Thread by @AppgCoronavirus

📑 Read the Interim Report published today here.

We’re here to breakdown some of the recommendations made by the APPG, which we’re calling on @BorisJohnson to consider👇🏼

appgcoronavirus.marchforchange.uk/interim_report

1️⃣ EXIT STRATEGY.

The APPG recommends  that the UK government adopts the Covid-Secure UK plan as the long-term exit strategy to  protect both the health and the wealth of the UK until widespread immunity through  vaccination is achieved.  

Control. Suppress. Eliminate.

2️⃣FIND, TEST, TRACE, ISOLATE & SUPPORT.

The APPG recommends that the UK government empowers local authorities to deliver a Find, Test, Trace, Isolate and Support system, backed up with proper financial support and assistance for those isolating.

3️⃣EMPOWERING LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

- The APPG recommends that the UK government provides local authorities with the powers to take localised actions.
- The APPG recommends that homeless people are housed during the pandemic until widespread immunity is achieved through vaccination.

4️⃣COMMUNICATION.

- The APPG recommends that the UK government reinstates the daily coronavirus briefings.
-The APPG recommends that the UK government requests national broadcasters to report on the local level of infection present as part of each news and weather bulletin.

5️⃣TESTING.

-The APPG recommends that testing is made available to frontline workers and their families as a priority.
-The APPG recommends that the UK government invests in its public health laboratories to ensure that the UK can deal with the present coronavirus pandemic.

6️⃣PPE.

-The APPG recommends that the UK government continues to assume direct responsibility for the stockpiling, coordinated supply and distribution of PPE beyond March 2021, to ensure there continues to be a sufficient supply of PPE for NHS and social care workers.

7️⃣PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND.

- The APPG recommends delaying any reorganisation of PHE until after widespread immunity has been achieved by vaccination.
-The APPG recommends that the UK government publishes a UK wide plan to improve the recruitment, retention & support of NHS staff.

8️⃣SUPPORT FOR SOCIAL CARE SECTOR.

- The APPG recommends that relatives and visitors be classed as key workers to enable them to access testing and PPE.
- The APPG recommends that shorter turnaround tests be made available to facilitate an end to the isolation of all residents.

9️⃣INEQUALITIES.
- The APPG recommends that the government ensures that the NHS continues to fulfil its Public Sector Equality Duty obligations throughout the pandemic. Equality monitoring must continue throughout the crisis and steps must be taken to identify health inequalities.

🔟BEREAVED FAMILIES.
- The APPG recommends that the government ensures that bereavement counselling & mental health support is available to those who have lost loved ones to Covid.
- The APPG recommends that there is an immediate review of the advice given by the NHS 111 service.

1️⃣1️⃣ LONG COVID.

-The APPG recommends that the UK government formally recognises Long Covid, that it expands research on the long-term effects of Covid19 on people’s health to include those who were never hospitalised or tested.

1️⃣2️⃣MENTAL HEALTH.

- The APPG recommends that the government prioritises improving both the availability of mental health services & the mental health estate. The government must ensure that there is adequate sheltered housing for those suffering from a mental health condition.

1️⃣3️⃣CHARITIES.

- The APPG recommends that the rule preventing furloughed staff from volunteering with their employer is disapplied to the charitable sector.

1️⃣4️⃣INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS.

- The APPG recommends that the UK government looks to other countries and implements the measures that have resulted in a much more successful handling of the pandemic.

The report contains 44 recommendations in total, this thread only covers a handful on key areas.

Read the full interim report here: appgcoronavirus.marchforchange.uk/interim_report