The government has updated its face mask guidance today, 24 September 2020 (PDF) and added more exemptions as compared to the July 20 version. 

With the confusion regarding whether face masks can protect people in some circumstances, but not others, our local MP, John Penrose, responded in July and August to a number of pertinent questions. For example, stating:

• Q1. As of 19 March 2020 (the week before lockdown), COVID-19 was no longer considered to be a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) in the UK (see Blog)

• Q1+ The stated non-governmental explanation referenced by the MP still doesn't explain that if the current COVID19 death toll is < 0.06% (42K/68million*100), and that if "Covid-19 does now appear to have a much lower case fatality rate than the other diseases on the HCID list. It is also now much easier to identify, with greater testing capacity than there was in January", why are there such extreme measures being taken by the government? Compare with Sweden, that didn't lockdown, and WHO statistics for Sweden (graph) and the UK (The graph shows that the current huge rise in cases is not resulting in a corresponding huge rise in deaths)

• Q2. It seems that a formal medical and/or COVID19 impact assessment has not, and does not, need to be undertaken by the government until after a year has passed? (See also COVID19 Memorandum extracts, especially re: small business)

• Q3. Public Health England (June 20) stated the evidence for the effectiveness of mask wearing was weak? (PDF1 &  PDF2) Also, UNCOVER, Imperial College, DELVE COVID19 Droplets/not airborne, SPI-B individual view - has the government published risks & exit strategy? 

  See also Rancourt mask review.

• Q4. The MP response avoided answering the question regarding the harmful effects of wearing a face mask/covering, focussing on exemptions instead (See harms stated by the World Health Organisation)

• Q5. The Teaching Unions did not advocate universal wearing of masks

• Q6. "It's not clear on what grounds a school could actually enforce a blanket rule requiring pupils to wear face masks, short of new legislation being passed ..." (See current Face Coverings in Education - (26 Aug PDF)

• Q7&8. Face coverings are not a medical device (PPE), and so mask makers must meet the existing safety requirements (PDFv4), For example:
• • "... there should be no claim to the effect that the face covering has been manufactured with the intention of offering protection (a) to users from risks to health and safety (whether COVID-19, pollution, pollen or dust) and/or (b) to people other than the wearer from risks to their health and safety." [So what is the point in wearing them?]
  • "A safe product is one which, under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use, does not present any risk,..."
  • "The producer will need to demonstrate it has assessed and taken action to mitigate the risks inherent in the product throughout normal or reasonably foreseeable uses." For example, hypoxia, especially if worn for long periods of time and WHO statement above.

• Mask wearing as a means to 'kickstart the economy back into life". Supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO) stating, "... potential social and economic benefits ... Moreover, the production of non-medical masks may offer a source of income for those able to manufacture masks ..."

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See related posts:

• A group is suing Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum and Tulsa Health Department Executive Director Bruce Dart, saying the city’s mask mandate is harmful to healthy people.

• Government Exemptions for using Face Masks on Public Transport 

• Mask Wearing Notice of Conditional Acceptance

• COVID19 and COVID1984 information

• BeInvolved blogs

Change in COVID-19 HCID designation - As of 19 March 2020, COVID-19 is no longer considered to be a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) in the UK (17JUN20). See HCID Monthly Summaries.

In the UK, a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) is defined according to the following criteria:

• acute infectious disease
• typically has a high case-fatality rate
• may not have effective prophylaxis or treatment
• often difficult to recognise and detect rapidly
• ability to spread in the community and within healthcare settings
• requires an enhanced individual, population and system response to ensure it is managed effectively, efficiently and safely

HCID Report July 2020

COVID-19 is still removed from the HCID list

For awareness, regular reporting of MERS cases seems to have stalled, especially for Saudi Arabia, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Status of COVID19 - 17 June 2020

As of 19 March 2020, COVID-19 is no longer considered to be a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) in the UK.

The 4 nations public health HCID group made an interim recommendation in January 2020 to classify COVID-19 as an HCID. This was based on consideration of the UK HCID criteria about the virus and the disease with information available during the early stages of the outbreak. Now that more is known about COVID-19, the public health bodies in the UK have reviewed the most up to date information about COVID-19 against the UK HCID criteria. They have determined that several features have now changed; in particular, more information is available about mortality rates (low overall), and there is now greater clinical awareness and a specific and sensitive laboratory test, the availability of which continues to increase.

The Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) is also of the opinion that COVID-19 should no longer be classified as an HCID.

The need to have a national, coordinated response remains, but this is being met by the government’s COVID-19 response. (PDF & 10 day image)

Cases of COVID-19 are no longer managed by HCID treatment centres only. All healthcare workers managing possible and confirmed cases should follow the updated national infection and prevention (IPC) guidance for COVID-19, which supersedes all previous IPC guidance for COVID-19. This guidance includes instructions about different personal protective equipment (PPE) ensembles that are appropriate for different clinical scenarios. (Definitions of outbreaks)

HCID Report May 2020

On 9 January, WHO announced that a novel coronavirus was responsible for the outbreak of viral pneumonia first reported on 31 December 2019 in Wuhan City, Hubei Province in central China. The first case outside of mainland China was reported on 13 January in Thailand, in an individual who had recently been in Wuhan. On 30 January, the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee agreed that the outbreak meet the criteria for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. By 31 January 2020, 9,826 cases had been confirmed globally of which 99% were in China. By 29 February, there were 85,403 cases globally, the majority (79,394) still in China. During March however, there were dramatic and widespread increases with a global total of 750,890 cases and over 36,000 deaths by the end of the month.

• guidance is available in the Health Professionals collection on GOV.UK
• see also UK Surveillance reports (PDF-WK37)
• see features of 16,749 hospitalised UK patients with COVID-19 [pre-print article]

In January 2020, the 4 UK public health agencies made a precautionary interim recommendation, based on the limited data available at the time, that COVID-19 should be considered to be an HCID, adding that a review of HCID status would take place once further information had accumulated. That review took place in March 2020 and representatives from all 4 public health agencies were unanimous in their opinion that COVID-19 should no longer be on the list of (Airborne) HCIDs. This view was supported by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens, and the new recommendation was accepted by DHSC and NHS England and NHS Improvement.

Key changes that led to this decision were: 

• greater knowledge about fatality rates globally; based on international data available for cases where outcomes are known, the fatality rate is low overall, at around 1%
• greater clinical awareness and access to specific laboratory tests mean that it is much less difficult to recognise and detect cases rapidly

This change in status does not detract from the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is reflected by the fact that COVID-19 has its own separate pandemic response programme.

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See also:

• COVID19 and COVID1984 information
•  
• BOB BeInvolved page

The Weston Mercury article "New citizens’ panel launched to give residents a voice" (Link to PDF)

NSC Citizen Panel

07 Sep  20

07 Sep 22

"North Somerset Council is recruiting a group of volunteers to give regular feedback on local services and issues to help shape the future of the area."

"Residents, students and workers in North Somerset are being urged to get involved in local decision making with the launch of a new citizens’ panel.

North Somerset Council is recruiting a group of volunteers to give regular feedback on local services and issues to help shape the future of the area.

The panel will be consulted on a wide range of topics, from bins and roads to social care and planning, with feedback used to inform how services are run.

The Citizens’ Panel will not replace formal consultations but will complement them and offer another way for the people of North Somerset to have their voices heard.

Panel members will be asked to join in regular online surveys. There will also be opportunities to get involved in specific focus groups."

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Also see other Consultations

Click to enlarge image

If you prefer to post your comments then the postal address is:

North Somerset Council Development Management

Post Point 15

Town Hall

Weston-super-Mare

BS23 1UJ

If you do make comments on this BOB blog (below), please also make sure that they are made to, and appear on, the North Somerset website link as above. As otherwise they will be ignored by NSC.

From last year's Appeal Statement Bleadon Parish Council (BPC) stated that "the majority of Bleadon residents" were opposed to large scale residential development in this field. BPC supported this statement with reference to its Parish Plan/Settlement Boundary, Neighbourhood Development Plan Survey, North Somerset`s Local Plan/Core Strategy and comments from the Bleadon Acting Together (BAT) action group. In particular BPC stated,

"10. There is an acknowledged need for agricultural land and the site for the propsed development is prime agricultural land under cultivation."

This therefore implies that BPC, and the majority of residents, want this field to remain designated for agriculture use. This site already has planning permission for a barn (see below). The current resident confusion seems to be the size of this barn application and whether an additional barn is being sought.

Previous application information: 

Bleadon Road Barn - 17/P/1178/F

Demolition of 2 no. existing agricultural barns and erection of 1no. new agricultural barn. 

 

Previous NSC Decision: 03 Nov 17 Granted & Delegated

 

Previous BPC Decision:  12 Jun 17 No Objection (Min 296.8)

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See also:

• BPC Newsletter BVN113 extract for the Appeal article distributed to residents in Autumn 2019.
•  Bridge Road fields Appeal information
• Other Current and Approved Applications

See commentary video by UK Column

when this Govt Gudiance was released in July 2020

"These Regs give the right to take away from home and detain anyone, including children, for up to 14 days using force if necessary, if they suspect you might be infected"

Summary by Simon Dolan, whose "... challenge against the UK Government lockdown will continue to be heard after the Court of Appeal ... ruled that the case highlighted ‘fundamental’ concerns over the accountability of Government Ministers. The Judicial Review will now proceed to a rolled-up hearing expected to be held at the Court of Appeal during the week commencing the 28th September ..."

Guidance for Public Health Officers - Potentially infectious persons

Extracts from Governement Guidance by UK Column

"1.1 To manage the spread of coronavirus, the Coronavirus Act 2020 (“the Act”) provides Public Health Officers (PHO) with powers to control the spread of coronavirus in the UK. Some of these powers existed already for England in The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020. However, the Act replaces these regulations with a consistent, UK-wide, approach and includes certain new powers for immigration officers and constables.

1.3 The relevant powers can only be used once the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has issued a declaration (and such declaration remains in force) that the incidence or transmission of coronavirus constitutes a serious and imminent threat to public health in England,

1.4 ... A PHO is either (i) an officer of the Secretary of State... or (ii) a registered public health consultant so designated by the Secretary of State.

1.7 Schedule 21, Parts 1 and 2, also include powers for Constables and Immigration Officers (IOs) to support the functions of PHOs.

2. [Public Health Officers] may direct, remove or request a constable to remove, an individual to a place suitable for screening and assessment."

2.3 A person is potentially infectious (Paragraph 2) if: (a) The person is or may be infected or contaminated with coronavirus AND there is a risk that the person might infect or contaminate others. OR (b) the person has been in an infected area within the 14 days preceding that time.

2.4 ‘Infected area’ refers to any country, territory or other area outside UK that the Secretary of State has declared for this purpose in a notice on www.gov.uk

3.7 Implementation of your powers will be done at a local level, co-ordinating with local resilience partners, in accordance with local arrangements.

3.9 If the person is not willing to comply voluntarily, a PHO should first have a conversation ...If the person is still not compliant, then you should invoke the powers conferred on you by the Act.

3.9 (e) where will the person be taken for screening and assessment – this facility must be suitable for screening and assessment. This could be an isolation facility, an NHS facility or any other agreed facility (as long as it is suitable for screening and assessment);

6.2 [A PHO] may only exercise [their] powers with respect to screening and assessment under Paragraph 10 and imposition of requirements and restrictions under Paragraph 14, on a child in the presence of: (a) an individual who has responsibility for the child; or (b) if no such adult is present, an adult that [the Public Health Officer] consider[s] to be appropriate ... having regards to the views of the child

9.1 ... Individuals should always be given the opportunity to comply voluntarily with public health advice ...

9.2 It is only at the stage where individuals do not comply with such advice that we would look to impose measures under Schedule 21, Parts 1 and 2.

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See also 

• Army to help NHS deliver biggest vaccination push in British history (PDF)
• Never endanger our liberties or democratic processes
• Govt Consultation - Distributing vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 and flu
• COVID19 and COVID1984 information

The Government is asking for your response to its consultation on Distributing vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 and flu that ends Friday 18 September 2020.

"The UK government, with the Minister of Health in Northern Ireland, is seeking views on proposed changes to the Human Medicine Regulations 2012. The consultation covers:

• authorising temporary supply of an unlicensed product
• civil liability and immunity
• expanding the workforce eligible to administer vaccinations
• promoting vaccines
• making provisions for wholesale dealing of vaccines"

Documents to review:

• Changes to Human Medicine Regulations to support the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines (PDF)
• Draft statutory instrument: the Human Medicines (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (PDF)

The government is "working towards short timelines, but if you miss the date and still want to make comments, contact [them] at covidvaccineconsultation@dhsc.gov.uk and [they] will try to accommodate your comment before any changes are made."

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See also: 

• Army to help NHS deliver biggest vaccination push in British history (PDF)
• Never endanger our liberties or democratic processes
• Marshals and Related Public Health Officer Guidance
• COVID19 and COVID1984 information
•  

• Other Consultations

Dwight D Eisenhower's farewell address to the nation 1961 (Start video at 8:11mins)

"... In the councils of government we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizen can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together ..."

 

It contiues ... how the technological revolution has influence over military decision making

 

.... influence over research ... government contracts virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity ... prospects of domination of the nation's scholars by central governement employment project allocations and the power of money ...

 

... how public policy itself could become the captive of a scientific technological elite ...

 

... how the nation should avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate ...

What will become of England's freedoms now that the government has declared marshal rule? The government already uses its military for COVID19 testing, when will it decide to use it for martial law, or has that effectively already happened? (PDF)

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See also 

• Army to help NHS deliver biggest vaccination push in British history (PDF)
• Govt Consultation - Distributing vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 and flu
• Marshals and Related Public Health Officer Guidance
• COVID19 and COVID1984 information
•  

• Other Consultations

Click to enlarge image

North Somerset Council (NSC) are looking for your views on the Challenges facing North Somerset up to 2038, you have until midnight on 02 Sept 2020.

NSC has posted a video about the questions people have been asking and the themes that have emerged so far, as seen below:

For more information about the consultation see Local Plan Consultation Part 1

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See also other Consultations

BOB has been asked to post an appeal that has been made to the Planning Inspectorate against North Somerset's decision to refuse to grant planning permission for the "Erection of agricultural barn for livestock housing, feed store and machinery store with new access track off Purn Lane" - Land South of Purn Road, Bleadon. (See previous application information 19/P/2550/FUL).

"The appeal will be determined on the basis of written representations ... This means that [NSC] and the appellant will write a statement setting out [their] cases ...

 

NSC will forward any comments you made on the planning application directly to the Planning Inspectorate, as well as the appeallant. These will be considered by the Planning Inspector when determining the appeal ...

 

If you wish to make further comments, or modify/withdraw your previous representation, you can do so on-line at https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ or by emailing West2@planninginspectorate.gov.uk. If you do not have access to the internet, please send thre copies to: Sarah Hardy, The Planning Inspectorate, Room 3C, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Bristol, BS1 6PN. Tel: 0303 444 5356. ...

 

All representations must be received by 14 September 2020 ... All representations must quote the appeal reference ..." APP/D0121/W/20/3257039

For more information read the letter from NSC, page1 and page2.

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See also:

• Previous New Barn Application Off Purn Lane
• Other Consultations

NB: Bleadon Parish will not be meeting before the deadline of this consultation, their next meeting is planned for 14 Sept 20.

North Somerset Council states:

"A new Local Plan for North Somerset is being prepared, which will guide housing, jobs and business investment, transport, community facilities and supporting infrastructure in the area until 2038.

 

The first stage of consultation in the new plan’s preparation focuses on the challenges and issues that need facing in North Somerset, such as the climate emergency, how and where to provide jobs and homes, our to ensure development is located in sustainable places, how to protect and enhance our green and blue space and the future role of the Green Belt.

 

This online consultation will run for six weeks from Wednesday 22 July to Wednesday 2 September 2020

 

Further information about the Local Plan can also be found at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/newlocalplan

 

Regular questions will also be raised across the council’s social media accounts on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NorthSomersetCouncil) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/NorthSomersetC) to spark discussion and encourage feedback. All replies made on council-run social media profiles will be analysed and added to the consultation responses.

 

The responses received to this consultation will guide the next stage of the Local Plan, focussing on choices about the location of future development.

 

There will be many more opportunities to get involved and have your say in future - but now is the time to really influence the development of the new Local Plan for North Somerset."

The response is to be published 26 Oct 20.

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Previous Pre-Local Plan Consultation