To receive an update from the Lead Member for Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, Health and Mental Health.

Councillor Carroll, Lead Member for Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, Health and Mental Health, gave the Forum an update on the latest Covid-19 data. He discussed the latest data for RBWM which covered the period 20^th-26^th January 2021 and the comparisons to both the previous 7 day period and also other local authorities. The rate during the period at the end of January was 372.9 per 100,000, which was slightly down on the previous week. It was pleasing to also see the number of cases in the 60+ age category decrease, which was probably due to the lockdown restriction measures and also good compliance by the public for the rules.

A graph showed the weekly rate of confirmed cases, with the number across the region declining. There was also data available that had been broken down into ward level, with Clewer East and Furze Platt the wards with the highest rates at the time the data was collected. The Outbreak Engagement Board, which had recently started holding its alternative meeting each month in public, was looking at the ward data weekly and investigating if there were any gaps in communication.

Councillor Targowski and Councillor Rayner joined the meeting.

Councillor Carroll moved on to the number of deaths that had been reported. The number of daily admissions to hospitals was starting to level out which was positive compared to December and earlier in January when there was a steady increase in admissions. The vaccine programme had been progressing well in RBWM, with 76,000 total doses given to date in the Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System.

The Chairman said that he had recently been invited for his first vaccine appointment. The organisation was excellent and had been very smooth, he thanked everyone involved with the programme.

Councillor Baskerville mentioned that there was one vaccine centre for Maidenhead and also one for Windsor. He asked if anymore centres would be set up.

Councillor Carroll said it was difficult to compare different areas and their number of vaccine centres as it depended on the number of people and the viability of potential sites. RBWM was on target for its vaccinations, with a significant number being in care homes. This meant that NHS staff needed to travel to the location to administer the vaccine. Work was starting to be done on enlisting pharmacies to administer the vaccine going forward. Councillor Carroll encouraged residents to book an appointment once invited to do so by the NHS.

Councillor Haseler asked about the South African variant of the virus, which was currently a concern. He asked if there were any known cases in RBWM and if the support was in place for door to door testing which had been seen in regions where the new variant had been detected.

Councillor Carroll said that it was something that had been discussed at the Outbreak Engagement Board earlier in the day and was currently being checked by Public Health England, any potential cases needed to be validated. The vaccine should be effective against this variant but the percentage of protection offered was not currently known.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Carroll for attending the meeting and updating the Forum on the latest data.

At the conclusion of the item, Councillor Carroll left the meeting.