Coronavirus Wash your hands more often

Find out more at nhs.uk/coronavirus

Coronavirus is a serious illness that can make you very ill. The best way to not catch it is to wash your hands more often for 20 seconds. Use soap and water or a hand sanitiser when you: • Get home or into work • Blow your nose, sneeze or cough • Eat or touch food PROTECT YOURSELF & OTHERS

CORONAVIRUS

Where’s our ‘R’ ?

Sir Patrick held a virtual briefing with journalists on Friday, (05/06/2020), during which he confirmed the rate was between 0.7 and 1 for England - and 0.9 for the Midlands. It remains between 0.7 and 0.9 for the UK as a whole. He said the prevalence of Covid-19 was on a "downward trajectory" in the UK, adding: "The prevalence of coronavirus, according to the ONS, is at 0.1%, with 53,000 people with Covid-19 in the past two weeks.

“I’m Gonna Sit Right Down .. And Write Myself A Letter ..

A notice, initially attributed as coming from Dr. Nikki Burger, clinical director at Worcester City Primary Care Network and dated June 18, then circulated on social media last weekend (20-21/06), was ‘WRONG’. Alerting us to six positive CoViD cases within one 24 hr period, this message would have placed the city on red alert for a coronavirus outbreak. The notice also exhorted us to: “Please pass this to your GPs and teams urgently.” Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (showing their remarkable ability to dance on the head of pins) now say that THE NOTICE (do notice that .. “THE NOTICE”) was not produced by Dr. Nikki Burger – but was based on HER E.MAIL which SHE HAD SENT to GP surgeries across Worcester City. Apparently, Dr. Burger had based what she had written on ‘inaccurate’ information. And from where had this ‘inaccurate’ information come ? Well, allegedly, it had originated in an internal briefing sent by the CCG itself to Dr. Berger. What a relief to know that it had come from such an august and responsible body. A spokesperson for Herefordshire and Worcestershire CCG was most insistent: “The letter/poster was not produced or distributed by Dr. Nikki Burger and appears to be based on an actual email .. (wow, an “actual” e.mail .. “..and not just any sort of e.mail, maybe an M&S e.mail ?” .. but might it not have been one of Chump’s “Fake News” e.mails ?) sent by Dr. Nikki Burger to GP surgeries across Worcester City and based on information later found to be incorrect” (like so much of the ‘science’ in this Pandemic). They then went on to surpass themselves with the statement .. “We regret that this information has been misinterpreted and subsequently shared outside of the organisation.” So _ and let’s get the time-scale right _ because, according to them _ • the ’inaccurate information’ originated from within the organisation (ie the H&W CCG itself) • these ‘inaccuracies’ (and misinterpretations ?) then left the organisation and entered “into the public domain” .. where it was • then ‘shared’ (by person or persons unknown) and (with the virtues of hindsight) mis-interpretations drawn .. before • being recognised as “wrong” and “inaccurate” (by the people from whence it came). Was it therefore OK to share INACCURATE information internally ? .. Just so long as it didn’t ‘escape’ from the CCG and so “expose” their knowledge about “the knowledge” to the general public.

The situation - July 31st

Millions of Britons were put under tough new virus restrictions today after a spike in cases in the North. Separate households in nine districts across a northern band of England were banned from meeting in indoor areas including homes, pubs and restaurants. Greater Manchester Blackburn with Darwen Burnley Hyndburn Pendle Rossendale Bradford Calderdale Kirklees The City of Leicester continues under the same restrictions. It covers a population of more than 4.3million – including the cities of Manchester and Bradford – and is by far the biggest re-imposition of Covid-19 restrictions. This comes amid fears Britain is heading for an early second wave, following a surges in infections many European countries, including Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg and Croatia. Boris Johnson publicly warned about a resurgence of the virus yesterday after newspapers revealed his concern over a summer surge earlier this week - yesterday, the UK reported the highest daily total of Covid-19 cases for more than a month (there were 846 new infections, the greatest number recorded since 28th June when there were 901 infections). Blackburn with Darwen has the highest infection rate at the moment - followed by Leicester. Other areas reporting notable week-on-week jumps include: Oldham (with 128 new cases) Pendle (with 39 new cases) Trafford (with 97 new cases) Calderdale (with 71 new cases) Swindon (with 64 new cases) ____________________________________________________________

Confused about the rules of lockdown?

Here’s what you can and can’t do now

IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS • Anyone with coronavirus symptoms – a new persistent cough, fever or loss of sense of taste or smell – should self-isolate and order a test. • If you test positive you must stay at home for at least 10 days. • If you test negative you no longer need to isolate. • If you feel better and do not have a fever after 10 days you can stop isolating. A cough or reduced sense of smell or taste may linger – this is acceptable. • Other members of the household should isolate for 14 days, even if they have no symptoms. • If they start to feel unwell during the 14 days they must order a test, and if they test positive, must start isolating for an additional 10 days. WHEN SOCIALISING • With the exceptions noted above - legally, up to 30 people can gather together. • Official advice remains that people should avoid socialising outdoors in a group of more than six – except if two large households are meeting. • Two households can also meet indoors – including in a pub or restaurant – but should not touch each other. • The only exception to the touching rule is if you have formed a ‘support bubble’. This is when two households merge. This is only allowed if one of the households is either an adult living alone or a single parent with children under 18. You cannot change the members of a bubble, and if someone gets ill both households must isolate. • You can stay overnight in another home – including at a holiday home or second home – but you should only be with one other household. You must maintain social distancing. KEEPING SOCIAL DISTANCING • People should either stay two metres apart or ‘one metre plus’. • ‘One metre plus’ means if the gap is below one metre ‘mitigations’ must be made to help prevent transmission. • ‘Mitigation’ usually means wearing a mask – they are mandatory on public transport, in hospitals and in shops. • Employers have been told staff can be within two metres of each other if it is not practical to keep them further apart but they must ensure measures are in place to protect staff. These can include screens, facing desks away from each other and ensuring there are lots of handwashing stations. WHEN TRAVELLING • Staying in hotels, bed and breakfasts and campsites in the UK is allowed but you can only travel in groups of two households. • Foreign travel is only recommended to countries which are considered to no longer pose a high risk. These include France, Italy and Germany. • The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all but essential travel to any country not on its ‘exempt’ list. This means travel insurance is not usually valid. Anyone returning to the UK from these countries has to quarantine at home for 14 days, or face a £1000 fine. WHEN USING SHOPS, PLAYGROUNDS AND OTHER PUBLIC SERVICES • All shops have reopened but you must wear a mask. • Outdoor playgrounds and public toilets are mostly open but councils can decide whether to keep them closed. • Places of worship are now open but only one person can sing at a time, facing away from the congregation. • Weddings can take place with up to 30 people. • Barbers and hairdressers are open. • Restaurants and pubs are open but no more than six people, from two households, are allowed at each table. • Cinemas are open but pick ‘n’ mix is still banned. • Indoor gyms and swimming pools can open but a third remain closed. • Bowling alleys, skating rinks and casinos will reopen from this weekend, as will salons offering face treatments. • Nightclubs and soft play areas remain closed. • Live performances are undergoing small pilots, with a view to reopening in the autumn. ______________________________________________________________

Sweden - a nation of contrasts

Sweden had a long-established plan for a pandemic and they stuck to it. • People should be sensible, • Wash their hands at every opportunity, • Avoid public transport & • Keep a safe distance from each other …. and that was it. • Closing schools was thought 'meaningless', • Shutting borders was 'ridiculous', • Masks were considered ‘a waste of time’ (apart from medical situations), • Shops and restaurants stayed open, • Sports continued, • Arts, Theatre and Music kept performing. And their economy remained functioning and their future bright .. without a ‘lockdown’ in sight. WHAT A CONTRAST. ______________________________________________________