To receive an update on the above titled item.

Anna Richards gave the Board an update on the Flu Plan. The National Flu Plan aimed to reduce the impact of flu in the population through a series of complementary measures. Flu vaccination was commissioned by NHS England for groups at increased risk of severe disease or death should they contract flu.

Key aims of the 2019/20 immunisation programme was to:

·         Actively offer flu vaccine to 100% of people in eligible groups

·         Immunise 75% of eligible children, with a 75% uptake in each school

·         Maintain and improve uptake in over 65s and clinical risk groups with at least 75% uptake among people 65 years and over and offer the flu vaccine to 100% of health and social care workers

The National Flu Plan stated the local authorities had responsibility for:

·         Providing appropriate advocacy with key stakeholders and challenging local arrangements to ensure and improve access to flu vaccinations

·         Providing leadership, together with local resilience partners, to respond to local incidents and outbreaks of flu

In England the rate of GP consultations for flu like activity during 2019-20 was similar to that of the previous season with the peak of activity occurring slightly earlier in the season with overall rates considered to be low. There were 6 outbreaks of influenza-like illness reported in Berkshire between 1^st of September 2019 and 30^th of April 2020.

This flu season would be different to others because:

·         Co-infection with COVID-19 would lead to more severe disease and the impact on the health system of a con-current second wave of COVID-19 and heavy flu season could be extremely challenging

·         The primary changes included expansion of eligibility criteria, delivery of the vaccination programme and ambition to significantly increase uptake

·         The reasons for expanding the eligibility criteria were to protect vulnerable people, reduce pressure on NHS services and aid accurate contact tracing and COVID-19 surveillance

Expansion of the eligibility criteria had been expanded, to include:

·         Year 7 children in secondary schools (aged 11 on 31st August 2020)

·         Household contacts of those on the shielded list

·         Health and social care workers employed through direct payment (personal budgets) and/or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants, to deliver domiciliary care to patients and service users

·         Adults aged between 50-64 years

The Chairman said that having two diseases was dangerous and that the vaccination was very important and had been well received by residents so far.

Councillor Rayner joined the meeting and Councillor Hunt left the meeting.

Councillor Coppinger said that in previous years getting the vaccination had been chaotic in his experience, but this year it had been very smooth and easy. He asked if every practise in Maidenhead was using the new drive through method.

Huw Thomas said that the drive through method allowed a greater number of people to be vaccinated, with demand for service increasing. The majority of practises in Maidenhead were offering it, with a site available at the Magenet Leisure Centre and also at the Racecourse in Windsor.

Councillor C Da Costa said that she had not received a great service when getting the vaccination. She had not realised that there was site available at the Racecourse in Windsor and said that it was important to encourage as many people as possible to go.

Huw Thomas said that he would follow up Councillor C Da Costa’s concerns offline.

Councillor Rayner said that she was impressed with the innovation and asked how best Members could promote this. The Chairman said that there was a significant support campaign from the RBWM Communications Team. Anna Richards said that if Members could link in with the work that the Communications Team were doing that would be appreciated.

The Chairman commented that he had heard rumours about the flu jab and confirmed that it was impossible to get flu from having the jab.