The Committee received a presentation from Dr
Shade Agboola, Director of Public Health. She provided context that
there was no longer a requirement for Covid testing and that adults
who had Covid were asked to stay home and to avoid contact with
others. For children with any winter illness, those feeling well
enough could attend school. The presentation covered the following
areas:
- National Covid update – a
slide with data on the people testing positive for Covid in the
last seven days and patients admitted to hospital. Overall, there
had been a reduction of 1903 cases representing 21.8% for positive
tests and a reduction of 327 hospital admissions, which was a 9.7%
reduction. A government website contained updated information.
There was no national testing, so the reported figures were from
tests at hospital.
- The Covid data for Warwickshire
showing numbers of cases, the change in data over the past week,
first episodes and reinfections. As testing was no longer
mandatory, the case data was from testing in healthcare settings.
Overall, the number of cases had reduced by 41, a 34%
reduction.
- A Covid vaccination update was
provided for each of the five district and borough areas. This
showed the number of vaccinations, the eligible population and the
percentage uptake in each area. Residents in all but one of the
care homes had been vaccinated.
- A flu vaccination update showing the
eligible cohorts, number of vaccinations and respective population
numbers, the uptake to date, targets, and remaining numbers of
vaccinations to achieve the target for each cohort. Particular
reference to the low uptake of flu vaccination of children aged 2-3
years, and those at primary and secondary school.
Discussion took place on the following
areas:
- The Chair asked if flu vaccinations
took place in school and whether there was a refusal from parents
for the vaccine to be administered. She asked for the age profiles
for vaccination of primary and secondary school children. Shade
Agboola confirmed that eligibility was for all primary school
children and for secondary school children in years seven and
eight, but this was being increased each year. Parental consent was
required which remained a key challenge despite schools offering an
easy way to give consent digitally. There was choice whether to
have the vaccine by injection or nasal spray.
- A member considered the low uptake
of Covid booster vaccinations was disappointing. It would be
interesting to compare the data from when the vaccine first became
available. A point about providing reminders via text message.
- The member asked if there had been
any Covid deaths in Warwickshire recently, and the impact of the
latest Covid strains. Dr Agboola would research the position on
Covid deaths. People who had been vaccinated would still be
protected against the newer strains of Covid. The virus would
continue to mutate, and people would catch Covid, but the
vaccination reduced the risk of serious illness and death.
- There had been a reduction in uptake
of Covid vaccination. Points about herd immunity, and that most of
the population had received three doses of vaccine. There was
messaging fatigue. This did not mean that services could be
complacent and the NHS, which was responsible for vaccinations,
provided reassurance that everything possible was done to encourage
uptake of vaccines. Shade outlined how the NHS did encourage
uptake, but as with flu vaccinations, there were known cohorts of
the population where the vaccination data was lower.
- A discussion about the worsening
Covid symptoms people were experiencing. There was a range of
contributors including vaccine protection waning over time and
people reacting differently to the infection. The fall in
vaccination uptake was a concern especially as it included children
not having measles and flu vaccinations which could be very serious
illnesses. Perhaps this was an area which the committee could
examine in more detail.
- Chris Bain of HWW referred to long
Covid. He asked whether there was any known link between people
being vaccinated and then getting long Covid and conversely getting
long Covid if they were not vaccinated. It was clarified that the
question was whether vaccination helped to prevent the risk of
getting long Covid, but also the long term impact of post viral
fatigue syndrome. This would be researched. The Chair had asked a
medical director why so many people had long Covid. The reply was
that some people had post viral illnesses, which was a significant
number when the scale of the pandemic was considered.
- Points were raised around different
parts of the NHS making contact to offer flu vaccinations, the
reducing uptake of Covid boosters and flu vaccines, as well as
measures to encourage more flu vaccinations in school age children.
Shade Agboola responded. The uptake of flu vaccines at school was
historically low, when compared to the data for older people and
those in a care setting. It did seem that public attitudes to
vaccination had returned to a similar stance to that prior to the
pandemic. Having multiple reminders about vaccinations was seen as
a positive. An outline was given of the innovative ways that had
been used to encourage vaccine uptake especially in GP practices
with lower data of vaccine uptake. Such initiatives could be
resource intensive and required a lead time. This may be
appropriate to plan for the next flu season. It was noted that the
focus had been mainly on Covid and booster vaccinations, which had
likely reduced the focus on flu. There was continued work with
schools on flu vaccinations.
Dr Shade Agboola was thanked for the
presentation.