West Midlands COVID-19 Update

Latest updates as at: Monday 30 March 2020, 20:00

Purpose of this briefing

This is a regularly updated briefing which aims to give regional stakeholders:

·         An overview of the spread of COVID-19 in the urban West Midlands (Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton)

·         A single view of the actions of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and the Mayor of the West Midlands in response to COVID-19

·         A guide on where to find detailed regional information to support the existing national Government guidance

Latest Headlines

·         There have been 1,372 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the West Midlands. This makes the West Midlands the biggest regional hotspot for COVID-19 after London.

·         Work has begun on a new Nightingale Hospital at the National Exhibition Centre in Solihull with capacity for 5,000 beds which will open in mid-April [BBC News, 27 March 2020]. Work has also begun on a mortuary at Birmingham Airport with the capacity for 1,500 bodies [BBC News, 27 March 2020]

·         86% reduction in public transport journeys in the West Midlands as the public follow Government advice [TfWM, 29 March 2020]

·         Set up Community Support Hub website, where people can find local groups near them [WMCA, 27 March 2020]

Key messages to the public

Stay at home

You must stay at home, only leaving for the following very limited purposes: 

·         Shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible

·         One form of exercise a day – for example, a run, walk or cycle – alone or with members of your immediate household

·         Any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person

·         Travelling to and from work, but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home.

Protect the NHS

You must stay at home to protect the NHS: 

·         The NHS only has a limited number of doctors, nurses and specialist equipment

·         We are working around the clock to increase NHS capacity

·         The more people who get sick, the harder it is for the NHS to cope

·         We must slow the spread of the disease so that fewer people are sick at any one time.

Save lives

You must stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives. The police will have the powers to enforce the following restrictions:  

·         Dispersing gatherings of more than two people in public, excluding people you live with

·         Issuing fines to anyone who does not comply with these rules

·         Closing shops that are not essential, as well as playgrounds and places of worship.

Message from Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands

“We’re in the midst of an immensely challenging time for everyone in the West Midlands, and we’re all rightly worried about our family members, friends and neighbours. The West Midlands response has been phenomenal. There are plenty of tough weeks ahead, but I know we are well placed to get through this. Thank you to everyone for showing such resolve and responsibility. Please follow the Government advice, stay at home, protect our NHS, and save lives.”

Further information

·         View details of WMCA COVID-19 support and guidance

·         Latest WMCA Communications updates

·         Full guidance on staying at home

·         Find the most up to date medical advice

Latest COVID-19 Public Health England and NHS update

·         There have been 1,372 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the West Midlands. This makes the West Midlands to biggest regional hotspot for COVID-19 after London

·         Work has begun on a new Nightingale Hospital at the National Exhibition Centre in Solihull with capacity for 5,000 beds which will open in mid-April [BBC News, 27 March 2020]. Work has also begun on a mortuary at Birmingham Airport with the capacity for 1,500 bodies. [BBC News, 27 March 2020]

Confirmed Cases

Local Authority                                       Sat 28/3               Sun 29/3         Mon 30/3

Birmingham                                            428                       513                 578

Coventry                                                 54                         79                   101

Dudley                                                    83                         122                 136

Sandwell                                                116                        138                 144

Solihull                                                   54                          74                   87

Walsall                                                   108                       125                 151

Wolverhampton                                      116                       153                 175

Totals                                                      959                      1,204               1,372

Correct as at 17:00, 30 March 2020

Further information

·         Latest PHE / NHS data on COVID-19 cases in the West Midlands

WMCA’s response to COVID-19

WMCA has been focused on the following six areas of activity in response to COVID-19, working closely with our seven constituent councils, and focusing on the areas where the Combined Authority can add to what is being done by Government and other public bodies:

·         Strategic Co-ordination across the Public Sector: Working together across the public sector to ensure that the response to COVID-19 is joined up and effective as possible

·         Protecting the Regional Economy: Working with businesses and representative organisations to make sure that support is provided to businesses and workers to ensure the West Midlands economy can recover as swiftly as possible following the COVID-19 outbreak

·         Running the Transport Network: Reducing services because of the guidance limiting travel in the region, but running sufficient services on train, Metro and bus networks to allow key workers to get to their work in a safe manner

·         Supporting All Our Communities: Ensuring all communities of the West Midlands are looked after during the COVID-19 outbreak, including all faith and ethnic minority groups and other vulnerable groups such as the homeless, those with mental health issues or disabilities and older people

·         Communicating with the Public: Giving clear guidance to people in the West Midlands about what they are expected to do during the COVID-19 outbreak

·         Adapting the WMCA’s Own Operations: Ensuring our staff are safe and healthy, while continuing the activities of WMCA.

Strategic Co-ordination across the Public Sector

Context: The response to COVID-19 will require the joined-up working between different public sector organisations to tackle the outbreak and the impact on public services and the regional economy. WMCA is well-positioned to work closely with public sector bodies given its existing collaborative working relationships, particularly with councils and with those agencies involved in transport, housing, skills, employment, policing and health.

The purpose of this activity is:

·         Work closely with other public sector organisations

·         Support regional resilience planning and resourcing

The structures leading this work in the West Midlands are:

·         Regional Strategic Co-ordinating Group: (Senior leaders from West Midlands Police, Councils, NHS, PHE, WMCA) reporting to COBR in London

·         Regular Mayor and Council Leaders Conference Calls (Mayor, Council Leaders, Respective Chief Executives, briefed by other agency leaders e.g. Chief Constable of West Midlands Police)

·         Calls between the Mayor and leaders from the NHS, Public Health England, Police and other public bodies.

Protecting the Regional Economy

Context: The public health measures, which have been implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19, are having a huge impact on the West Midlands economy. Government has put in place unprecedented support measures to help businesses and workers through this time. The WMCA is working with representative organisations to make sure that this support is getting through to businesses and workers, and is working on plans to accelerate the economic recovery after the COVID-19 outbreak.

The purpose of this activity is:

·         Monitor the latest economic situation for businesses in the West Midlands

·         Ensure Government support is reaching West Midlands businesses and workers

·         Lobbying Government to secure further support for West Midlands businesses and workers

·         Prepare for the economic recovery following the COVID-19 outbreak

·         Connecting West Midlands businesses with the frontline public sector organisations e.g. the NHS, who may need support.

The structures leading this work in the West Midlands are:

·         Regular Economic Contingency Group meetings (WMCA, Councils, TUC, LEPs, Chambers of Commerce, West Midlands Growth Company, Bank of England, BEIS)

Latest updates:

·         Set up West Midlands COVID-19 Business Support website, which sets out the support available to businesses and key contacts in the West Midlands [WMCA, 25 March 2020]

·         Lobbied for further support for self-employed workers, in the run up to the Chancellor’s announcement of further measures [WMCA, 24 March 2020; GOV.UK, 26 March 2020]

·         Promoted Government request for engineering support for ventilator manufacturing to West Midlands firms [GOV.UK, 16 March 2020], with Meggitt, the aerospace company based in Coventry, forming part of the VentilatorChallengeUK consortium [Meggitt, 30 March 2020]

·         Organising a series of sector-based business roundtables to understand the impact of COVID-19 on different sectors and how well current support plans are working

·         Working with banks (Lloyds, NatWest, HSBC UK and Barclays) in the region to ensure that businesses have sufficient liquidity.

Running the Transport Network

Context: Due to the Government’s guidance limiting people’s movement, Transport for West Midlands has been working with operators to reduce the number of services to the appropriate level to be sufficient for key workers.

The purpose of this activity is:

·         Run a limited service to allow key workers to access work and residents to be able to access essential shopping and healthcare

·         Protect the health and safety of all those working on the transport network

·         Ensure that operators are able to able to reinstate full transport services when the lockdown is finished.

The structures leading this work in the West Midlands are:

·         TfWM

·         Bus Alliance (bus operators across the West Midlands)

·         West Midlands Rail Executive (councils and rail operators in the West Midlands)

Latest updates:

·         Train, Metro and rail networks are operating reduced services because of the updated Government COVID-19 guidance [West Midlands Network, 30 March 2020]

·         86% reduction in public transport journeys in the West Midlands as the public follow Government advice [TfWM, 29 March 2020]

·         Public are urged not to travel in the West Midlands unless absolutely necessary  [TfWM, 23 March 2020]

·         Train franchise agreements are suspended and emergency measures are implemented where train companies operate services for a management fee [GOV.UK, 23 March 2020]

·         Transport construction projects controlled by TfWM, including Midland Metro Alliance works are temporarily paused [MMA, 23 March 2020]

·         Peak time travel restrictions are lifted for older passengers to be able to access dedicated supermarket opening hours [TfWM, 18 March 2020]

·         Cleaning services are strengthened on bus, train and metro services across the West Midlands. [TfWM, 18 March 2020]

Supporting All Our Communities

Context: During this challenging time for the region, all communities need to come together to support people, particularly those who are vulnerable. WMCA and councils are working together to ensure that community efforts can contribute to the overall response to the COVID-19 outbreak effectively.

The purpose of this activity is:

·         Work with faith and community organisations to co-ordinate support for those who need it

·         Support vulnerable communities in the West Midlands like those with mental health issues, disabilities or the homeless

·         The structures leading this work in the West Midlands are:

·         Faith leaders who have previously been engaged by WMCA, for example at the Mayor and Faith Conference

·         WMCA and Mayor’s Office working closely with local authorities

Latest updates:

·         Set up Community Support Hub website, where people can find local groups near them [WMCA, 27 March 2020]

·         Making a listing of online learning courses available for people who are furloughed or working from home in the West Midlands [WMCA, 27 March 2020]

·         Hosted a webinar meeting of faith leaders to discuss community support offered by faith groups, encourage congregations to worship safely from home, and tackling hate crime

·         Launched a new call for donations to the Change Into Action alternative giving scheme to help the homeless in the West Midlands [WMCA, 25 March 2020]

Communicating with the Public

Context: During the COVID-19 outbreak, it is critical that the public understand the medical guidance and act accordingly to tackle the virus. Due to restrictions on contact, public services will also have to change, and these changes need communicating to the public. Furthermore, this will be a worrying time for residents, and there is a need to reassure and comfort people, and to celebrate positive stories of people supporting one another through the crisis.

The purpose of this activity is:

·         Ensure people in the West Midlands understand the Government’s guidance

·         Provide clear regional guidance on changes to public services, such as new transport timetables or skills provision

·         Explain what is being done in the West Midlands and reassure the public that there is a committed regional response to the crisis

·         Make the case for further Government support.

The structures leading this work in the West Midlands are:

·         Regular Regional Press Briefing Sessions: These briefing sessions for the press are hosted by representatives from a range of public sector organisations in the region, including the Mayor, Public Health England, the NHS, West Midlands Police, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Birmingham City Council, and the Local Resilience Forum

·         West Midlands Regional Communications Directors’ Calls: These calls allow Communications Directors from councils, WMCA and other public bodies to co-ordinate communications activities across the West Midlands.

Latest updates:

·         Amplifying the Government’s official guidance on COVID-19 to people in the West Midlands through WMCA’s communications channels

·         Providing clear regional guidance on changes to public services, such as new transport timetables or skills provision

·         Explaining what is being done in the West Midlands and making the case for further Government support through the Mayor’s media appearances.

Adapting WMCA’s Own Operations

Context: WMCA as an organisation has responsibilities for supporting economic growth in the West Midlands, including transport, housing, skills, and making sure everyone in the West Midlands benefits from that economic growth through work on areas like mental health and homelessness. During the COVID-19 outbreak, WMCA will adapt to support the immediate needs of the West Midlands, working closely with public sector partners, and will also ensure that essential WMCA activities continue.

The purpose of this activity is:

·         Keep our staff and those of our suppliers safe and healthy during the COVID-19 outbreak

·         Reprioritise effort towards meeting the immediate needs for tackling the COVID-19 outbreak

·         Ensure essential WMCA operations continue.

The structures leading this work in the West Midlands are:

·         WMCA Senior Leadership Team, led by Deborah Cadman, Chief Executive, WMCA

·         TfWM Leadership Team, led by Laura Shoaf, Managing Director, TfWM

Latest updates:

·         Staff members have been instructed to work from home if they can, and only essential staff can work at the WMCA office at 16 Summer Lane in Birmingham

·         Supporting WMCA suppliers by shortening payment terms from ’30 days’ to ‘zero days’ and bolstering the team to ensure fast payments [WMCA]

·         Providing financial assurances to colleges and adult education providers in the West Midlands about future payments from WMCA. [WMCA, 24 March 2020]