Agenda item - Presentation - Covid Recovery Strategy and Update on Outbreak Control Plan

This will be a joint inter-department presentation which will provide further updates to the information provided to previous meetings and additional information as appropriate.

          Covid 19 - Epidemiology Update to 8 September 2020

24.1    The Director of Public Health, Alistair Hill, gave a detailed presentation detailing the arrangements being put into place going forward both to seek to continue to contain the number of cases across the city and importantly to foster and sustain recovery and to build in resilience in the event of further future spikes. Whilst the mortality rate across the city was low compared to other places all partners were working to ensure that there was sufficient resilience going forward, details of infection levels and mortality rates week by week were shown. The slides accompanying this presentation were displayed at the meeting and would also be attached to the agenda on the Council website.

24.2    An update was provided in respect of the number of confirmed cases, trends across the city compared to other areas, by age, gender, area of the city, settings and the number of deaths. It had become clear that greater numbers of young adults had been affected and that spread of the disease appeared to be linked to social activity and gatherings with the risk of spread particularly associated to indoor activity. Whilst the R number for the city was relatively low it was important to ensure that measures in place continued to provide a rapid, agile and robust response. It was important that those living and working in the city continued to follow the guidelines in place. The key messages remained to observe social distancing, limiting contact between different households, self-isolation after travel to affected locations abroad, what needed to be done if symptoms became apparent and how to interface with test and trace. A key factor was to seek to ensure that all settings including businesses were clear on the guidelines, targeted work had been carried out with young people and in collaboration with the city’s universities and colleges.

          City Schools

24.3    The Executive Director, Children and Families confirmed the measures which had been put into place prior to the return of the city’s children to school, the measures put into place to ensure their safe return and the raft of measures which were in place going-forward. It was noted that these would be kept under constant review.

          City Recovery and Renewal

24.4    The Executive Director, Economy, Environment and Culture then gave a presentation outlining the overarching principles in place to support economic recovery and renewal as a planned process in the city (the slides accompanying the presentation were available to view attached to the agenda papers on the council website). Critical to that process and to longer term recovery it was essential that measures linked into and were underpinned by health and wellbeing and local outbreak control measures, working at a regional level as appropriate. There needed to be a focus on community as well as economy, employment and skills, were resilient and embraced a healthy, active and sustainable economy. Collaborating across service and organisational boundaries and building upon the relationships developed as an emergency response was also key.

24.5    The scope of the recovery process including events and hospitality, creation of safer public spaces in supporting the easing of lockdown were referred to. Segregated cycle lanes and widening of walkways had been undertaken in order create more space for active travel whilst maintaining social distancing, including the Old Town pedestrian improvements, also incentivisation of sustainable journeys, avoidance of overcrowding and support for public transport. Work had been undertaken and was on-going with key schools and employers.

24.6    Members welcomed the fact that a range of sustainable travel were being encouraged also noting that the bus network still had capacity and welcomed the updates given.

24.7    RESOLVED – That the contents of the presentation be noted and received.