GOV UPDATE – 12th FEB 2021

HQ, DAVID AND DR HENNY

HQ 

I’M BACK

HOPE YOU HAVE BEEN ENJOYING FAMILY TIME

WE’VE HAD A LOT OF COVERAGE INTERNATIONALLY LATELY

REMEMBER IT’S IMPORTANT WE’RE NOT SEEN TO BE ARROGANT

BUT SOME HAVE SAID SEEING OUR ISLAND HAS GAVE THEM HOPE 

THE COVERAGE WAS DOWN TO YOU, THE GREAT MANX PUBLIC – YOU GOT US HERE

NUMBERS

TOTAL TESTS TAKEN: 29718

AWAITING RESULTS: 21

TOTAL ACTIVE CASES: 4

HOSPITAL: 1

NO NEW CASES

HQ

WE’VE ALL WORKED HARD TO GET WHERE WE ARE

BUT THERE IS STILL UNCERTAINTY AND INFECTION RATE AROUND UK IS STILL HIGH

THE NHS HAS DELIVERED AN IMPRESSIVE VAX PROGRAMME

BUT THERE IS STILL UNCERTAINTY OVER VARIANTS AND HOW THEY WILL AFFECT VACCINES 

WE ONLY WANT TO HAVE OUR MEASURES IN PLACE AS LONG AS NECESSARY, BORDERS WILL BE THE LAST THING TO CHANGE

SO THERE IS STILL SOME WAY TO GO BEFORE WE CAN OPEN BORDERS

BUT WE ARE WORKING TO FINALISE OUR FINAL APPROACH

WE AIM TO PUBLISH OUR STRATEGY AT THE END OF THE MONTH – BUT IT WON’T HAVE EXACT DATES

TWO AREAS WILL GUIDE US, UK INFECTION RATE AND VAX PROGRAMME

AS MORE PEOPLE GET VACCINATED WE HOPE THE INFECTION RATE WILL DROP DRAMATICALLY AND THE RISK OF COVID COMING TO THE ISLAND REDUCES

WINTER IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGING TIME FOR HOSPITALS

OUTBREAK OF COVID COULD RISK PUSHING IT TO THE EDGE

WE MUST PROTECT OUR NHS 

NEED TO SEE MOST VULNERABLE JABBED AND UK INFECTION RATE LOWER

CHANGE IN WEATHER WILL HELP TOO

WHEN RISK IS MANAGEABLE WE CAN MAKE CHANGES

BIG QUESTION OF WHEN IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ANSWER WITH MUCH CERTAINTY 

MANY FACTORS BEYOND OUR CONTROL

CAN’T MAKE PROMISES BUT SHARE HOPE

HOPE TO HAVE VACCINATED OVER 50 + AND CLINICALLY VULNERABLE BY END OF MAY

IF WE HAVE AND UK RATE IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER, COULD SEE CHANGE

FEELS LIKE THAT WILL BE THE MOMENT WHEN WE CAN CONSIDER MAKING BOLD STEPS

BUT IT’S AN ASPIRATION, MANY FACTORS BEYOND OUR CONTROL, NOTHING IS CERTAIN

DR HENNY

RATES ARE COMING DOWN IN THE UK

THE R NUMBER IS NOW BELIEVED TO BE UNDER ONE 

WHICH MEANS THE LOCKDOWN IS WORKING

THE NEW UK VARIANT (KENT VARIANT) IS NOW THE PREDOMINANT STRAIN

THE CONCERNS OVER THIS VARIANT IS BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN TRANSMISSIBILITY 

IT’S ENCOURAGING TO SEE LOCKDOWN MEASURES ARE WORKING

WE DISCOVERED TWO MORE CASES OF THE KENT STRAIN WERE DETECTED ON ISLAND FROM GENOMIC TESTING

THEY ARE FROM TRAVEL, IN ISO AND NO COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION

IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER TO STICK TO THE RULES WHEN YOU’VE BEEN TOLD TO ISOLATE

THE CURRENT VACCINES PROTECT YOU AGAINST KENT VARIANT

RECENTLY SOME DIFFERENCES HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THE KENT VARIANT

VARIANT: FORM OF VIRUS WHICH MAY CONTAIN MANY MUTATIONS

KENT VARIANT HAS ABOUT 23 DIFFERENT MUTATIONS

TO DATE, THIS HAS NOT CHANGED SPIKE PROTEIN WHICH IS THE MAIN TARGET OF THE VACCINES

SA VARIANT HAS A E484K MUTATION WHICH DOES CHANGE PROTEIN AND LOOKS LIKE IT MAKES THE VACCINE SLIGHTLY LESS EFFECTIVE

SOME SAMPLES OF KENT VARIANT ARE SHOWING THIS E484K

LINKED TO BRISTOL, SOUTHWEST AND NORTHWEST OF ENGLAND

THIS IS WHY SURGE TESTING IS BEING DONE THERE

• DOOR TO DOOR TESTING

• PEOPLE IN CERTAIN POSTCODES ASKED TO GET TESTED EVEN IF THEY SHOW NO SYMPTOMS

THIS IS SO THEY CAN CHECK THE STRAINS THAT ARE GOING ROUND

THE UK HAS CHANGED BORDER RESTRICTIONS WHICH INCLUDES HOTEL QUARANTINE, TO TRY AND STOP THE SA VARIANT COMING TO THE UK

WE NEED TO BE VIGILANT AS WE ARE LAST IN THE CHAIN OF TRANSPORT

PEOPLE TRAVELLING TO UK TO COME HERE NEED TO ISO IN UK AND THEN ISO HERE

VITAL WE KEEP THESE MUTATIONS OUT OF THE ISLAND

ULTIMATELY THE VACCINES WILL NEED TO BE TWEAKED DUE TO THESE NEW MUTATIONS

BUT KEY FOCUS IS TO START VARIANT GETTING INTO UK AND HERE

HQ

HENNY YOU’VE ROBBED SOME OF MY SPEECH!

UK BORDERS

REQUIREMENT HAS BEEN INTRODUCED FOR UK HOTEL QUARANTINES

IF SOMEONE IS COMING FROM IOM TO UK FROM RED LISTED LOCATIONS THEY NEED TO ISOLATE IN UK BEFORE COMING TO IOM AND THEN ISOLATE IN IOM TOO

BUT NO CHANGE BETWEEN TRAVEL FROM IOM TO UK

STRONGLY URGE YOU NOT TO TRAVEL UNLESS IT IS ESSENTIAL

DA VACCINES

11% OF GMP HAD 1ST DOSE

4% 2ND DOSE

LETTERS TO OVER 75S HAVE GONE OUT

LETTERS TO OVER 70S, CLINICALLY VULNERABLE AND THEIR CARERS HAVE STARTED TO GO OUT

THIS ROUND OF VACCINATIONS ALSO INCLUDES CARERS AND THEY WILL GET A SEPARATE LETTER

RAMSEY POP UP CLINIC WILL HAVE 210 PEOPLE BOOKED IN FOR VACCINES THIS WEEKEND – WEATHER DEPENDENT

THERE IS NO NEED TO TURN UP EARLY

YOU WILL BE VACCINATED IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE 210 BOOKED IN

CHESTER STREET HUB OPENING ON MONDAY WHICH IS TAKING OVER FROM NEWLANDS 

PEOPLE WHO WERE BOOKED FOR NEWLANDS WILL BE MOVED TO CHESTER TO HAVE THEIR JAB

THANKS TO THE PEOPLE WHO SET UP CHESTER STREET HUB

BEING VAXXED IS A FREE CHOICE

IF SOMEONE LACKS MENTAL CAPACITY TO GIVE CONSENT THEY CAN HAVE A JAB BUT DECISION NEEDS TO BE MADE BY GP

ONLY GPs

RESPONSIBILITY WILL BE GIVEN TO GPS TO DECIDE AS THEY KNOW THEIR PATIENTS AND HAVE CLINICAL AND ETHICAL TRAINING

PEOPLE WHO LACK MENTAL CONSENT WILL NEED TO SEE GP BEFORE BOOKING VACCINE

BEST INTEREST DECISIONS CAN’T BE MADE ON THE DAY AT THE HUB YOU NEED TO CONTACT GP

CONSENT FORMS

A RELATIVE CAN NOT SIGN CONSENT FORM ON SOMEONE’S BEHALF 

IF IT NEEDS TO BE SIGNED BY SOMEONE ELSE IT NEEDS TO BE BY THEIR GP

HQ

THANKS TO ALL OUR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

OVER 75% HAVE NOW HAD 1ST DOSE OF VACCINE

QUESTIONS

TIM: STEAM PACKET MEMBER TESTED POSITIVE, STAFF ARE CONCERNED. 

HQ – I CAN CONFIRM SOMEONE FROM UK, WORKING ON THE BEN HAS GOT COVID, 

CLOSE CONTACTS HAVE BEEN TESTED, 5 OF THE 7 TESTS CAME BACK NEGATIVE WE ARE STILL WAITING ON THE REMAINING 2

HENNY: CONTACT TRACING HAS BEEN COMPLETED, CLOSE CONTACTS HAVE BEEN ISOLATING AND TESTED AND NEGATIVES WILL STILL NEED TO DO THE FULL ISOLATION. WE ARE MEETING STEAM PACKET ON MONDAY TO REVIEW ARRANGEMENTS ON BOARD.

TIM: IS VACCINATION OF CREW BEING CONSIDERED?

HQ: STICKING TO JCVI RECOMMENDATIONS

TIM: LOTS OF PUBLICITY, HOSPITALITY AND ESTATE AGENTS SEEING INCREASE IN ENQUIRIES, NOT GOOD FOR LOCAL FIRST TIME BUYERS THOUGH?

HQ: WE NEED TO ATTRACT SKILLED WORKFORCE ON ISLAND, PAY TAXES FOR PEOPLE ON ISLAND. WE NEED TO HAVE HOUSING POLICY SO THAT LOCALS CAN GET ON THE PROPERTY LADDER. WITH BORDERS SHUT WERE NOT GOING TO SEE A MASSIVE INCREASE. OUR DEATH RATE IS HIGHER THAN OUR BIRTH RATE

HELEN: STEAM PACKET, IS THIS THE FIRST TIME SOMEONE HAS GOT CIVID?

HQ AND DR HENNY: FIRST TIME TO OUR KNOWLEDGE

HELEN: WHERE IS THE POP-UP, UP NORTH?

HQ: RAMSEY COTTAGE HOSPITAL

DA: HUBS IN NORTH WILL BE POP-UPS FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE THE ABILITY TO TRAVEL

HQ: WE’RE TRYING TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE

ALEX: I UNDERSTAND IN PAST STEAM PACKET HAS ASKED FOR STAFF TO GET JABBED, WHY WAS THIS NOT ANSWERED?

DA: FROM A STRATEGIC POINT OF VIEW EVEN IF YOU HAVE VACCINE IT MEANS YOU CAN STILL GET IT EVEN THOUGH IT REDUCES TRANSMISSION AND SYMPTOMS. THEY WOULD STILL NEED TO SELF ISOLATE 

ALEX: VAX DASHBOARD WAS LOW YESTERDAY, WHY?

DA: THIS WEEK THERE HAS BEEN ISSUES WITH VACCINE AVAILABILITY, WE’VE BEEN HIT WITH SUPPLY ISSUES. BUT WE COULD STILL VAX THE 2ND DOSES WITH THE SUPPLY WE HAVE. 

SAM: GUERNSEY – HAVE GONE WITH 10 WEEK GAP BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND DOSE WHAT SCIENCE ARE THEY SEEING THAT WE’RE NOT?

DA: WE ASSESS ALL OF THE DATA, THE CLINICAL DECISION TO BE MADE NOT POLITICAL. 

HENNY: YES, THIS IS ANOTHER SET OF DATA WE GOT ON 2ND FEB, LOOKS LIKE LONGER GAPS GIVES BETTER IMMUNE RESPONSE. THAT IS WHY JCVI WILL START WITH TRIAL DATA FROM MANUFACTURER AND THEN MOVE OUT THE SPACING. THE UK HAS ALWAYS RECOMMENDED 12 WEEKS. THAT HAS NOW BEEN CONFIRMED WITH ASTRAZENECA VAX. TWO REASONS TO CHANGE FROM MANUFACTURER SCHEDULE:

ONE: LEVELS OF INFECTION BEING VERY HIGH, WE DON’T HAVE THAT DRIVER AT THE MOMENT

TWO: IF YOU THINK YOU’LL HAVE ISSUE WITH VACCINE SUPPLY.

WHO HAVE NOW SHIFTED THEIR POSITION, THEY WERE CAUTIOUS AT THE BEGINNING AND NOW HAVE ACCEPTED THIS. IT WILL BE REVIEWED BY OUR CLINICAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

SAM: UK TRANSPORT SECRETARY TOLD RADIO 4 COVID PASSPORTS ARE ON THE WAY, THIS WON’T CUT OFF US MANXIES?

HQ: GPs KEEP RECORD OF IF YOU’VE HAD THE VACCINE

IF THERE’S A UNIVERSAL CARD CERTIFICATE FROM UK THEN WE WILL GET ON BOARD

HENNY: ONE OF THE KEY ISSUES ABOUT VACCINE CERTIFICATES/ PASSPORTS, WE DON’T KNOW HOW LONG THE VACCINE PROTECTS AGAINST TRANSMISSION AND HOW LONG THE VAX LASTS AND IF IT CHANGES WHEN THE VIRUS MUTATES.

HQ: IF DATA CHANGES THEN WE WILL CHANGE, WE DON’T WANT OUR RESIDENTS DISADVANTAGED

ROB: WHAT CONTINGENCY PLANS ARE IN PLACE IF MORE THAN ONE MEMBER OF STAFF AT STEAM PACKET GETS COVID?

HQ: STEAM PACKET ARE WORKING WITH REDUCED CREW SO IMAGINE THEY HAVE A SURPLUS OF PEOPLE TO CALL UPON

CONTINGENCY PLANS HAVE BEEN SORTED WITH DOI

STEAM PACKET WILL HAVE PLANNED FOR THIS

ROB: YOU PLANNING ON OTHER POP UP CLINICS IN ANY OTHER PARTS OF THE ISLAND, LIKE IN THE WEST OF THE ISLAND?

DA: NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND CLEAR ABOUT PURPOSE OF POP UP HUBS. PURELY FOR RESIDENTS WITH LIMITED TRAVEL OR CAN’T GET TO DOUGLAS.

CLOSING

BAD WEATHER THIS WEEKEND

HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A GOOD VALENTINES DAY XOXO