Brent Council will continue to follow government advice when it comes to dealing with coronavirus, including any impact it could have on major events in the borough.

Dr Melanie Smith, director of public health at Brent Council, gave a special update on the approach to the Covid-19 virus at a council cabinet meeting yesterday (March 9).

She explained that residents should continue to follow national guidelines when it comes to washing hands and any isolation procedures.

Taking this advice extends to any major events scheduled to take place in Brent as part of the borough of culture celebrations and the upcoming European Championship games at Wembley.

Dr Smith said the council is “prepared to step up” if necessary and will “remain alert to any changes in national guidance”.

At the meeting, she said three people in Brent had tested positive for coronavirus.

She said she was “impressed” by the “pragmatism” of care homes in the borough in response to the situation and noted they would have access to a national stockpile of safety materials if necessary.

“We have a very well-established pandemic flu plan. In London, we have revised our response and will continue to follow advice from Public Health England (PHE), particularly in social care and educational settings,” she said.

She added that schools should not close unless under specific instruction from PHE.

Cllr Krupesh Hirani, who is responsible for public health at Brent Council, said it was important to spread a single, national line of advice to avoid confusion across various local authority areas.