28 test positive through Test and Track
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter
The figure was revealed at a meeting of the County Council’s Economy, Residents, Communities and Governance Scrutiny Committee in a briefing delivered by Director of Environment and Economy, Nigel Brinn, who said the authority had teamed up with Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB).
As we previously reported, that figure is not included in the daily update released by Public Health Wales for Powys, which showed just nine people tested positive for Covid-19 during June.
Councillor James Gibson-Watt, said: “Because we have a much more localised approach in Wales building on the experience of public health and environmental health, we are able to identify down to postcode, that’s why we’re getting the 100% response, is that a fair reading?”
Mr Brinn replied: “I would say so. Staff response has been fantastic; they’re working all sorts of hours because it’s their communities.”
TTP Programme Manager, Nicola Wheeler, added: “Staff have been really passionate about doing the work, they have gone above and beyond.
“We’re keen to keep that within Powys and not bringing any external company to do the work on our behalf now or in the future really.”
Mr Brinn said that at the outset, they had expected to need four teams of 19 to do the work, but they were running with one at the moment.
This is made up of a manager, clinical lead and four contact tracers from PTHB, then 12 contact advisors and administrator from PCC.
The PCC staff involved all come from the pool of redeployed staff from other departments. Mr Brinn added that other teams would be rolled out if needed.
“Hopefully we will not require them,” he said.
Of the 28 positive cases in Powys, it was reported that all of their contacts had been traced, with the appropriate self-isolation advice and guidance provided.
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