Ruth Harrell (Director of Public Health) provided an update to the Board.  It was reported that:

·         the changes over the last month have been significant however the Plymouth picture was more positive than the rest of the country but were seeing a higher rate of cases;

·         the new variant causes very rapid increase in cases and more transmissible.  There have been no positive samples of the new variantin Plymouth at the moment.

·         they would be monitoring the impact of the national lockdown on areas with the new variant;

·         the hospital hub was focusing on the vaccinations for the over 80s and healthcare staff.  There are 3 sites run by the primary care networks to work through the prioritisation list.  Conversations taking place for more sites and this was being led by NHS England.  The key message that people would be invited to have their vaccinated and that it was important to wait to be contacted.

Dr Shelagh McCormick added that they were off to a good start with the vaccination programme.  Logistics were still being addressed and they have in place for all 500 care home residents to be vaccinated by the end of January.

Questions from the Board related to:

·         the vaccination programme and the need to have more dialogue on the best facilities to offer the vaccinations to stop people waiting in the cold;

·         Carers UK have raised that unpaid carers should be vaccinated as priority 6.  A huge amount of calls received and how this system would be undertaken and shared with this cohort;

·         whether there were appropriate systems in place at Derriford with regard to the vaccination programme.

The Board noted the COVID-19 Health Protection Board update.