A winter plan is being prepared in response to the potential impact of Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses on essential services.

The issue was addressed in Tuesday’s House of Keys sitting after Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse asked if any additional mitigation was planned for the winter in relation to the impact of Covid-19.

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan said: ’The situation as regards Covid-19 is clearly different to the position going into this winter, as opposed to that of last year, and our vaccination programme has significantly weakened the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths.

’However, the combination of continued circulation of Covid-19, with rising rates of flu and other respiratory viruses, may impact on the ability of the island to maintain business as usual across all aspects of the economy and, in particular, the delivery of health and social care.’

The objective of the plan would be to show how the island ’may need to react’ and ’use all available mitigations’ to keep infection levels down so as not to place ’unsustainable pressure’ on essential services.

Mr Cannan continued: ’The key elements of the plan will include the ongoing vaccination programmes for Covid-19 and flu, combined with encouraging adherence to the non-pharmaceutical interventions - hands, face, space and ventilation.

’Increasing the use of face coverings in crowded and enclosed spaces, for example, public transport and shops, will be a priority for slowing transmission.

’Continued and regular use of lateral flow devices will also be encouraged to enable identification of cases and measures to reduce onward spread and can be an important element of helping people assess their own risk, and that they may present to others.’

The Department of Health and Social Care and Manx Care have developed early warning indicators to identify building pressure on services.

The Chief Minister added: ’In the event of unsustainable pressure on health and care services being indicated, an escalation of mitigation measures would need to be considered.

’It remains the hope that the impact of vaccination means that achieving control of rising rates should be possible through relatively small changes in mitigations, without the need to apply mandatory measures or lockdowns.’

A date of release for the public document has not yet been confirmed but Mr Cannan said it would be ’a week or so’.

A winter plan is in preparation in response to the potential impact of Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses on essential services.

It was addressed in the House of Keys sitting on Tuesday after Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse asked if any additional mitigation was planned for the winter in relation to the impact of Covid-19.

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan said: ’The situation as regards Covid-19 is clearly different to the position going into this winter, as opposed to that of last year, and our vaccination programme has significantly weakened the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths.

’However, the combination of continued circulation of Covid-19, with rising rates of flu and other respiratory viruses, may impact on the ability of the island to maintain business as usual across all aspects of the economy and, in particular, the delivery of health and social care.’

The objective of the plan would be to show how the island ’may need to react’ and ’use all available mitigations’ to keep infection levels down so as not to place ’unsustainable pressure’ on essential services.

Mr Cannan continued: ’The key elements of the plan will include the ongoing vaccination programmes for COVID-19 and flu, combined with encouraging adherence to the non-pharmaceutical interventions - hands, face,space and ventilation.

’Increasing the use of face coverings in crowded and enclosed spaces, for example, public transport and shops, will be a priority for slowing transmission. ’Continued and regular use of lateral flow devices will also be encouraged to enable identification of cases and measures to reduce onward spread and can be an important element of helping people assess their own risk, and that they may present to others.’

The Department of Health and Social Care and Manx Care have developed early warning indicators to identify building pressure on services.

The chief minister: ’In the event of unsustainable pressure on health and care services being indicated, an escalation of mitigation measures would need to be

considered.

’It remains the hope that the impact of vaccination means that achieving control of rising rates should be possible through relatively small changes in mitigations, without the need to apply mandatory measures or lockdowns.’

A date of release for the public document has not yet been confirmed but Mr Cannan said it would be ’a week or so’.

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan said: ’The situation as regards Covid-19 is clearly different to the position going into this winter, as opposed to that of last year, and our vaccination programme has significantly weakened the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths.

’However, the combination of continued circulation of Covid-19, with rising rates of flu and other respiratory viruses, may impact on the ability of the island to maintain business as usual across all aspects of the economy and, in particular, the delivery of health and social care.’

The objective of the plan would be to show how the island ’may need to react’ and ’use all available mitigations’ to keep infection levels down so as not to place ’unsustainable pressure’ on essential services.

Mr Cannan continued: ’The key elements of the plan will include the ongoing vaccination programmes for Covid-19 and flu, combined with encouraging adherence to the non-pharmaceutical interventions - hands, face, space and ventilation.

’Increasing the use of face coverings in crowded and enclosed spaces, for example, public transport and shops, will be a priority for slowing transmission.

’Continued and regular use of lateral flow devices will also be encouraged to enable identification of cases and measures to reduce onward spread and can be an important element of helping people assess their own risk, and that they may present to others.’

The Department of Health and Social Care and Manx Care have developed early warning indicators to identify building pressure on services.

The Chief Minister added: ’In the event of unsustainable pressure on health and care services being indicated, an escalation of mitigation measures would need to be considered.

’It remains the hope that the impact of vaccination means that achieving control of rising rates should be possible through relatively small changes in mitigations, without the need to apply mandatory measures or lockdowns.’

A date of release for the public document has not yet been confirmed but Mr Cannan said it would be ’a week or so’.