Sheffield City Council announces plan for local coronavirus outbreaks

The Government has asked each Local Authority develop a plan to prevent and control coronavirus and have measures in place to deal with a potential outbreak in the city.The plan focuses on the quick deployment of testing equipment, as well as contact tracing and assisting vulnerable people who are self-isolating – including community support programmes to help people with shopping, emotional difficulties and finances – are all highlighted as priorities.

It also says that communication on how people can best prevent the spread of the virus will be ‘significant’. The plan will focus on giving advice in specific areas where outbreaks are particularly dangerous, including care homes, schools and high-risk workplaces.

Director of Public Health at Sheffield City Council Greg Fell, said: “The Sheffield Local Outbreak Control Plan demonstrates that we are well-prepared and that plans are in place on how we will need to respond to a coronavirus incident.

“This includes continued plans for testing, self-isolation where appropriate, and deep cleaning advised for affected premises. As is now standard practice, any positive cases will be followed up by NHS Test and Trace, with any close contacts of cases informed and advised to self-isolate.

“UK wide, it is clear we are out of the first wave of the coronavirus, but it is far from over and we have to learn to live with it as we will see a rapid spread again if we are not careful.

“By careful we mean, continuing to wash your hands or use hand sanitiser, keep your distance and observe stickers in shops helping you to observe this safely, wear a face covering if you are travelling on public transport or using a taxi service and continuing to adhere to your social bubble of mixing with no more than two households.

“Most importantly, if you are feeling poorly or think you have symptoms, please isolate by staying at home and arranging to have a test.

“Although current lockdown restrictions are now being gradually lifted in our city, the pandemic is far from over and it is still present in our communities.

Chaired by Leader of Sheffield City Council, Julie Dore, the Outbreak Control Board met for the first time this week.

Cllr Dore said: “You may have seen that other areas of the country have had to impose local lockdowns, and we know how worrying this can be.

“We want to reassure you that in this event we have a local plan for Sheffield. Our local plan builds on our existing health protection plans and puts in place measures, in the first instance to prevent any potential COVID-19 outbreak, but if necessary, our plans will ensure we contain any potential outbreak, within Sheffield.

This comes as some areas of England have been highlighted as hotspots where the spread of the virus is happening at a faster rate, and local lockdown has been put in place in Leicester.

Read the Sheffield Local Outbreak Control Plan in full here.