Month: April 2020

Herefordshire Rural Hub May 2020 newsletter

If you’re an essential worker who is self-isolating, you can now apply for you and your household to get tested in Herefordshire for Covid-19 coronavirus.

The drive-through testing is available at Merton Meadow car park in Hereford and tests can be booked on the government website. The test is only for people who have symptoms of coronavirus – whether that’s you, or someone you live with. It involves taking a swab sample from your nose and throat. The test will tell whether you currently have coronavirus. After the test, while you wait for your results, you (and anyone you live with) must continue to self-isolate. Read NHS advice about how long to self-isolate.

If your test result turns out to be negative, you can safely return to work, as long as:

• you are well enough
• you have not had a high temperature for 48 hours
• anyone you live with also tests negative

If you test positive, or someone you live with tests positive, you cannot return to work. You will need to continue to self-isolate.

If your condition gets worse, or you do not get better after 7 days, use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service. Only call 111 if you cannot get help online. For a medical emergency dial 999.

Herefordshire emergency response lead, Superintendent Sue Thomas said:

“It’s good to see that tests for Covid-19 are now available locally for key workers in Herefordshire, with military support. The tests will provide reassurance and guidance to those experiencing coronavirus symptoms. More widely, we are starting to see the effect of social distancing on the spread of coronavirus, and I would ask that residents continue to stay home to protect lives.”

“The Armed Forces are helping to support the Government’s efforts to increase testing. This includes creating a network of Mobile Testing Units which will travel the country to reach essential workers at sites where there is a demand for testing.

“These units, operated by personnel from all three services, are deploying across the UK with soldiers taking swabs from key workers, including NHS and care home staff. A mobile testing unit is currently in Hereford at Merton Meadow car park.

“The units have been designed to clinical requirements by Army engineers and can be easily set up in under 20 minutes. The new mobile units will work alongside the drive-through test sites to rapidly increase the number of tests completed each day.”

The year so far has thrown challenges our way that have affected us all. Just as many residents and businesses were starting to get back on their feet following extensive flooding, the coronavirus has greatly impacted our people and our communities, as it has across the country and the world.

I would like to pay tribute to the many people who have been at the front-line of helping others and keeping our essential services functioning during this difficult time. Health and care staff, the emergency services, council staff – around 200 of whom have been redeployed into new community-response roles – supermarket workers, postal workers. I know I cannot capture everyone here, but on behalf of us all – thank you.

I would also like to make special mention of the thousands of people who are supporting their neighbours and local communities, giving their time selflessly to support others who would find it tough to stay at home without additional help. The council’s Talk Community team have been working tirelessly to co-ordinate these efforts – with the help of volunteers there have been more than 1,500 deliveries of essential food and medicine, ensuring that the most vulnerable receive the support they need.

I hear many stories of wonderful acts of kindness by individuals who are reaching out to keep others safe and well. We must, when this is all over, maintain our increased sense of community, which will provide much-needed resilience for the future.

As is the case with every region, it is clear that the Herefordshire economy faces challenging times ahead. The council’s finance and economic development teams have been helping to ensure thousands of local businesses are aware of and receiving the financial support that is available.

As we look towards recovery we have in our county agriculture, food processing and the security industry – three activities which are essential. We also have, in tourism, hospitality and the arts, activities which I am sure will bounce back quickly when the lockdown is lifted – Herefordshire’s outstanding natural landscape, quality of life and culture offer fantastic opportunities for ‘staycations’. We are also a county with a large number of smaller businesses. The entrepreneurial spirit of those who created and continue to sustain those businesses will help us to come through.

The council will be making every effort to minimise the impact where we are able. We will need to continue to invest in areas which benefit long-term employment growth and skills development, and encourage people to visit our beautiful county and buy locally. Our agenda to source locally will also be accelerated.

But it must be recognised that council finances will also be under extreme pressure. Although the government has provided some funding towards the costs of responding to COVID-19 it will not cover all of the additional expenditure incurred in keeping our residents safe, and this is at a time when income from all areas is set to decrease as services are paused due to the virus. Your council tax will continue to fund the essential services we all need day-to-day and to support the most vulnerable, however there will be tough decisions on council spending ahead as we may need to reprioritise our spending plans to support the county’s social and economic recovery.

There is no doubt that the next few weeks and months ahead will be a bumpy road as we all try to get used to new ways of living our daily lives in a constantly changing environment. We can expect social distancing to continue but I do not anticipate this being a smooth transition from one state to another. The council will be looking to central government to introduce measures in a way that people can understand, and that enables councils to provide the safest services that best meet the needs of local residents and businesses.

Please continue to do all you can to stay safe and well – stay at home, keep washing your hands and respect social distancing. These are the most effective things we can all do to protect ourselves, our family and friends and all those around us.”

Councillor David Hitchiner, Leader of Herefordshire Council

The government’s priority is to save lives and the best way to protect yourself and others from illness is to stay at home. However, exercise is still important for people’s physical and mental wellbeing and many people look to take their daily exercise outside.

The extended restrictions on movement announced by the government also apply to public rights of way and everyone must follow government rules and advice for the safety of all.

Please be aware that some people live in very close proximity to public rights of way, which can be through gardens, schools and farmland. Make sure you consider everyone’s need for social distancing, treat each other with respect and remember that some people may be in self-isolation because of illness or other vulnerabilities.

The risk of the Coronavirus being passed on to others from people using public rights of way and other paths and trails is considered to be very low as long as everyone follows the government’s social distancing rules.

Advice to landowners

Landowners do not have the legal right to block or obstruct public rights of way. However, in very limited circumstances where large numbers of people are using such routes, landowners may consider the following temporary measures:

• Tying gates open if it is safe to do so, so that walkers do not need to touch the gate
• Temporarily displaying polite notices that encourage users to respect local residents and workers by following social distancing guidelines and consider using alternative routes that do not pass through gardens, farmyards or schools
• Offering an alternative route around gardens and farmyards only where it is safe to do so (you must gain permission from relevant landowners and make sure the route is safe for users and livestock) provided that the original right of way is maintained
• All temporary measures must be lifted as soon as social distancing guidelines are relaxed

Advice to the public

If you do choose to take your daily exercise outside, make sure you follow the government’s social distancing when accessing countryside or public open spaces local to you.

• Stay local and use open spaces near to your home where possible – do not travel unnecessarily
• You can leave the house for one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household only
• Even when doing these activities, you should be minimising time spent outside of the home and ensuring you are 2 metres (3 steps apart) apart from anyone outside of your household
• Follow the Countryside Code
• If walking your dog in areas used by other people, you should walk your dog on a lead to ensure you can safely keep 2 metres away from others.
• Take home your used tissues and litter
• Ensure you wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when you return home. Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available

New and existing members enjoy the online library service

Beryl Bike share initiative extended to more key workers

Consider how your activity at home may impact neighbours