Current UK Risk Level: HIGH

The risk to the UK has been raised to high (as of 13/03/2020).

 

The Government’s recovery strategy “Our plan to rebuild” states of different phases. As per the document “As the UK exits phase one of the Government’s response, where the Government has sought to contain, delay, research and mitigate, it will move through two further phases”. Phase two – “Smarter controls”.

The country is also moving from Level 4 to Level 3 this week by the new COVID Alert System and taking the first step in relaxing lockdown measures.

 

Current UK Situation

• As of 9am on 11 May, 1,400,107 people have been tested, of which 223,060 tested positive. As of 5pm on 10 May, of those tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, 32,065 have died. You can view the latest UK dashboard and cases by local authority here. In Suffolk there are  1,290 confirmed cases, broken down by Districts & Boroughs as follows (highest rate of cases in Ipswich, followed by East Suffolk):

 

East Suffolk	506	203.8 per 100,000 resident
Mid Suffolk	152	148.3 per 100,000 resident
West Suffolk	188	105.1 per 100,000 resident
Babergh	131	143.3 per 100,000 resident
Ipswich	313	227.6 per 100,000 resident
Suffolk	1,290	170.1 per 100,000 resident

• Government’s Daily Press Conference: 11 May – transcript available here.
  • We have set out the first of three steps we will take to carefully modify the measures, gradually ease the lockdown. After each step we will closely monitor the impact of that step on the R and the number of infections, and all the available data, and we will only take the next step when we are satisfied that it is safe to do so.
  • Step 1 – from this week:
    • Those who cannot work from home should now speak to their employer about going back to work.
    • You can now spend time outdoors and exercise as often as you like.
    • You can meet one person outside of your household outside (outdoors), provided you stay 2 metres apart.
  • Step 2 – from June 1, at the earliest
    • Primary schools to reopen for some pupils, in smaller class sizes
    • Non-essential retail to start to reopen, when and where it is safe to do so
    • Cultural and sporting events to take place behind closed doors, without crowds
  • Step 3 – no earlier than July 4
    • More businesses and premises to open, including potentially those offering personal care such as leisure facilities, public places, and places of worship.
  • We’re asking people to stay alert by:
    • working from home if you can;
    • limiting contact with other people;
    • keeping distance if you go out – 2 metres apart where possible;
    • washing your hands regularly;
    • wearing a face covering when you are in enclosed spaces where it’s difficult to be socially distant – for example in some shops and on public transport;
    • and if you or anyone in your household has symptoms, you all need to self-isolate.
  • Press conference slides with the latest data from COBR coronavirus fact file (transport use, new cases, hospital admissions, deaths) and datasets available here.
  • View past press conferences on YouTube
• New portal for care homes to arrange coronavirus testing – All care home staff and residents are now eligible for testing with priority for those in homes that look after the over-65s. Access the portal here.
• Public advised to cover faces in enclosed spaces – Public urged not to buy medical grade masks so they can be saved for frontline health and care workers, and instead make their own face coverings at home. Face coverings are not a replacement for social distancing and regular handwashing which remain the most important actions.
• BBC: UK Furlough scheme extended by four months – The UK scheme to pay wages of workers on leave because of coronavirus will be extended to October, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced today (12 May).
• BBC: How to make your own face mask
• BBC: Global Picture
  • There’s concern around a cluster of cases linked to nightclubs in South Korea’s capital Seoul after social distancing measures there were eased.
  • Elsewhere in Asia, Singapore is relaxing its restrictions slightly, and talks have been taking place between ministers in India about potentially doing the same, despite the steady rise in confirmed infections.
  • France, like much of Europe, has begun its gradual reopening.
  • In Sweden pubs and bars have remained open throughout this period.
• COVID-19 infographics – these interactive graphs generate themselves from the latest data show significant variation in the COVID-19 spread by different countries. Includes infection trajectories by different countries, infection & fatality rates by countries (UK is shown in the top three for highest confirmed case rates and death rates).

 

Suffolk

 

Coronavirus cases within care home settings: SCC will be reporting weekly on the number of suspected or confirmed cases within Suffolk care home settings, that Suffolk County Council has been made aware of.  Below is a table showing the number of providers affected and the number of suspected and confirmed cases since reporting began on 21/04/2020. These figures are cumulative and are listed on area basis and will not include the details of any specific care homes. These figures include care homes, extra care housing and supported housing. As a notifiable disease, care homes are required to report any potential or confirmed cases of Coronavirus to Public Health England (PHE) in order that this can be captured as part of the national reporting processes and also for PHE to provide advice and guidance on infection control. Care providers are under no obligation to report suspected or confirmed cases to the county council.

	21/04/2020		28/04/2020		05/05/2020		12/05/2020
	Providers affected	Suspected and confirmed Cases	Providers affected	Suspected and confirmed Cases	Providers affected	Suspected and confirmed Cases	Providers affected	Suspected and confirmed cases
Ipswich and East Suffolk	30	157	43	209	54	259	47	216
West Suffolk	13	61	12	78	17	113	20	115
Waveney	7	47	14	76	14	64	12	86
Total	50	265	69	363	85	436	79	417

 

Click and recycle: A new online booking system will be in place when Suffolk’s Recycling Centres re-open on Thursday <May 14>. This appointment-only system is necessary to help reduce traffic disruption and queueing on roads around the sites and help manage additional demand on the waste sites. There are also new temporary restrictions and guidelines in place at all sites to support the safety of staff and members of the public. For more information click here

At my bedside service: Suffolk Family Carers has launched a new service called – At my bedside to make hospital stays can be made significantly more bearable for both patients and loved ones. Suffolk family carers has collaborated with East Suffolk & North Essex NHS Foundation Trust to roll out their ‘At My Bedside’ scheme. Initially targeted across Ipswich and East Suffolk, it is aimed at patients and their friends and family who need support to remain ‘connected’ during their hospital stay. Anyone interested in At My Bedside can contact the charity’s team on hello@suffolkfamilycarers.org or 01473 835477. For more information visit: www.suffolkfamilycarers.org/new-service-launch-at-my-bedside/

We are together with business programme: The University of Suffolk have launched our ‘We are Together with Business’ programme, to provide resources for local and regional businesses to help the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The University is a rich source of talent and as a community impact university, it wants to support businesses to respond, recover and to build their resilience through a knowledge exchange offer.  For more information visit: https://www.uos.ac.uk/news/we-are-together-business

Safeguarding Webinars: Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership will be hosting two short webinars on 20 May 2020 full of useful information and updates around keeping children and adults safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. One webinar will focus on adults and one children, please click on the following links to view the agenda and register your attendance;
– Safeguarding Adults
– Safeguarding Children

Get the real facts: Join the official Coronavirus Information Service from the government. Text ‘Hi’ to 07860 064422 in Whatsapp to get the latest information.

 

Useful Websites (any new guidance is in RED)

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	Our plan to rebuild: The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy	Everyone	The Government’s 60p roadmap for how and when the UK will adjust its response to the COVID-19 crisis, covering: – A phased recovery (phase three – reliable treatment) – Three Step lift of restrictions – 14 supporting programmes (including, NHS, care homes, testing and tracing, treatment and vaccines) – How you can help
NEW	Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19)	employers, employees and the self-employed	Collection of 8 guides developed in consultation with approximately 250 businesses, unions, industry leaders as well as devolved administrations. Covers a range of different types of work, including: – Construction and other outdoor work – Factories, plants and warehouses – Labs and research facilities – Offices and contact centres –  Other people’s homes –  Restaurants offering takeaway or delivery – Shops and branches – Vehicles Key points: 1. Work from home, if you can 2. Carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment, in consultation with workers or trade unions 3. Maintain 2 metres social distancing, wherever possible 4. Where people cannot be 2 metres apart, manage transmission risk 5. Reinforcing cleaning processes
NEW	Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer travel guidance for passengers	those walking, cycling, and travelling in vehicles or on public transport during the coronavirus outbreak	The guidance people to consider cycling, walking or driving to help ensure there is enough capacity for those who need to travel on public transport to do so safely. For those who have to use public transport, the guidance recommends – keeping 2 metres apart from others wherever possible – wearing a face covering if you can – using contactless payment where possible – avoiding rush hour travel where feasible – washing or sanitising your hands as soon as possible before and after travel – following advice from staff and being considerate to others
NEW	Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer transport guidance for operators	transport sector	All transport operators need to ensure stations and services are regularly cleaned, making clear to passengers how to stay 2 metres apart where possible in stations, airports and ports, and to ensure routes for passengers are clearly communicated to avoid crowding.   The guidance also sets out steps operators should take to provide safe workplaces and services for their staff and passengers across all modes of private and public transport.
NEW	Coronavirus (COVID-19): health and wellbeing of the adult social care workforce	adult social care	Advice for those working in adult social care on managing your mental health and how employers can take care of the wellbeing of their staff during the coronavirus outbreak.
NEW	Actions for educational and childcare settings to prepare for wider opening from 1 June 2020	educational and childcare settings	Latest guidance on how educational and childcare settings should prepare for wider opening from 1 June 2020, including information on: – year groups in first phase of wider opening – the latest science – managing risk and rate of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19)
NEW	Coronavirus (COVID-19): implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings	educational and childcare settings	Guidance for education and childcare settings on how to implement protective measures. Some key points: – Wearing a face covering or face mask in schools or other education settings is not recommended. – Parents, carers and settings do not need to take children’s temperatures every morning. Routine testing of an individual’s temperature is not a reliable method for identifying coronavirus. – The majority of staff in education settings will not require PPE beyond what they would normally need for their work, even if they are not always able to maintain a distance of 2 metres from others
NEW	Staying alert and safe (social distancing)	Everyone	This has replaced previous guidance ‘Staying at home and away from others (social distancing)’
NEW	Staying safe outside your home	Everyone	Principles you should follow to ensure that time spent with others outside your home is as safe as possible, including: – Keeping distance from people outside your household – Keeping your hands and face as clean as possible – Working from home if you can – Washing clothes regularly if you’re working with people outside your household – Keeping indoor places well ventilated – Face coverings If you are clinically vulnerable or extremely vulnerable, you should follow the guidance on social distancing and for vulnerable people.
NEW	Coronavirus (COVID-19): Apply for the Food Charities Grant Fund	charities helping people access food and essential supplies	Apply for a grant of up to £100,000 for your charity helping people affected by coronavirus (COVID-19).
UPDATED	What parents and carers need to know about schools and education during the coronavirus outbreak	parents and carers	Added information for parents and carers about the wider opening to nurseries, schools and colleges from 1 June.
UPDATED	Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do	Everyone	Updated the FAQs to bring them in line with the latest announcements, including what you can do from Wednesday 13 May that I couldn’t do before.
UPDATED	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: step by step guide for employers	Employers	Revised version of the guide that is clearer and includes recent additions to the process
1	NHS – COVID-19 go-to page	General Public
2	GOV.UK – COVID-19 homepage	Main cover webpage for all government guidance for public & professionals alike
3	Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance	Main collection of guidance for anyone in any setting	– Guidance for the public (incl. social distancing and shielding) – Guidance for non-clinical settings (incl. cleaning, educational settings, employees, employers, businesses, residential care, supported living and home care) – Guidance for health professionals – Infection prevention and control (incl. PPE) – Sampling and diagnostics
4	Mental health support and advice from: WHO mentalhealth.org.uk Ipswich & East CCG Living Life To The Full NHS Practitioner Wellbeing Samaritans	General public, staff and carers
5	Chronic disease self- care during COVID-19: Asthma Diabetes	General public
6	Coronavirus (COVID-19): adult social care guidance	social care
7	Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for children’s social care services	local authorities and their partners	Guidance updated to reflect the temporary changes made in the Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020.
8	European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) COVID-19 homepage	Professionals
9	COVID-19 Hospital Cases Tracker – Quick View for Suffolk	Everyone

 

 

 

Local Resources:

Below are any local resources that would be relevant to Suffolk County Council and our partners.  

 

	Title	Who For	Comments
	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.
	Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership	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.
	NEW ANGLIA GROWTH HUB	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.
	Healthy Suffolk: COVID-19 Emotional Wellbeing, Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Information Hub	Everyone	This page contains links to a wealth of resources and support for your health and wellbeing.
	Suffolk County Council: Coronavirus information	Everyone	Suffolk County Council coronavirus (COVID-19) information, including health advice, service changes, business support and schools guidance.
	Keep Moving Suffolk	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.

 

 

Global: WHO Situation Report – reports available here

• WHO RISK ASSESSMENT (Global Level) – Very High
• 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 112, 11 May