Agenda Item No: 5 CAMBRIDGESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL’S RESPONSE TO COVID-19 To: Communities and Partnership Committee Meeting Date: 22 April 2020 From: Adrian Chapman, Service Director – Communities and Partnerships Electoral division(s): All Key decision: No Purpose: This report provides an update on: - the Council’s response to the current Coronavirus pandemic; - immediate action taken by the Communities and Partnerships service directorate to respond to the pandemic and to ensure business continuity of critical services; and - the Council’s initial approach to recovery Recommendation: The committee is asked to: Note and comment on the progress made to date in responding to the impact of the Coronavirus. Officer contact: Member contacts: Name: Adrian Chapman Name: Cllr Steve Criswell Post: Service Director Post: Committee Chairman Email:
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[email protected] Tel: 07920 160441 Tel: 01223 706385 1. BACKGROUND 1.1. In December 2019 cases of a new coronavirus were identified in the city of Wuhan in China. Since December, the virus has spread rapidly across the world and the World Health Organisation declared a global pandemic in March 2020. More than two million cases have now been reported worldwide and cases and deaths continue to rise in the UK. 2. UK RESPONSE 2.1. In the UK, the Government has developed a coronavirus COVID-19 action plan with the aim of ‘flattening the curve’ to reduce the peaks in pressure on NHS, social care services and wider society. 2.2. On 23rd March, the