This is my latest roundup of local news and Coronavirus updates for Hunslet and Riverside residents. There are several links to more detailed information from the Government, the Council and others within the post. In this update you will find:
Covid-19 Leeds Local Restrictions
Covid-19 National Guidance Update
Coivid-19 Cases, Mortality and Infection Rate
Covid-19 Outbreak Management
Covid-19 Mobile Testing Unit
Covid-19 Test for Children Guidance
Covid-19 App
Support Payments Required Self-Isolation
Schools Face Coverings
Furlough Replacement
Travel Corridor Update
Flu Jab Campaign
Leeds Bus Service Changes
Connecting Leeds A61(S) Update
Meetings and Visits
Councillor Newsletter
Upcoming Community Events
Live Q&A Events
Previous updates can be found here: Local News Summary
Covid-19 Leeds Local Restrictions: Here is a weblink to our first set of information about the new restrictions to answer some of the questions the public has. If you want public information about cases on a map, here is the link.
Covid-19 National Guidance Update: The following guidance documents have been updated in light of the new measures announced by the Prime Minister:
Meeting others safely and social distancing
Face coverings guidance
Guidance for small marriages and civil partnerships
Closing certain businesses and venues – reflecting the new 10pm curfew and table service requirements
Guidance for the safe use of multi-purpose community venues
Guidance for the safe use of places of worship and religious services and gatherings
Coivid-19 Cases, Mortality and Infection Rates: In Leeds as of 17:00 on the 25/9/20 the total lab confirmed COVID19 cases within Leeds were 6,882. The latest 7 day infection rate is 108 per 100,000, and the positivity rate is 8.4%. Up to 24/9/20, 668 Covid-19 related deaths have been registered- of these:
655 (98%) were Leeds residents
365 (54.64%) were in hospitals
266 (39.82%) were in care homes
13 (1.95%) in a hospice
24 (3.59%) in their own home
Covid-19 Outbreak Management: Cases are spread across the city, but rising numbers in Headingley and Hyde Park. Eight care homes are reporting cases- all are closed. Schools health and safety team continue to support schools that are reporting positive cases. As at 18:00 on the 24/9/20, 122 education settings had active cases, including:
64 primary schools
48 secondary schools
2 colleges
2 universities
2 specialist schools.
Public Health England are managing an outbreak at a private boarding school on the Leeds-Bradford border - they are satisfied that the school are taking the correct steps.
Environmental Health are continuing to support a number of workplaces reporting single and double cases across a range of services. An incident at Wetherby Youth Offenders Institute continues to be closely monitored.
Covid-19 Mobile Testing Unit: Deployments up to Monday: (please note that these are the latest available confirmations but they can change- please encourage people to book their appointments via 119 or nhs.uk/coronavirus). Remember, only book a test if you have symptoms of coronavirus:
Mon 28 Sept- Pudsey Civic Hall (10am-4pm)
St George’s Centre Middleton (10.30-3.30)
Covid-19 Test for Children Guidance: The NHS Chief Nurse and Interim Chief Medical Officer of NHS Test & Trace have written to parents and guardians, setting out that they should only access a test for their child if their child displays one of the 3 coronavirus symptoms:
Any new high temperature where your child feels hot to touch on their chest or back (you do not need to measure the temperature)
A new continuous cough: coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
A loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste: a noticeable loss of smell or taste or things smell and taste different to normal
Covid-19 App: launched on Thursday. The app will be an important part of outbreak management moving forward and offers the following features to help keep people safe:
An alert if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive and need to self-isolate
Check whether your area is high/medium/low risk and be notified if your areas becomes high risk
Check your symptoms
Book a test
Keep track of your self-isolation period if you need to self-isolate
Check in to hospitality venues using the QR code poster that all venues are now legally required to display. Otherwise, you will need to share your contact details manually.
The government are confident the previous issues with earlier versions of the app have been resolved- the Google/Apple security platform is now being used and any data shared on the app will be held on the user’s phone. However we recognise that lots of people will still have concerns, so please help to reassure people and remind them that the app helps to keep you safe and respond more quickly. Read more about what the app does, or watch this short video from the NHS.
Support Payments Required Self-Isolation: Officers in the Customer Access and Benefits team have been busy developing a new system to issue the £500 payments announced nationally for eligible individuals who have to self-isolate and cannot work from home, to be ready by 12th October. We anticipate there could be 20-30 claims per day in Leeds.
Schools Face Coverings: In light of the new restrictions in Leeds, we are now advising schools that staff and pupils in years 7 and above should wear face coverings in communal areas.
Furlough Replacement: The Job Support Scheme to replace the furlough scheme, which ends 31 October. The new scheme will be available to people working at least one third of their normal hours. Of the remaining hours, the government and employer will pay one third each. The self-employed income support scheme has been extended. More information is in the Economic Briefing Note, attached.
Travel Corridor Update: Denmark, Slovakia, Iceland and Curaçao have been removed from the travel corridor list- people returning to the UK from these places from 4am on Saturday 26 September will need to self-isolate for two weeks.
Flu Jab Campaign: Public Health England have uploaded resources to support a public campaign aimed at the 30 million people eligible for a free flu vaccine this year.
Leeds Bus Service Changes: Bus routes and bus stops on The Headrow, change on the 4/10/20.
Connecting Leeds A61(S) Update: The latest roadwork update can be read here.
Meetings and Visits: As part of my many different roles I attend meetings with:
This is on top of my doing casework for residents via email, telephone and social media.
Councillor Newsletter: Here is a digital copy of our latest newsletter.
Upcoming Community Events and Meetings:
3/10/20: Friends of Hunslet Moor Litter Pick
6/10/20: Beeston Hill Residents Meeting (Zoom)
20/10/20: Hunslet Moor Residents Meeting (Zoom)
If you have a community event you'd like me to share, please let me know. The events must be non-party political and for the whole community. I'll also offer to host the Facebook event page if your group does not have its own Facebook Page etc. to do so.
Live Q&A Events: Past event can be re-watched here. The next event(s) are below:
10/10/20: Ask Paul