Covid testing is key to schools' return

Regular Covid testing, plus vaccination, is the way to ensure Norfolk moves towards a more normal way of life.

That’s the message from Norfolk County Council, as schools prepare to start welcoming pupils back from Monday (8 March).

Director of public health, Dr Louise Smith, said: “The best way to move back to a more normal life is through regular testing and vaccination.

“Even if you’ve been vaccinated, you should still

be tested, if you’re going to work or you are visiting a care home.

“We’ve done 13,000 community tests in Norfolk so far and we are encouraging businesses to sign up to receive testing kits.”

Under the Government’s reopening plans:

• Primary school pupils won’t be tested but all secondary school and colleague pupils and all school and college staff will be encouraged to undergo twice weekly testing
• Initially, this will be at school or college but then people will be encouraged to use home tests

The council is also encouraging people to undergo tests if:

• They are planning to visit a relative at a care home
• They are returning to work

A community collect service is also being considered, so that people can pick up home testing kits. More details will be available in due course.

Chris Snudden, the council’s director of inclusion and learning in children’s services, said: “We have asked all Norfolk schools to tell us about any issues that might affect their readiness to open for all pupils on, or from the 8 March.

“From this information, we are confident that all schools will be open in line with the national expectations next week. We are really keen to encourage parents to return their children to school so that the rest of the term is an opportunity to get back to school life, in readiness to take full advantage of the summer term.”

Results of the recent surge testing in Diss and Roydon should be available next week.

See further details about testing and how to access home testing kits.

Other developments

Funding for hardship and test and trace:

Using the Government’s Covid support funding, known as COMF, the county council has agreed to invest:

• £3.75 million into hardship funds for people
• £5.5m so that district councils can have dedicated Covid trace teams for the coming year

Latest Covid figures in Norfolk

Cases

For the week ending 26 February:

• There have been 538 cases in the seven days to 26 February - this is 294 fewer compared to the same time last week
• The seven-day incidence rate is 59.3 per 100,000 - this is a reduction of 35% compared to the week previously

See more coronavirus data on the GOV.UK website.

Hospital activity

• Covid 19 occupied beds: 108 on 2 March, a reduction of 97 compared to this time last week
• Intensive care unit patients: 10 on 2 March, a reduction of 5 compared to last week
• Hospital deaths: 1,548 from the start of the pandemic up to 2 March - an increase of 12 compared to last week

Vaccination update from NHS Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group

Melanie Craig, Chief Executive, NHS Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Latest published data, as of Thursday 25 February 2021 shows that 40.1% of people aged 16 and over have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination. Whilst this is great news, we continue to vaccinate at pace to ensure our most vulnerable patients receive a dose of the vaccine.

“Patients that have had their first dose in December will shortly start to receive their second dose and I encourage everyone to attend for their second dose. It remains vital that people continue to follow the latest government advice.

“We know a growing number of patients are receiving letters from the national booking system, inviting them to book their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Patients are reminded that when available appointments are booked, large scale vaccination sites will disappear from the system; when new appointments are added, sites will reappear.

“Patients have a choice – they can either wait to book an appointment as one appears on the national booking system or they can wait for their GP practice to contact them. It is vital that patients don’t call their GP practice to ask when they will be vaccinated – we are vaccinating in line with the JCVI guidance and will get to people as soon as we can.”