AN INCREASE in coronavirus cases in the over 60s population, enhanced testing for the borough and the redeployment of covid marshals.

These are just some of the things we learned about how coronavirus is impacting Bracknell Forest from the council’s latest local outbreak engagement board meeting.

The meeting took place on Wednesday, December 23.

Transmission in over 60s is increasing

According to Bracknell Forest public health officer Charlotte Pavitt, there has been an increase in the number of coronavirus cases among over 60s.

Speaking at the meeting, she said: “What’s of particular concern at the moment, that we’re keeping an eye on, is our cases in our vulnerable over 60 population.

“Previously when I presented to the board, that was remaining at ‘low’, at around 60-70 cases per 100,000.

READ MORE: The areas of tier 4 Bracknell Forest with the greatest number of coronavirus cases

“This has increased up to 170.7 cases per 100,000 of that population.

“We are doing some further exploration of the data to understand where that’s increasing.

“The over 60s is still a broad age group so we’re looking to see if that’s within the community, which specific ages in the over 60s, and whether any care home or hospital outbreaks are driving that increase further.”

There’s no indication the South African variant of coronavirus has made its way to Bracknell Forest

At the meeting, councillors asked Ms Pavitt questions about the spread of the virus locally.

One came from Marc Brunel-Walker, who quizzed the public health officer on the South African variant of the virus, which was detected last week, and which is said to ‘more effective at spreading’, according to the Guardian.

Cllr Brunel-Walker asked: “Given that we have a fair number of South Africans in Bracknell Forest and the immediate area, do we need to figure that into the messaging we’re putting out about ‘stay at home’, ‘you must isolate on your own’?

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“Do we have any more intelligence or is it too early to tell how prevalent that might be?”

Ms Pavitt said she had picked up on the news of the variant earlier that day.

She added: “We’ve had a number of briefings around variants, but there’s been no mention to date of the South African variant.

“But it’s something I will seek to get some clarification on.”

Community transmission has now overtaken transmission from schools

Following an “exponential increase in cases across the community”, it was revealed at the meeting that community transmission had taken over transmission from schools as the top method of spreading in the borough.

However, it was also reported no new deaths were revealed in the week up to December 11, meaning the total stays at 84 across the pandemic.

With this in mind, it was revealed that excess mortality was in line with the council’s expectations for this time of year.

Enhanced testing is on its way

Ms Pavitt also revealed the council and its partners are looking at improving local testing with plans currently being developed.

No details were given as to what this may include, but it was advised implementation of this enhanced testing could be ready near the start of the new year.

READ MORE: Latest coronavirus numbers from across Berkshire

The public health officer also told councillors the authority is working to support the development of greater school testing as part of the government’s plans to deliver this service.

Covid marshals are being redeployed

The borough’s covid marshals — who were predominantly in place around the town centre when the borough was still in tier 2 — are now being redeployed to parks and other public spaces.

Ms Pavitt explained: “Our covid marshals that had been supporting the ‘hands, face and space’ messages in and around our town centres have been redeployed out into parks and hotspots and other public spaces now that the town centres are largely closed due to the tier 4 restrictions.”

With shops, gyms, restaurants, bars and indoor entertainment shut, the marshals will now be on hand to direct pedestrians, clean touchpoints, promote the council’s coronavirus messaging and more at some of the borough’s more popular outdoors locations.