Current UK Risk Level: HIGH

The risk to the UK remains high (as of 13/03/2020).

As of week commencing 11/05/2020, we’re moving into Phase two (Smarter controls) of the Government’s recovery strategy. As per PM’s 11 May message, the country is in the process of moving from Level 4 to Level 3 by the new COVID Alert System and taking the first step in relaxing lockdown measures – According to the PM’s statement “Thanks to the hard work and sacrifices of the British people in this lockdown, we have helped to bring the R level down and we are now in a position to begin moving to Level 3, in steps”.

 

Please note the Government’s messaging is now  â€˜stay alert, control the virus, save lives’ (previously ‘stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives’)

 

 

Current UK Situation

• As of 9am 31 May, 274,762 people have tested positive. As of 5pm on 30 May, of those tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, 38,489 have sadly died. 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	348	253.0 per 100,000 resident
East Suffolk	608	244.9 per 100,000 resident
Mid Suffolk	174	169.8 per 100,000 resident
Babergh	147	160.8 per 100,000 resident
West Suffolk	225	125.8 per 100,000 resident
Suffolk	1,502	198.0 per 100,000 resident

• Communities Secretary’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 31 May 2020 – transcript here  
  • At the start of this pandemic, we advised Clinically Extremely Vulnerable people to shield until the 30 June. We have updated the shielding guidance so that from 1 June people will be advised that they can take initial steps to safely spend time outdoors. Those shielding will be able to spend time outdoors with members of their own household or, if they live alone, with one person from another household. The next review of shielding measures will take place the week commencing 15 June and will consider the next steps for the programme more generally beyond 30 June.

o   Working hand-in-hand with charities and local councils, we have offered accommodation to over 90% of rough sleepers known to us at the start in order to help them stay to safe during the pandemic. 6,000 new supported homes will be made available for rough sleepers, providing safe accommodation for people we have helped off the streets during the pandemic.

o   Archive of slides, datasets and transcripts to accompany coronavirus press conferences available here.

• Dame Louise Casey’s statement on the efforts to support rough sleepers during the coronavirus pandemic (31 May 2020) – There has been an absolutely extraordinary response, across the public sector, charities and businesses in response to my call to get ‘everyone in’. Those efforts have resulted in close to 15,000 people across England now being helped. Now we need to try and change their lives for good beyond the immediate response to COVID-19.
• Chief Scientific Adviser’s Sunday Telegraph article: 31 May 2020 – As the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE) papers become available (view here) it is possible to track the evolution of thinking. Sir Patrick Vallance explains that allowing many people to catch Covid to create widespread immunity was never an aim.
• Oliver Dowden’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 30 May 2020 – Key announcement is competitive sport to resume behind closed doors from Monday 1 June at the earliest. Football, tennis, horse racing, Formula One, cricket, golf, rugby, snooker and others – all are set to return to our screens shortly, with horse racing first out of the gate in the North East next week.
• UK reaches 200,000 coronavirus testing capacity target a day early – The UK reached the 200,000 capacity target on Saturday 30 May, including capacity for 40,000 antibody tests a day
• Public Health England response to Sunday Telegraph coverage on 31 May – Duncan Selbie, PHE Chief Executive said: “Articles published in the Sunday Telegraph (31 May 2020) and Telegraph website on the test and trace system are both factually incorrect and misleading. The print articles confuse testing for coronavirus with contact tracing throughout. These are 2 very different public health interventions. It is wholly inaccurate to say that PHE stopped testing for coronavirus in March, or that capacity wasn’t there to test more than 5 cases per week.”
• Action taken to halt sales of fingerprick coronavirus (COVID-19) antibody testing kits – Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is asking anyone supplying these types of tests to temporarily stop this service until home collection of this sample type has been properly assessed and validated for use with these laboratory tests.
• £5 million funding given to mental health community projects – Funding to be delivered by mental health charity Mind.
• NHS England and NHS Confederation launch expert research centre on health inequalities – The new centre to investigate the impact of race and ethnicity on people’s health. It comes amid significant concerns about the particular impact of the COVID-19 virus on people from black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) backgrounds.
• BBC: Primary schools reopen but parents remain wary – Up to half of children potentially kept off by worried parents, according to a survey. Others can’t go back because their local council has said no to schools reopening.
• BBC: Dental practices to reopen from 8 June – Dental practices in England have been told they can reopen from Monday, 8 June, if they put in place appropriate safety measures.
• BBC: Global Picture
  • There have now been 6.1m confirmed cases and 371,000 deaths linked to Covid-19 worldwide
  • Metro Manila, the capital region of the Philippines, has finally eased one of the world’s longest lockdowns – longer even than the 76-day quarantine in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged.
  • In Brazil, the number of confirmed cases has passed half a million, the second highest total in the world. Despite this, President Jair Bolsonaro has consistently played down the outbreak, criticising state lockdowns for harming Brazil’s economy and jobs.
  • The US sends Brazil 2m doses of unproven Covid-19 drug hydroxychloroquine
  • In neighbouring Venezuela, an unprecedented fuel crisis is leaving funeral homes unable to transport the bodies of coronavirus victims for burial.

 

Suffolk

 

Volunteers Week: It’s National Volunteers Week so we wanted to say a big thank you to everyone across Suffolk who has volunteered their time to help and support others especially during these challenging times. This includes all of the wonderful Home But Not Alone volunteers who have been helping to support the most vulnerable in Suffolk during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Home But Not Alone helpline remains open for those in need of help. The number is 0800 876 6926 and is staffed from 9am to 5pm, seven days a week.

 

Test and Trace Scams: Suffolk Trading Standards have warned us to be aware of scammers who may use the launch of the new test and trace system as an opportunity to scam people, by either trying to obtain personal information, or to dupe people into handing over money. You will be alerted by the NHS test and trace service if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, the alert can come by text, email or phone call. No financial information is needed as the service is free. For more information click here

 

Healthwatch return to school survey: Healthwatch Suffolk have launched a survey to capture the views of younger children aged 6 – 11 about what they think about going back to school and how they have found being at home during the coronavirus lockdown. The questions are completed to the best of children’s ability and with the support of a parent, carer or guardian if needed. For more information click here

Schools update: Schools across Suffolk have begun to open today (Monday 1 June 2020) to some pupils. SCC has worked closely with schools throughout the pandemic and we continue to support school leaders as they open their doors to more pupils over the coming weeks. The priority for each and every schools is to ensure the safety of all pupils and staff and the decision to open to more pupils is made by each individual school who will base the decision on detailed risk assessments and the resources they have available. For more information on which schools are open and to which pupils please visit; https://schoolclosures.suffolk.gov.uk/ (please note that this is continuously updated as we get information from schools). Parents can also access more information on our website click here.

 

 

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	Coronavirus Act report: May 2020		The first two-monthly report on which powers in the Coronavirus Act 2020 are currently active
UPDATED	The R number in the UK		The R number range for the UK is 0.7-0.9 as of 29 May 2020.
UPDATED	COVID-19: guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable	All adults and children who should be shielded and their family, friends, and carers	People who are shielding remain vulnerable and should continue to take precautions but can now leave their home if they wish, as long as they are able to maintain strict social distancing. If you choose to spend time outdoors, this can be with members of your own household. If you live alone, you can spend time outdoors with one person from another household. Ideally, this should be the same person each time. If you do go out, you should take extra care to minimise contact with others by keeping 2 metres apart. This guidance will be kept under regular review.
UPDATED	Coronavirus (COVID-19): getting tested	critical workers who are self-isolating	Added that NHS testing for children under 5 years old is only available in England and Scotland. In Wales, children under 5 years old who have symptoms of coronavirus and live with an essential worker can be tested. New courier collection process for care homes: ‘guidance pack for care home managers on non-Randox test kits (e.g. Kingfisher)’ and ‘guidance pack for care home managers on Randox kits’.
UPDATED	Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on the phased return of sport and recreation	the public, providers of outdoor sport facilities, elite athletes, personal trainers and coaches	People will be able to exercise outside with up to five others from different households from Monday, provided that strict social distancing guidelines are followed. Elite and professional sport guidance permits return to domestic competition (behind closed doors) from 1 June 2020. First major sporting event expected to be 2000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse on 6 June
UPDATED	COVID-19: management of staff and exposed patients and residents in health and social care settings	health professionals	Updated in light of the test and trace guidance and added guidance for risk assessment of staff in the event of PPE breaches.
UPDATED	Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for schools and other educational settings	staff, parents and carers, pupils and students.	Updated: – ‘School attendance’. Parents will not be penalised if their child does not attend school. – ‘Changes to the law on education, health and care needs assessments and plans due to coronavirus’ with additional or amended material, including as to: cases in progress on 1 May 2020; annual reviews for those with EHC plans changing phase of education; actions following a tribunal ruling; and unchanged duties in relation to social care provision in plans. – ‘Actions for FE colleges and providers during the coronavirus outbreak’ with further information to plan for wider opening, including clarification on the total proportion of learners from eligible cohorts that should be in education settings at any one time.
UPDATED	Claim a grant through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme	self-employed	The scheme has now been extended. A second and final grant will be available when the scheme opens again in August 2020. If you’re eligible and want to claim the first grant you must make your claim on or before 13 July 2020
UPDATED	Coronavirus (COVID-19): looking after people who lack mental capacity	health and social care	Updates have been made to the main guidance attachment, in particular to the ‘Emergency public health powers’ section. The format of the attachment has also been changed to ensure it’s accessible. 3 new attachments have been added to the page: additional guidance, annex A and an easy read.
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 includes: – 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	European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) COVID-19 homepage	Professionals

 

 

Local Resources:

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

 

	Title	Who For	Comments
	Support from the Suffolk Growth Programme Board (SGPB)	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 – 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.
	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 132, 31 May