Opinion: ‘Our city council needs to anticipate rather than react’

Councillor Shaz Nawaz, Labour Group leader on Peterborough City Council writes:
Flu vaccinations are important.Flu vaccinations are important.
Flu vaccinations are important.

As much as we would like the coronavirus to just disappear, it’s clear that the virus is still with us.

According to Dr Liz Robin, director of public health for Peterborough City Council, our city is still an: “area of concern”.

I know that everyone is exhausted by lockdown.

Foodbanks need donations.Foodbanks need donations.
Foodbanks need donations.
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I get a limited sense that the economy is like a coiled spring, straining to pop-out once the restrictions are lifted.

Rather, businesspeople I speak to are uncertain at best: Will the coronavirus surge back? What is going to happen with the furlough scheme? What will be the impact of a possible no-deal exit from the transition period with the European Union?

I know that people don’t want to think about 2021 just yet, except in the vague sense that it will be a relief when 2020 is over.

However, we do need to plan ahead. Our city council needs to anticipate rather than react.

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It is entirely possible that we will experience disruptions in trade if we exit the transition period without a deal.

This could cause a spike in food prices and shortages of essential supplies such as pharmaceuticals.

What is our contingency planning around this? How will we alleviate hunger in our city? It’s unclear.

The flu season is nearly upon us. I would like to express my appreciation for the NHS in their valiant efforts to get vulnerable people vaccinated.

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But what if we are hit with a double whammy of a flu season and a coronavirus resurgence? How will our city cope? What provision will we make for the vulnerable who must remain shielded?

I wonder: how are we going to come together as a community during the holiday period?

There are many events like the lighting of the Christmas tree which provide a festive spirit for our city. Pantomimes are likely to be cancelled. Shopping in the usual way is probably impossible. This could be a grim season both economically and socially.

Reading this list of possible events is perhaps exhausting. It is no doubt unpleasant.

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But we need to think about the future. Perhaps we’ll be pleasantly surprised and a vaccine for the coronavirus will be with us soon.

However, even if a safe vaccine were found tomorrow, it would take some time to ramp-up production to sufficient levels in order to ensure widespread coverage. Perhaps there will be a last-minute deal with the European Union: The guarantee of frictionless trade would ease the burden on a lot of companies. But hoping for a positive outcome is not a plan.

The Labour group is actively thinking about the autumn and beyond.

I am pleased to say that we are working to get more donations in to food banks.

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We will keep pushing the council to support local charities and others, who have been doing such a good job in filling in the gaps during the pandemic period.

For the moment, however, we will continue to advocate, push and work to ensure that we are as prepared as we can possibly be.