Calderdale Council plans to target Covid testing with vaccine on the horizon

It comes as the first roll-outs of the coronavirus vaccine are set to reach front-line workers.

Calderdale Council’s Director of Public Health, Debs Harkins, said they have learned from the experiences of mass testing in Liverpool and Stoke-on-Trent, and have put together a strategy which is tailored for Calderdale.

She said: “The lateral flow tests which are available can be a useful way of identifying people with COVID-19 who do not have symptoms, so we can support them to isolate to prevent them spreading the virus without realising. The tests provide a rapid result.

“They are not as reliable as the laboratory analysed test. The test is good at identifying people with the virus when they are most infectious, but some people will receive a negative result when they do actually have the virus. This means the test must be used carefully and not instead of the more accurate laboratory analysed test.

“We’re now seeking permission from the Government to work with groups and settings where we know there is an increased risk that people will come into contact with the virus, such as schools, colleges, certain workplaces, and retail and hospitality.

“If we are successful, this targeted testing will work alongside our local test and trace scheme and our support for those that need to self-isolate. It is important that people with symptoms of COVID-19 book laboratory analysed test in the usual way.”

In a statement, the NHS Cakderdale Clinical Commissioning Group said: “The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved last week and the NHS will be starting to roll it out to the priority groups in West Yorkshire as supplies become available, including those aged over 80s and frontline health and social care staff. 
“At first, the vaccine will only be able to be delivered from a few hospital ‘hubs’ but the NHS and partners are working across West Yorkshire to be ready to offer the vaccine to more groups of people and in more ways, including local vaccination centres. The rollout will keep being expanded as more supplies of the vaccine become available and potentially other vaccines are approved.”

It is hoped that supplies of the Covid-19 vaccine will arrive in Calderdale within the next few weeks.

The first vaccination of the disease was administered on Tuesday, marking the start of a phased NHS rollout of the vaccine to older people, health staff and care home workers.

The move  - dubbed V Day by Health Secretary Matt Hancock -  was hailed as a “beginning of the end” of the coronavirus pandemic by politicians and scientists. Jabs will be administered at 70 hospital hubs across the UK from this week.

Calderdale is now bracing itself for the arrival of the vaccine which could be within the next fortnight.

An NHS Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group spokesperson told the Courier: “We’re still at the very early stages of the vaccination roll out process, but we hope to receive supplies of the Pfizer BionTech vaccine in the next few weeks in Calderdale.

“At first, the vaccine will be available to NHS and social care staff, people over the age of 80 and those who are most vulnerable to the covid 19 virus.
“When further supplies or alternative vaccines become available to us, they will be offered from a number of different locations to make sure everyone who needs a vaccine is able to get one.

“While this is very positive news, there is still lots of work to do and it will take time to give the vaccine to everyone who needs it.

“NHS services are really busy at the moment, so please don’t contact your local GP practice or hospital  for information on the vaccine; the NHS will contact people directly to let them know when they can be vaccinated, and where.

“Until then, keep washing your hands regularly, wear a face covering in enclosed spaces and maintain social distancing wherever possible to protect yourself and your family from the coronavirus.”

This week the  Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, urged people to take up the jab if offered it by the NHS, adding: “To all those who are scared (of getting vaccinated) – don’t be.  There’s nothing to be nervous about.”