A PANDEMIC Action Plan is under development to help the city deal with the strain of a coronavirus [covid-19] outbreak.
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As the virus continues to spread, the impact is expected to be felt by the economy, healthcare system and services, Tamworth Regional Council mayor Col Murray said.
"We need to slow the transmission of the disease and we need to manage it so that our health services can keep up with the need," he said.
"We'll be advised by NSW Health. This is a volatile situation we're in and we're expecting many, many changes.
"We would expect those changes may well happen daily."
The Pandemic Action Plan (PAP) looks at how the council would continue to maintain critical services should an outbreak occur in Tamworth.
If council staff fall ill, the plan will look at how other workers might fill the vacancies left by covid-19 patients.
As a community-based organisation it's important the council has a plan in place to negotiate difficulties imposed by the virus, general manager Paul Bennett said.
"Number one; we want our staff to remain well so they are able to deliver services," he said.
"Number two; we want to keep the community safe.
"Certainly we are liaising with all of the other departments to work out what their expectations of our role in this whole pandemic may be."
At this stage council meetings, which are also live-streamed, will remain open to the public.
There's no suggestion regional flight services will be restricted yet, or that covid-19 testing will begin at Tamworth Regional Airport.
The PAP will also look at the council's customer-facing activities like the library and Visitor Information Centres, down to the front counter, to make the experience as safe as possible.
Economy expected to take a hit in covid-19 fallout
Advice from the federal government has forced the cancellation of a long list of events.
It's expected to have a significant impact on the local economy.
The Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC) alone contributed more than $17 million to Tamworth's economy in the last financial year.
In the next six months the economy could take a $6.6 million hit from large breed organisation events that may not be able to go forward.
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AELEC operations manager Mike Rowland said the team will work to postpone events, rather than see them canned altogether.
"In the short term though it has an effect, we have many contractors who rely on what happens at the AELEC on a weekly basis to be able to employ people - so it definitely has an impact on us," he said.
"As it would if the virus had a major outbreak and was allowed to run rampant."
No covid-19 cases have been diagnosed in Tamworth as of Monday.
Madeline Link
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
