IOM GOV BRIEFING – 28th FEB

HQ, DAVID, DR HENNY

SORRY FOR CANCELLING ALL OF YOUR SATURDAY PLANS & EVENTS

HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WAS HEAVILY IMPACTED YESTERDAY TOO

I WANT TO CLARIFY A POINT THAT I MADE YESTERDAY. WHEN I SAID THERE WASN’T SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES WHO CLOSED, I MEANT *NEW* SUPPORT.

SALARY SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE FOR FEB

THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY GROUP WILL MONITOR THE IMPACTS OF THE DECISIONS WE HAVE MADE

YESTERDAY

THE EVIDENCE WAS NOT CONCLUSIVE

WE NEEDED TO CARRY ON TEST AND TRACE

WE WANTED TO IDENTIFY HIGH-RISK CONTACTS – WE’VE NOW DONE THAT

NUMBERS

TOTAL TESTS: 32873

CONCLUDED TESTS: 32850

PEOPLE AWAITING RESULTS: 23

TOTAL NUMBER OF NEW CASES IN 24 HOURS: 0

ACTIVE CASES: 48

HOSPITAL ADMISSION: 1

DR HENNY

ONGOING CLUSTER LINKED TO STEAM PACKET – NO NEW CASES LINKED.

BUT THE TWO NEW CASES ARE UNEXPLAINED – NO CLEAR LINK TO OG CLUSTER

STEAM PACKET IS NOT THE ONLY TRANSMISSION CHAIN OUT THERE, THESE TWO UNEXPLAINED CASES COULD HAVE BEEN FROM A RETURNING TRAVELLER OR ANOTHER WAY.

WE HAVE MISSING LINKS

WE CAN’T BE COMPLETELY CLEAR THAT THERE AREN’T ANY CASES OUT THERE

CAN’T BE COMPLETELY CLEAR THERE AREN’T OTHER SOURCES IN COMMUNITY BUT WE’RE NOT SEEING ANY NEW CASES COMING THROUGH TRACING.

CONTACT TRACING HAS IDENTIFIED NO NEW POSITIVE CASES, THEY’RE NOT A RISK SO THAT’S GOOD NEWS

NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THINGS

HQ

PEOPLE RELATED TO TWO POSITIVES ARE NEGATIVE

WE’RE OPTIMISTIC AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THERE’S BEEN NO TRANSMISSION FROM THESE CASES

COMIN CHATTED TODAY AND WE HAVE DECIDED THAT LIFE CAN OPEN AS USUAL

BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITCH

OVER THE NEXT WEEK OR SO WE NEED TO STAY VIGILANT – THINGS COULD CHANGE

JUST BECAUSE WE’RE NOT LOCKING DOWN TODAY DOESN’T MEAN WE WON’T NEED TO DO IT AGAIN AT SHORT NOTICE

BUSINESSES – THANKS & BE PREPARED

WE THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT APPROACH FOR THE MO

SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING ABOUT SOCIAL DISTANCING AND FACE COVERINGS – BUT WERE NOT GOING TO INSIST ON THIS, PERSONAL CHOICE.

VAX UPDATE

UK ARE GOING TO UP THEIR VACCINES

WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH THEM AND WE MAY GET AN UPTAKE

WE WILL LET YOU KNOW MORE WHEN WE KNOW

84% PRIORITY GROUPS HAVE HAD 1ST DOSE

OVER 80S, CARE AND HEALTH STAFF

OVER 70S ARE NOW GETTING JABBED

VAX PROGRAMME – CLOSER TO END GOAL

DAVID

MARCH – UPTICK IN DELIVERY SCHEDULES

GOOD NEWS – WE MAY GET MORE VACCINES

THE LAST OF THE OVER 70 LETTERS WILL GO OUT NEXT WEEK

65 – 69 LETTERS WILL START TO GO OUT FOR THEIR JABS

APRIL 19TH AIM TO HAVE OVER 50S HAVE AT LEAST FIRST JAB

NOBLES HOSPITAL WILL CARRY ON WITH PPE – NORMAL IN HEALTH CARE

ONE PERSON FROM THE STEAM PACKET CLUSTER HAS BEEN ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL

VISITING RESTRICTIONS WILL BE LIMITED AT NOBLES

HEALTH AND CARE SETTINGS WILL LIMIT VISITATIONS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

QUESTIONS

SAM – BUSINESS SUPPORT, BUSINESSES HAVE LOST MONEY, BOOKINGS, FOOD. WILL THEY BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR SUPPORT FROM ECONOMIC RECOVERY FUND?

HQ – IF THEY CAN SHOW THEIR INCOME IS DOWN 25% IN A MONTH THEN THEY ARE QUALIFIED FOR BUSINESS SUPPORT

SAM – INCREASE IN NHS VACCINES, DO WE KNOW HOW MANY WE WILL GET YET?

DAVID – DON’T KNOW YET, BUT READY TO STEP UP.

PAUL – WELL HAPPY BIRTHDAY HQ

HQ – CHEERS, WHAT A WAY TO SPEND IT, WITH THE PRESS

PAUL – HAVING A PARTY?

HQ – NAH

PAUL – WE HAD DEFINED PROTOCOLS ON UNEXPLAINED CASES, SEEMS DIFFERENT THIS TIME, WHAT ARE THE NEW PROTOCOLS AND WHAT VARIANT WE GOT?

HQ – WE’RE LEARNING AS WE GO ALONG, WE’RE TRYING TO LOOK AT THIS BY A CASE BY CASE BASIS, TRYING TO BE AS FLEXIBLE AS POSSIBLE. I KNOW THE HURT THIS CAN CAUSE FOR BUSINESSES, MENTAL HEALTH, SCHOOLS ETC. TRYING TO BE AS REALISTIC AS POSSIBLE.

DAVID – A WEEK IS A LONG TIME IN POLITICS PAUL ESPECIALLY IN A PANDEMIC. BACK IN JAN, WE HAD HIGH-RISK CASES AND SECONDARY LINKS. WE HAVE TO BE PROPORTIONATE TO THE RISKS. SITUATION IS VERY DIFFERENT NOW.

DR HENNY – THE VARIANT RESULTS CAME IN YESTERDAY ON CASES UPTO 22ND FEB, ALL KENT VARIANTS FROM STEAM PACKET CLUSTER AND RETURNING TRAVELLERS. WE DON’T KNOW IF THESE TWO UNEXPLAINED CASES ARE KENT VARIANTS YET.

PAUL – HAS IT BEEN THIRD TIME LUCKY?

HQ – YEAH KINDA BUT ARE CONTACT TRACING TEAM ARE BOSS.

PAUL – ENQUIRY FOR STEAM PACKET HAS TAKEN PLACE, WILL IT BE MADE PUBLIC?

HQ – WE’VE COME UP WITH A SOLUTION WITH TESTING AND VAXXING STAFF AND WEARING PPE.

DR HENNY – WE CAN REDUCE RISK BUT WE CAN’T ELIMINATE IT. THERE IS A REMAINING RISK THAT WE WILL SEE IT AGAIN, GOTTA LIVE WITH IT.

RICHARD BUTT – THE TWO CASES, ARE THEY FROM THE SAME HOUSEHOLD? HOW MANY TEST AND TRACES SINCE THESE TWO CASES?

DR HENNY – NO, THERE IS NO KNOWN LINK BETWEEN THEM.

HQ – DO YOU KNOW THE NUMBER OF CASES?

DR HENNY – WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THESE TWO CASES, THEIR CONTACTS HAVE BEEN TRACED, I CANNOT GIVE YOU THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT ALL CAME BACK NEGATIVE

RICHARD BUTT – IS THIS A DOZEN OF CONTACTS?

DR HENNY – I KNOW THERE WERE FEWER PEOPLE TO TEST AS THEY DIDN’T GO OUT AND PARTY

RICHARD BUTT – CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CHANGED, WE’VE HAD MORE PEOPLE VAXXED. DOES THIS MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN COMIN DECIDE ON THINGS?

HQ – NOT REALLY, LOOKING AT ELIMINATION ATM, ONCE YOU GET THE VULNERABLE PROTECTED, YOU CAN TAKE INTO ACCOUNT LIVING WITH THE VIRUS INSTEAD OF ELIMINATING IT.

JOSH – WHAT IS THE PLAN IF MORE CASES EMERGE?

HQ – THE NUMBER AND SEVERITY OF THE SITCH, DEPENDS ON HOW WE DEAL WITH IT.

DR HENNY – OBVS, UNEXPLAINED CASES NOT GOOD. IF WE SEE MORE OF THEM THEN WE WILL BE MORE CONCERNED AND MAY HAVE TO RAMP UP RESPONSE LEVELS. BUT DEPENDS ON NATURE OF CASES AND IF THEY REALLY ARE UNEXPLAINED AFTER TRACING.

JOSH – STEAM PACKET, WERE ANY LAWS BROKEN OVER THE LAST 11 MONTHS? WHEN PEOPLE ON ISLAND HAVE BEEN GOING TO PRISON FOR BREAKING RULES?

HQ – THE STEAM PACKET THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY OFF ISLAND STAFF WHO HAD TO ISOLATE. BIG MISUNDERSTANDING, NO CRIMINAL WRONGDOING, WE’VE NOW COME UP WITH AN UNDERSTANDING.

JOSH – WILL THIS REVIEW BE MADE PUBLIC AT ALL?

HQ – HAPPY TO LEAVE IT FOR NOW IT WAS JUST A BIG MISUNDERSTANDING. WE NEED THEM.

ROB – THE TWO CASES ARE UNEXPLAINED AND YOU’RE ASKING PEOPLE TO BE READY, BUT NOW YOU’RE SAYING GO BACK TO NORMAL. WHAT’S THE CRAIC?

HQ – CONTACTS HAVE COME BACK NEGATIVE, THEY’RE IN ISO. IT’S LOOKING POSITIVE NEED TO MONITOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. ASKING PEOPLE TO BE VIGILANT. WE CAN’T GO SHUTTING DOWN THE ISLAND EVERY TIME THERE’S A CASE.

DAVID – THIS IS INLINE WITH THE PROTOCOLS THAT WE’VE HAD THE WHOLE TIME, THE LEVELS AND INFO IS AVAILABLE ON THE GOV WEBSITE. WE WANT TO PREVENT ONWARD TRANSMISSION. WE’RE CONFIDENT WE HAVE STOPPED THAT, BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A RISK, BUT WE BELIEVE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ATM.

ROB – SCHOOLS ARE OPENING TOMORROW, BUT PEOPLE MAY BE NERVOUS ABOUT IT?

HQ – WE’RE CONFIDENT THAT IT’S SAFE TO DO SO. WE’VE TESTED AND ISOLATED THE TWO PEOPLE AND PEOPLE SHOULD CARRY ON WITH THEIR LIVES.

TIM – SCHOOLS, PARENTS HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH, SCHOOL ATTENDANCE LAST WEEK WAS LOWER THAN IT SHOULD BE. SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE HIGH-RISK DON’T WANT TO SEND KIDS TO SCHOOL. WILL THERE BE ANY OPTIONS FOR STAYING AT HOME?

HQ – NO BUSINESS AS USUAL.

DAVID – WE HAVE NO CONCERNS AROUND SCHOOLS. EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT AND WE WOULD ONLY MAKE DECISIONS ON SCHOOLS, ONLY IF WE HAVE TOO. THE EVIDENCE WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US SAYS THAT SCHOOL IS SAFE.

TIM – DAVID, WE HAVE THE KENT VARIANT AND IT’S MORE TRANSMISSIBLE. YOU’VE GOT PPE IN HOSPITAL, DON’T YOU THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO ADVISE PEOPLE TO WEAR FACE COVERINGS?

DAVID – PPE IN HOSPITAL IS MEDICAL GRADE, IT’S A SENSIBLE THING TO HAVE IN HEALTH CARE SETTINGS. FACE COVERINGS IN PUBLIC ARE PERSONAL CHOICE.

ALEX – STEAM PACKET, HQ YOU SAID IT WAS A GENUINE MISUNDERSTANDING SURELY THERE HAS TO BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY? IT’S CREATED A CLUSTER.

HQ – IT’S NOT A BLACK AND WHITE SITUATION. NO CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE. I’M HAPPY TO DRAW A LINE UNDER IT. WE’VE BEEN REASSURED WITH THE NEW PROTOCOLS IN PLACE. I DON’T WANT ANY WITCH HUNTS.

ALEX – RULES NEED TO BE BLACK AND WHITE THO?

HQ – YEAH, BUT STEAM PACKET FOLLOWED RULES FOR ENGLISH CREWS. BUT MISUNDERSTANDING FOR MANX CREWS. I’VE TAKEN ADVICE IF THERE IS ANY PROSECUTION FOR THIS AND THE COMPUTER SAID NO. SO NO FURTHER ACTION.

ALEX – SO THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER ACTION?

HQ – UNLESS EVIDENCE COMES THAT BLOWS A HOLE IN WHAT WE KNOW SOME FAR, THEN NO FURTHER ACTION

ALEX – OK LET’S MOVE ON THEN… BUSINESSES CLOSED YESTERDAY BUT SOME PLACES STAYED OPEN AND WERE BUSY YESTERDAY AND TODAY. WILL YOU GIVE THE BUSINESSES WHO CLOSED ANY REASSURANCE THAT THIS WON’T HAPPEN AGAIN?

HQ – WELL I CAN’T, AS WE MAY BE IN THIS SITUATION AGAIN OR A WORSE. BUT WE COULDN’T TAKE ANY CHANCES YESTERDAY. WE HAVE BUSINESS SUPPORT OUT THERE.

DAVID – WE COULDN’T MAKE IT LEGAL, TOO MUCH PAPERWORK TO DO YESTERDAY. I THINK WE MADE THE CORRECT DECISION TO ASK BUSINESSES TO CLOSE.

HQ – WHILST IT WAS MOST REGRETTABLE TO DO THAT YESTERDAY, BUSINESSES HAVE HAD 8 MONTHS OF UNINTERRUPTED BUSINESS.

SIMON – PUBLIC OPINION HAS CHANGED AND STEAM PACKET HAS DENTED THE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN YOU GUYS. PLACES WE’RE STILL BUSY YESTERDAY, PEOPLE OUT AND ABOUT. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

HQ – WE ASKED PEOPLE TO STAY HOME. THERE WAS NO LEGAL ENFORCEMENT BUT IMAGINE THEY WOULD HAVE COMPLIED. WE HAVE MASS PUBLIC SUPPORT IN THIS ADMINISTRATION. REMEMBER WE HAVE HAD A BETTER TIME THAN UK. I DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE ISLAND NOT WHAT MAKES ME POPULAR.

SIMON – DAVID, YOU SAID YOU WOULD RAMP UP TO 7 DAYS ON THE VAX ROLLOUT?

DAVID – YEAH THAT MIGHT HAPPEN, MARCH WILL BE A BIG MONTH FOR US. WE WILL SEE HIGH DELIVERIES SO WE WILL HAVE TO GO UPTO 7 DAYS A WEEK.

CLOSING

NEXT WEEK WE SHOULD BE SHOWING YOU OUR EXIT PLAN

REMEMBER BASICS

CALL 111 IF YOU GET SYMPTOMS

SHOUT OUT TO WILLIAM MAKIN, 8 YEARS OLD. SORRY FOR CANCELLING YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY.