Cheshire East Council has been made aware of a case of Covid-19 within the borough and is working with partners.

We are in regular contact with Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England to ensure that the very latest protocols are adhered to. The confirmed case is in the Macclesfield area.
Current advice for travellers is that if you have been to one of the countries highlighted by Public Health England, you should follow the instructions on their website – please don’t go to your GP or local walk-in centre/A&E.

Advice on how people can protect themselves can be found online at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus

Prevention is always better than cure, so, as with the flu virus, the most effective way for people to protect themselves from Covid-19 is to adopt good respiratory and hand hygiene to prevent the risk of infection and a ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach to coughs and sneezes. As the situation develops guidance is updated daily.

The Local Government Association has created a new webpage that collates useful information for councils including links to national advice, answers to common questions and campaign materials from Public Health England, which may be useful to members wanting more information.

Council action

Our Public Health and Emergency Planning teams are working closely with Public Health England to ensure that all of the necessary actions are taken and work is under way in adult social care and children’s services, among others, to ensure the continued effective delivery of all key council services.

At the current time, ‘business as usual’ is being maintained with regards to council meetings. However, this is being regularly reviewed as the situation develops and any change to procedures will be communicated as appropriate.

Information is going out to the public, staff and members, to ensure that people are kept up to date.

We will issue any updated advice or actions in line with the expert scientific advice being provided by England’s Chief Medical Officer and Public Health England.

Clearly this is a concerning time for residents but the risk to the public remains low. Please advise residents to keep up to date with the advice on Public Health England and Cheshire East Council’s website and social media channels – and to follow good hygiene precautions as the best prevention measure.

Dr Matt Tyrer
Acting Director of Public Health at Cheshire East Council

13 March 2020