Kent County Council COVID-19 Update This guide includes a summary of the latest Government announcements, alongside information on KCC’s website (kent.gov.uk). The guide is updated regularly and, is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all the resources, funding and advice being issued, therefore it links to other sources of information where available. • On Tuesday, 14 September the Prime Minister announced the Government’s Autumn and Winter COVID Plan. • The Plan is split into a Plan A and Plan B. • Plan A is “an approach designed to steer the country through autumn and winter 2021-22”, “while ensuring the NHS does not come under unsustainable pressure”. This includes: o Maximising uptake of a COVID-19 vaccine among those that are eligible but have not yet taken up the offer o Offering booster doses to individuals who received vaccination in Phase 1 of the COVID-19 vaccination programme (priority groups 1-9) o Offering a first dose of vaccine to 12–15-year-olds. o The Government also recommends as many people as possible receive a vaccination against flu this autumn and winter. o The Test, Trace, and Isolate system will continue over the autumn and winter. o A revised framework for international travel. o Repealing and renewing certain legislation • Plan B exists because COVID-19 “remains a risk”, and Government needs to “keep further measures in reserve”. This update comprises: • Autumn & Winter Covid Plan • Business • Vaccines • Employment • Testing • Economic Development • Levelling-up • Antibody treatments • Economy • Infection Rate AUTUMN & WINTER COVID PLAN • On Tuesday, 14 September the Prime Minister announced the Government’s Autumn and Winter COVID Plan. The Plan is split into a Plan A and Plan B. • Plan A is “an approach designed to steer the country through autumn and winter 2021-22”, “while ensuring the National Health Service (NHS) does not come under unsustainable pressure”. KCC COVID-19 Update 58 - 17 September 2021 (revised) p.1 • Plan B exists because as the Prime Minister has said, COVID-19 “remains a risk”, and Government needs to “keep further measures in reserve”. The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) has said that the broad trigger for Plan B will be rising hospital admissions. PLAN A • There are five main parts to the Government’s ‘Plan A’, and three associated areas (councils role, law, shielding of the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable): 1. Building defences through pharmaceutical interventions – this includes: a) Maximising uptake of a COVID-19 vaccine among those that are eligible but have not yet taken up the offer b) Offering booster doses to individuals who received vaccination in Phase 1 of the COVID-19 vaccination programme (priority groups 1-9) c) Offering a first dose of vaccine to 12–15-year-olds. Data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) concludes that those who are unvaccinated accounted for around 99% of all deaths involving COVID-19 in England in the first half of this year. d) Antivirals and therapeutics will continue to provide additional tools to manage COVID-19. e) The Government also recommends as many people as possible receive a vaccination against flu this autumn and winter. • A free flu vaccination is available for all previously eligible groups: ▪ Primary school children. ▪ 65-year-olds and over. ▪ Vulnerable groups. ▪ Pregnant women. • The Government has also extended eligibility for a free flu vaccination this year to include: ▪ Secondary school children. ▪ 50–64-year-olds. • As with the COVID-19 vaccine, flu vaccines are available from a range of different providers, including GPs, community pharmacies, and health centres. 2. Identifying and isolating positive cases to limit transmission • The Test, Trace, and Isolate system will continue over the autumn and winter. • Government continues to expect everyone with COVID-19 symptoms to self-isolate and take a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test. • The legal requirement to self-isolate for 10 days if an individual tests positive for COVID-19 will remain in place. • Over autumn and winter PCR testing for those with COVID-19 symptoms will continue to be available free of charge. • Testing for students In secondary schools, further education and higher education will continue for the rest of this term. • Government will continue to provide the public with access to free lateral flow tests in the coming months. • As the Government’s response to the virus changes, universal free provision of LFDs will end, and individuals and businesses using the tests will bear the cost. The Government will engage widely on how to do this. • Contact tracing will continue through the autumn and winter. KCC COVID-19 Update 58 - 17 September 2021 (revised) p.2 • Government continues to encourage the use of the NHS COVID-19 app. • Government will continue to offer practical and financial support to those who are eligible and require assistance to self-isolate. • Government will review the future of these regulations as well as this support by the end of March 2022. 3. Supporting the NHS and social care a) On 6 September Government announced that there will be an additional £5.4 billion for the NHS in England to support the COVID-19 response over the next 6 months. b) The Government has also launched a consultation on making COVID-19 and flu vaccinations a condition of deployment for frontline health and wider social care staff in England. 4. Advising people on how to protect themselves and others a) The Government has published guidance on how to stay safe and help prevent the spread of COVID-19. b) The Government will continue to provide up-to-date Working Safely guidance on how employers can reduce the risks in their workplace. The Government have updated their guidance on working safely during COVID-19 c) The Government will set out in guidance the practical steps everyone can take to maximise fresh air in order to reduce the risk of airborne transmission, taking into account the colder months when more activities take place indoors. Th eGovernment has updated their guidance on ventilation of indoor spaces to stop the spread of coronavirus 5. Managing risks at the border a) The Transport Secretary has set out a revised framework for international travel. • From Wednesday, 22 September: o Eight countries will move off the red list – Turkey, Pakistan, the Maldives, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Oman, Bangladesh and Kenya. • From Monday 4 October: o The current traffic light system, of ‘red’, ‘amber’ and ‘green’ countries, will be replaced by a single ‘red’ list of countries and territories. o Fully vaccinated travellers from 17 new countries, such as Japan and Singapore, will be treated like returning fully vaccinated UK travellers. They will no longer need to take a Pre-Departure Test (PDT) when travelling to England. o Passengers who aren’t recognised as being fully vaccinated with authorised vaccines and certificates under England’s international travel rules, will still have to take a pre-departure test, a day 2 and day 8 PCR test and self-isolate for 10 days upon their return from a non-red list country under the new two-tiered travel programme. Test to Release will remain an option for unvaccinated passengers who wish to shorten their isolation period. o The policy on children remains as now – they are treated the same as vaccinated adults, regardless of their own vaccination status, if they are resident in the UK or from one of the 50 countries and territories whose vaccinations Government recognise. KCC COVID-19 Update 58 - 17 September 2021 (revised) p.3 • From the end of October: o Eligible fully vaccinated passengers, and those with an approved vaccine from a select group of non-red countries, will be able to replace their day 2 test with a cheaper Lateral Flow Test. o Anyone testing positive will need to isolate and take a confirmatory PCR test, at no additional cost to the traveller. o Testing for unvaccinated passengers from non-red countries will include pre- departure tests, day 2 and day 8 PCR tests. Test to release remains an option to reduce self-isolation period. o All passengers will still need to fill in a passenger locator form ahead of travel. Passengers should continue to check GOV.UK travel guidance including FCDO travel advice before, during and after travel to keep up to date in entry requirements and ensure compliance with the latest COVID-19 and non-COVID- 19 regulations for the country being visited. Transit changes o Government will also be making changes to allow passengers who change flights or international trains during their journey to follow the measures associated to their country of departure, rather than any countries they have transited through as part of their journey. • From early 2022 o Government will look to set out a further review for the UK’s international travel policy early in the new year to provide further certainty for the spring and summer 2022 seasons. Booking and staying in a quarantine hotel if you’ve been in a red list country 6. Councils’ role in management of COVID-19 a) The Government will continue to support and work with councils and local areas to reduce the spread and minimise the impact of COVID-19. This includes support for areas with enduring transmission. b) The Government will also continue to provide access to: • The COVID-19 Contain Framework, which will be updated at the beginning of October. This will provide an overview of the support local authorities can expect from regional and national teams and will continue to refer to the responsibilities of Directors of Public Health, regional health protection teams, and the Government’s Local Action Committee command structure.