Town and Parish Council News November 2020
New national restrictions now in place
To help reduce the spread of COVID-19 new national restriction measures came into force yesterday, Thursday 5 November, and will remain in place until Wednesday 2 December.
More information about how this will affect West Sussex County Council services, including libraries, Household Waste Recycling Sites, registration services and ceremonies, can be found here. Please share this information within your local communities and with residents.
They can also find the latest weekly case numbers on our website.
Local residents should be aware that the new tougher national restrictions include staying at home, only travelling if it is essential, and not meeting people socially. Restrictions do allow people to exercise or meet in a public, outdoor space with people they live with, their support bubble (or childcare bubble), or with one other person.
Please remind residents that it is vital that anyone who thinks they need any kind of medical care comes forward and seeks help.
Further information, including working from home, business closures and the financial support available can be found on the government’s website.
Community hub is here to help
Our COVID-19 Community Hub remains open and continues to focus on helping the most vulnerable in our county, providing support, information and guidance. More details about how the Community Hub can help your local vulnerable residents, their families and carers can be found on our website.
If their request is urgent, for example, they are going to run out of food or medication within the next three days, please encourage them to call: 033 022 27980.
Self-isolation reminder
Residents must self-isolate if:
- They have symptoms of COVID-19 (and arrange a COVID-19 test)
- They have a positive test result
- They are told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace
- They are living with someone who has symptoms or has a positive test result.
If a resident develops symptoms they must immediately self-isolate and arrange a test. They must only get a test if they have symptoms. This is because an early COVID-19 test could be negative and actually they are still developing infection and could be spreading COVID-19.
Self-isolation means:
- Stay at home
- Do not go outside
- Do not go to work
- Do not go shopping.
Residents who have symptoms or have tested positive for coronavirus will usually need to self-isolate for at least 10 days.
They will usually need to self-isolate for 14 days if:
- Someone they live with has symptoms or tested positive
- Someone in their support bubble has symptoms or tested positive
- They have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace.
Even if they get a negative test during your self-isolation, as a close contact they still need to self-isolate for the full 14 days.
Residents can find out more on the NHS website.
New working restrictions
With the new national restrictions, residents are asked to work from home where possible.
Please remind your local communities that anyone working in an office must make sure they practise social distancing, that the workspace is properly ventilated and that they travel safely to and from work, avoiding public transport where possible.
Please encourage residents to be vigilant to maintain social distancing during staff breaks.
If they develop symptoms they must stay at home – or return home if they are already in the office.
If they have been asked to self-isolate they must continue to do so for the remaining time, even if they receive a negative test result.
Keeping in touch
Please share the information in this newsletter widely within your communities.
For daily updates, residents can follow us on social media @WSCCNews and @WestSussexCC.
We are also now on nextdoor, the app designed with communities in mind. Your residents can follow the link and join the conversation.
You can download resources to help you share the very latest message with residents here.
Thank you for your support. Keep safe.