCKDOWN WHILE THE VULNERABLE ARE VACCINATED?

HQ: STAFF HAVE PPE ETC, BUSINESS AS USUAL

JOSH: WHAT IS NEEDED TO GET OUT OF LOCKDOWN?

HQ: IF WE GET 14 CLEAR DAYS WITHOUT COMMUNITY SPREAD, WE MIGHT START LIFTING RESTRICTIONS

SIMON: ARE YOU GONNA TAP INTO THE £250 MILLION POT?

ALF: WE DON’T ENVISAGE GOING INTO IT. PEOPLE ARE PAYING INTO THE TREASURY THIS TIME OF YEAR. ECONOMY HAS BROADLY PERFORMED WELL EXCEPT FOR FEW SECTORS WHICH WE HAVE SPECIAL SCHEMES FOR – TOURISM AND ACCOMMODATION.

HOPING WE’LL GET OURSELVES OUT OF THIS LOCKDOWN IN QUICK TIME AND REGAIN CONTROL. THEN WE CAN START GETTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK

SIMON: ARE THERE THINGS THAT TREASURY HAVE LEARNED FROM LOCKDOWN 1.0 TO IMPROVE?

ALF: SALARY SUPPORT AND MERA WORKED WELL, SUPPORTED THOUSANDS. WE DIDN’T GET THE DRASTIC SPIKE OF UNEMPLOYMENT WE EXPECTED.

HAPPY WITH WHAT WE DID LAST TIME. AND SO TURNED THE SCHEMES BACK ON IMMEDIATELY.

RICHARD: IS IT STILL THE CASE THAT THERE IS NO LINK BETWEEN NYE AND TRUTH?

HQ: ASSURED THAT THERE IS NO LINK. IF DATA CHANGES WE’LL UPDATE YOU.

RICHARD: HAS CONTACT TRACING FINISHED ON THE NYE CASES?

DR H: CONTACT TRACING HAS FINISHED, PEOPLE ARE IN SELF ISO WITH HOUSEHOLDS. INITIAL TESTS ARE COMPLETE, NO FURTHER POSITIVES IDENTIFIED. BUT WE NEED TO COMPLETE THE INCUBATION PERIOD TO BE 100%

RICHARD: UK PRESS EXCITED ABOUT THE ARTHRITIS DRUG. HAVE WE GOT SUPPLIES OF THE DRUG?

DR H: THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR HEALTH DEPT, WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME INFO AND IT HAS BEEN SHARED SO EXPECT THEM TO BE LOOKING AT IT

AL BELL: HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE YOU TESTNG IN COMMUNITY VS RETURNING TRAVELLERS?

DR H: DON’T HAVE THE BREAKDOWN AS THERE ARE VARIOUS DIFFERENT PATHWAYS. CALL 111 IF YOU HAVE A COUGH, FEVER OR CHANGE IN TASTE / SMELL.

AL BELL: SHOULD WE BE DOING MORE SURVEILLANCE TESTING?

DR H: NOT USEFUL AS CASE NUMBERS ARE SO LOW, NO EVIDENCE OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION. CAN CAUSE ISSUES WITH FALSE POSITIVES.

AL BELL: POTENTIAL BENEFIT IS THAT YOU MIGHT PICK UP MORE CASES THO?

DR H: â…“ OF PEOPLE REMAIN ASYMPTOMATIC. YOU STILL WON’T GET TO THE PEOPLE WHO DON’T WANT TO COME FORWARD

AL BELL: WHY ARE YOU PUSHING SOME PEOPLE INTO JOB SEEKERS?

ALF: IF PEOPLE ARE ABSOLUTELY DESPERATE FOR MONEY THEN JOB SEEKERS IS AN AVENUE TO ACCESS CASH QUICKLY. MERA WILL PAYOUT FROM 2 WEEKS ON MONDAY.

AL BELL: YOU ARE ASKING SELF EMPLOYED PEOPLE TO BE PLAYED LESS?

ALF: PAYMENTS ARE BASED ON A RANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES. SOMETIMES JOB SEEKERS PAYS MORE THAN MERA

MERA IS A QUICK + SIMPLE £200 PER WEEK. WE ARE WORKING WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY. IT MAY BE THAT WE CAN START GETTING SOME TRADES AND PROFESSIONS BACK BEFORE THE 21 DAYS. WE WILL BE REVIEWING SITUATION AGAIN NEXT WEEK

SAM: WHAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IS ON OFFER FOR FAMILIES WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH HEATING, LIGHTING AND OTHER WINTER COSTS?

ALF: FAMILIES SHOULD CONTACT SOCIAL SECURITY IF THEY ARE STRUGGLING, THAT’S WHAT THEY ARE THERE FOR. PEOPLE MUST SPEAK TO SOCIAL SECURITY

SAM: YOU MENTIONED THAT WE MIGHT OPEN UP EARLIER, WHAT MIGHT IT LOOK LIKE?

HQ: WE MIGHT FOLLOW A SIMILAR PATTERN TO LAST TIME WITH A PHASED RETURN. EARLY DAYS, BUT THINGS ARE LOOKING UP

ROB: YOU’VE CALLED FOR PATIENCE OVER SALARY SUPPORT APPLICATIONS. WHAT ARE YOU PUTTING IN PLACE TO ENSURE THERE ARE NO DELAYS?

ALF: BUSINESSES SHOULD KNOW WHAT TO DO THIS TIME AND HAVE SPREADSHEETS READY. WE’LL REFUND APPROPRIATE AMOUNTS ASAP

TIM: YOU COULD BE USING A LOCAL SUPPLIER (DR G OBVS) FOR THE GENOME TESTING TO GET RESULTS MORE QUICKLY?

HQ: WE’VE NEVER DID THIS LOCALLY, NO PLANS TO CHANGE

PAUL: WEEKS GONE BY AND WE STILL DON’T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE NEW VARIANT? *VERY* IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT WE DON’T HAVE?

HQ: LIVERPOOL WERE SHUT OVER BANK HOL. IT IS WHAT IT IS. THIS VARIANTS DON’T MAKE IT WORSE FROM A HEALTH POINT OF VIEW.

DR H: WE’VE BEEN THROUGH IT BEFORE. THE GENETIC VARIANT DOES NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE TO THE MANAGEMENT OF CLUSTERS AND OUTBREAKS.

PAUL: QUEENSLAND GOT THE UK VARIANT AND WENT INTO A LOCKDOWN BECAUSE IT IS MORE INFECTIOUS…

HQ: WE INTRODUCED DAY 1 AND DAY 13 TEST TO MANAGE IT

PAUL: COULD LOCKDOWN REDUCE TO 14 DAYS IF WE DON’T DETECT THE UK VARIANT?

HQ: NEVER SAY NEVER. WE MIGHT LESSEN IT BUT DECISION WILL BE MADE NEARER THE TIME. NOT GOING TO MAKE PROMISES THAT WE CAN’T COMMIT TO

CLOSING

SEE YOU AGAIN ON MONDAY

STAY HOME / WEAR A FACE COVERING / MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS