Minutes:
The Leader of Council made the following statement:
Good evening and welcome to the last Executive Meeting before the Summer holidays, which will be far from typical. We are in the seventeenth month of Covid, but things are now inexorably returning to normal, we hope.
Please also join me in a moment’s silence for those who have died during this dreadful pandemic in Wokingham, the UK and around the world, and those who have suffered not just the effect of the virus itself, but the problems which have accompanied it.
Covid cases remain high in our Borough and they are now similar levels to what they were in mid-January. While the data shows infections have dropped in recent days, this is not a true reflection of the current picture, as the positivity rate remains stubbornly high. Unfortunately, the pandemic is far from over and the lifting of restrictions does not mean the risks from Covid have disappeared.
As a Council, we and particularly I as the Leader of the Council and the Executive, have a duty of care to our residents, and we are urging everyone to remain cautious; using their personal judgement to make the right choices and protect the people around them. We are also maintaining all social distancing measures in public Council buildings; asking people to wear face coverings whilst inside, to follow one-way systems and keep a distance from others, and to practise good hand hygiene.
Many local businesses will be adopting a similar approach and we are continuing to support them, alongside local schools, care homes and other venues, as we navigate through the changing guidance. We encourage residents to be respectful of others during this time, particularly the more vulnerable members of our community and those who are feeling anxious and nervous about getting out and about again. Importantly, One Front Door is still here to help those who may be struggling and we will ensure that we share important updates through our usual communication channels during this difficult time.
We want to see people back out and about more. It is good for the community and good for our local businesses. But it is not supportive to risk spreading the virus. Already far too many shops and other businesses across the country are having to close because of staff needing to self-isolate. During the school term that recently ended we saw many children sent home for the same reasons. We must try to avoid that when they return in September.
Although hospital admissions remain low, this stage of the pandemic is critical because it is about learning to take personal responsibility and coming together as a community to cope with Covid, while understanding that others will cope differently.
In the months ahead, the test, isolate, vaccinate message will be extremely important to help slow the spread and keep everyone safe. This includes taking regular lateral flow tests to check you aren’t infected if you don’t have any symptoms, booking a PCR test through Gov.uk if you have symptoms, and staying home for the self-isolation period if you test positive. Close contacts of positive cases should also self-isolate until the rules around this change mid-August.
Getting both doses of the vaccine is crucial for protecting yourself and others and we are working with the NHS to drive uptake and arrange additional pop-up clinics to make access as easy as possible. These steps will help to protect yourself and the people around you, and we must not forget that mild illness to one person could be severe illness or death to another. Beyond the initial infection, there is also the threat of getting long Covid, which can cause long-lasting health implications.
The message is very clear above all else please please, please, please, encourage everyone to be vaccinated with two jabs. Please urge our minority groups to do so where there seems to be some vaccine hesitancy leading to health inequalities.
As we learn to live with the virus, we will continue to manage the risks in front of us and put our residents at the heart of everything we do. So please be cautious, be careful and be kind.