Current UK Alert Level: 3
On 19/06/2020 update from the UK Chief Medical Officers on the UK alert level confirmed that the UK COVID-19 alert level has been lowered from risk level 4 to risk level 3. It does not mean that the pandemic is over. The virus is still in general circulation, and localised outbreaks are likely to occur.
Please note the Governmentâs messaging is âstay alert, control the virus, save livesâ (previously âstay at home, protect the NHS, save livesâ)
Current UK Situation
- As of 4:01 pm on 1 July, 313,483 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, of those, 43,906 have died across all settings. You can view the latest UK dashboard and cases by local authority here. Confirmed cases* in Suffolk are broken down by Districts & Boroughs as follows:
Ipswich |
353 |
256.7 per 100,000 residents |
East Suffolk |
625 |
251.8 per 100,000 residents |
Mid Suffolk |
187 |
182.5 per 100,000 residents |
Babergh |
156 |
170.7 per 100,000 residents |
West Suffolk |
244 |
136.4 per 100,000 residents |
Suffolk |
1,565 |
206.3 per 100,000 residents |
|
|
|
*Please note numbers may go up or down as the reported data are continually checked and cleaned.
COVID19 related news from GOV.UK
- New funding package announced for councils to help address coronavirus pressures: This is part of a plan to ensure councilsâ âfinancial sustainability for the futureâ. Councils will now receive an additional £500 million funding.
- Flexible furlough scheme: will enable businesses to bring furloughed employees back to work on a part time basis from 1 July. The government will continue to pay 80% of the salary for the hours furloughed employees do not work.
- Currently no evidence to suggest vitamin D supplements reduce the risk or severity of COVID-19: result of 2 new rapid reviews undertaken by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Scientific Advisory Commission on Nutrition (SACN). However, a recommendation from Chief Nutritionist at Public Health England (PHE) suggests everyone consider taking daily 10 microgram vitamin D supplements.
Other COVID19 related news
BBC UK:
- âNo obvious sourceâ of Leicester COVID-19 outbreak: A report by PHE has found âno explanatory outbreaks in care homes, hospital settings, or industrial processesâ.
- Local testing data to be shared with councils: Local authorities will be given access to postcode-level data about the number of people testing positive for coronavirus in their areas. This follows criticism on lack of communication between the government and local authorities in Leicester leading to local lockdown.
- Year groups will be kept in âbubblesâ: The compulsory return of all students to school in September will include changes such as year group âbubblesâ. Further guidance is expected this week.
BBC Health:
- Suicide fears soar in LGBT community: Multiple charities have reported increases in LGBT people accessing services for support with mental health and suicide prevention. Support group LGBT Hero has reported over 44% increase in people accessing its suicide prevention web page compared to the first three months of the year.
BBC Global Picture:
· Globally there are 10.6 million coronavirus cases and more than 515,500 deaths.
· Countries in the Middle East have reached âa critical thresholdâ in their fight against COVID-19, as per the World Health Organization.
· 52,982 people tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday in USA â a new one-day record.
· Generic drug firms in India, Pakistan and Egypt will start production of COVID-19 drug remdesivir. This comes after reports of the US buying nearly all of the next three months supply of the drug.
· The UN Security Council has called for a three-month ceasefire in all conflicts, to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Suffolk
Testing data: Today the government will publish covid-19 pillar 2 testing data. Up until this point the data that has been published at a local level has been pillar 1 data which is based on the amount of people who have been tested via NHS and Public Health England laboratories. Pillar 2 tests are tests which have been processed in commercial laboratories, and this data will include tests conducted in wider community settings, such as the Copdock site in Ipswich. Not all cases identified will be new, they will be cases that have been identified since pillar 2 testing has been up and running. Suffolk remains an area with low cumulative case rates and unlike areas such as Leicester, there is no current evidence to suggest weekly cases are increasing, and cumulative population case rates remain statistically significantly lower than England.
Vans, trailers and trade waste now accepted at nine of Suffolkâs recycling centres: In line with the phased approach to reopening Suffolkâs recycling centres, people with vans, trailers and trade waste can now book an appointment to visit nine of the countyâs 11 recycling centres. Bookings can be made now for time slots available tomorrow [Thursday July 2] and over the next seven days. All visitors will need to pre-book an appointment online before arriving, where they will be asked what type of vehicle they will use and whether they are bringing household or business waste. In order to prevent queueing on neighbouring roads, people without a booking will not be able to enter the site. Social distancing measures also operate on site. Click here for more information.
You can now get tested in Framlingham: A Government mobile testing unit is available today and Sunday at the Framlingham College Leisure Centre. Additional dates are planned. If you have symptoms of coronavirus, you must immediately start isolating for 7 days and get tested. Symptoms are a high temperature, or a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste. To book a test, visit www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119. You can request a home test kit or visit a local testing centre. These can regularly be found in: Beccles, Bury St Edmunds, Eye, Framlingham, Halesworth, Haverhill, Ipswich, Leiston, Lowestoft, Sudbury. For more information visit www.suffolk.gov.uk/testing and see âWhere can I get tested in Suffolk?â
Key National Guidance updates
The existing guidance is being updated extremely regularly so please check any guidance relevant to your area to ensure that you are accessing the most up to date version. We are not including in this table all the published material but some of the key guidance that would be relevant to Suffolk County Council and our partners.
|
Title |
Who For |
Comments |
NEW |
Professionals |
Guidance on provision of activities over the summer holiday with safety measures in place. Guidance includes information on: -carrying out risk assessment -considering group sizes -indoor provision -how should you manage toilet usage -PPE |
|
NEW |
Professionals |
Guidance for schools reopening in autumn, includes information on: -Advice to minimise coronavirus risks -Grouping children in âbubblesâ -Contingency planning for outbreaks |
|
NEW |
Guidance for full opening: special schools and other specialist settings |
Professionals |
Guidance for special educational settings when they reopen fully in September, includes: -Temporary changes to SEND legislation -Risk assessment -Contingency plans for outbreaks |
UPDATED |
Actions for early years and childcare providers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak |
Professionals |
New content includes: -Risk assessment -Supporting staff with increased risk factors Updated content includes: -Attendance at settings for those shielding, with changes to the advice effective from 1 August |
UPDATED |
Actions for FE colleges and providers during the coronavirus outbreak |
Professionals |
Guidance on actions to be taken by further education providers from September, includes: -Safeguarding young people -Education and training delivery |
UPDATED |
Professionals |
Multiple links added, including: -Walk through local testing sites now offering appointments -Funding for emergency accommodation and support for EEA rough sleepers -Safe use of council buildings |
|
UPDATED |
Care home staff and residents |
Updated 2 attachments âguidance on Randox testingâ and âhow to use Randox test kitsâ |
|
UPDATED |
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for children’s social care services |
Professionals |
All primary legislation remains unchanged. Temporary and time-limited amendments on secondary legislation. Added content on: -missing children -testing -technology initiatives -social care services for disabled children, young people and their families Revised sections on: -fostering and adoption -court |
Useful Websites
|
Title |
Who For |
Comments |
1 |
General Public |
|
|
2 |
Main cover webpage for all government guidance for public & professionals alike |
|
|
3 |
Main collection of guidance for anyone in any setting |
Guidance includes: |
|
4 |
Professionals |
|
|
5 |
Mental health support and advice from: |
General public, staff and carers |
|
6 |
Chronic disease self- care during COVID-19: |
General public |
|
7 |
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) COVID-19 homepage |
Professionals |
|
8 |
Professionals |
The tracker compares worldwide government responses to the coronavirus rigorously and consistently. The Oxford team collects information on common policy responses, scores the stringency of such measures, and aggregates these into a Stringency Index.
As of 18 June, UKâs stringency level is 73.15 (many restrictions). For comparison, New Zealandâs stringency level is 19.44 (few restrictions) and Cubaâs is 100 (many restrictions, including total stay at home confinement and all but essential workplace closing). |
Local Resources:
Below are any local resources that would be relevant to Suffolk County Council and our partners.
|
Title |
Who For |
Comments |
|
Everyone |
It is important that anyone with coronavirus symptoms gets tested. Mobile testing units are mobilised by the Ministry of Defence and regularly appear across Suffolk. Please share details of the testing sites with your local community â see under Where can I get tested in Suffolk? |
|
Everyone |
SGPB is a partnership of all Suffolk local authorities, Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, University of Suffolk and New Anglia LEP. In Suffolk our Economy & business recovery work for COVID-19 is being led by SGPB and the website includes links to funding / surveys / economic impact work. Please do pass this information on to your contacts. |
||
Suffolk Domestic Abuse 24/7 Helpline â Freephone 0800 977 5690 |
Everyone |
The freephone number is live from 9am on Friday 22nd May 2020 for anyone with concerns including professionals who may be supporting clients as well as friends and family members who are concerned for loved ones. |
|
New Anglia: Employment Opportunities in Key Sectors in Norfolk and Suffolk |
Individuals and Businesses wanting to know what employment opportunities are available in some of our key sectors |
The New Anglia LEP – alongside other partners including local authorities – have pulled together lists and links to key employment roles needed now as part of the response to the current crisis. |
|
Everyone |
The website aims to help everyone understand the signs of neglect or abuse and what to do if they are worried about a child or an adult. |
||
|
Businesses needing support  |
A one stop shop source of information for government support and guidance available to businesses including 121 business advice sources of business grants and loans. |
|
|
Everyone |
This page contains links to a wealth of resources and support for your health and wellbeing. |
|
|
Everyone |
Suffolk County Council coronavirus (COVID-19) information, including health advice, service changes, business support and schools guidance. |
|
|
Everyone |
The website contains free resources, ideas, tips, useful links and positive stories to encourage people to stay active during these unprecedented times. The website and our social channels will be constantly updated. |
Tests carried out in Suffolk w/c 22nd June
Site/Date |
M 22-Jun |
T 23-Jun |
W 24-Jun |
TH 25-Jun |
F 26-Jun |
SAT 27-Jun |
SUN 28-Jun |
Total |
Daily Average |
TOTAL % change since last week |
Ipswich Regional Testing Site (test capacity 1500/day) |
197 |
148 |
145 |
237 |
197 |
115 |
80 |
1119 |
160 |
-12% |
Total MTU Tests (test capacity 400/unit/day) |
74 |
66 |
71 |
42 |
68 |
68 |
11 |
400 |
57 |
+5% |
Home test |
10 |
22 |
19 |
7 |
21 |
7 |
23 |
109 |
16 |
-81% |
Overall Total |
281 |
236 |
235 |
286 |
286 |
190 |
114 |
1628 |
233 |
-27% |
Global: WHO Situation Report â reports available here
- WHO Covid-19 Dashboard for professionals using near real time data.
- GOARN COVID-19 Knowledge hub – central repository of quality public health information, guidance, tools and webinars which can be accessed freely at any point.
Situation in Numbers WHO SitRep 163, 1 July