It is also intended to cut their risks and consequences, with a focus on partnership working and collaboration.

Director of Public Health, Dr Nicola Brink will lead the plan, overseen by the Health Protection Forum. 

"The Plan serves to coordinate our approach to infectious diseases to ensure that we work in the most effective and cost-effective manner," said Dr Brink.

"The plan is dependent on partnership working with close collaboration between health and care providers across the Bailiwick. This was so important during the COVID-19 Pandemic when we adopted a ‘whole islands’ approach allowing a coordinated and integrated approach to our pandemic response."

Pictured: The Infectious Disease Plan can be read in full HERE.

The plan has been formulated using lessons learnt during the covid pandemic and it includes some of the major challenges which Public Health said are facing the Bailiwick.

One example is the re-emergence of vaccine-preventable diseases worldwide with HSC saying there will be a "relentless focus on optimising vaccine provision" because it is of "particular importance in a geographically isolated location with a limited healthcare infrastructure".

HSC said: "We also need to continue to monitor our antibiotic use locally and consider the growing risk from antibiotic resistant infections."

Pictured: The Infectious Disease Plan can be read in full HERE.

Public Health has included a number of steps within the Infectious Disease Plan such as 'prepare and respond', 'build and apply evidence', and 'advise, share and communicate'.

One area of focus will be the harnessing of new technologies to 'link and integrate our data and improve disease surveillance' along with efforts to meet the 'growing demand for access to information on health'.