Do the testing locally
Sunderland has been one of the most severely affected Coronavirus areas in the country.
Sunderland Council’s Health and Well-being Board admit that 30% of Sunderland Coronavirus deaths have occurred in care homes and that 74% of care homes have been affected.
Remember patients were discharged from hospital without being tested.
Appallingly, Domiciliary Care Workers have not been tested.
Many scientists are concerned the lockdown is being eased too quickly before Test Track and Trace is properly in place.
KONP is calling for an end to the Government’s centrally run system using private, profit-making companies - clearly a disaster.
Plans for an app by other private companies have also failed.
Since the start of the epidemic the World Health Organisation and public health experts have advised that testing and contact tracing should be undertaken locally.
We believe Sunderland Council should enable the Director of Public Health, who has a legal responsibility to deal with epidemics, to immediately set up a local Find, Test, Trace, Isolate and Support system, as recommended by the Independent Sage.
Local public health teams know the best place to carry out tests; where the care homes are; and how to ensure isolation and provide support where necessary.
They have easy access to hospitals, GPs, and Social Care.
Most importantly, it will be health not profit that matters.
It is essential that Sunderland’s Public Health Department takes control of the situation to stem the epidemic which is impacting so heavily on Sunderland residents. Dr Pam Wortley, Chair. Laura Murrell, Secretary. KONP (Keep Our NHS Public, Sunderland and District). Sunderland.