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 2 April 2020, 163,194 people have been tested, of which 33,718 were confirmed positive. As of 5pm on 1 April 2020, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 2,921 have died (this only includes deaths in hospital). The figures for test results and for deaths are compiled from different sources, which is why the figures for deaths are reported from an earlier point in time than the figures for test results. Latest numbers can be viewed here.
• In Suffolk we have 157 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: 2 April 2020
  • The construction of the NHS Nightingale hospital in London has been completed in 9 days, giving 4,000 bed capacity (equivalent to 10 district general hospitals). At the same time, the military are helping to construct additional capacity in Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow.
  • Our best scientific analysis currently suggests that the rate of infection has been doubling every 3-4 days.
  • Today PHE have announced new PPE standards  that people should use and expect (see also highlighted in the table below). The WHO have confirmed these are in line with the WHO recommendations. Any health or care organisation that needs PPE should call the hotline.
  • £300 million announced for community pharmacies to support them during coronavirus outbreak – The advanced funding injection will support pharmacies to provide critical services to protect community health, including supplying medicines and providing medical advice to patients, during a period of unprecedented demand.
  • The Health Secretary is writing off £13.4 billion of historic NHS debt to support the NHS.
  • Health Secretary pledges a new 5-pillar nation plan to increase testing to 100,000 a day in England by the end of April, bringing together government, industry, academia, the NHS and many others, to dramatically increase the number of tests being carried out each day.
  • Currently 5.7% of doctors are absent due to COVID-19.
  • 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.
• Almost £400 million to keep England’s buses running

 

SUFFOLK

 

• PPE appeal: As announced yesterday, SCC has launched an appeal for businesses in the county to donate any unused Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure our critical front-line staff working in care homes, children’s homes and people’s own homes can continue to give care and support to Suffolk’s most vulnerable residents. We need; fluid repellent face masks, nitrile non powdered disposable gloves, disposable aprons, disposable eye protection/splash goggles and sanitiser gel. Donations of any PPE would significantly support the high levels of demand we have at this time across our care system and will help us to support Suffolk’s most vulnerable children and adults. We are willing to purchase stocks if donating PPE is something businesses could not support and would be happy to discuss this with them. If businesses think they could help we ask that they contact PPE@suffolk.gov.uk with; their current PPE stock information (type and quantity), where they are located in Suffolk and a contact number so we can get in touch.

 

• Update from Ipswich Borough Council: More can be found here www.ipswich.gov.uk
  • The Council has secured additional accommodation to support it in providing accommodation for homeless households and individuals including rough sleepers. Nearly £150,000 has been allocated to secure this hotel accommodation for the next 12 weeks. The Council will continue to monitor demand and capacity in this area.
  • Ipswich Borough Council has introduced a free parking scheme in our car parks for crucial key NHS and social care staff. People who believe they qualify under this strict criteria can apply to mipermit@ipswich.gov.uk. This is in addition to the free use of some of our car parks for resident permit-holders who find their streets more congested as more people are at home all day. Enforcement will be carried out to ensure emergency vehicles and refuse collection crews can get through.
  • Ipswich town centre has seen a reduction in footfall of 70% compared with before the start of the Government’s main Coronavirus measures on 16^th March 2020. On Tuesday 31^st March just under 4,000 people were recorded on town centre sensors, rather than 14,000 people on Tuesday 10th March or 18,000 people on our busiest Tuesday in December 2019. The comparable figures for Saturdays are 3,750 on 28^th March – 18,900 on 7^th March and 23,400 on our busiest Saturday in December 2019. Ipswich Market have decided to discontinue trading until further notice (only food stalls had been permitted to operate).

 

• OneLife Suffolk Stop Smoking support: We are pleased to let you know that the OneLife smoking cessation service continues to operate and is fully resourced to help smokers to quit. This is important as there is emerging evidence that smokers are at greater risk of coronavirus, not least because it is a respiratory illness and some smokers may already have heart or lung conditions which would increase the risk of serious illness. We wanted to take this opportunity to remind you that the countywide OneLife Suffolk cessation service continues to be available on a one-to-one, telephone basis. The dedicated team provides a 12-week behaviour change programme which has demonstrated that smokers are four times more likely to quit with this intensive support.

 

• Suffolk County Council’s Trading Standards: How to report a business which should be closed, isn’t complying with social distancing; or report an incident of social gatherings, scams or profiteering https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/latest-information/report-business-scam-coronavirus/

 

• GCSEs, AS & A levels will be awarded in summer 2020: New guidance from Government here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/how-gcses-as-a-levels-will-be-awarded-in-summer-2020?utm_source=68820985-2466-4b6a-806f-1666ceaad64d&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

 

• Suffolk Chamber of Commerce: Local authority portals in Suffolk are now live. To apply for the Coronavirus/COVID-19 £10k small business grant, or the £25k hospitality, leisure and retails grants. Please visit the relevant local authority portals which are now up and running:
  East Suffolk – https://lnkd.in/dgbiC2f
  Ipswich – https://lnkd.in/d-mEdFA
  Babergh & Mid Suffolk – https://lnkd.in/dnhJrb9
  West Suffolk – No form but further information https://lnkd.in/dE-zjgh

 

 

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
UPDATED	COVID-19: infection prevention and control	health and care systems and providers	updated guidance from Public Health England on PPE, including: Table 1 – Recommended PPE for healthcare workers by secondary care clinical context Table 2 – Recommended PPE for primary, outpatient, and community care Table 3 – Recommended PPE for ambulance, paramedics, first responders and pharmacists Table 4 – Additional considerations for COVID-19
UPDATED	COVID-19: personal protective equipment use for non-aerosol generating procedures	health and care professionals	Added updated PPE video.
NEW	Coronavirus (COVID-19): admission and care of people in care homes	care homes, local health protection teams, local authorities, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and registered providers	How to protect care home residents and staff during the coronavirus outbreak.
NEW	Personal protective equipment (PPE): export control process	exporters	Information for economic operators who will temporarily need a licence to export PPE outside the EU, EFTA member states and certain other territories.
UPDATED	Coronavirus (COVID-19): business support grant funding – guidance for local authorities	local authorities	added the grant funding allocations by local authority.
UPDATED	Business rates: expanded retail discount – guidance	businesses	Guidance updated to confirm that the government’s assessment that the expanded retail discount is not a state aid, and that local authorities should therefore award relief to all eligible properties.
UPDATED	MHRA guidance on Coronavirus (COVID-19)	industry	Published new advice on the use of testing kits and applications to place them on the market.
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 – for non-clinical settings – for health professionals
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	COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection	households with possible infection
6	Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do	Everyone
7	Coronavirus: How to help safely	Everyone
8	COVID-19: guidance on social distancing and for vulnerable people	Everyone
9	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
10	PHE Health Matters	Post on General FAQs that include a section to submit questions at the bottom of the page.
11	PHE Campaign Resource Centre	Range of comms resources that can be used
12	COVID-19: guidance for the public on mental health and wellbeing	Everyone
13	COVID-19: guidance on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing	parents and carers on looking after children or young people
14	Mental health support and advice from: WHO mentalhealth.org.uk Ipswich & East CCG Living Life To The Full NHS Practitioner Wellbeing	General public, staff and carers
15	Chronic disease self- care during COVID-19: Asthma Diabetes	General public
16	COVID-19: cleaning of non-healthcare settings	non-healthcare settings
17	Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for local government	Local councils
18	COVID-19 essential travel guidance	Public
19	COVID-19: guidance for care of the deceased	people required to manage bodies of deceased persons
20	Further businesses and premises to close	businesses
21	COVID-19: guidance for employees, employers and businesses	employees, employers and businesses
22	Coronavirus (COVID-19): changes to the Care Act 2014	local authorities	The guidance sets out how local authorities can use the new Care Act provisions, created under the Coronavirus Act 2020, to prioritise care and support for those who need it most. The provisions are temporary and should only be used when it is not possible for local authorities to comply with their duties under the Care Act 2014. This guidance must be read alongside the ethical framework for adult social care.
23	Coronavirus (COVID-19): business support grant funding – guidance for businesses	businesses
24	Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for schools and other educational settings	staff, parents and carers, pupils and students.

 

 

 

Global – WHO Situation Report

• WHO RISK ASSESSMENT (Global Level) – Very High
• WHO Covid-19 Dashboard for professionals using near real time data.

 

Situation in Numbers WHO SitRep 73, 2 April (new since last 24hrs)

Location	Confirmed	Deaths
Globally	896 450 confirmed (72 839)	45 525 deaths (4923)
Western Pacific Region	107 626 confirmed (1204)	3723 deaths (22)
European Region	503 006 confirmed (38 809)	33 604 deaths (3515)
South-East Asia	5324 confirmed (149)	216 deaths (21)
Eastern Mediterranean Region	58 168 confirmed (3887)	3279 deaths (164)
Regions of the Americas	216 912 confirmed (28161)	4565 deaths (1165)
African Region	4702 confirmed (629)	127 deaths (36)