Current UK Risk Level: HIGH

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

As of 13 Mar, UK is in the ‘delay’ phase of the government’s action plan to limit the spread of the virus.

 

Current UK Situation

• As of 9am on 15 April, 313,769 people have been tested, of whom 98,476 tested positive. As of 5pm on 14 April, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 12,868 have died. Full details and latest numbers are available here.
• In Suffolk we have 499 confirmed cases. However, with routine community testing discontinued, these figures will not describe the full extent of cases locally. You can view the latest UK dashboard of cases by local authority here.
• Government’s daily press conference (15 April 2020) – as of 10AM 16 April, transcript not available yet
  • 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.
• Government to offer testing for “everyone who needs one” in social care settings – All care home residents and social care staff with coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms will be tested as capacity is built up.
  • All symptomatic care residents will be tested for COVID-19 as testing capacity continues to increase
  • All patients discharged from hospital to be tested before going into care homes as a matter of course
  • All social care staff who need a test will now have access to one with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to contact all 30,000 care providers in the coming days to offer tests
• Ofqual seeks views on GCSE and A level grading proposals for 2020 – Consultation published on exceptional arrangements for awarding GCSEs, AS, A levels, Extended Project Qualification and Advanced Extension Award in maths.

 

Suffolk

 

Financial assessments for those receiving care to be postponed: Each April Suffolk County Council carries out an annual financial assessment review for those with care packages to ensure that they are paying the correct amount they should be for the care they receive. This year, in light of the current Coronavirus pandemic, a decision has been made to postpone the financial review until further notice. Therefore, those in receipt of care will continue to be charged in the same way that they are currently and there will be no change in the way in which people make their payments. The situation will be kept under review, and customers will be informed when the time is right to consider undertaking the annual financial review.  No back charges will be incurred as a result of this postponement.

 

Primary School National Offer Day: National Offer Day has gone ahead as usual today. If parents applied online they can log in to the Admissions Portal to see their school place offer. They will also receive an email confirming their child’s place. If parents applied on a paper application form they will be sent a letter by second class post. For more information visit www.suffolk.gov.uk/admissions. If a child is eligible for Suffolk County Council funded school travel parents will receive an email by 15 May 2020 with details of how to opt-in.

 

Fostering and Adoption: All recruitment events until the end of April have been cancelled however the team are still working hard to recruit foster carers and adopters at this time. If people would like to talk to someone about becoming a foster carer or adopter please call the team on 01473 264800 or visit https://www.fosterandadopt.suffolk.gov.uk/.

 

NSFT First response: Yesterday the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust launched their First Response helpline. The helpline is staffed by trained mental health professionals who will be able to listen to concerns and help people get the support they need. Call 24/7 on 0808 196 3494. For more information visit: https://www.nsft.nhs.uk/Find-help/Pages/Helpline.aspx

 

Mental Health Tips: Every mind matters have published 10 top tips for people who are worried about coronavirus; www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips/

 

Federation of Small Businesses in East Anglia: In this short video from the Federation of Small Businesses in East Anglia, explains the help they can offer to Suffolk businesses impacted by Covid-19. https://twitter.com/suffolkcc/status/1250373172807041030

 

Clap for Carers: #ClapforCarers is now be a weekly event, taking place every Thursday at 8pm. SCC would once again like to encourage everyone to join in and to praise the NHS this evening. It is absolutely right that we show them our support and appreciation for all their tireless work. It might also be worth remembering our other unsung heroes during this show of appreciation. Our care workers who are visiting people in their homes to provide them with essential care, those working in our care and nursing homes who are supporting their residents through these worrying times. Our social workers who are continuing to support those people and families who need them now more than ever and our wonderful family carers, who continue to put the needs of their loved ones above their own needs. These incredible people are showing great strength and dedication to others and are often doing this quietly in the background, just getting on and doing what needs to be done. Each and every one of them deserves to feel the support of the rest of the nation, so please try to think of them while we applaud our brilliant NHS this evening.

 

 

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 new published and some other key published guidance in this bulletin.

	Title	Who For	Comments
NEW	Coronavirus (COVID-19): social care guidance	social care	This is a new homepage for all the main guidance for social care, including: – Coronavirus (COVID-19): admission and care of people in care homes – COVID-19: guidance for supported living and home care – COVID-19: ethical framework for adult social care – Coronavirus (COVID-19): changes to the Care Act 2014 – Coronavirus (COVID-19): hospital discharge service requirements – Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care
NEW	Coronavirus (COVID-19): adult social care action plan	adult social care (includes people’s own homes, residential care homes and nursing homes, and other community setting)	This document sets out the government’s plan for: 1. controlling the spread of infection in care settings 2. supporting the workforce 3. supporting independence, supporting people at the end of their lives, and responding to individual needs 4. supporting local authorities and the providers of care
NEW	COVID-19: guidance for commissioners and providers of services for people who use drugs or alcohol	commissioners and service providers for those dependent on drugs or alcohol	This guidance outlines COVID-19 advice for commissioners and service providers involved in assisting people who are dependent on drugs or alcohol or both
NEW	Coronavirus (COVID-19): getting tested	critical workers who are self-isolating	Guidance on coronavirus testing for critical workers who are self-isolating.
UPDATED	Coronavirus (COVID-19): early years and childcare closures	local authorities, early years settings and childminders	Updated introductory sections and sections on Who this guidance is for, Prioritising children, Funding, Staying open for children of critical workers and vulnerable children, Early Years Foundation Stage and Holidays.
UPDATED	Coronavirus (COVID-19): personal protective equipment (PPE) plan	those leading on PPE	Cross-government UK-wide plan to ensure that critical personal protective equipment (PPE) is delivered to those on the frontline responding to coronavirus (COVID-19).
1	NHS – COVID-19 go-to page	General Public – this is the only site we should be promoting to the public for information
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	Full guidance on staying at home and away from others	Everyone	The single most important action we can all take, in fighting coronavirus, is to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives.
5	Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do	Everyone
6	Coronavirus: How to help safely	Everyone
7	Coronavirus (COVID-19) information leaflet	UK households
8	COVID-19 essential travel guidance	Public
9	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
10	Chronic disease self- care during COVID-19: Asthma Diabetes	General public
11	Children’s Commissioner: Children’s guide to coronavirus	children	Aimed at children: – Answer your questions about coronavirus – Tell you how to stay safe and protect other people – Help you make the best of your time at home Information correct as of 27 March 2020
12	Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for children’s social care services	local authorities and their partners
13	Coronavirus (COVID-19): transport and travel guidance	everyone using transport or working in the transport sector during the coronavirus outbreak.	Information for people using transport or working in the transport sector during the coronavirus outbreak, including: -Using public transport -Driving private vehicles – cars, vans, motorbikes -Bus and lorry drivers -Freight, bus and road transport businesses -Transport workers -Maritime and shipping -Aviation and flying -Overseas travel
14	Coronavirus (COVID-19): personal protective equipment (PPE) hub	health and social care and other non-health sectors	Collection of guidance on personal protective equipment (PPE), and infection prevention and control (IPC). We are currently experiencing sustained transmission of COVID-19 across the UK.
15	Coronavirus (COVID-19): looking after people who lack mental capacity	health and social care	Emergency guidance for health and social care staff who are caring for, or treating, a person who lacks the relevant mental capacity. During the outbreak, the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the safeguards provided by the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) still apply.

 

 

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.
• The number of confirmed cases reported by countries reflects national laboratory testing capacity and strategy, thus the interpretation of the number of cases reported should take this into account.
• WHO has published the updated strategy for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. The document translates what we have learned so far about the virus into strategic action and will frame the next iteration of the Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, due in the coming weeks. More details can be found here.
• There is no evidence that oral poliovirus vaccine protects people against infection with COVID-19 virus. A clinical trial is planned in the USA, and WHO will evaluate the evidence when it is available.

 

Situation in Numbers WHO SitRep 86, 15 April (new since last 24hrs)

Location	Confirmed	Deaths
Globally	1 914 916 confirmed (70 082)	123 010 deaths (5989)
European Region	977 596 confirmed (34 324)	84 607 deaths (3895)
Regions of the Americas	673 361 confirmed (28 404)	27 336 deaths (1785)
Western Pacific Region	124 204 confirmed (1399)	4201 deaths (40)
Eastern Mediterranean Region	107 389 confirmed (3751)	5395 deaths (140)
South-East Asia	20 287 confirmed (1624)	936 deaths (107)
African Region	11 367 confirmed (580)	523 deaths (22)