Covid Stakeholders Briefing

I am pleased to report that coronavirus case numbers remain low in County Durham. We have seen a small rise compared to the previous week, but this serves as a reminder to continue following public health guidance in order to keep our rates stable. Our current seven-day infection rate now stands at 23.4 per 100,000. We remain below the England average of 24.8 per 100,000 and hospital admissions continue to fall, with four coronavirus inpatients across County Durham and Darlington as of 27 April. For the latest data, which includes information on your local area, please visit our Covid dashboard.

Vaccinations

The vaccination roll-out continues at pace with nearly 64 per cent of our eligible population aged over 16 having now received their first dose. The vaccination centre at County Hall has now closed. More than 40,000 first and second doses have been administered to social care staff across County Durham and Darlington across the County Hall site and at Darlington Memorial Hospital, and it is very encouraging to see these high take-up rates. Work is ongoing to ensure NHS and social care staff who have not been vaccinated are able to make an informed decision on whether to receive the vaccine.

Meanwhile, GPs continue to vaccinate the general population, with people aged over 42 now being invited to book appointments. There are still challenges with regard to the supply and delivery of the vaccine, which remain inconsistent, and this is resulting in some appointments having to be re-scheduled.

We have also received revised clinical advice about the storage and use of the Pfizer vaccine, the vaccination of pregnant patients and patients who may have allergic reactions

Infection rates and outbreak control

There are currently no outbreaks in County Durham. We have, however, seen a higher than expected rise over the last week in the number of cases in the Chilton and Shildon areas and our outbreak control team is working with partners in these areas. Some cases are linked to transmission in schools and others are linked to community transmission. Although numbers are not high, we cannot emphasise enough the need to keep following the protective measure of Hands, Face, Space, Fresh Air. It is also worth noting that our recruitment to the Covid Champions programme is lower in both of those areas. For more information on how people can sign up to be a Covid Champion or to find out how our champions support their communities, visit our website.

Other news

We are currently working hard to prepare for next week’s local elections. Measures will be in place at polling stations and count venues to ensure these are as coronavirus secure as possible. These will include floor markings and one-way systems to support social distancing as well as asking that voters bring their own pen or pencil to mark their ballot papers. We are also asking that everyone attending a polling station or election count wears a face mask unless they are exempt. We will continue to work with our colleagues in public health in the coming week and across the election period to ensure we are following the most up to date guidance.

Meanwhile, the chief executive of a north east law firm is to play a pivotal role in ensuring the future economic prosperity of County Durham amid the ongoing challenges of the pandemic. Glyn Llewellyn, a director at Mortons Law, has been appointed as the new chair of the County Durham Economic Partnership (CDEP). Glyn will lead the CDEP in delivering commitments, agreed within the County Durham Vision 2035, relating to economic growth and prosperity.

In order to understand residents’ views and help support partners as they prepare to welcome back visitors, Visit County Durham has undertaken an online survey. The Consumer Sentiment Survey was sent to more than 43,000 contacts, with two thirds of respondents anticipating more UK trips. Other key findings show the importance of crowd-free beauty spots and coronavirus-secure businesses when choosing a destination, which County Durham is able to offer. Over a quarter of respondents also expect to visit the county for longer than originally planned, creating a greater economic impact. The  full report can be found on the Visit County Durham website.

And finally, we’re offering young people aged 16 to 24 on Universal Credit the opportunity to apply for a number of job vacancies. We have made 92 job placements available through our DurhamWorks programme, which offers one-to-one tailored support to 16 to 24-year-olds, who are unemployed or claiming Universal Credit, to help them into employment.

I will continue to keep everyone up to date throughout these changing and challenging times. Information is available on the council’s website at www.durham.gov.uk and our social media channels www.facebook.com/DurhamCouncil and www.twitter.com/DurhamCouncil.