After two years since the start of the pandemic, Bolton Council’s Director of Public Health has published her annual report, which tells the story of Covid-19 and how it has impacted communities.
This report looks at the data on inequalities in Bolton in relation to Covid-19 including infections, hospitalisations, deaths, vaccine uptake, and the impact of measures taken to mitigate the impact of Covid-19.
Importantly, the report also recognises the unprecedented achievements of the response to Covid-19 in Bolton.
These include the humanitarian support hub that was up and running in a matter of days, the strong partnership working with our local community organisations to help our residents across the borough, and successful lobbying on behalf of residents that ensured more people could access self-isolation grants.
Public Health evaluation found that the efforts made by communities and public services in partnership prevented 4,000 Covid-19 infections amongst Bolton residents.
Dr Helen Lowey, Director of Public Health at Bolton Council, said:
“This report tells our story, in numbers and in words highlighting the astonishing efforts made by people from all our communities to mobilise when most needed.
“I want to thank you all, we came together as one Team Bolton to protect each other, challenge misinformation, and reduce loneliness.”
The report is independent of the council and sets out key recommendations: around ensuring communities continue to help shape council services; ensuring health and care services collaborate to protect vulnerable people; helping businesses to promote employee health and wellbeing; and supporting the fatigued workforce to recover from the toll that responding to the pandemic took on many people.