The Parish Council is looking for candidates who care about local community matters and who would like to to be co-opted onto the Parish Council. If you are interested in applying or finding out more please contact the Clerk (parish.clerk@radnage.net) with a few details about yourself and your reasons for wanting to become a Parish Councillor. We very much look forward to hearing from you.
| Press Release from Buckinghamshire Council 12 August 2020 |
| COVID-19 business grants scheme to end ……… Last call for coronavirus business grant applications |
| Buckinghamshire small businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors that haven’t already applied for coronavirus business grants have two weeks left to claim before applications for business grants close on Friday 28 August. In addition, applications for a second phase of discretionary grants will close at midnight on Sunday 16 August. Buckinghamshire Council has already paid out £83.9 million to 6,399 eligible businesses so far since the business grants scheme was launched over three months ago in response to the coronavirus crisis. The finance team worked weekends to process the flood of applications when the scheme was first launched, and have continued to respond quickly as the number of applications has tailed off. The grants’ importance was flagged up by Cllr Katrina Wood, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member Resources for Buckinghamshire Council, who said: “These grants have been vital to our economy – helping ensure the survival of shops, cafes, hotels, restaurants and many other businesses. “They have helped local businesses meet expenses during unprecedented times when there was very little money coming in and kept them going until things started to return to a new normal. “We received just over just over £91.8 million from government, meaning we have paid out over 91% of the available funding. There is almost £8 million still available and I urge any businesses who may be eligible to apply before the closing date.” Unallocated funds will be returned to the government after Friday 28 August. Go to www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/businessgrant for details about eligibility and to apply for business grants. These grants are available to all eligible businesses and, as they are grants and not loans, do not need to be repaid. There is also still time to apply for the second phase of Local Authority Discretionary Grants which can help businesses with fixed property costs such as rent, utility and broadband bills. Information and the application form is available here https://bbf.uk.com/business-support/local-authority-small-business-discretionary-grant We are working in partnership with Buckinghamshire Business First who can help businesses with general support, advice, free webinars and information. Visit the website at bbf.uk.com or email BusinessSupport@bbf.uk.com |
New grants of between £3,000 and £120,000 are now available to support businesses in Buckinghamshire looking to invest in resilience, repurposing or recovery initiatives as they prepare to overcome the challenges presented by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis.
The Buckinghamshire Recovery Investment Fund, provided by Buckinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), is part of a coordinated support programme for businesses, with Buckinghamshire LEP working closely alongside Buckinghamshire Business First and Buckinghamshire Council.
Andrew M. Smith, Chair of Buckinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said:
“These grants are being made available to support any eligible business based in Buckinghamshire who have started to make plans for how they can recover from the current Covid-19 crisis and are looking at activity to ensure their recovery, future resilience and growth. In addition, these grants are intended to complement those national measures already in place, to support Buckinghamshire businesses during this challenging time.”
Michael Garvey, Chair of Buckinghamshire Business First, added: “Over the past few months we have heard from many Buckinghamshire businesses impacted by COVID-19. We are working hard to do everything we can to support them through these challenging times and help them not only survive but position themselves for recovery. This new fund has been set up to provide support for local businesses whose future viability has been adversely impacted, to support them to grow and flourish post-COVID.”
Match-funded grants of between £3,000 and £120,000 are available to support businesses with innovative projects that contribute towards any of the following: new income streams / product development; improvements in productivity / profitability; jobs growth; accelerated COVID-19 recovery; and future resilience.
Businesses must match-fund 25% of the total project value. For example, the minimum project value which can be supported is £4,000 (the business invests £1,000 and the grant can fund £3,000). The maximum grant value is £120,000 (meaning the match-funding required will be £40,000 for a project value of £160,000 or more to achieve the maximum grant).
Grants are available to organisations that: meet the definition of a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME); have two or more PAYE employees; are registered in the Buckinghamshire LEP area; have not received over €200,000 of de minimis aid in the last three years; and were in good financial health prior to 29th February 2020.
For further details on these grants and an application form, please go to: www.bbf.uk.com/BRIF.
In addition, any business that is being affected by COVID-19 (coronavirus), or has concerns about its future impact on business, can visit the website www.bbf.uk.com/covid-19 where the most up-to-date advice and support is available.
Buckinghamshire Council has reopened five of its nine household recycling centres to give residents the chance to dispose of waste that cannot be safely stored at home.
From Wednesday 6 May, the Amersham, Aston Clinton, Buckingham, Beaconsfield and High Wycombe sites will be open seven days a week, 9am-6pm – the usual summer opening hours. The other four sites will remain closed for the foreseeable future. To stay within the government’s coronavirus guidelines on essential travel, however, it is important that journeys to these sites during lockdown are only made if waste cannot be stored for longer at home without causing risk to health or safety.
The health of residents and staff is always the highest priority, so everyone visiting the reopened sites are expected to observe the new social distancing measures that have been put in place. This includes traffic management to control the number of visitors at any one time. The Council warns that this could lead to extensive traffic queues building up at site entrances, so it’s well worth delaying a visit until things are a bit quieter.
Bill Chapple OBE, Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “The decision to reopen the recycling centres was taken after listening to residents’ concerns on extra waste accumulation during the lockdown period. We want to ensure that people who have been struggling to manage their waste are able to dispose of it properly.
“However, I must warn visitors who do feel that a trip is essential that their visit will be different from normal due to the measures we are putting in place to protect both visitors and our staff. I would also stress that we are only open for residents of Buckinghamshire and will be asking visitors for identification to prove their address.
“As part of the need to ensure social distancing, we have had to limit the number of visitors on site at any one time, so long queues to access the site are likely. I’d ask people to bear in mind that the five sites that have reopened will be open from 9 am to 6 pm seven days a week, so it isn’t necessary to rush there at the first opportunity.
“Staff will be on hand to ensure that the social distancing guidelines are adhered to, therefore we urge all visitors to be patient and leave plenty of time for their visit.
“Fly-tipping is a crime. Buckinghamshire Council takes a zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping and will prosecute wherever possible. However, there has been some concern amongst residents that the closure of the recycling centres has led some people to either fly-tip or hire unlicensed individuals to take away their rubbish. With the reopening of five sites, it means that anyone with accumulated waste that cannot safely be stored can now dispose of it properly.”
These are the things to remember when visiting the reopened household recycling centres:
Press release from Buckinghamshire Council April 30th 2020
Buckinghamshire Council will restart green waste collections across the county from 11 May and also stand ready to open five of its nine household waste sites as soon as the Government gives the green light nationally.
The moves to help residents across the county deal with their additional waste were announced at Cabinet today (30 April) by Bill Chapple OBE, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change.
Today’s announcement follows the closedown of both areas at the start of the coronavirus outbreak due to government guidance, as well as staff shortages due to sickness and those needing to self-isolate. However Bill Chapple said things had improved sufficiently to reinstate the two services.
“Coronavirus has had a massive impact on all our waste services but waste teams from across the county have worked tremendously hard to prioritise collections and keep waste and recycling bin collections going. However, we’re now fighting back and it’s my intention to get services operating somewhere close to normality wherever I can, subject to current conditions continuing.
“Bringing back green waste collections will really help residents tend to their gardens during the lockdown. I know collection crews will be working hard particularly on the initial rounds, so could I ask residents to be considerate and avoid over-filling bins or putting additional garden waste out alongside.”
Residents’ normal garden bin collection days will stay the same but the Council advises checking their website first just to make sure nothing has changed. Collection times may however change, so residents are asked to put bins out by 6.30am. In addition, no subscribers will be out of pocket while green waste hasn’t been collected as contract extensions or reduced-priced renewals are being introduced. The Council will also be reinstating its bulky waste collection service across the county.
Bill continued, “To allow residents to dispose of other essential rubbish that might be harmful to store, we’ve also been working behind the scenes to prepare five of our most suitable household waste sites for reopening. These sites are at Amersham, Aston Clinton, Beaconsfield, Buckingham and High Heavens in High Wycombe and are best able to deal with queuing vehicles.
“We’re now just waiting for the Government’s final authorisation to open and this is expected within the next couple of weeks.
“That said, sites will look and operate differently to comply with strict social distancing requirements. We’ll be adopting a ‘supermarket-style’ of operation with strict controls on the number of people entering the site at any one time and marked off areas to maintain two-metre gaps.
“As soon as we get the green light, we’ll publish more detailed guidance on when these sites will reopen and how they will operate so residents can be absolutely clear on what they need to do.
“It’s been a concerted effort from the whole waste team to find the best ways to reintroduce services given the extraordinary times we’re in and I really hope it will provide some much-needed help for local residents going forward.”
For more information, please visit www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk
Please don’t light garden fires during the coronavirus pandemic.
As well as the danger of it getting out of control there are people in the community living with respiratory problems which could be made worse if exposed to bonfire smoke. Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, Buckinghamshire Council have said: ‘We know it’s not easy at the moment, but please compost your garden waste where possible, and stack or bag up rubbish for disposal when the current emergency is over’.
Whilst it’s tempting to burn some garden rubbish, please, consider your neighbours and the emergency services who are already stretched and keep our communities safe.
Thank You for being a good neighbour.
| Press Release from Buckinghamshire Council 02 June 2020 |
| Trading Standards alert over ‘test and trace’ scammers |
| ‘Think before you click’ scam alerts have been sounded by Trading Standards officers to try to head off scams in the wake of the launch of the Government’s coronavirus Test & Trace system. Virus lockdown has seen an estimated 40% increase in reported doorstep, phone and email scams across Buckinghamshire, and Trading Standards say their priority is to protect residents from potential text, email and phone frauds based on the new NHS Test & Trace system. They warn people to be wary of ‘phishing’ texts and emails, to ‘think before you click’ on a link in a text or email suggesting, for example, that someone testing positive to Covid-19 had come into contact with them and recommending a click-link for more help. Fred Wilson, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, said:”The important thing to remember is to always be alert. If in doubt, do NOT click on any links that could send your details straight to the scammers.” He said although alerts from the NHS Test & Trace service could come by text, email or phone call, there was clear Government guidance as to how it works, and there was no need to give financial information as it is a free service. Fred said that while traditional scams targeted older and more vulnerable people, Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards warned lockdown scams are no respecter of age or socio-economic profile. Classic examples so far have ranged from emails and texts claiming you are due a refund from your TV licence, council tax or income tax, using Covid-19 as bait and providing a dodgy link, to fake texts purporting to be from the government promising a ‘relief’ payout and providing a fake link. Other scams have involved shopping orders: facemasks that never arrive, hand sanitiser that isn’t, even fake NHS lanyards for sale. “Criminals can spoof texts, making messages appear in a chain of texts alongside previous genuine messages making them look so plausible,” said Fred. “So as the Test & Trace scheme rolls out, the warning is to be very alert. Don’t give them a foothold in Buckinghamshire!” Fred said residents should forward dodgy-looking emails to the National Cyber Security Centre at report@phishing.gov.uk Lockdown scam losses could have been much worse, were it not for Trading Standards officers’ vigilance and preventive action against scam phone calls, which try to get residents’ bank details. They have supplied potential victims with free Truecall blocking devices that during four months stopped more than 1,400 nuisance phone calls, 276 of which were fraudulent, saving residents an estimated total of £830,000 in potentially scammed cash. In addition Trading Standards had 43 unsolicited calls reported. Since the Truecall initiative was started in 2014, Trading Standards report that 35,240 scam calls have been blocked, which could have cost residents in excess of £380,000 in potentially scammed cash. As lockdown scams continue, Trading Standards advice to residents is: – Be sceptical, don’t be afraid to delete the email/text or put the phone down. – Take your time, don’t be rushed. – Know who you’re dealing with: if you need help, talk to someone you know or get in touch with Trading Standards advice line on 0300 123 2329 – Protect your financial information, especially from people you don’t know. – Never engage with someone or allow them access unless you are able to verify their authenticity and who they are. Residents who are being subjected to nuisance calls can request a Truecall phone blocker from Trading Standards by emailing trading.standards@bucksandsurreytradingstandards.gov.uk Government Test & Trace guidance https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works Contact tracers will: – call you from 0300 013 5000 – send you text messages from ‘NHS’ – ask you to sign into the NHS test and trace contact-tracing website – ask for your full name and date of birth to confirm your identity, and postcode to offer support while self-isolating – ask about the coronavirus symptoms you have been experiencing – ask you to provide the name, telephone number and/or email address of anyone you have had close contact within the two days prior to your symptoms starting – ask if anyone you have been in contact with is under 18 or lives outside of England Contact tracers will never: – ask you to dial a premium rate (09 or 087) number to speak to them – ask you to make any form of payment or purchase a product or any kind – ask for any details about your bank account – ask for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts – ask you for any passwords or PINs, or ask you to set up any passwords or PINs over the phone – disclose any of your personal or medical information to your contacts – provide medical advice on the treatment of any potential coronavirus symptoms – ask you to download any software to your PC or ask you to hand over control of your PC, smartphone or tablet to anyone else – ask you to access any website that does not belong to the government or NHS |
Doorstep scammers are taking advantage of the coronavirus emergency to con elderly and vulnerable people. There has been a rise in the number of scam complaints related to the coronavirus outbreak, according to Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards team, who are urging members of the public to be aware. Since the beginning of the month the total number of scam complaints has increased by 40%.
Latest complaints include reports of a South Buckinghamshire woman in her 80s who answered the door to a man who tried to demand £220 in cash to complete a health and safety check. Additionally, there have been widespread complaints of scammers trying to take people’s bank details to cover payments for school meals whilst the schools are closed.
Residents are also being urged to be especially wary of people offering or selling:
Residents must also be wary of emails, texts, telephone calls and messages via social media from scammers offering refunds on taxes or bills, as these are highly prevalent.
Trading Standards have provided some helpful tips to help prevent people from becoming victims of scams:
Gareth Williams, Buckinghamshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health, said: “I am absolutely appalled that anyone would use a time of national emergency to target vulnerable and older people. This is as low as you can get.
I’m heartened by the fantastic number of people locally who want to help others, and I’d encourage anyone looking out for their elderly and vulnerable neighbours to keep an eye and ear out for these types of scammers.”
If you have information or are worried about coronavirus related scams please contact Trading Standards. You can email trading.standards@bucksandsurreytradingstandards.gov.uk or call on 01296 388788.
AUGUST 12th
Cases of COVID-19 are rising again across the country and we need your help to prevent an outbreak or local lockdown happening in Buckinghamshire.
Let’s work together to stay safe and protect Bucks.
Book a test if you have any coronavirus symptoms
We do not want a local lockdown in Buckinghamshire. We want to stop the spread of the virus so that we can continue to live our lives and enjoy our freedom.
Follow our simple guidance:
There are testing centres locally, or you can order a home test. The test involves taking a swab of the inside of your nose and the back of your throat, using a cotton bud. You can do the swab yourself, or someone can do it for you.
We must protect our community from this deadly virus. Many people have already died, and it is our responsibility to stop the virus from spreading and taking more lives.
Help control the virus and protect yourself and others
Please, if you have any of the symptoms; a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change in your sense of smell or taste, please book a test now. Call 119 or go online https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test
We can all help control the virus if we all stay alert. This means you must:
Self-isolate if you or anyone in your household has symptoms.
SEE LATEST DETAILS HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do
Radnage Parish Council is constantly reviewing the advice received from the Government and updated legislation with information as to how we proceed over the coming weeks and months.
Currently, the regular monthly meetings of the Parish Council will be held remotely via video or audio until further notice. The Annual Meetings in May have also been postponed and new information will be provided as it becomes available.
The Radnage Village Hall – In line with current advice, THE VILLAGE HALL and PLAYGROUND is CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. For further information, please contact the Bookings Clerk – 01494 485705 or the Village Hall Manager – 01494 483675
Thank you for your co-operation
Planning applications received will still need to be considered by the Parish Council as the Wycombe District Council Planning Dept continues to deliver the best service possible in these exceptional times and will prioritise decision making to ensure that the system continues to function. As face-to-face meetings are not currently possible with our residents we encourage you to contact us with any comments that you may have, or make your views known on any planning cases via PublicAccess.
Visit: http://publicaccess.wycombe.gov.uk You can view, comment and track planning applications, perform advanced searches, read comments, track progress, view historic applications, view information and progress on appeals, view enforcement complaints and building control applications, and search applications that are received each week.
Applications currently under consideration will be posted here:
Applications considered to April 8th were as follows:
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As we find ourselves in unprecedented times which is concerning for us all if you need help or advice please do not hesitate to contact: Lin Freeth, Clerk to Radnage Parish Council, via: parish.clerk@radnage.net or 01494 485017 and I will try to help.
At this worrying time please be aware of your friends and neighbours who may need help and support and remember a phone call or email can make all the difference to someone who is feeling worried and concerned.
Update on the Coronavirus outbreak from Buckinghamshire Councils – a letter from Shadow Executive Leader Martin Tett
| I would like to update you on what we are doing across the councils in Buckinghamshire in response to Coronavirus, what you can do to protect yourself and others, and how you can become involved in supporting your community. Firstly, my thoughts are with all people in Buckinghamshire who have been negatively impacted in any way by this crisis. These are difficult and very challenging times. This makes it even more important that we come together to support each other. We’re already seeing so much fantastic work going on across the county. The current situation will no doubt test and stretch our ability, but the council is committed to providing community leadership and support wherever possible. |
| What are we doing? The Coronavirus outbreak is of deep concern to everyone in Buckinghamshire. We are working together, across all the councils in Buckinghamshire, with Public Health England and the Department for Health and Social Care to tackle the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak to support our residents, communities, businesses and schools during this difficult time. We are closely following government guidance to provide accurate and up to date information. We are well-prepared for these situations and have robust plans in place to focus on keeping essential services running to look after our elderly, the most vulnerable, children, and safeguard local communities. As the impact of Coronavirus increases, we may need to make some temporary changes to some services. This is so we can protect people from infection and use our staff and resources where they are most needed. It is important that we communicate any changes to residents and ongoing engagement with communities will be a priority. Information about any service changes will be released to the press and published on our website www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk. We know that some of you will still want to get in touch face to face so, for now, we are keeping our main libraries and council offices open to answer your questions and provide advice. You can see which libraries are open at www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/libraries We are also keeping our country parks open with no parking charges so you can get out for some fresh air and stay healthy. |
| How can you help? It’s crucial at times like this that everyone pulls together. In Bucks we are proud of our local communities and the voluntary and community work they do. I am truly humbled by the number of people and organisations coming forward and volunteering to help others in their towns and villages. We know people, particularly if they are in isolation, are going to need support with practical things like getting medicines, doing grocery shopping, or caring for beloved pets, as well as dealing with the mental effects. The voluntary and community sectors will have a key role to play in supporting people. If you are healthy and oking at ways you can help, take a look at our central community hub. This can be found on our new website at www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/coronavirus We are also looking for people with skills. Visit our website and complete the ‘I want to be involved’ form at www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/coronavirus If you are a vulnerable or older person who is self-isolating, or know of someone who needs help get in touch with us; visit www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/coronavirus |
| What you can do to protect yourself and others It’s everyone’s responsibility to make sure we are doing everything we can to protect ourselves, our families and others around us. 1. Try to stay calm – be prepared and plan for the self-isolation of yourself or others but avoid panic buying so that others are not faced with empty shelves. Supermarkets inform us that there are no shortages. I have written today to all the major supermarket companies in Bucks asking them to offer priority personal and online shopping to the elderly and key vulnerable groups. 2. Stay healthy – there are lots of ways to stay healthy. Get outside and go for a walk in one on our country parks or visit National Trust parks for free but do maintain a safe distance from other people. 3. Be alert to the symptoms and follow the government guidance – maintain good hygiene, reduce non-essential contact and stay at home if you have either: • A high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back • A new continuous cough – this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly It is particularly important for people who are over 70, have an underlying health condition or are pregnant to follow this advice as much as possible. Find out more here: www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/coronavirus. |
| Support our NHS If you are worried about your symptoms it is important that you do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. This could spread the infection and put our doctors and health services at risk. Go to https://111.nhs.uk/ or if you cannot go online call 111. This is so we can keep phone lines free for those who need it most. The government have also advised that testing for Coronavirus is not needed if you are staying at home. You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you are staying at home, but if you are concerned about your symptoms and need urgent medical help call 999. |
| Keep up to date Advice is changing all the time. There is a lot of information being shared about Coronavirus. There is a lot of misleading or even ‘fake news’, particularly online. Make sure the information you are following is from a trusted source – the government, NHS or Public Health England. For local information follow our social media via the twitter handle @BucksCouncil and keep an eye on our webpage www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/coronavirus We are also writing to our vulnerable and older people who use our services to make sure they have the information they need to stay safe and well. |
| Supporting Bucks businesses I am aware that Buckinghamshire is a county of many businesses from the very large to the very small. These are very difficult times for companies and the many people who work for them. We are channelling support through the local Buckinghamshire business ‘hub’,Bucks Business First (BBF), as details are confirmed. If you are a company who wants advice on current local or government support, such as that announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, find out more via BBF at www.bbf.uk.com/covid-19. |
| The new Buckinghamshire Council The government’s postponement of local elections until May 2021 will not stop the launch of the new Buckinghamshire Council. All five existing councils will be replaced by the one, new Buckinghamshire Council on 1 April. Plans for this are well advanced and we are already working together as one team to respond to the Coronavirus outbreak. Lastly, I am also immensely proud of the dedication of all the staff in our local councils, NHS, social care, police and other key services who are continuing to work tirelessly to keep people safe and secure. I would like to pass on my thanks for everyone’s work in these unprecedented times. Martin Tett Leader of the Shadow Executive |
Update: 09 March 2020
Public Health EnglandBuckinghamshire County Council statement on confirmed COVID-19 case in Buckinghamshire
Specialists from Public Health England (PHE) are working with Buckinghamshire County Council and NHS colleagues following a confirmed case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the county.
The case had recently travelled to Italy. Alison Barnett, Centre Director for Public Health England South East, said: “Public Health England is contacting people who had close contact with the latest confirmed case of COVID-19. This case is a resident of Buckinghamshire. Close contacts will be given health advice about symptoms and emergency contact details to use if they become unwell in the 14 days after contact with the confirmed case. This tried and tested method will ensure we are able to minimise any risk to them and the wider public.”
Buckinghamshire County Council’s Director of Public Health, Dr Jane O’Grady, said: “I’d like to reassure people that the risk to the general public remains low and we are working with health colleagues to do everything we can to stop the virus spreading and ensure the people of Buckinghamshire are protected.
“If you have not been contacted by Public Health England as a close contact of the confirmed cases you do not need to take any action at this time.”
Health and local authorities are appealing for people to follow national Government guidance to prevent further spread of the illness and limit the numbers affected.
This guidance includes taking basic hygiene precautions as the best way of significantly reducing the chances of spreading any virus: sneeze or cough into a tissue, bin it, wash your hands frequently and don’t touch your face unless you’ve just washed your hands.
Current evidence indicates that most cases appear to be mild, with patients experiencing flu-like symptoms. Older residents or those with weakened immune systems or long-term conditions may experience more severe symptoms.
Dr O’Grady added: “These are the same simple steps we all should be taking to avoid other illnesses such as flu which is also prevalent during the winter and it is important that residents help protect themselves and others.
“If you have recently travelled to an affected area or been in contact with someone who has, and you think you have symptoms associated with the coronavirus, you should not go to A&E or your doctor but self-isolate yourself at home and ring NHS 111 which has an online coronavirus service that can tell if you need medical help and advise you what to do.”
The symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are:
• a cough
• a high temperature
• shortness of breath
Self-isolation means you should:
• stay at home
• not go to work, school or public places
• not use public transport or taxis
• ask friends, family members or delivery services to do errands for you
• try to avoid visitors to your home – it’s OK for friends, family or delivery drivers to drop off food
You may need to do this for up to 14 days to help reduce the possible spread of infection. For more information on the symptoms and steps to take, go to www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
For the latest advice on travellers returning from affected areas, plus guidance to schools and care homes, visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Details on testing are published daily at 2pm and includes a breakdown of negative and positive tests https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public
____________________________________________________________
Update from Buckinghamshire County Council: 06 March 2020
Health and local authorities are appealing for people to follow national Government guidance to prevent further spread of the illness and limit the numbers affected.
This guidance includes taking basic hygiene precautions as the best way of significantly reducing the chances of spreading any virus: sneeze or cough into a tissue, bin it, wash your hands frequently and don’t touch your face unless you’ve just washed your hands.
Current evidence indicates that most cases appear to be mild, with patients experiencing flu-like symptoms. Older residents or those with weakened immune systems or long-term conditions may experience more severe symptoms.
Dr O’Grady added: “These are the same simple steps we all should be taking to avoid other illnesses such as flu which is also prevalent during the winter and it is important that residents help protect themselves and others.
“If you have recently travelled to an affected area or been in contact with someone who has, and you think you have symptoms associated with the coronavirus, you should not go to A&E or your doctor but self-isolate yourself at home and ring NHS 111 which has an online coronavirus service that can tell if you need medical help and advise you what to do.”
The symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are:
• a cough
• a high temperature
• shortness of breath
Self-isolation means you should:
• stay at home
• not go to work, school or public places
• not use public transport or taxis
• ask friends, family members or delivery services to do errands for you
• try to avoid visitors to your home – it’s OK for friends, family or delivery drivers to drop off food
You may need to do this for up to 14 days to help reduce the possible spread of infection. For more information on the symptoms and steps to take, go to www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
For the latest advice on travellers returning from affected areas, plus guidance to schools and care homes, visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Details on testing are published daily at 2pm and includes a breakdown of negative and positive tests https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public
______________________________________________________________________
Update from Buckinghamshire County Council: 05 March 2020
Buckinghamshire County Council is working closely with the NHS and Public Health England (PHE) in order to be prepared to deal with the new Coronavirus COVID-19.
Buckinghamshire County Council and the NHS have put in place measures to ensure the availability of services to local people and protect staff.
Further communications will be issued when appropriate.
Use this service if:
Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Contact 111 if you need to speak to someone.
Everyone is being reminded to follow Public Health England advice to:
Health and local authorities are appealing for people to follow national Government guidance to prevent further spread of the illness and limit the numbers affected.
This guidance includes taking basic hygiene precautions as the best way of significantly reducing the chances of spreading any virus: sneeze or cough into a tissue, bin it, wash your hands frequently and don’t touch your face unless you’ve just washed your hands.
Current evidence indicates that most cases appear to be mild, with patients experiencing flu-like symptoms. Older residents or those with weakened immune systems or long-term conditions may experience more severe symptoms.
Dr O’Grady added: “These are the same simple steps we all should be taking to avoid other illnesses such as flu which is also prevalent during the winter and it is important that residents help protect themselves and others.
“If you have recently travelled to an affected area or been in contact with someone who has, and you think you have symptoms associated with the coronavirus, you should not go to A&E or your doctor but self-isolate yourself at home and ring NHS 111 which has an online coronavirus service that can tell if you need medical help and advise you what to do.”
The symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are:
• a cough
• a high temperature
• shortness of breath
Self-isolation means you should:
• stay at home
• not go to work, school or public places
• not use public transport or taxis
• ask friends, family members or delivery services to do errands for you
• try to avoid visitors to your home – it’s OK for friends, family or delivery drivers to drop off food
You may need to do this for up to 14 days to help reduce the possible spread of infection. For more information on the symptoms and steps to take, go to www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
For the latest advice on travellers returning from affected areas, plus guidance to schools and care homes, visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Details on testing are published daily at 2pm and includes a breakdown of negative and positive tests https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)Government Guidelines
As I am sure you will be aware, the government has today issued its action plan with details of the actions that it may carry out to prevent and mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
The advice for anyone in any setting is to follow these 3 main guidelines. Additionally, clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces using your regular cleaning products.
If you have been in contact with someone with coronavirus or have returned from an affected area identified by the Chief Medical Officer as high risk and you are feeling unwell with a cough, difficulty breathing or fever, stay at home and use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service or call NHS 111.
Wash your hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds using soap and hot water, particularly after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose, or after being in public areas where other people are doing so. Use hand sanitiser if that’s all you have access to.
To reduce the spread of germs when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, or your sleeve (not your hands) if you don’t have a tissue, and throw the tissue away immediately. Then wash your hands or use a hand sanitising gel.
Further guidance for businesses can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19
and at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public
Guidance has also come from the NHS:
Wash your hands to stop the spread of infections
Are your hands clean enough?
It’s the time of year when more infection bugs and viruses circulate, and keeping our hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.
Dr Dal Sahota, local GP and Emergency Care lead for NHS Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group advises:
“Washing your hands properly with soap and clean running water removes dirt, viruses and bacteria to stop them spreading to other people and objects, leading to illnesses such as food poisoning, flu, colds or tummy upsets.
“Children are never too young to be taught how to wash their hands carefully, so make it part of their daily routine.
“The NHS recommends washing your hands for around 20 seconds – or the length of time it takes to sing the Happy Birthday song twice. Get your technique right by watching the NHS handwashing video: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/best-way-to-wash-your-hands/
“It’s also a good idea to avoid touching your face or mouth with your hands especially when you have a tummy upset or cold.
“It’s also a good idea to avoid touching your face or mouth with your hands especially when you have a tummy upset or cold.
“No one wants to spread nasty infections to loved ones. This is especially important for those at particular risk, such as: pregnant women; elderly relatives; babies or anyone with an existing health condition such as diabetes or cancer.”
Follow these simple rules every day even if you don’t have any sign of a cold or other infection, and make sure you wash your hands:
Caroline Capell, Director of Urgent and Emergency Care for Buckinghamshire Integrated Care Partnership which brings together local health and social care services said:
“If you sneeze or cough, make sure to catch it in a paper tissue, then immediately dispose of the tissue in a bin, and wash your hands. It’s the best way to deal with germs for any cold, cough or flu-type virus or other common infection like a tummy bug. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm rather than into your hands to help stop the spread of illness.
“When travelling, if you don’t have immediate access to hot water and soap, use hand sanitiser instead. It’s useful to carry some with you when you are out and about.
“But if you are concerned about being unwell why not check your symptoms on the free app – Ask NHS, or contact 111 by phone or online www.111.nhs.uk – it’s the quickest way to get the right health advice or the appointment you need with the local NHS.”
