Responding if there's a local outbreak
We are working hard with partners and the community to prevent local outbreaks. However, with coronavirus still in the community, they could still occur. A lot of focus nationally has been on ‘local lockdowns’ of entire areas.
However, an outbreak is initially likely to start in smaller settings or places such as schools, businesses or care homes for example. That is why the local outbreak control plan has been developed and why it will be so important to ‘contain’ these smaller outbreaks so that the wider lockdown of a whole place is not necessary.
What happens if a local outbreak occurs?
If an outbreak occurs, we would move to contain this. If this local containment is required, we will work with that setting to communicate with local stakeholders and the public openly. A mobile testing unit may be quickly arranged and used to test people in that setting, we may close that setting or business and advise people to stay away from small areas.
Despite all of the work planned to prevent and contain an outbreak, wider local containment may be needed. If this is the case, we will work the regional and/or national teams to get more support, we will use the relevant legislation to support us and we will communicate openly and honestly with local people and stakeholders.
