The Director of Public Health provided an overview of the impact of Covid-19 in Merton date.  Overall the infection rate in Merton and other London boroughs continues to decline with the R value estimated to be below 1 with positive cases per 100,000 across London boroughs is on the decrease.

London boroughs were previously purple in colour during the peak of the pandemic.  A majority of London boroughs including Merton are now orange with some boroughs green in colour where the case numbers have dropped even more. Demand for tests was also at its peak however this has now fallen dramatically and the extended opening hours of the testing sites are back to normal. 

Covid-19 continues to put pressure on the NHS but is more manageable although the bed occupancy is still high the severity of cases continues declining.   Merton has the third highest rate of cases amongst the SWL borough.

Outbreak of cases have fallen significantly in care homes which shows good prevention infection control and all care homes residents have been vaccinated.  The number of registered deaths in Merton due Covid-19 appear to be descending with the most up to date number of deaths per week standing at 28 cases.  Since Jan 2020 the cumulative registered deaths in Merton were 376 cases with 44 of these deaths being from care homes, 288 from hospitals, 35 from home, 1 from hospice and 1 from elsewhere.  Note some of the hospital deaths may include care home residents.

The cases in both the east and west of the borough by age continues to fall and the number of cases in East Merton were higher than the West Merton in all age groups thus more testing centre in East Merton. 

At the beginning of Covid-19 there was a greater ethnic disparity between the BAME and white population but this seems to be on the decrease.

POLLARDS HILL ENHANCE TESTING PROGRAMME SUMMARY

The Director of Public Health informed all of the above.  Merton is one of three London borough asked by the national programme to undertake enhanced testing in order to track the South African variant - though not more serious it is more infectious and the vaccines may be less affective against it.  The purpose of testing is to undertake a two week testing programme to better understand the geographical reach of the new variant within the Pollards Hill area of Merton in light of the case identified in the area.

The programme aims to offer around 10,000 track and trace kits to contain and control the variant.  All those who live, work and in the Pollards Hill area essentially will be offered a PCR test ranging from a mobile test, test at a centre and to a door to door home test.  Positive cases from the enhanced testing programme are requires to isolate for up to 10 days including neighbours (this applies to all new variants considered to be highly infectious).

Public Health urges all those warried or concerned to get tested and continue falling government guidelines for Covid-19.

The chair asked about the identification of the postcode area in the media reports.  The director of Public Health was not aware of how the error identifying CR4 as the new variant area but said that cases are normally labelled by the beginning of the postcodes and locality is used to describes a community of about 10,000 residents which may have been disclosed in the media reports.

A panel member asked for the confusion over the postcode to be clarified also as parts of the Longthornton Ward come under SW16.  Those living in the SW16 are not regarded as Pollards Hill residents according to the media reports. The Director of Public Health said that the issue with the postcode division has been raised with the national programme.  Feedback will ensure better future clarity over how areas are identified in order to reduced / avoid confusions to residents.  We welcome local residents from either sides of the postcodes to come forward and be tested if in doubt.

Public Health / health colleagues were thanked for their hard work and help around the pandemic to date as well as presentation and clarifying the concerns raised by members.