Please familiarise yourself with the latest information published through SALC. We will update this as each new item of info is received.
This is the first of a daily update from Suffolk County Council about COVID-19. At the time of emailing, this includes the most current UK and Suffolk information and Government guidance, but, as you will be aware, the situation is evolving almost hourly so please be aware that this information may date quite quickly.
We are living in unprecedented times. It is clear that this virus will have an impact on each of our lives, but we must continue to look out for our most vulnerable neighbours, whilst remembering the guidance on social distancing. There is a lot of national guidelines available (the website are listed below) and these remain the best source of up-to-date national information.
Current Situation (19/03/20)
- As of 9am on 19 March 2020, 64,621 people have been tested in the UK, of which 61,352 were confirmed negative and 3,269 were confirmed positive. As of 1pm 144 patients in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) have died.
- In Suffolk we have 13 confirmed cases. However, with routine community testing discontinued, these figures will not describe the full extent of cases locally.
- PM statement on coronavirus: 19 March 2020
- Stresses again to stay at home if you/your family have symptoms, avoiding unnecessary contact, working from home, washing hands
- The government expects to “turn the tide” within the next 12 weeks
- UK experts and scientists expect to start trials for the first vaccine within a month
- The government is in negotiations to buy a so called antibody test - as simple as a pregnancy test that could tell whether you have had the disease. This would be a gamechanger as once you know that you have had it, you know that you are likely to be less vulnerable, you’re less likely to pass it on, and you can go back to work.
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): maintaining educational provision - schools will closed from Fri 20 Mar afternoon, except for children of key workers and vulnerable children
- Vulnerable children include children who are supported by social care, those with safeguarding and welfare needs, including child in need plans, on child protection plans, ‘looked after’ children, young carers, disabled children and those with education, health and care (EHC) plans.
- Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include (see guidance for full detail) those who work in health and social care, education and childcare, key public services (justice system, religious staff, charities and workers delivering key frontline services, those responsible for the management of the deceased, and journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting), Local and national government (only those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the COVID-19 response or delivering essential public services such as the payment of benefits), Food and other necessary goods, Public safety and national security, Transport, Utilities, communication and financial services
- £2.9 billion funding to strengthen care for the vulnerable of which £1.6 billion will go to local authorities to help them respond to other coronavirus (COVID-19) pressures across all the services they deliver. This includes increasing support for the adult social care workforce and for services helping the most vulnerable, including homeless people.
- The Defence Secretary announces new measures to put service personnel and Reservists on standby to support public services in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Online isolation notes launched - providing proof of coronavirus absence from work - people unable to work for more than seven days because of coronavirus (COVID-19) can obtain an isolation note through a new online service.
- In the news - Letters are being sent to more than 65,000 retired doctors and nurses in England and Wales asking them to return to the NHS to help tackle the outbreak.
- In the news - Train operators will gradually reduce services from Monday
Useful Websites (any new guidance is in RED)
The existing guidance is being updated extremely regularly (and in some cases daily) so please check any guidance relevant to your area to ensure that you are accessing the most up to date version. I will only be able to highlight newly published guidance in this bulletin.
No |
Title |
Who For/Notes |
Link |
NEW |
COVID-19: ethical framework for adult social care |
adult social care |
|
NEW |
Closure of educational settings: information for parents and carers |
Parents and carers |
|
NEW |
Coronavirus (COVID-19): maintaining educational provision |
schools, colleges and local authorities |
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision |
NEW |
Coronavirus (COVID-19): hospital discharge service requirements |
health and care systems and providers |
|
NEW |
COVID-19: free school meals guidance |
schools and local authorities |
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance |
NEW |
Coronavirus bill: summary of impacts |
|
|
NEW |
Mental health support and advice |
General public, staff and carers |
https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/mental-health-considerations.pdf
|
NEW |
Chronic disease self- care |
General public |
https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/coronavirus-covid-19/ |
UPDATED |
COVID-19: guidance on social distancing and for vulnerable people |
Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK and protecting older people and vulnerable people. |
Added translated versions. |
UPDATED |
COVID-19: guidance for employees, employers and businesses |
for employees, employers and businesses |
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19
Added details about how to access evidence for work absence. Eligibility and access to schemes: details added |
UPDATED |
COVID-19: residential care, supported living and home care guidance |
Providers of residential care, supported living, and home care |
Added information on implications of household isolation guidance for residential care, supported living and home care settings.
|
UPDATED |
COVID-19: guidance for staff in the transport sector |
Staff in the transport sector |
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-staff-in-the-transport-sector
Added guidance poster. |
UPDATED |
COVID-19: guidance for educational settings |
schools and other educational setting |
Added guidance poster. |
1 |
NHS |
General Public – this is the only site we should be promoting to the public for information |
|
2 |
NHS 111 |
General Public – For people to use incl a symptom checker |
|
3 |
PHE UK Dashboard |
UK Dashboard of cases and deaths |
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/f94c3c90da5b4e9f9a0b19484dd4bb14 |
4 |
Gov.UK – Central public resource |
Main cover webpage for all government guidance for public & professionals alike |
https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response |
5 |
PHE Health Matters |
Post on General FAQs that include a section to submit questions at the bottom of the page. |
https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2020/01/23/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-what-you-need-to-know/ |
6 |
PHE Campaign Resource Centre |
Range of comms resources that can be used |
https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/resources/campaigns/101-novel-coronavirus-/resources |
7 |
Gov.uk - Health Professionals Guidance
|
Central location for health guidance |
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/wuhan-novel-coronavirus |
8 |
Gov.uk - Non health Specific Guidance
|
Guidance decontamination in non-healthcare settings |
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings |
9 |
Gov.uk - Infection Prevention and Control guidance |
For health and social care professionals or others |
|
10 |
COVID-19 guidance for mass gatherings |
Guidance and advice for those arranging or planning to attend events in the UK. |
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-guidance-for-mass-gatherings |
11 |
COVID-19 industry guidance |
|
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-publishes-updated-covid-19-industry-guidance |
12 |
Coronavirus (COVID-19): immigration guidance |
for individuals affected by travel restrictions associated with coronavirus |
|
13 |
Coronavirus bill: what it will do |
|
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-bill-what-it-will-do |
14 |
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for local government |
Local councils |
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-local-government |
15 |
Stay at home: guidance for households with possible coronavirus (COVID-19) infection |
General public |
|
16 |
Travel advice: coronavirus (COVID-19) |
General public travelling and living overseas |
|
17 |
COVID-19: investigation and initial clinical management of possible cases |
Clinicians |
- WHO RISK ASSESSMENT (Global Level) - Very High
- WHO Corvid-19 Dashboard for professionals using near real time data.
- The number of confirmed cases worldwide has exceeded 200,000. It took over three months to reach the first 100,000 confirmed cases, and only 12 days to reach the next 100,000.
Situation in Numbers WHO SitRep 59, 19 Mar (new since last 24hrs)
Location |
Confirmed |
Deaths |
Globally |
209 839 confirmed (16 556) |
8778 deaths (828) |
Western Pacific Region |
92 333 confirmed (488) |
3377 deaths (20) |
European Region |
87 108 confirmed (10 221) |
4084 deaths (591) |
South-East Asia |
657 confirmed (119) |
23 deaths (14) |
Eastern Mediterranean Region |
19 518 confirmed (1430) |
1161 deaths (150) |
Regions of the Americas |
9144 confirmed (4166) |
119 deaths (50) |
African Region |
367 confirmed (132) |
7 deaths (3) |
BW
Public Health Suffolk
SUFFOLK
- Community Support: We have partnered with the East Anglian Daily Times to launch their community campaign, Home, but not alone. The campaign looks at ways you can help in Suffolk during this time such as volunteering and making contact with your neighbours. To read more about it please visit; https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/coronavirus-good-neighbourhood-scheme-orford-1-6566068 We will update on other community news in the update tomorrow.
- Suffolk Highways: The Senior Leadership Team at Suffolk Highways is meeting twice daily to ensure a close management of the highways service during this challenging time. We are working together with teams across the business to ensure we can continue to deliver a service for those travelling in Suffolk. We are absolutely committed to keeping our colleagues safe and healthy, whilst ensuring roads are maintained for the use of emergency services and those having to travel for essential tasks. To assist at this time whilst we suffer a shortage in resource, we are asking members of the public to only report more serious issues to us, such as deep potholes or a highway issue which is causing threat to public safety. We're continuing to carry out our routine inspections, inspection of customer reports and repairing problems on the network – however as you would expect, our focussed needs to be on responding to the highest priority areas.
- Adult and Community Care: Below details some of the urgent steps that Adult Community Services are taking to provide stability for the care market and to stimulate and access as much capacity as possible.
In order to immediately help to reassure and support extra capacity in the care market Suffolk County Council has taken the following action:
- It will provide a payment per provider based on the average of the last three whole payment periods, plus an adjustment for inflation of 5.25%. This will support providers through the security of income over the coming months.
- To be paid on a 4-weekly basis for the next 3 months.
In return our requirement is that Providers commit to the following:
- Nursing and Residential Homes will continue to take new placement and re-admissions from hospital
- Nursing and Residential Homes will be expected to reduce wherever possible the delay between a bed becoming vacant and refilled
- Homecare providers will be expected to maintain all current care packages, we would not expect providers to hand backs any customers during this period. We do recognise there may be exceptional circumstances which we will work with you as a system to resolve.
In addition, we will be commissioning homecare and support contracts to accredited providers outside of our current framework for a period of 3 months.
We are increasing our capacity in Home First through the deployment of other staff across ACS. We will extend this to the wider SCC workforce and the wider public sector workforce if and when required. There is a rolling programme of basic training beginning this week and we are aiming to increase capacity by 35% in the short term (135 staff) and then to 50%. We will increase this if required. This will, in addition to the financial and contractual measures being taken, help us to support the market and the growth in demand.
We are similarly establishing a rolling programme of training for the redeployment of staff into Customer First to respond to the anticipated demand.
We are working with Suffolk Family Carers to establish a direct access helpline for carers who are not in receipt of services and need support due to the virus with caring for their loved one, linked to Customer First.
We have been working with health partners to plan additional capacity needs for hospital discharge. Yesterday Simon Stevens announced the plans to immediately free up 30,000 hospital beds through urgently discharging all patients medically fit for discharge. New government funding for these discharge packages and to support the supply and resilience of out-of-hospital care more broadly is being made available. Trusts, CCGs and the Local Authority will work together to ensure that additional capacity is appropriately commissioned and plans are actively being explored. This is one of the three actions, the others being a national programme of block purchasing beds from private hospitals and the cancellation of non-urgent elective operations.
The Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) have lead responsibility for overseeing support for older and vulnerable people who are going to be ‘shielded’ at home over the coming months. Community Health services have been asked to support the LRF’s in this work. There is a workstream within our current emergency planning arrangements focusing upon this and working in partnership with the voluntary sector.
- Suffolk Fire and Rescue: Latest statement:We are continually monitoring the coronavirus situation and the guidance issued from government, Home Office and the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC). We are focused on keeping our staff safe and protecting the communities we serve. We will continue to respond to emergency 999 calls. We have reduced some work to minimise risks, including some firefighter training, non-essential home visits and we are adapting our operations to continue to protect the most vulnerable in our society. We are advising members of the public to take extra vigilance at the present time and continue to test smoke alarms on a weekly basis’.
- Suffolk Libraries: Closures: The following libraries are closed due to staff shortages: Saxmundham Library, Southwold Library. At this moment the other libraries are open, but there is a possibility some or all will close. If you would like to borrow books please do this as soon as possible. Renewals, reservations and charges: All overdue charges incurred from 17 March onwards have been suspended. To renew books due back before 17 March. Reservation collection dates extended in case libraries are closed or you’ve self-isolated. We’re keeping our libraries open for now as there has been no government decision to close them and are in close discussion with the county council about the situation. Library Statement: In line with Government guidance we’ve cancelled all activities and events in libraries. As closures may be likely we’re recommending that people stock up on books. We’ve made life as easy as possible by suspending fines and extending return dates for the time being. Even if libraries close our customer service staff will be able to answer queries and provide help. As it happens we’d already launched a campaign to promote our eLibrary services – there are thousands of free ebooks, audiobooks, online newspapers and magazines as well as a film streaming service and free music. With plenty titles to keep children entertained too. We’ve also made it easier to sign up and use these. The mobile libraries are still running but we’ve decided to suspend the home library service due so many customers being older or with health issues. We are asking volunteers to call the customers so they don’t feel too isolated.
- Citizens Advice Bureau: Issued from Ipswich CAB today. Following guidance from Government Citizens Advice Ipswich will be providing advice via phone and email until further notice. Nicky Willshere, chief officer, said: “We have taken the Government guidance and as a result will be offering telephone and email advice for the foreseeable future. We are contacting all clients who had an appointment booked with us to rearrange it to a telephone appointment. We know that many people will have concerns over coming weeks and we will be using social media, our website and offering advice remotely to seek to help find ways forward.” Useful contact details: Telephone advice line: 0300 3301151. Email via our website citizensadviceipswich.org.uk. Help to Claim line for Universal Credit 0800 144 8444.
-
Message from Leiston Citizens Advice Bureau as follows :- We have suspended face-to-face meetings but can be contacted by phone, email and post.
- Business: Issued by the New Anglia LEP. The Coronavirus outbreak presents a significant challenge to businesses around the globe. Norfolk and Suffolk businesses who have been affected, of feel they are likely to be affected by C19, are urged to seek advice and the Government has supplied a series of resources to inform employers on the latest developments and advice on protecting themselves and their employees. The Government has also announced a £330bn package of support for businesses. Government support for business can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
- Suffolk Trading Standards: Advice and guidance about scams https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/news/cyber-experts-step-criminals-exploit-coronavirus