PLANNING is in place for Ceredigion’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic as the local authority begins its “adjustment and long term resilience” phase after “successfully flattening the first peak”.

Ceredigion County Council has published its ‘Phase 3’ coronavirus plans, following the closing down of all non-essential services in phase one – ‘preparedness’ – and phase two’s ‘implementation’ – delivering services under lockdown conditions.

Phase three focuses on medium to long-term strategies for new working practices which will continue following the outbreak while complying with the council’s “core vision and values” and meeting statutory duties.

It is called an adjustment phase as the authority’s gold command – made up of senior officers and councillors –  considers containment, isolation and eradication in dealing with Covid-19 while also lifting elements of lockdown in line with Welsh Government guidelines.

It will lead to a fourth, recovery phase, with the report published today (May 20).

“We are basing our strategies on the assumption that an effective vaccine will not be available for another 12-18 months, i.e. after the predicted second and third peaks in autumn 2020 and winter 2021,” the report states.

The agreed strategy and shared vision for Ceredigion involves early identification and common alert system, testing for Covid-19, contact tracing, social distancing and isolation and support.

Promoting the importance of reducing the reproductive rate of the virus as a community goal will be vital, the report adds.

It includes monitoring and alerts across the county with regular daily temperature testing regimes at workplaces and group events, with those with a temperature above 38 degrees reported for testing with community testing also a daily occurrence.

Protocols for testing and what to do when results are known will be established with any positive tests followed up by tracing those that had been in contact with the person.

An agreed way to enforce social distancing to protect residents will be implemented and where positive patients are identified deep cleans will be carried out.

There will be support via Porth Cymorth Cynnar for anyone having to self-isolate following a positive test and those on the shielding list, including food deliveries.

A number of actions will be carried out by the council such as “prolonged close cocooning of care homes” and the partial opening of schools, remote council meetings and working from home provision.

Business, community groups and partners will be asked to adhere to the new strategy as well as considering their own actions to support social distancing and appropriate PPE provisions.

“Done well, the adjustment phase will enable the council to adapt with resilience to further waves of the virus until a vaccine can be found or is eradicated,” it adds.