COVID-19 Bulletin: Friday 9 April

April 9, 2021

Numbers not statistics: This week (last week)

1. New: Dr David Carruthers shares an important update on COVID-19

This week, Dr David Carruthers, our Medical Director, shared an update on how we can collectively help reduce the risk of acquiring and spreading COVID-19 among family, friends and patients.

Dr Carruthers highlighted the continued importance of following infection, prevention and control measures. Whilst we may be moving forward on our journey towards easing lockdown measures, it remains vital that we all follow social distancing guidelines, hand hygiene and continue to wear masks.

We are asking all colleagues to complete their LAMP testing. Dr Carruthers urged colleagues to engage fully in this programme to keep infection rates in our workplace as low as we can.

Those who are scheduled to have their vaccine are encouraged to attend their appointments or book in to have their first vaccine.

Watch the full video here:

2. New: MHRA and JCVI announcement re AstraZeneca vaccine 

Since the start of the pandemic over 4 million COVID-19 infections have been confirmed in the UK causing more than 120,000 deaths. Over 30 million people have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine since the start of the programme, which Public Health England (PHE) estimate has prevented at least 6,000 deaths in the first 3 months of 2021. There have been reports of an extremely rare adverse event of concurrent thrombosis (blood clots) and thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) following vaccination with the first dose of AstraZeneca. JCVI has weighed the relative balance of benefits and risks and advise that the benefits of prompt vaccination with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine far outweigh the risk of adverse events for individuals 30 years of age and over and those who have underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease.

MHRA and JCVI have made clear the balance of risk is still very much in favour of vaccination, and that all those who have received a first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine should take their second dose of the vaccine, irrespective of age. For colleagues under 30 without underlying health conditions it is preferable for them to be offered an alternative COVID-19 vaccine, if available. The Trust is currently looking at logistics for the under 30s who have not yet had their first AZ vaccine with a view to have another type, keep your eye on staff comms for more details in coming days.

Colleagues can read the full MHRA and JCVI announcement online here.

3. New: Welcome back – SWB trials welcoming back visitors 

From Monday, 12 April, we will begin a phased trial where we will slowly start to welcome visitors back into our organisation.

Our initial rollout will focus on supporting visiting at Rowley Regis Hospital and Maternity at City with a plan to allow visiting at Sandwell antenatal clinics later that week.

We plan to welcome visitors back to stroke services on 26 April, followed by elderly care at Sandwell and City Hospitals from 10 May. A further rollout plan for the rest of the hospital areas will then follow.

We will be monitoring our visiting arrangements closely to ensure that we are able to maintain a safe environment for patients, colleagues and visitors.

All visitors will need to call ahead to relevant wards to book an appointment slot to visit; during this call visitors should be screened to ensure they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms. All visitors must wear a mask when on site. General patient visits will last a maximum of 30 minutes and should be limited to one visitor per patient, however maternity visitors will be allowed one hour.

In line with national guidance, general visiting will only be allowed for patients that have been in the hospital for seven days or more. (This does not apply to women in maternity, please read on for specific arrangements covering maternity.)

We’d like to remind colleagues that there are exceptional circumstances where visiting is allowed in all areas, for example for young patients, patients who lack mental capacity and patients who are at the end of their life. For these patients it is important that we are able to safely facilitate visiting, so please if in doubt ask your group for advice.

It is essential to note that even for these groups visiting is NOT ALLOWED by anyone who is COVID-19 symptomatic or self-isolating, regardless of the circumstances.

Visiting arrangements for maternity

Visiting arrangements within our maternity department at City Hospital will be as follows:

• Birthing partners will now be able to accompany the mum-to-be to her scans and antenatal appointments. Antenatal at Sandwell will adopt this from 19 April.
• A birthing partner will still be allowed to accompany a woman during her labour.
• The Trust is also able to offer designated one-hour slots for visiting on inpatient wards within our maternity department.
• Upon arrival, those accompanying the mum-to-be, either for a scan, appointment, labour or visiting, will have to undergo a COVID-19 test before they are allowed entry.

To book a visit for maternity services, visitors will need to call 07814 226106/0121 507 5743 between 9am-11am to book a visiting slot for the afternoon. You can find out more here.

4. New: Our roadmap to reopening gyms 

12 April is one of the most highly anticipated dates in 2021 so far. With Boris Johnson moving forward with his roadmap to recovery and moving onto phase two that sees non-essential shops, gyms, outdoor hospitality returning to England, we too have reviewed our roadmap to reopening our gym facilities.

Several factors have been taken into consideration when looking at when and how we will reopen our gyms.  Our rationale includes some of the following factors:

• Cleaning processes – a large number of touchpoints exist within gyms
• There is no way of restricting the numbers in the gym area as it is not monitored
• Exercise increases the respiratory effect and increases shedding of the virus from asymptomatic positive individuals.

We have completed a review of gyms at both sites to ensure they are COVID safe. We understand how important the gyms are for colleagues and are actively looking at ways to make these spaces better to boost staff wellbeing. Some of the things we are exploring include refurbishing areas and putting in new flooring and changing rooms.

Our priority remains staff safety, and we will reopen our gyms as soon as we can safely do so. In the meantime, we have several wellbeing options available to colleagues. We’d encourage everyone to find a way that works for them to support their mental wellbeing.

These are just some of the ways you can support your personal wellbeing:

• You can take advantage of a 20 per cent discount per month at Sandwell Leisure Trust via their one card membership.
• Try something new such as mindful yoga with Chris
• Try out our relaxation pod. Call 0121 507 5886 to book
• Book a chat at the sanctuary by calling 0121 507 5886
• Call our counselling service on 0800 06 96 222 between 7am – 11pm
• Have a conversation with one of our REACT Practitioners by calling 0121 507 5886
• Sign up for a Blue Light Card to access exclusive discounts for NHS staff.

5. New: People in Greets Green & Lyng and Newton areas urged to take extra care as COVID-19 cases increase 

People living and working in the Greets Green & Lyng and Newton areas of West Bromwich are warned to be extra cautious as COVID-19 rates rise sharply once again.

The rate of infection in Greets Green & Lyng ward is 108 per 100,000 people with 15 new cases in the last seven days of data (30 March – 5 April). Comparable figures for the same period in Newton ward show an infection rate of 103 per 100,000 with 13 new cases. The rates are more than twice the current average rate for Sandwell which is 39 new cases per 100,000.

Dr Lisa McNally, Sandwell’s Director of Public Health, said: “Recently, we have seen a sharp rise in infection in these areas. There has been no single large outbreak – rather there has been a general rise in infections, with sometimes several cases within one household.

“People living and working in these areas must take extra care to avoid becoming infected and passing COVID-19 on to others.  In particular, if you have COVID-19 symptoms, stay home and book a test. If we don’t self-isolate when we have symptoms we can put other people’s lives at risk.”

Anyone showing symptoms must self-isolate and book a COVID-19 test at www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or by calling 119.

People without symptoms, who have to leave home for any reason, can book regular rapid COVID-19 tests at the West Bromwich Town Hall testing site. Visit www.sandwell.gov.uk/testsandwell for details or, for people who cannot book online, call 0121 569 6999. These tests are only for people without symptoms.

6. Reminder: LAMP testing 

LAMP (Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification) testing continues to be rolled out to all colleagues across the Trust and thank you to everyone who has taken the time to register and continue with the testing programme.

LAMP testing is a speedy and reliable COVID-19 test which requires you to collect a saliva sample once a week in the morning before you brush your teeth or have your breakfast.  When you arrive at work, you can deposit your sample into a collection box – and you’ll receive your result within 48-72 hours.

If you haven’t already, you can now book a kit collection slot by calling 0121 507 2664 and selecting option 6.

Detecting positive cases sooner reduces the risk of the virus being passed on to patients, colleagues, and family members and beyond in the community.

Weekly testing can detect the great majority of staff who may not know they have the virus and are potentially infectious to others.

We must remind everyone that LAMP testing is open to both clinical and non-clinical colleagues. It is vital that we continue to test despite colleagues having had the COVID vaccination and infection rates starting to drop.

Please drop off your sample into phlebotomy department  Mon – Friday  from 7:30am –  3:30 pm in the following locations:

• OPD  first floor Corridor D Sandwell Site
• Ground floor BTC
• Ground floor Rowley Regis Hospital
• First floor Neptune Health Park
• Second floor Lyng Health and Social Care Centre
• Victoria Health Centre
• Oldbury Health Centre

Alternatively you can drop off your samples in the LAMP collection bins at Sandwell outside the Bryan Knight Suite, outside Pathology or A&E.

At City, the LAMP collection bins can be found outside Pharmacy main spine, outside Pathology and A&E.

Further information on LAMP testing can be found in the attached FAQs.

Watch our animation on how to take part in LAMP testing or read more here.