DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL  COVID 19 UPDATE 

Wednesday 6 January 2021 In this update: New national lockdown announced The vaccination programme gathers pace Top-up grants for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses  Looking after ourselves physically and mentally  Guidance for people identified as being clinically extremely vulnerable  Getting outside safely during COVID-19 New national lockdown announced  The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has announced a national lockdown in response to rising case numbers of coronavirus across the UK.  In short, that means that you should stay at home as much as possible and only leave your house for essential reasons, such as shopping for food and drink and other essential items; working, if it's not possible for you to work from home; exercise; to seek medical assistance; and to escape domestic abuse.  Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon, said:  “Devon residents have done well over the Christmas and New Year period to help prevent the sharp rise in positive cases that many other parts of the country are currently experiencing. While case numbers here in Devon are relatively low compared to many parts of the country, we are still seeing cases rise.  “The new strain of coronavirus is exceptionally good at spreading between people, which is why the government is imposing new national restrictions requiring everyone to stay at home as much as possible and to minimise their time with others, except those in their immediate household or bubble.  “I ask everyone to pull together and to follow the new national lockdown restrictions, the details of which we will learn more about over the next day or so.  “Please, stay at home and only go out when you need to, and minimise your contact with other people. If you must be outside, please continue to follow social distancing rules, wear a face covering in public places, and wash your hands properly and regularly." Devon County Council Leader’s pledge on lockdown  Devon County Council stands ready to help those who are most badly affected by the latest lockdown, council Leader John Hart has declared.  And he appealed to everyone in the county to abide by the rules and defeat the latest virulent strain of the virus.  Mr Hart said the arrangements that had been made during the first two lockdowns were already in place to support the vulnerable and elderly.  Team Devon was set up as a partnership between the county, district councils and other organisations to determine which group could best help people quickly and effectively.  He said:  “I know so many people have already been badly affected by this terrible virus and the measures we’ve had to take to try to control it.  “Grandparents haven’t seen their grandchildren, families have had to balance working at home with helping to care for their children and those children have missed out on learning and seeing their friends at school.  “And now we are asking them to make those sacrifices all over again. So I want to be clear that we stand ready to do all we can to help those most badly affected by this lockdown, as we did in the two lockdowns last year.  “At least this time we can see some light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccination programme, which I hope the government will ensure is rolled out at speed.”  Guidance for people identified as being clinically extremely vulnerable  We have updated our webpages with guidance for people identified as being clinically extremely vulnerable.  The lockdown advice is for people to stay at home as much as possible. If you are identified as being clinically extremely vulnerable, that means that you should not attend work, school, college or university, and that you should limit the time you spend outside of your home.  That includes not going to the shops. Our webpages have information to help you while you are shielding, including support for shopping, accessing health services, and advice for people who are currently employed. Hecter Delbridge of North Molton at North Devon District Hospital, has the Pfizer vaccine The vaccination programme gathers pace Thousands of people in Devon are being vaccinated against COVID-19 every day as the biggest vaccination programme in the history of the NHS gathers pace. All four of the county’s main hospitals, in Plymouth, Exeter, Torquay and Barnstaple, are now offering the vaccination to inpatients in priority groups, as well as frontline staff. In addition, GP practices are working in groups to set up local vaccination centres. Across the county, 16 centres are now in operation, serving 104 surgeries, with more starting soon to cover the remaining parts of the county and ensure all eligible people are offered the vaccine. Large-scale vaccination centres serving wide areas are also planned and more details will follow shortly. The rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in Devon will take place as soon as possible, with some practices due to give it to local people towards the end of this week. Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, the first to be licenced, the Oxford vaccine does not need to be stored at ultra-low temperatures and is much less complicated to move, making it easier to use in care homes and vaccine people who are housebound. Care home residents and staff were set as the highest priority group by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. In addition to the Oxford vaccine, local vaccination services are being issued with small packs of Pfizer jabs which can be used in care homes. In the meantime, there are four main things that people in Devon can do to help the NHS give the vaccine to as many local people as possible: Please choose the right service for your needs as GPs are now managing extra pressures from the vaccine programme. Consider self-care for minor illnesses and injuries; pharmacists for illnesses like diarrhoea, earache, painful cough, sticky eye, teething and rashes; and local minor injury services. You will still get a face-to-face appointment at your local practice if your GP thinks you need one, and you should only go to hospital A&E departments in an emergency. Attend all appointments, whether it is for a vaccine, to see your GP or at hospital, unless you are personally contacted by your provider and told otherwise. Follow government rules – the vaccines are a wonderful development, but we are not out of the woods yet. Remember ‘Hands Face Space’ and act as if you have COVID, even after you've been vaccinated Don’t make things harder for the NHS by calling your local hospital or GP practice about getting the vaccine – the NHS will contact you when it’s your turn. For more information visit the Together for Devon website. Schools to stay open for vulnerable children and children of key workers  Schools, colleges, special schools, and alternative provision in Devon will remain open during lockdown for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers.   While there continues to be a low risk that children will be severely affected by COVID-19, the government recognises that schools must be included in the restrictions in order to have the best chance of getting the virus under control.  Early Years provision will remain open during lockdown for all children so families should not see a change in their pattern of attendance. This includes Childminders, Nurseries, Pre-Schools, Maintained Nursery Schools and School Nurseries.     For all other school-aged children, from Wednesday 6 January all primary schools, secondary schools and colleges will move to remote learning.  All children who are entitled to free school meals will still be able to receive them, even if they are not attending school and are at home.  However, the way this service is provided may vary and parents and guardians are advised to contact their school for more details.  BBC to put lessons on TV during lockdown The BBC is helping children keep up with their studies during the latest lockdown, by broadcasting lessons on BBC Two and CBBC, as well as online. Schools are open only to children of key workers and vulnerable children, with most children now continuing their learning remotely from home. The BBC will show curriculum-based programmes on TV from Monday. They will include three hours of primary school programming every weekday on CBBC, and at least two hours for secondary pupils on BBC Two. During the first lockdown, lessons were available in iPlayer, red button and online, but not on regular TV channels. The move comes amid concerns that low-income families may struggle to afford data packages for their children to take part in online learning. Temporary closure of libraries  Devon’s libraries will be temporarily closed from today, following the implementation of the latest lockdown.  As well as temporarily closing the buildings, Libraries Unlimited is also suspending its Devon Mobile Library service and Home Library Service in Devon and Books on Wheels in Torbay.  If you are currently borrowing a book, CD or DVD from your local library, you can keep hold of them until the libraries re-open and loans have been extended to Monday 29 March.  To find out more about the temporary closure of libraries in Devon and Torbay, please visit the Libraries Unlimited webpages.  Top-up grants for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses  The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, announced this week one-off top-up grants for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses worth up to £9,000 per property to help businesses through to Spring.  A £594 million discretionary fund has also been made available to support impacted businesses.  The grants are expected to benefit more than 600,000 business properties, worth £4 billion in total across the UK.  Further funding is being made available to support businesses not eligible for the grants, that might be affected by the restrictions.  The Leader of Devon County Council, Cllr Hart said he welcomed the Chancellor’s new package of aid for the hospitality industry.  “I have been calling for the government to provide specific help for hospitality businesses which are so vital to Devon and the South West but we need to see all the details. Many of these small businesses are already on their knees and they may need more support,” he said.  Looking after ourselves physically and mentally  As we adjust again to staying at home more, and minimising our contacts outside of the home, it's important that we remember to take care of our minds as well as our bodies.  It's perfectly normal to feel anxious or worried right now, whether that's about our own health or that of family members or friends.  If you live alone, you may be feeling an even greater sense of isolation or loneliness.    Staying at home is difficult, but you are helping to protect yourself and others by doing so.  Every Mind Matters has some helpful information online to support us through this time, whether that's regarding concerns you may have about your finances, or ensuring that you or others have the supplies or support you need, or staying connected with others.  Take a moment to look at the advice it provides. We are all in this together, and it's important that we take time to look after ourselves mentally, as well as physically.  Getting outside safely during COVID-19  We've covered this before, but as we're back in similar circumstances, we're running it again.  We must stay at home as much as possible. That’s the new norm. But being outside is also so important for our physical and mental wellbeing. So how do we ensure that we do that safely? Ordnance Survey launched a brilliant thing last year, and they've updated it this week.  It's a guide to getting outside safely during coronavirus, and right now, during lockdown.  The outdoors is still open, and we’re all being encouraged to get outside and stay local for our physical and mental health.  Just type in the location you're interested in, (eg Devon) and then choose what outdoor activity you're interested in, (eg walking), and it gives you the latest advice for walking in Devon - what's permitted, what's not, and helpful suggestions along the way.  The key is in knowing how to minimise risk to yourself and others when outside.  Remember, you are allowed outdoor exercise, but choose less busy places to go, and follow the guidance - social distancing, wear your face covering in enclosed spaces, and wash your hands well as soon as you're back indoors.

 MARLDON/COMPTON PARISH CORONAVIRUS CARE HUB - click for all contact details

UPDATE 23/11/20   KNOW YOUR TIERS !     

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-restriction-tiers-what-you-need-to-know 

 UPDATE: 10th November 2020

Tuesday 10 November 2020   With news today of record redundancies in the UK during the three months to September, we want to let you know about what support is available if you’re worrying about money.  It’s reported that companies have made more workers redundant in anticipation of the end of the furlough scheme, initially due to end in October, but now extended until the end of March 2021.   Over the summer at least 30 per cent of Devon's workforce were furloughed and the number of people in the county claiming Universal Credit has gone up by 155 per cent since March. If your income has changed and you’re struggling to pay for basic household essentials, we’ve made money available via local District Councils to provide small emergency grants to people in financial hardship as a result of COVID-19. The funds can be used for different things such as access to emergency short term support through shopping vouchers, utility top ups, paying for essential travel needs or essential advice and support services. We've also published information on our website about financial help in your local area, including links to national support and information on what to do if you were employed but have now lost your job.

The latest national advice on coronavirus (COVID-19) is available on the Government website and NHS website. You can find local guidance and information about the impacts on our services on the Devon County Council website. Please forward this email to anyone you think would find it useful and encourage them to sign up. Please note that all of our sites and offices are closed to the public, except for necessary prearranged visits, but you can still contact us if you need to.

We are endeavouring to bring you the latest news, information, advice and guidance during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak via this email. You have received this message because you have previously subscribed to receive news and information about Devon County Council's services. You can manage your subscription preferences or unsubscribe via this link.

Test and Trace Support Grant

New rules from Monday 14 September – groups of up to six allowed

     
 Photo by Petr Sevcovic on Unsplash

Posted on: 10 September 2020

New rules from Monday (14th September). People will not be able to meet socially with others from other households in groups of more than six people.

That applies indoors and outdoors, including in people’s own homes.

Rules around social distancing and the use of face coverings still apply too.

There will be penalties for breaching the new rules. The police will have powers to enforce, and fines of £100 could be issued. Fines will keep doubling for further breaches, to a maximum of £3,200.

There are exemptions. COVID-19 secure venues, such as places of worship, restaurants and hospitality venues, can still host larger numbers in total, but then groups of up to six people at those venues mustn’t mix or form larger groups.

If your household or bubble already has more than six people, that’s fine. They can still gather because they’re from the same household or bubble.

Education (schools, colleges, Uni etc) and workplaces are unaffected. Weddings and funeral groups can also be larger, up to 30 people. Some organised team sports will still be able to carry on.

Here’s more detail about those exceptions.

To find out more about COVID-19 secure guidelines for venues, go online.

A Helping Hand for Cold HomesIssued: 21 August 2020

www.southhams.gov.uk

www.westdevon.gov.uk

CLICK THIS LINK TO ACCESS LOCAL UP TO DATE DATA ON COVID-19 CASE NUMBER 

https://www.devon.gov.uk/coronavirus-advice-in-devon/coronavirus-data/

Friday 17 July 2020

In this update: We're working hard to ensure we keep residents safe Residents and visitors asked to 'stick with us' Changes at Newton Abbot recycling centre More libraries reopening Face coverings - all you need to know Eat out to help out campaign Devon Together newspaper A reminder to get tested

We're working hard to ensure we keep residents safe

Local arrangements to keep a sharp look out for any potential new outbreaks of coronavirus in Devon and take swift and decisive action to tackle and contain it, are now up and running.  Devon's COVID-19 Health Protection Board, Chaired by Dr Virginia Pearson, and Devon's Local Outbreak Engagement Board, Chaired by the Leader of Devon County Council, John Hart, both met this week.  "Devon is in a good place right now," said John Hart.   "We continue to have one of the lowest number of cases in the country, and we want to keep it that way.”  Dr Pearson, Chair of the COVID-19 Health Protection Board, said: "Local arrangements to manage coronavirus effectively are up and running.  We have access to information from Public Health England as well as our own intelligence and will be looking out for anything of concern such as a rise in overall numbers or if we see clusters of cases or hotspots appearing.  "If needed, we will take whatever action is necessary to make sure we keep numbers low and prevent the uncontrolled spread of this virus."

Residents and visitors asked to 'stick with us'

As schools close for the summer and the holiday season gets fully underway, the South West is calling on residents and visitors to do the right thing and follow the rules in order to play their part in keeping the region COVID-safe this summer. Following the opening up of the hospitality and tourism sector two weeks ago, levels of infection and new cases in the South West have continued to remain among the lowest in the country – and South West leaders paid tribute to the businesses which have opened up for playing their part in keeping the area COVID-safe. We are now entering the crucial time at the start of the summer tourism peak. As more residents take a break with their families, and as further lockdown restrictions are lifted, the onus is on each and every one of us to do our part in helping prevent the spread of the virus, which remains a serious threat to public health. So the message in the South West is clear – whether you are visiting, living here or a resident about to go on holiday – stick with us and keep following the guidance to keep everyone safe. That means continuing to observe social distancing, getting tested if you have symptoms, self-isolating when required to, washing hands regularly, wearing a face covering, and making use of hand sanitiser where it's available.

To users of Newton Abbot's recycling centre 

Since we've reopened our recycling centres and adopted all the steps necessary for us to reopen safely, including social distancing and restricting the number of vehicles able to be on site, some of our centres have experienced lengthy queuing.  One such centre is our Brunel Road recycling centre in Newton Abbot. Queues there in particular are sometimes long and problematic.  So from Monday 27 July, we will be asking users of the Brunel Road Recycling Centre in Newton Abbot to show that they live in the Devon County Council area. Residents who live outside the Devon County Council area (for example Torbay or Plymouth) should take their household waste to their nearest recycling centre in their local authority area.  That way, we might ease some of the queuing.

More libraries opening their doors to public access

Our libraries started reopening earlier this month, with three libraries in Braunton, Chudleigh, and Honiton opening as a pilot with public access to choose books from shelves and use the computers. A fourth, in Brixham, also run by Libraries Unlimited, opened for public access.  Elsewhere in Devon, 'Choose and Collect' services have been operating, and people have been telephoning or emailing their library and arranging a collection date.  But from next week, Monday 20 July, more libraries will be opening to public access with the expected rules around social distancing, including those in Crediton, Dartmouth, Exmouth, Ilfracombe, Okehampton, Sidmouth, St Thomas (Exeter), South Molton and Tavistock. You'll also be asked to wear face coverings at our libraries from Friday 24 July.  Further information about what to expect in our libraries is available online.

All you might ever want to know about face coverings

We're hearing a lot about face coverings and the requirement to wear them, on public transport for example, and in other enclosed spaces where social distancing is difficult and you're likely to come into contact with other people.  From Friday 24 July that includes shops and supermarkets.  You can buy them. You can make them. You  could also wear a scarf, bandana, or a religious garment. The important thing is, it's got to fit securely around the side of the face, and cover the nose and mouth.  They're actually more intended to protect others, not the wearer, against the spread of infection. It's because the virus can spread by droplets from coughs, sneezes and speaking. Those droplets can be picked up on surfaces.That's why social distancing, and regular hand hygiene is so very important. And covering any coughs and sneezes of course with a tissue and disposing of it properly.  It's the combination of these three measures that helps stop the spread of coronavirus:  Keep your distance, as per social distancing  Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly  Wear a face covering, that fits over your nose and mouth  And those symptoms again.  If you have any of these - a new continuous cough; a high temperature; or a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of smell or taste, then you must arrange to have a test and self isolate until you get your results.

Helping hand to restaurants and other eateries

To give restaurants and cafes a helping hand, the government's launched an Eat Out to Help Out campaign.  It's offering discounts at participating restaurants and other establishments that serve food on-premises.  But those establishments need to have registered first, otherwise they'll not get the Government support.  Here's how to register   So, from Monday 3 August to the Monday 31 August (but only on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays), restaurants and bars, cafes and other establishments who use the scheme will offer a 50 per cent reduction, to a minimum of £10 per person, to all diners who eat and/or drink-in.  Customers don't need a voucher. The participating businesses will just reclaim the discounted amount through an online service.

Who likes to move it move it?

If you like to exercise, here's the latest on what you can do, who with and where.   You can now exercise alone, with members of your household or with up to 5 other people from outside your household.  Up to two households are permitted to gather in groups of more than 6 people in or outdoors, so long as people social distance.  If you live alone, you're able to bubble with another household, with social distancing.  If you are symptomatic or live with someone who has or possibly has COVID-19, please just stay home - and don't have visitors.  If you've been told to isolate by NHS Test and Trace, because you've been in contact with a confirmed case, please do so.  You can exercise at home or in the garden, but please don't go further than that.  And don't exercise with anyone else.  Here's a link to what sports facilities are open

Bringing you news in other formats 

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, we've tried to keep you up to date with the latest national advice and local news relating to COVID-19.  A lot of that is delivered digitally, through bulletins such as this, and online content on our website.  But not everyone is online, so alongside NHS Devon CCG and the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioners Office, we have joined forces to produce a newspaper.  It's called Devon Together. It's a one-off, and we've produced it with our colleagues at the Archant newspaper group which publish the Exmouth Journal, Mid Week Herald, North Devon Gazette and Sidmouth Herald as well as Devon Life magazine. It's being delivered to around 300,000 households across Devon, and door-to-door deliveries start today for a week or so.  The purpose of it, like this, is to keep people informed of the latest news and information.  There are some copies available for free from supermarkets in the county, so look out for one.  It is of course also available digitally.

Test and Trace reminder

We all have an important role to play in protecting each other from the spread of coronavirus, so just a quick reminder that if you develop any symptoms of coronavirus you should self-isolate immediately and urgently book a free test by visiting the NHS website.  Don't forget, you must continue to self isolate until you've got your results and if they're positive you'll need to give the NHS Test and Trace service the details of everyone you have recently been in contact with.  They will then be contacted by either text, phone call or email and told to self-isolate for up to 14 days, even if they are not showing any symptoms of coronavirus. This is because it can take up to 14 days for symptoms to appear. You can find out more about the NHS Test and Trace Service and how it works on the NHS website.

Facts and figures around wider impact of COVID-19

We will no doubt all have found new routines and habits over the last three or so months, with lockdown, self-isolation and shielding. Many parents have been juggling working from home with home schooling and many others will have needed to face very different and very demanding challenges. So, new habits. Some good. Some perhaps less so. Public Health England has been looking at the wider impacts of COVID-19. They've looked at smoking and drinking habits, physical activity, how people are spending their time and grocery purchasing behaviour, for example. They’ll keep up their studies, and add to the data. It all builds up a picture of how we've responded to the challenges we've faced, and still are facing. Importantly, the data helps us monitor health inequalities, and provide demographic and regional breakdowns where possible. Some headlines so far: 18 to 24 year olds report drinking less each week during lockdown; whereas those aged 24 to 64 report drinking more Fewer people aged between 16 to 24 report smoking during lockdown Nearly 10 per cent of smokers have tried quitting during lockdown. Just over 10 per cent have started using e-cigarettes The proportion of adults who said they felt anxious or that they had low self-worth in the weeks just prior and starting lockdown was about double the average figure for 2019. That figures dropped a little since, but it's still well above 2019 levels We'll come back to this in later editions of this bulletin as more data becomes available, and share information about how small steps can lead to healthier living.

The latest national advice on coronavirus (COVID-19) is available on the Government website and NHS website. You can find local guidance and information about the impacts on our services on the Devon County Council website. Please forward this email to anyone you think would find it useful and encourage them to sign up. Please note that all of our sites and offices are closed to the public, except for necessary prearranged visits, but you can still contact us if you need to.

 

Thursday 9 July 2020

In this update: Devon is prepared for local outbreaks Enjoy summer safely advice Support for shielding residents NHS Help Us Help You survey Find out what support is available Testing facilities extended

Devon is prepared in the event of local outbreaks

Devon's Director of Public Health, Dr Virginia Pearson, says the county is ‘in a good position’ if a local outbreak occurs, following sustained low numbers of positive COVID-19 cases and steady flow of quality data. She made the comments at our Cabinet meeting earlier this week while discussing the Local Outbreak Management Plan with Councillors. The plan is a blueprint which details how any future outbreaks of the virus in Devon would be managed and how its transmission would be contained. Dr Pearson also chairs the COVID-19 Health Protection Board, a committee of specialists who can coordinate a swift response to an outbreak of the virus. And our Leader, Cllr John Hart is chair of Team Devon, the Local Outbreak Engagement Board, which will monitor how the plan is implemented. You can read more about the Local Outbreak Management Plan on our website.

Enjoy summer safely

The government is encouraging everyone to enjoy summer safely by following their advice and guidance to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. This includes adhering to social distancing (2 metres where possible) keeping your hands clean, keeping interactions with those outside of your household or support bubble brief and wearing a face covering in enclosed spaces.  You should not leave home if you or anyone in you household or support bubble has coronavirus symptoms. Get a free NHS test to check if you have the virus and self-isolate until you get your results. Local businesses such as pubs, hotels and hairdressers have begun reopening their doors with strict measures in place to keep their customers and employees safe. And to help people plan days out the government has launched the 'Know Before You Go' website to help everyone enjoy days out as safely as possible. It includes advice on what to do before you leave home, how to look after yourself and each other when you're out and links to find out how different areas of the country are reopening.

Support for clinically vulnerable residents

The government's offer of free basic food supplies and medicine deliveries for those clinically extremely vulnerable to coronavirus and advised to 'shield' at home will end on Friday 31 July. This is because from Saturday 1 August, the government guidance will be relaxed so clinically extremely vulnerable people will no longer be advised to shield and can resume a more normal lifestyle, including visiting shops so long as they follow strict social distancing measures. Priority access to supermarket delivery slots will continue, but if you haven't registered on the government website yet you need to do it before 17 July.  NHS Volunteer Responders together with many charitable and local community groups will continue to offer support after 31 July.

Help Us Help You South West Survey 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many health and care services have needed to be delivered differently.  You may, for example, have accessed the health service online or over the telephone.  The NHS would like to know what you think about these new ways of working to help them understand how they can best meet people’s needs in future.  If you have ten to fifteen minutes, please complete this survey, and share your views about your experience of accessing health services differently.    The information you provide will be used by health and care organisations and commissioners at NHS England and NHS Improvement in the South West to help understand what suits different people best in different parts of our region.  The survey is open until 31 July, 2020.  A report with the results of the survey will be published on the NHS England and NHS Improvement South West website and shared with participating health and care organisations and those who provide their email addresses.

Find out what support is available to you

There is a free service to find out what help you can get from the government and other organisations.    You can find information about:  what to do if you're feeling unsafe where you live, or if you're worried about someone else  going into work  paying bills or being unemployed  getting food  having somewhere to live  mental health and wellbeing, including information for children  We also have a map and full list of the community support groups that we are aware of that have local initiatives to support those in need right now.

Testing facilities extended in England

The number of mobile testing units is set to rise from the current 146 units to 236 by the end of this month.  Councils can request mobile units in response to increased local demand.   They join a testing network that now includes 68 drive-through regional test  sites in the UK, and six new walk-through local testing sites in Newcastle, Rochdale, Leeds, Brent, Newham and Slough, offering appointments to people without cars.  Home testing kits are also available, allowing people to test at home and post back via any of the 30,000 Royal Mail priority postboxes across the UK, which are marked by a regionalised NHS logo.  Check where your nearest priority postbox is.  “If you have a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, you should book a test immediately," said Dr Virginia Pearson, Devon’s Director of Public Health Devon and Chair of the new multi-agency COVID-19 Health Protection Board.  "Everyone with symptoms can book or order a free test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.  "Essential workers and members of their households can access priority testing on GOV.UK.   "Anyone testing positive in England will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace, to help identify and trace people who they have been in contact with, to control the spread of the virus."

New study looks at coronavirus in care home settings

There's a new study, the Vivaldi 2 study, which aims to understand more about how coronavirus is spread within care homes.  It will take place in over 100 care homes in England, with swab tests (which test if the person currently has the virus) and blood tests (which test if the person has ever had it).  Residents and staff will only be asked to take part if they have given their consent.   The study is expected to take place over the course of 12 to 18 months.  It will help care homes, and local public health authorities, react quickly to outbreaks and provide reassurance to those living and working in them.    Whole care home testing has extended to all adult care homes.    All adult care home providers can access the Government's online portal to register to receive test kits to carry out whole care home testing.

PPE in numbers

Two billion items of PPE have been delivered to the NHS and social care staff across England, since the start of this outbreak. That includes 341 million masks, 313 million aprons, 4 million gowns, and 1.1 billion gloves…delivered to frontline workers. Almost 28 billion items of PPE have been ordered overall from UK-based manufacturers and international partners, to provide a continuous supply in the coming months. "This will help protect our hardworking NHS and care staff, allowing them to continue to save lives and provide high-quality care to those who need it," says the Government.

The latest national advice on coronavirus (COVID-19) is available on the Government website and NHS website. You can find local guidance and information about the impacts on our services on the Devon County Council website. Please forward this email to anyone you think would find it useful and encourage them to sign up. Please note that all of our sites and offices are closed to the public, except for necessary prearranged visits, but you can still contact us if you need to.

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What if there's a coronavirus outbreak in Devon?

We've developed new measures to contain and reduce cases of coronavirus in Devon, and safeguard the health of our residents. 

It's called the Local Outbreak Management Plan and it details how we will work together to help reduce the risk of outbreaks in the county, and if they do occur, identify them quickly and provide a rapid response to prevent the virus spreading. 

Designed to support the national NHS Test and Trace Service, it is our local blueprint for action and builds on the effort everyone has made so far to keep infection rates here so low, protect each other and support the most vulnerable in our communities.

We are also helping other councils with their localised planning for coronavirus outbreak control as one of 11 authorities chosen by the government to share good practice across the country. 

We've published the plan on our website, and it will be updated as new national guidance is published or legislation changes. You can also download a copy.

The details of our plan have been broken down into key areas, and we've created this special e-bulletin to give you a flavour of what's involved. 

Working together

Working in partnership will be crucial to help prevent the spread of coronavirus and swiftly respond to local outbreaks. 

That means involving all local councils and public sector organisations alongside businesses, the voluntary sector and communities, as well as continuing to work with the government and Public Health England.

Who is involved will depend on where an outbreak occurs, but it is critical that everyone understands the plan, role and actions they are expected to take in a response.

It's good that we can be a bit flexible locally, but it's also important that the way we work is consistent, so our Local Outbreak Management Plan includes some principles which the South West Regional Directors of Public Health have all agreed to. You can read them in full on our website.

They include things like making sure we let you know about the most up-to-date science, evidence and data and learning from one another to ensure we provide the most effective response we can.

There's also an explanation about who is responsible for the plan, and how they will be supported to deliver it. 

Using data to make good decisions

We work very closely with Public Health England and are receiving up to the minute data from them about coronavirus cases in Devon.

We need to make the best use of timely, high-quality, local data to help us take informed decisions to control the transmission of coronavirus in Devon.

We've agreed a transparent and consistent approach to collecting and sharing data and intelligence across the South West so we can analyse, interpret and compare information easily.  

This evidence is vital to our successful response to local outbreaks and will help us make the right decisions at the right time and share those decisions and why they have been made, with you.

Helping people and communities

An important part of our Local Outbreak Management Plan is about how we will support vulnerable people and communities and how we plan to respond to outbreaks in high-risk settings, such as schools and care homes.

We know that there are some people and communities who are at higher risk right now, including older people and those with underlying health conditions, refugees and asylum seekers, people with a learning disability and autism and BAME communities. 

We're working with partners and the voluntary and community sector, to ensure that people and families who need additional support are able to find appropriate help.

It is important that our plan can be used to respond to all local coronavirus outbreaks, however, some places are possibly more likely than others to have outbreaks, or it maybe more challenging to manage an outbreak there because of the nature of the place or vulnerability of the people involved. For example, care homes, schools or a factory. 

So we've got specific plans in place with pre-agreed actions to respond to outbreaks in these higher-risk settings.

Special online 'action cards' have been developed nationally for businesses and organisations to download and use to let them know what they should do if they suspect they have a coronavirus outbreak as well as guidance on what they can do to help prevent infection. We will add the 'action cards' to our website as soon as they are available.

Training and advice will also continue to be provided for those who work in higher-risk settings or with the most vulnerable people.

Testing and tracing

Our Local Outbreak Management Plan is designed to support the national NHS Test and Trace Service.

When someone tests positive for coronavirus the NHS Test and Trace service is notified. If a local outbreak is identified, we will work with partners to contain it.

Anyone in England who has symptoms of coronavirus, whatever their age, can get a test by going to the NHS website or by calling 119.

If you test positive, the NHS Test and Trace service will ask you for the details of anyone you've been in close contact with, and if necessary will inform them that they must self-isolate at home to help stop the spread of coronavirus. 

If cases are linked to one particular place, for example a school, care home or workplace, it could be a local outbreak, in which case we will work with partners including Public Health England, to follow up cases and agree appropriate actions to contain the spread. 

This could include mobilising local testing units, gathering more local information and providing infection control advice to everyone.

Communication and engagement

It is important that everyone has trust and confidence in how we plan to work together to help prevent local outbreaks in Devon, and manage them quickly and effectively if they do occur.

So providing up-to-date guidance, information and advice to our communities and partners is a vital element of our Local Outbreak Management Plan. 

We all want Devon to recover from this pandemic as quickly and as safely as possible, and for that to happen everyone needs to understand the part they have to play in preventing local outbreaks. 

This includes observing social distancing, wearing face coverings in enclosed public spaces where social distancing isn’t possible, for example on a bus or in a shop, and continuing to wash hands thoroughly and regularly. 

Anyone with symptoms can get tested. You must book a test on the NHS website or call 119 if you have no internet access. If you test positive, please help the NHS Test and Trace service alert people you have been in contact with so that they can help us control infection levels by self-isolating. 

If there is a local outbreak, we are well prepared to take action based on real-time data and the best scientific advice to help manage the spread of the virus. We will engage and involve those affected, and will keep people well informed and updated.

The coronavirus advice pages on our website will be regularly updated with the latest information and guidance. We will also work with with the local media and other partners such as MPs, district councils, businesses and community organisations to help important information reach all our residents. 

Resources

The government has made around £300 million available to implement Local Outbreak Management Plans in order to manage local coronavirus outbreaks.

Responding to local outbreaks really is a team effort though. While it is led by our public health team, the skills and expertise of a wide range of organisations and professional groups are involved, including environmental health, infection prevent and control, health and social care, the NHS, health and safety, data and intelligence analysts, and communications.

The level of resource needed would totally depend on the extent or complexity of any outbreak.

Additional resources are available, including support specifically for vulnerable people who are instructed to self-isolate.

 Have you got any questions or comments?

We want to make sure we’re giving you all the information you need so we hope you’ve found this email useful. 

You may have questions about the Local Outbreak Management Plan, or you may want to know more about what happens if a cluster of positive cases is identified near you or your family.

We've listed some 'Frequently Asked Questions' (FAQs) on our website, and we will continue to update and add to them. If there are general questions not covered so far in our list, or you have any other comments on how we could improve this email, please give us your feedback.

The latest national advice on coronavirus (COVID-19) is available on the Government website and NHS website.