The Monitoring Officer presented a report, the purpose of which, was to present the Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) Region – Test Trace Protect COVID-19 Prevention and Response Plan 2021/2022 for noting and to outline the contribution of the Shared Regulatory Service (SRS) in the delivery of the plan.

She introduced to the meeting, Kelechi Nnoaham, Executive Director of Public Health and Lead for R&D and Innovation (EDPH) and Dave Holland, Head of Shared Regulatory Services, who would give a joint presentation in in respect of the above programme.

The report advised, that Welsh Government produced their “Test, Trace, Protect” Strategy on 13 May 2020 which was based on Public Health Wales’ (PHW) advice. Each region was required to develop a response plan outlining how the aims of the Strategy would be achieved. The Cwm Taff Morgannwg response plan, referred to as the CTM TTP Programme, is being managed on a regional (CTM) footprint under the leadership of the Director of Public Health. A multi-agency Regional Strategic Oversight Group (RSOG) comprising of members of the Health Board, Local Public Health Team and the three local authorities was been set up to operationalise the response plan within the CTM area.

The Cwm Taf Morgannwg COVID-19 Prevention and Response Plan for 2021/2022, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, was submitted to Public Health Wales and Welsh Government in August 2020.

The 2020/2021 plan led to a number of significant deliverables, delivered in partnership and often within very short timescales, all with the aim of preventing and responding to the pandemic to minimise the impact on our communities as far as possible. These were included in bullet point format, at paragraph 4.1 of the report.

The plan was set in the context of a ‘look-back’ to events in 2020/2021 and lessons learned. It provided some of the epidemiological back-drop, together with the current status of COVID-19 in CTM and potential scenarios communities need to be ready to respond to, as we moved into 2021/2022.

In March 2021 Audit Wales produced a report “Test, Trace, Protect in Wales: An Overview of Progress to Date” (attached at Appendix 2 of the report).  The key messages on a national level included:

•           The TTP programme has seen different parts of the Welsh public and third sector work together well, in strong and effective partnerships, to rapidly build a programme of activities that is making an important contribution to the management of COVID-19 in Wales.

•           The configuration of the TTP system in Wales has a number of strengths, blending national oversight and technical expertise with local and regional ownership of the programme, and the ability to use local intelligence and knowledge to shape responses.

•           The TTP programme will remain a key tool in Wales’s battle with the virus for some time to come.

The Audit Wales report, highlighted a number of challenges which impact upon the delivery of services, these have been taken into account in the development of this year’s plan. These were listed in paragraph 4.5 of the report.

Whilst the positive progress in the vaccination programme is recognised there remains uncertainty around COVID-19 variants of concern and there remains the need to maintain monitoring and be agile and flexible, in order to respond to emerging threats.

The TTP recovery work is presented as an enabling piece of work which will underpin the programme, as we moved hopefully from a health pandemic to an endemic situation. 

Shared Regulatory Services (SRS) were also at the forefront of business closures at the start of the pandemic and provided support and advice to a number of premises. As the legislation evolved the advice continued and such advice, had to change rapidly in line with current restrictions. Officers provided tailored advice to assist businesses with their plans for re-opening.

Members then asked a number of questions of the two Invitees.

A member referred to paragraph 4.10 of the report and reference to the JET’s team, ie comprising of representatives of the SW Police and SRS. He was aware of the fact that fixed penalty notices could be issued to individuals and business operations, for failure to comply with rules and regulations relating to the Covid-19 pandemic. He asked if there was the opportunity also, to change people’s behaviour so that they were educated in how to comply with these, rather than have to face enforcement action. For those who faced the receipt of fixed penalty fines, he asked where the revenue went for the payments derived from this.

The SRS representative confirmed that advice was given far and wide both by UK and Welsh Government, with regards to precautions that should be taken due to the pandemic and this was reinforced in terms of businesses by the SRS team. If these were not complied with, then unfortunately enforcement action was then taken. 121 Improvement Notices had been served on businesses to date due to their failure to comply with regulatory guidance, that had been brought in, in order to improve Covid safety practises at premises, 7 of which premises were closed, due to non-compliance with such regulations. The revenue that is taken from fixed penalty notice fines, is then fed into the SRS and BCBC’s funding of that service, he added.

A Member referred to page 83 of the report and a map showing Covid virus ‘hot spots’. He felt that epidemiological surveillance, was key to the Test, Protect and Trace programme moving forward. As the Delta variant was now the dominant strain and of some threat to people, he asked if there was any Ward level data, where the variant was currently most prevalent, in the County Borough. Data such as this he felt was needed, in case there was a third wave of the illness in the autumn. It would be beneficial for Members to have some of this data capture, in order to communicate to their ward members what areas the illness was higher in, as opposed to others.

The EDPH representative confirmed that in terms of national figures presently, 70 – 80% of Covid-19 infections were the Delta variant, so this was very much the dominant strain throughout the country at the moment. In terms of the Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) area, 100% of all samples taken so far, were of the Delta variant. So undoubtedly, throughout the County Borough of Bridgend the Delta variant was dominant. This variant was 40% more contagious than the Alpha (Kent) variant, with people who caught this strain, being two and a half times more likely to be hospitalised than with the Alpha variant. The good news however was, that in the CTM location, there was not presently an inordinate amount of increased cases of this, nor hospitalisations, more particularly in Bridgend.

The Member followed up by stating, that if there were cases of a ‘spike’ in one or two areas of the County Borough of the Delta variant, then it would be advantageous if the relevant Ward Members could be made aware of this, in order to feed this back to their constituents.

A Member asked if members of the public were in the main complying with protocols, ie going into isolation for the required period, if they had been diagnosed with Covid-19. He also asked that if when offered, some members of the public refused the vaccine, could they change their mind and have it after the time they were offered it.

The EDPH representative in respect of the second point, advised that there was always a second opportunity to have the vaccine, for example through mop-up sessions/walk-in clinics.

In terms of compliance with the regulations and isolation for those who contracted the illness, he added that this had been high throughout the life of the pandemic. The SRS representative added that this isolation period was monitored by regular phone calls to the affected person and compliance was also enforced through the SW Police/SRS. Businesses were also challenged and strongly urged to send any staff home to isolate, if they were aware that they had caught the virus.

The Leader added that it was never too late for anyone to have the vaccine. The vaccine was safe and had a high percentage of success, in terms of preventing people from either catching an infection or if they did, preventing them from becoming seriously ill as a result of it.

He added that in terms of Ward level data, there had been instances in the past, when there had been spikes of the illness in certain areas of the County Borough, including for example in the Garw Valley and Porthcawl. Information and advice was also continuing to be given to Business organisations, especially as the illness changed and evolved and supplementary information and guidance was required to be adapted in-keeping with this. He commended the work of Health, SRS and SW Police in terms of the Test, Protect and Trace programme and the implementation of enforcement measures that was helping to keep the public safe and well.

The EDPH representative echoed these comments and urged the public to receive the vaccine, as any adverse effects from having it, were heavily outweighed by the effects of the illness, for those that did not.

A Member asked if individuals were taken to Court, for non-payment of any Fixed Penalty Notices for breaching Covid 19 regulations.

The SRS representative confirmed that they were. However, due to the pandemic there was a backlog of cases waiting to be heard, including the above, which were less serious offences that some of the major ones being heard that were therefore receiving priority.

A Member made the point that CTM had developed an on-line cancellation form for those that were unable to meet their invited vaccine appointment and on this, there was an opportunity to re-book this to an alternative date. However, this was not specified on the initial letter inviting people to get their vaccination. She asked what was being done in terms of engagement with Welsh Government, in order to ensure that these two guidance letters married-up.

The EDPH representative confirmed that he would take this issue up further with the vaccination teams and come back to the Member with a response accordingly, outside of the meeting.

A Member urged for the provisions of the TTP programme to continue to be reminded to the public at large, so as to keep awareness raised of the illness and its effects, as society opened back up, particularly now the Delta variant had come about.

The EDPH representative acknowledged this, but added that if the vaccine programme continued in the pace it was presently progressing at and the country reached a point of herd immunity, ie 80 – 90% of people being  vaccinated, the drive on TTP pushed forward previously, would not require as much publicity as it had when the disease was more in control of society. Though this could be revisited if required in the future, ie bringing the TTP programme back in its fullness, if needs be. At present though, he did not think this would be the case.

 A Member stated that home appointments for the vaccine needed to be looked at closely, for those people who were bed bound or for individuals with physical impairment. There had to be alternative arrangements in place for those that received a vaccine appointment in their GP’s etc, but who could not attend due to reasons such as this. She added, that regulations were also required to be monitored regarding safety elements in respect of the disease, for those people who used public transport, ie adhering to seating arrangements and cleaning the buses regularly between service routes.

The SRS representative confirmed that there were provisions in the regulations for this, but these were the responsibility of the SW Police in terms of their monitoring, allbeit through the Joint Enforcement Team.

The Chief Executive and the Leader, in turn, concluded debate on this very important topic, by thanking the EDPH and SRS representatives for attending today to respond to Members questions and for the hard work they have committed to the pandemic, which has been a very difficult, important and has been in addition to the other work they also undertake, on a day to day basis. 

RESOLVED:                        That Council noted the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Region – Test Trace Protect COVID-19 Prevention and Response Plan 2021/2022 and the ongoing work of the Shared Regulatory Service in the delivery of the plan.