Latest Coronavirus updates

It’s Frontline Workers’ Day on 5 July, and this year, it’s more important than ever to take the time to thank our brilliant and dedicated frontline workers.

We’d love for you to get involved with this campaign, either by sharing your stories and ideas with us, or by finding a creative way to say thank you to the frontline workers who have made such a difference this year.

Some creative ideas to get involved*
• Write a blog about your experiences as a frontline worker
• Organise a virtual tea party with colleagues
• Do an in-formation photo saying ‘Thank You!’ (stand in letter patterns and take a photo)
• Get creative with pictures, paintings, sculptures, dancing or songs
• Record a video and share with us – could be a thank you message, singing, anything!
• Creative bake off – most weird and wonderful cake wins!

We’d love to hear from you! Please share your ideas, blogs, photos and videos (with consent, of course) to CommunicationsTeam@somerset.gov.uk or share on social media and use the hashtag #Somersetfrontlineheroes – Facebook: @somersetcountycouncil / Twitter: @SomersetCouncil

*Please note: if you are planning an event, please ensure you have undertaken all the necessary health and safety measures and, if appropriate, alerted the emergency services, undertaken risk assessments and have appropriate public liability insurance in place. This is your responsibility as the co-ordinator or participant.

Somerset County Council is teaming up with Visit Somerset and Visit Exmoor to thank visitors and residents for keeping to Covid-19 guidance as the summer holiday season approaches.

Along with vaccinations, there are many things people can do to keep themselves and each other safe from Covid-19. This includes regular coronavirus testing, isolating when required and following the Covid-19 guidance around hands, face, space and fresh air.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to decide on the easing of restrictions by 19 July, when there will be a “very considerable wall of immunity around the whole of the population”. However, people are and will continue to travel into and around Somerset under current freedoms so it is important to communicate safety messages to people in a way that they will respond to – especially in light of rising cases.

Look out for messaging on digital platforms as well as billboards, bus stops, service stations and on the back of buses.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

Staff from Somerset’s Local Authorities have helped to speed up the county’s vaccination programme by making thousands of calls to organise vaccine appointments.

Throughout the course of the pandemic, the contact centres of Somerset’s five councils have joined forces to support the people of Somerset and the NHS.

During that time the contact centre staff, and redeployed staff have been supporting Somerset’s NHS Primary Care Networks by booking residents in for vaccination appointments.

In total council staff made approximately 133,693 phone calls and booked in 32,303 appointments across Somerset.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

In this week’s Covid Catch Up, former BBC correspondent Clinton Rogers visits a vaccination centre in Cheddar where the majority of those in attendance were young adults.

The Covid-19 jab is now being offered to all adults over the age of 18 and those getting their jabs were pleased their turn had come. Clinton catches up with Dr Josephine McHugh, a Somerset GP, to understand why there is some hesitancy in getting the jab, in particular due to incorrect information being found online.

He also chats to Matthew Hibbert, Public Health Consultant at Somerset County Council, to explain the advantages in every adult being vaccinated – Covid-19 can be caught by people of all ages so the vaccination is key to stopping people getting sick and also to break the chains of transmission.

Watch the video here

Somerset County Council’s commitment to investment is stepping up a gear this summer with the delivery of vital road improvement schemes.

In recent weeks the County Council has confirmed plans to invest £10m on public health initiatives and £6m on economic development to kickstart Somerset’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Now the focus turns to infrastructure, with works due to start on an £8.3m improvement scheme to upgrade the busy Creech Castle junction in Taunton. This is the next phase of a major programme of investment which includes the award-winning £19m revamp of the M5 Junction 25 – due to complete on time and on budget later this summer.

In addition, work starts in Yeovil in the autumn on the next phase of a £9m programme to replace and upgrade outdated traffic light systems across Somerset.
You can find out more about how Somerset County Council is investing to improve the county’s highways network in a new film.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

A new shop which aims to help vulnerable young people boost their employability and life skills is set to open in Somerset.

The new social enterprise, called Bold & Brave, is the result of collaboration between Young Somerset and sen.se (Special Educational Needs. Somerset Expertise) and will be based at 14 Riverside Place in Taunton.

Bold & Brave offers a great platform for the young people involved to develop products, learn about business, and gain work experience.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

The Government has announced a four-week pause at Step 3 on the route map out of lockdown with some restrictions remaining in place.

It is expected that England will move to Step 4 on 19 July, though the data will be reviewed after two weeks in case the risks have reduced.

The data will be monitored and the move to Step 4 will be confirmed one week in advance.

Some restrictions are due to change on 21 June with changes as follows:
• weddings and civil partnership ceremonies and wedding receptions or civil partnership celebrations
• commemorative events following a death such as a wake, stone setting or ash scattering
• large events pilots
• care home visits
• domestic residential visits for children

Some restrictions which were expected to be lifted will remain in place for the moment:
• Limits on the number of people who can mix indoors and outdoors
• Pubs, clubs, theatres and cinemas still have to operate within capacity limits
• Limited numbers of people allowed to attend sports events
• Nightclubs remain closed

It’s really important that we continue to follow the guidance – and please remember “hands, face, space, fresh air”.

More detail on the restrictions

The COVID-19 vaccine roll-out has reached young adults, with those aged 23 years old and over now invited to book their vaccination appointments: Book or manage your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination

You can’t choose which COVID-19 vaccine you get, but you will be allocated one based partly on your age. People under 40 years old or pregnant, will get the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, but if you’ve already had one Oxford-AstraZeneca jab with no after-effects, you should have a second dose.

Younger people may think that they’re less likely to be seriously ill if they catch coronavirus because of their age and general good health, compared to older and more vulnerable people. And that may be true. But don’t let that persuade you not to have the vaccine. You might still catch coronavirus, and studies are now suggesting that those who have been vaccinated are less likely to transmit the virus to other people.

The first dose should give you good protection from 3 or 4 weeks after you’ve had it. You need iwo doses for stronger and longer-lasting protection.

Please take up the vaccine when it’s offered to you, not just to protect you, but to also help protect others. More information on the COVID-19 vaccine.

Residents in Somerset who have not yet had their Covid vaccination are being invited to attend a special drop-in clinic at the large vaccination centre at the Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet.

All eligible adults who have not yet had a first dose or booked a slot through the National Booking Service (NBS), can come along to the vaccination site any time between 10am and 6pm on Saturday 12 June and Sunday 13 June.

The walk-in clinics will operate at the Bath and West Showground this weekend, in addition to any existing pre-booked vaccination appointments. People who have a confirmed booking slot for either first or second doses, should continue to attend their bookings as planned.

After the weekend walk-ins, people should book as normal before attending the site.

There is a broad range of vaccination sites in Somerset on offer through the NBS including large vaccination sites, GP-led community sites and an increasing number of new pharmacy-led sites. People can book both first and second doses in advance by calling 119 or visiting: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

This week, the Government announced that anyone aged over 25 can now book their COVID jab through the NBS. Vaccinations also continue to be available for anyone in priority groups 1-12 who have not yet taken up the offer of a vaccine.

All Somerset vaccination sites are following the latest JCVI preference to provide an alternative to the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine for adults under the age of 39, without underlying health conditions.

Read more here

Confirmation from the Government about what will happen to the roadmap out of lockdown on 21 June is expected next week.

Whatever happens, it is vitally important that everyone stays aware of the risk that Covid-19 still poses. With big sporting events to look forward to, and the potentially more transmissible Delta variant circulating please keep following the guidance – hands, face, space, fresh air.

It’s also important to keep taking the rapid tests that are freely available to anyone without coronavirus symptoms in Somerset.

If you are opting to take your rapid tests at home, please remember to register your test result within 24 hours on the GOV.UK website or by calling 119.

Reporting your test result is important because it helps to:

• reduce infection rates in the community
• protect people at higher risk of infection
• prevent and reduce the spread of the virus.

If your rapid test result is positive, you need to:

• self-isolate immediately
• book a follow-up PCR test (which is analysed in a laboratory) on the GOV.UK website or by calling 119.

Those isolating may be eligible to access the test and trace support payment scheme, which provides a £500 payment to help during their isolation.

Full information, including how to apply for the £500 grant can be found here

As many people are aware, GP practices have been experiencing a very busy period over the last few weeks and as a result there are a very high number of patients trying to contact them.

This means there are currently longer waits for routine appointments than usual at some practices. The NHS in Somerset is doing all it can to reduce waiting times but know there are many people needing healthcare help.

This week’s Clinton Covid Catch-up film looks at what this means for you and can be watched here: https://youtu.be/_Pv9k7M4img

As part of Men’s Health Awareness Week (14 to 20 June), Dave Partlow, Somerset County Council Adult Social Care Strategic Manager, talks about the emotional rollercoaster of working in high stress, frontline jobs, how he dealt with that pressure and his introduction to the Five Ways of Wellbeing – principles of support he was already unconsciously using in his life.

Throughout the pandemic, Dave has supported care providers with advice and guidance, worked with Public Health colleagues on managing and supporting providers through outbreaks, supported the management and provision of PPE, supported the care sector with testing, and managed the care sector vaccination programme.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

Travel is high on the news agenda this week with the Government publishing its update for the traffic lights system for international travel.

As a result of the review, Portugal will be moved to the amber list and seven countries, including Sri Lanka and Egypt, will be added to the red list. All changes to the lists will come into effect at 4am on Tuesday 8 June. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/portugal-moved-to-amber-list-to-guard-public-health-against-variants-of-concern-following-first-traffic-light-review

If you’re planning a holiday in the UK, maybe to explore a new city or to visit friends this summer, remember to travel safely and plan ahead.

As well as regularly washing your hands and wearing a face covering where needed, make sure you continue taking regular lateral flow (rapid) tests when you’re away from home. For more information, visit Coronavirus – Get a test if you have symptoms (somerset.gov.uk) where you will also find information on booking a follow-up PCR test if you get a positive result.

Travel is the focus for this week’s Covid Catch Up when former BBC correspondent, Clinton Rogers, discusses good planning hints and tips as we move forward into the holiday season.

He talks about the need for good ventilation and fresh air when travelling in vehicles or meeting indoors, and highlights the importance of taking test kits with you and keeping up with your testing routine.

Clinton chats to Lou Woolway, Deputy Director of Public Health at Somerset County Council, about the need for travel planning and the importance of making some journeys on foot or by bike to help maintain good personal fitness. He also talks about what you should do if you develop Covid-19 symptoms or test positive while on holiday. Catch up with Clinton here: https://youtu.be/hxbXO_d9n9g

The vaccine is our best defence against the virus and returning to a more normal way of life. And while the first dose gives some level of immunity against coronavirus, it is vital that everyone goes on to receive a second dose – regardless of which vaccine you receive.

A single jab will not give you maximum protection against the virus – the best protection comes after the second. All three vaccines, Pfizer, Oxford AstraZeneca and Moderna are up to 90 per cent effective after two doses.*

Getting the second dose will send a powerful reminder for your immune system to attack when necessary.

*Information taken from Public Health’s Covid-19 Vaccine Surveillance Report Week 22

Regular testing is for those without symptoms of Covid-19 and is so important in our fight against the virus as it helps break the chain of transmission, which might otherwise have gone unidentified.

Testing regularly, even when you do not have symptoms, means we can keep infection levels low and our country safe. There are five good reasons for regular testing:

• It finds and isolates people early who have coronavirus but don’t have symptoms (asymptomatic), helping to stop the spread of the virus
• Alongside the vaccine rollout and social distancing, it is key to reducing infection and transmission, helping the country to keep moving
• It helps to identify and suppress new variants of concern, playing a vital role in limiting the spread of coronavirus
• It protects you and your loved ones
• When done correctly, the tests are at least 99.9 per cent specific, which means that the risk of false positives is extremely low – less than one in a thousand

In short, it’s a simple and effective way for everybody to do their bit in stopping the spread of the virus.

It you are unwell with Covid-19 symptoms or test positive for the virus you must self-isolate – it’s the best way to stop spreading the infection to others. Isolating is more important than ever, to make sure the virus does not spread in our communities.

Self-isolating means staying in your home and not leaving to collect food shopping, walk the dog or exercise. The only reason you should be leaving home during this period is to get a test for Covid-19.

You can find out more about when you should self-isolate and how long for on the NHS website.

GP practices have been experiencing a very busy period over the last few weeks, and as a result they have a very high number of patients trying to contact them. This means there are currently longer waits for routine appointments than usual at some practices.

The NHS in Somerset is doing all it can to reduce waiting times, but there are lots of people who need healthcare help. Please continue to be patient and perhaps consider one of the alternatives to using a GP. These include:

• Pharmacy – As lockdown eases, don’t forget your local high-street pharmacist can provide health advice and help with minor illnesses like coughs and colds, sunburn, hay fever and diarrhoea. You don’t need an appointment and they can even provide you with the right medicines at the same time.
• Mindline – if you, or someone you know, is struggling with their mental wellbeing, our 24/7 Mindline is open to people of all ages. Just ring 01823 276 892.
• 111 First – The 111 service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provides advice, treatment and care. Just ring 111 or visit https://111.nhs.uk/. The service will provide advice and refer you to another service if you need it and if you need to be seen in person, they can book you a time slot.
• Minor injury units – Don’t forget A&E is for life-threatening emergencies only. There’s also a network of Minor Injury Units to provide the treatment you need – often they’ll see you quicker and closer to home.

You can read an open letter from the NHS about this here

This week is Volunteers Week and Somerset County Council would like to thank everyone who has helped their communities over the past 12 months. We’d also like to highlight the important role volunteers will play in the year ahead.

Volunteers have played a vital role in the emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic, whether that’s helping people with food support, prescription deliveries or transport to doctors’ appointments, or assisting as marshals at Somerset’s vaccination centres.

And the results of these volunteers’ hard work speak for themselves. Somerset’s local authorities and partner organisations worked with 43 volunteer groups from across the county to deliver more than 500,000 meals and items of food to people who needed it over the past year.

Volunteers have played a key role as marshals supporting Somerset’s vaccination programme, which has now seen more than 605,000 Covid-19 vaccinations given. The success of the vaccination roll-out has contributed to significant falls in infections, hospitalisations, and deaths from the virus.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

Somerset County Council has announced details of a £6m package of funding to kickstart Somerset’s economy as the nation starts on the road to recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The cash boost will include financial support for businesses, financial support for individuals and a range of other measures to stimulate the economy and boost the county as it recovers from coronavirus.

The funding will include:
• Financial support for businesses – assistance for the recovery and growth of businesses in Somerset, focussing on those which have not been eligible for assistance from Government’s schemes.
• Financial support for individuals – assistance for self-employed people who have not been eligible for assistance from Government’s schemes and for less advantaged individuals with costs associated job search and returning to work.
• Business start, restart and recovery – providing business start-ups with support, offering targeted support to hard hit sectors and support for local buying.
• Stimulating the economy – investment in strategic actions to drive longer term recovery, clean and inclusive growth and levelling up in Somerset.

The new Bruton Enterprise Centre and West Somerset business Singer Instruments both feature in a new short film from former BBC reporter Clinton Rogers who finds out more about how Somerset County Council is supporting local businesses. Watch the film.

Free training is available to anyone in Somerset to help them spread the word and bust any myths about coronavirus vaccinations.

Spark Somerset has been working with Somerset County Council to help local people access information about Covid-19 in a way that makes sense to them through the Covid Community Champion Network.

Vaccination Myth Buster Training is now on offer to anyone who is in a position to have conversations about the vaccine. This will be on Zoom on Wednesday 9 June, 7-9pm.

The training is delivered by Fatou Mendy Sambou from Public Health and Helen Fielden from Spark Somerset and covers the following:
• The latest information about how the vaccines work, how they’re made and possible side effects.
• Common myths and misconceptions about the vaccine.
• The basics of how to have open, supportive conversations.
• Where to signpost people to if they have more questions. Find out more, and to book your place.

People attending this training will also be offered the opportunity to become Vaccination Buddies: specially trained volunteers who have supportive phone calls with people who have questions and concerns about the Covid-19 vaccine.

The online vaccination booking system is now available to those aged 30 or over, or if you’ll turn 30 before 1 July 2021: Book or manage your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Meanwhile, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorised the single-dose Janssen Covid-19 vaccine for the UK. This is the fourth Covid-19 vaccine to be authorised by the UK’s independent regulator and is the first to be approved for protection against Covid-19 with a single dose.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced labels for COVID-19 variants which are often named after the places where they are first detected. The B.1.1.7 variant – known as the UK/Kent variant – has now labelled by the WHO as Alpha.

The B.1.617.2 variant, first identified in India, has been labelled Delta, while B.1.351, often referred to as the South African variant, has been named Beta. The P.1 Brazilian variant has been labelled Gamma. Public Health England has said it is considering whether to adopt the WHO’s new naming system for variants designed to avoid stigma.

Covid infection rates in Somerset are low, but the virus is still with us. It’s very important to remember we are still in Step 3 of the lockdown and we keep following guidance (COVID-19) Coronavirus restrictions: what you can and cannot do – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Everyone wants to help high streets and businesses recover after a difficult year – so please enjoy Somerset respectfully, follow the guidance and help to keep the county safe. Remember – the more people mix with one another, the more opportunity the virus has to spread.

For those heading off for a weekend break in the UK, remember to travel safely and plan ahead – things like insurance, checking on accommodation, what to do if you develop symptoms or test positive during your stay and ensuring you have your testing kits.

If you need to get tested while you’re travelling, there are options:

• If you have symptoms and need a test, book on here: Coronavirus – Get a test if you have symptoms or call 119
• If you do not have symptoms, please continue with your lateral flow test routine.

If you test positive while on holiday, you should make your own assessment about where to self-isolate for 10 days based on your health and safety. Options are:

• Staying in the accommodation you are currently in if the accommodation is happy/has capacity to host you, and you have the funds to cover extra costs
• Looking for other local accommodation you and your travel party could move into and safely self-isolate if your current accommodation cannot extend
• Driving home in your own vehicle without stopping anywhere en route if you are well enough to travel and have the means to do so

Somerset’s Director of Public Health Professor Trudi Grant has issued a message to Somerset residents in the lead up to the bank holiday weekend and half term break, encouraging people to enjoy Somerset with caution.

In a video message posted on Somerset County Council’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, Professor Grant said a big thank you to all Somerset residents for getting us this far. She reminded people that although infection rates in Somerset are low at the moment, the virus is still here and that sticking to the guidance is still important.

On the question of taking a trip, she stressed the importance of planning ahead and travelling safely, including remembering things like insurance, checking in with accommodation on what to do if you or a family member become symptomatic during the stay and taking regular testing kits with you.

In her video she says: “If you do decide to meet inside (in groups of up to six or two households) make sure you let the fresh air in.

“Even if you have been vaccinated either once or twice, we all must stick to the rules, the reason for this is because the vaccine protects us as individuals but we could still pass the virus on to other people.. we must all follow the rules.”

Professor Grant finished the message by wishing everybody a great weekend.

Watch the video message here

Local charity, Spark Somerset, and Somerset NHS are calling on people to support Covid-19 vaccinations at Taunton Racecourse.

An amazing team of volunteers have been helping since January and as the lockdown restrictions have eased many volunteers have had to return to work.

More volunteers are now urgently needed to help with welcoming and directing people attending their appointments for vaccination.

Steward volunteers provide crucial support to the programme by marshalling in car parks and guiding people on site, ensuring social distancing is followed, and identifying people who need additional support.

In a recent survey more than 97% of those who volunteered said they enjoyed the experience, and say the team working and sense of contribution to the overall effort to beat Covid-19 is very rewarding.

Find more information and sign up here on Spark a Change, Somerset’s online volunteering platform or email volunteer@sparksomerset.org.uk

A new walk-through coronavirus testing facility opened today (Friday 28 May) for those with symptoms to book appointments at the Seagull Inn, Northam Farm, South Road (TA8 2RF) in Brean, as part of the Government’s UK-wide drive to continue to improve the accessibility of coronavirus testing for local communities.

Testing at this site is only available for those with coronavirus symptoms – a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste. Anyone with one or more of these symptoms can get a test at the site, or by booking a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or calling 119

The new site is easily accessible without a car. Anyone attending an appointment at a walk-through test site will be provided with guidance on getting to and from the site safely, with extra support for vulnerable groups and people with disabilities.

Anyone testing positive for the virus in England will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to help them trace their contacts. Close contacts of those testing positive will also hear from NHS Test and Trace, asking them to stay at home for ten days to prevent them from unknowingly spreading the virus. They will be advised to also get a test if they develop symptoms.

Somerset County Council has recently launched a Vaccine Buddy Programme in partnership with Spark Somerset to support people who are feeling unsure about whether to have their Covid-19 vaccine.

Vaccination Buddies can offer 1-2-1 telephone support to people who are worried or unsure about having the vaccine. The Buddies come from all walks of life and have the right skills to support people to make informed decisions about having the Covid-19 vaccination.

People can be referred (or self-refer) to the scheme and a fully trained Vaccination Buddy will contact them by phone to discuss their concerns and offer information and reassurance.

Make a referral on behalf of yourself or someone else here

The Vaccination Buddy scheme builds on the success of the Covid Community Champions initiative – a network of volunteers who help people in Somerset get the latest advice about Covid-19 to ensure residents stay as happy and healthy as possible during these difficult times.

To become a Vaccination Buddy, volunteers simply need to register through Spark Somerset | Spark a Change and attend a short ‘myth buster’ training course on Zoom.

More information on the Covid Community Champions initiative

So far Somerset’s coronavirus vaccination programme has seen more than 570,000 Covid-19 vaccinations given, and the success of the vaccination roll out has contributed to significant falls in infections, hospitalisations and deaths from the virus.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

In this week’s Covid Catch Up, Clinton discusses the need for people to self-isolate to prevent the spread of Covid-19 should they have symptoms or be advised to do so.

Clinton also meets one of the amazing Somerset volunteers who has spent the last 12 months helping people in the local community who needed support – particularly when they needed to isolate.

And he also has a discussion with Alison Bell, a consultant with Somerset Public Health to explain the benefits self-isolation has in helping stop the spread of Covid-19 and new variants of concern.

Covid Catch Up week 25, 26 May 2021 – YouTube

Now that lockdown is easing and more of us are out and about, NHS services are very busy. You can help us, help you this May bank holiday by making sure you ‘Choose Well’ and if you are injured or unwell, use the health service that best meets your needs.

This might be your local community pharmacy. Pharmacists are experts in medicines and can help you and your family with minor health concerns. As qualified healthcare professionals, they can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines for a range of minor illnesses, such as colds, sore throats, tummy trouble and aches and pains.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

The ‘stay in the UK’ order was lifted just over a week ago, meaning people can now travel abroad for leisure. But strict border control measures, including testing and quarantine, remain in place.

Different levels of restriction apply to those returning to England from countries based on the traffic light system, which will be regularly reviewed and informed by public health advice: Red, amber and green list rules for entering England – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The “green” list of countries is a guide to where people can safely visit without needing to quarantine when they return to England. People should not travel to ‘amber’ and ‘red’ countries for leisure.

Passengers arriving from all destinations will need to provide a passenger locator form and show proof of a negative pre-departure test taken within 72 hours before their return journey.

Ten-day managed hotel quarantine requirements will remain in place for those permitted to return to England from ‘red’ countries, and quarantine at home alongside stringent testing will be required for those returning from ‘amber’ destinations Quarantine and testing if you’ve been in an amber list country – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

People in England who have had both vaccine doses will be able to demonstrate their COVID-19 vaccination status via the NHS app. If you cannot access the app you can request a letter from the NHS proving their vaccination status by calling 119. GPs cannot provide letters showing your COVID-19 vaccination status.

The government has also published the Passenger COVID-19 Charter, detailing how holidaymakers can travel safely this summer. It includes information on passenger rights and responsibilities, what to do if things go wrong and how to stay safe abroad.

Remember that all holiday accommodation, including hotels, hostels and B&Bs, can reopen in England now and can be used by groups of up to six people or two households of any size at the moment – so a holiday is still possible.

Whoever you are and whatever you do, it’s really important to keep testing for coronavirus, using the free lateral flow tests. You may not even be aware you might have the virus as some people don’t show any symptoms.

In Somerset, we are receiving funding for a 12-week pilot programme starting tomorrow (Wednesday) targeting hard-to-reach communities to provide translated support and information to highlight the importance of community testing.

As well as testing these groups will be signposted to local support services to enable them to stay home should they need to self-isolate, such as prescription collections, shopping and dog-walking, as well as providing information that is available in their first language.”

Please remember that if you have symptoms or a positive test result you need to self-isolate. You also need to self- isolate if you are in close contact with a case and you may get a phone call. In Somerset it will be from one of the county council’s own Public Heath staff. Or you may get an alert from the NHS App if you’re signed up to it. That will automatically alert you if you’ve been in close contact with someone who has the virus.

Find out more

As restrictions ease and people are now mixing more indoors, it’s important to keep the fresh air flowing to help reduce risk.

Fresh air helps disperse infected COVID-19 droplets in the air that may carry the virus, helping prevent the spread of the disease. The public are being encouraged to open windows when socialising at home and businesses are asked to ensure adequate ventilation at indoor venues.

Find out more

Somerset students heading from Year 11 into Year 12 will have access to a wide range of free exciting educational opportunities this summer.

Year 11s can now register to participate in activities which will help them meet new people, enjoy fun activities, access lots of free information and resources and get a head-start moving into Year 12.

There is a mixture of virtual and face-to-face events and activities to choose from taking place across the county in June, July, and August.

Find out more

Somerset County Council is putting the health of Somerset’s residents first with a £10m boost to embed public health across all areas of council services.

In announcing its spending plans for 2021/22, the County Council has confirmed investment to keep residents safe, improve people’s physical and mental wellbeing, and help the county recover from the unparalleled impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

The major investment will include £2m to support Somerset communities – helping address anxiety and those with mild mental health issues. There will be programmes to help people who have been shielding to regain their strength and physical conditioning, as well as encouraging everyone to either keep healthy habits or to lose unhealthy ones they may have picked up during lockdown.

There will a further £2m expanding Somerset’s expert health protection programme – this is the hugely-successful work carried out by SCC’s public health team and redeployed staff throughout the pandemic. As society opens back up, the key focus will be on controlling outbreaks, managing testing, providing localised contact tracing, and supporting businesses and communities.

Although the situation in Somerset and further afield is improving, some funding will be invested in research and work to improve our understanding of Covid and the changing needs of the Somerset population as a result of the pandemic. Other funding will be reserved in case infection rates rise again and further response is required.

Another major investment will be working with businesses and communities to tackle the inequalities in vaccine uptake, both for Covid and flu – vital to reduce pressure on the NHS next winter. By tackling health inequalities such as heart and circulatory disease we can help reduce the impact on those who are unfortunate enough to catch Covid.

A further £500,000 will be made available for town and parish councils to help them reconnect with their communities by safely reopening facilities like halls, rooms and other sites with good prevention control measures in place.

You can read more on our Somerset Newsroom

Somerset’s residents are encouraged to enjoy new freedoms like hugging and socialising indoors – but to do so carefully, as lockdown rules are further eased.

The rules have been relaxed to enable people to socialise in limited numbers, hug loved ones, and visit pubs and restaurants indoors.

But with Somerset still seeing high numbers of Covid-19 cases in some areas, the county’s Public Health leaders are calling on residents to remain on their guard while enjoying the new freedoms.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

The latest Public Health England (PHE) data show cases of the Variant of Concern, B.1.617.2, first detected in India, have risen from 520 to 1,313 cases in the UK last week.

The variant was confirmed as a ‘Variant of Concern’ on 7 May after a rise in cases and evidence of spread in some areas. The government is closely monitoring the variant and taking action along with PHE, NHS Test and Trace and councils.

On 14 May, the Prime Minister confirmed that the government will follow the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVI) recommendation to bring forward second doses of vaccines for over-50s and the clinically vulnerable groups.

You can read more on GOV.UK

Care home residents can now have more named visitors and more opportunities to make visits out with no need to self-isolate when they return.

The number of named family members or friends able to visit their loved ones in care homes will be increased from two to five, as the visiting restrictions continue to ease.

A maximum of two visitors will be allowed at any one time or on any given day. This follows a reduction in COVID-19 cases and the ongoing successful vaccine rollout with 95% of older care home residents receiving their first jab.

As well as low-risk outdoor visits out, such as a trip to the park, a garden or the beach, residents will also be able to go to medical appointments, a workplace, educational setting and day centres without having to self-isolate on their return.

Each care home is unique and will have developed suitable plans and processes to protect residents, visitors and staff, so please speak to them directly to find out more about visiting your loved one safely.

After months of keeping our distance from those we don’t live with, many of us will be looking forward to hugging our nearest and dearest. But please stay cautious and continue to follow health protection measures where you can.

When people welcome family and friends back, they also should let fresh air in too. The message of hands, face, space, and fresh air is especially important when mixing indoors.

Science still indicates that along with washing our hands regularly and wearing face coverings in enclosed public spaces, keeping your distance from others is an important measure in preventing the spread of coronavirus.

From 17 May

• There’s new guidance on meeting friends and family, stressing personal responsibility and caution rather than telling you to stay two metres apart from anyone you don’t live with.
• You can socialise indoors in a group of up to six people or two households, including for overnight stays, and up to 30 people can meet outside.
• Indoor hospitality, such as restaurants, pubs, bars and cafes, can reopen. Venues will not have to serve a substantial meal with alcoholic drinks nor will there be a curfew. However, customers will have to order, eat and drink while seated.
• Indoor entertainment including cinemas, museums, and children’s indoor play areas, can reopen with Covid-secure measures in place.
• Organised indoor sport, including group exercise classes, can take place.
• All holiday accommodation, including hotels, hostels and B&Bs, can reopen and be used by groups of up to six people or two households of any size.
• Up to 30 people will be able to attend significant life events such as weddings, bar mitzvahs, christenings, receptions, and wakes, depending on the capacity of the venue.
• Funeral attendance is no longer be limited to 30 people but will be determined by how many people the COVID-secure venue can safely accommodate with social distancing.
• The Government is also allowing people to attend some larger performances and sporting events indoor and outdoor, with restricted numbers.
• Care home residents will be allowed up to five named visitors (two at any one time), provided visitors test negative for COVID-19.
• There will no longer be a legal restriction on travelling abroad, but a traffic light system with strict testing and quarantine rules depending on whether you return to England from a red, amber or green list country Red, amber and green list rules for entering England – GOV.UK 
• You should continue to work from home if you can. When travelling within the UK, you should aim to do so safely and plan your journey in advance.

Please check the Government’s website to find out more about what you can and can’t do.

While everyone is delighted that restrictions are easing, please remember Covid is still with us and among us. It’s really important to take up the vaccine when it’s offered and to self-test twice a week.

If you do have to self-isolate please complete the full isolation period, this means staying home and not going out to work, to the shops or to exercise. By doing this you are helping to protect others.

You may be eligible to access the test and trace support payment scheme, which provides a £500 payment to help during your isolation.

More information about this scheme can be found through your local District Council. If you do not meet eligibility criteria for the test and trace support payment, then we work with local organisation such as the Village Agents, who will explore what other support options are available based on your individual needs.

Our coronavirus helpline, 0300 790 6275 , is there to offer support and assistance. You can also find information about support where you live – Get help

Help is available for anyone in Somerset who may need additional support. The five councils in Somerset have been working together since the first lockdown to provide a single phone number for anyone in Somerset who needs Coronavirus-related support.

Residents are reminded they can call 0300 790 6275 if they need any help themselves or are concerned about relatives or neighbours.

Lines are open seven days a week between 8am and 6pm.

The Government has published guidance for couples planning to get married or form a civil partnership in England, as well as managers of venues that host ceremonies and receptions.

The guidance is designed to help people and venues to prepare for these events in in line with the relevant law.

The Government also updated the guidance for arranging or attending a funeral, related to a death from any cause, during the Covid-19 outbreak.

This has been developed to ensure that bereaved people are treated with sensitivity, dignity and respect and that funerals can continue to take place while minimising the risk of infection.

The Prime Minister has confirmed the Government’s four tests for easing COVID-19 restrictions have been met and planned easements can go ahead from 17 May.

When the restrictions lift, two households or groups of six will be allowed to mix indoors and indoor hospitality will reopen. It’s important for everyone to remember the tools at our disposal to help to keep our rates as low as possible. This includes the message of hands, face, space and fresh air – this remains key when mixing indoors.

The easing from 17 May includes indoor and outdoor entertainment, covering cinemas, museums, children’s play areas and outdoor performances.

From the same date, face coverings will no longer be required in classrooms, or for students in communal areas in secondary schools and colleges, and all remaining university students will be eligible to return to in-person teaching and learning.

Up to 30 people will be able to attend weddings, receptions, and commemorative events including wakes. The number of people able to attend a funeral will be determined by the number that can be safely accommodated in the venue with social distancing in place.

The Stay in the UK restriction will be lifted, and people will be able to travel to green list countries, if they permit inbound travel.

More information can be found here

Somerset County Council will continue to provide help to families in need of food support over the May half-term period.

Council Leader Cllr David Fothergill has confirmed plans to allocate a total of £250,000 of funding to schools in Somerset to fund food vouchers over the May half-term.

This will provide vouchers for the 14,509 children in Somerset eligible for Free School Meals, plus an additional allocation which schools can use to provide help to other families who they feel would also benefit from support.

Somerset County Council has been working to tackle holiday hunger during the pandemic, providing funding for food and vouchers over October half-term, Christmas, February half-term and the Easter holidays.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

Throughout the pandemic, Dave Partlow, Somerset County Council Adult Social Care Strategic Manager, has supported care providers with advice and guidance, worked with Public Health colleagues on managing and supporting providers through outbreaks, supported the management and provision of PPE, supported the care sector with testing, and managed the care sector vaccination programme.

Here he talks about the emotional rollercoaster of working in high stress frontline jobs, how he dealt with that pressure and his introduction to the Five Ways of Wellbeing – principles of support he was already unconsciously using in his life.

Please remember that if you are feeling anxious or having difficulty with your mental health support is available – Mindline is a confidential listening service which is available twenty-four hours a day – 01823 276 892.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

A select few of Somerset’s many unsung coronavirus heroes have been unveiled as the first ever winners of the Somerset Medal.

The Somerset Medal has been launched by Somerset County Council to say a heartfelt thank-you to the best of the best – with the winners announced as the county celebrated Somerset Day.

They include vaccination volunteers, food deliverers, PPE producers, pop-up shop keepers and a whole host of other good Samaritans who all went above and beyond to make sure Somerset kept going during the pandemic.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

The government has also announced that, from 17 May, care home residents will be able to have more named visitors and more opportunities to make visits out with no need to self-isolate when they return.

As part of step three of the roadmap, the number of named family members or friends able to visit care homes will be increased from two to five, with a maximum of two visitors allowed at any one time or on any given day.

Residents will also be able to go to medical appointments, a workplace, educational setting or day centre without having to self-isolate on their return. Updated guidance will be published in due course.

Read more on GOV.UK

Somerset residents are being reminded that they need to book a PCR test if they are showing symptoms of Covid-19 or have tested positive using a ‘lateral flow’ (rapid) test kit.

While the ‘lateral flow’ tests are a useful screening tool, the PCR test is considered the ‘Gold Standard’ and should be taken by anyone who is displaying symptoms of Covid-19, including a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, or a loss or change to their sense of smell.

Also, if anyone takes a ‘lateral flow’ test at home and gets a positive result, they should book a further PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test at a local Covid testing site to confirm the result.

Trudi Grant, Director of Public Health for Somerset County Council, said: “It is really important to understand the difference between the ‘lateral flow’ tests and the PCR test.

“The ‘lateral flow’ tests are only to be used by those displaying no symptoms. While they are a valuable guide, they should not be relied upon alone. Taking a PCR test will provide confirmation of the result.

“So, if you are displaying symptoms or have tested positive using a ‘lateral flow’ test, please book a PCR test. As society starts to open up again, everyone needs to play their part to keep the virus under control and this involves testing.”

You can book or request a PCR test online or by calling 119.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

People in Somerset can now access assisted covid-19 testing via pharmacies in the county. Regular testing is for people who do not have symptoms of Covid-19 and is important because it helps to find cases which would otherwise go unidentified, as well as contributing to the process of identifying and suppressing new variants of concern.

So far, 19 Somerset pharmacies have signed up to provide assisted testing, so if you have never used a Lateral Flow (rapid) test before, it is a great way to be shown how to do the test correctly. You can then collect kits and do the testing at home.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

The government has announced that the current legal limit of 30 mourners at funerals would be removed in England at step three of the roadmap, to take place from 17 May at the earliest.
Instead, the number of people who can attend a funeral will be determined by how many people the venue can safely accommodate with social distancing. This includes both indoor and outdoor venues.

Limits for other life or commemorative events at step three, such as weddings and wakes, are expected to remain as set out in the roadmap.

Read more on GOV.UK

Everyone in Somerset over the age of 16 can now get free rapid lateral flow device (LFD) COVID-19 tests and should be using them twice a week.

These tests are important to do regularly because they detect people who are carrying coronavirus but haven’t got any symptoms, so could be spreading it unknowingly. The tests are quick and easy, and the results are usually back within an hour.

A new assisted testing service will launch from tomorrow (Saturday 1 May). So far, 19 Somerset pharmacies have signed up to provide assisted testing, so if you have never used a Lateral Flow (rapid) test before, it is a great way to be shown how to do the test correctly.

You can then collect kits and do the testing at home. This might also help those who cannot perform the test on themselves for some reason, allowing them to take part in regular rapid testing.

Full details on how Somerset residents can access rapid testing can be found here: Coronavirus – Get a test if you do not have symptoms (somerset.gov.uk) People are strongly advised take at least one supervised test at a centre if you plan to do your regular, twice weekly testing at home. If you can’t get to a centre, the following video provides a great demonstration of the correct testing technique: Self swab technique for lateral flow tests – YouTube

And please remember – if you are taking the tests at home it is very important for you to log your results here: Report a COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test result – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Please make sure that if you are symptomatic in any way take a confirmatory PCR test as quickly as possible.

The weather forecast for the early May Bank Holiday is looking unsettled so please don’t be tempted to meet up with others not in your household or support bubble indoors.

People have been able to enjoy new freedoms such as dining or having a drink outside a pub or restaurant, or meeting friends outside again since 12 April. It is vital to keep up the good work this weekend, as this could affect the next step in the roadmap.

Please do go out and enjoy Somerset – but do it responsibly. Everyone has made huge efforts and many sacrifices have been made to reach the roadmap milestones. made. It’s really important to stay two metres apart from anyone who is not an immediate member of the household or support/childcare bubble when socialising outside as part of the rule of six – and wear masks in enclosed spaces.

If you are meeting friends in a park or an outside setting, ensure you keep your distance as our message remains – stay local, minimise travel and continue to follow ‘hands, face, space and fresh air’ to minimise catching Covid-19 and spreading it to others – even if you have been vaccinated.

(COVID-19) Coronavirus restrictions: what you can and cannot do – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Vaccination is a vital part of moving out of the coronavirus pandemic, so getting your vaccine when offered is something to celebrate.

Although the COVID-19 vaccine gives the best protection against becoming seriously ill if you catch coronavirus, it’s important to remember that it doesn’t make you invincible.

The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, but it doesn’t take full effect immediately. The first dose should give you good protection from three or four weeks after you’ve had it. But you need to have the two doses to give you longer lasting protection.

Remember, there’s a chance you might still get or spread COVID-19 even if you have the vaccine. So, even when you’ve been vaccinated, don’t ditch the soap and fling your mask in the bin – you still need to stick with the important things you’ve been doing for the past year, like keeping your distance from others, wearing a face covering when required and washing your hands regularly and well.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has made available webinars and videos about the support available to businesses to help them deal with the economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak. HMRC cover the following government schemes:

-Coronavirus (COVID-19) Job Retention Scheme

-Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS)

-Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Rebate Scheme

Businesses can keep up to date with the latest information by registering for HMRC’s email updates. Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-and-support-if-your-business-is-affected-by-coronavirus-covid-19

Sign-up: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKHMRCED/subscriber/new?preferences=true#tab1

More than one million people in the South West have now received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The milestone comes as the number of people in the region who have received their first dose tops three million.

In Somerset the number of vaccinations delivered is more than 435,000 and uptake continues to be high. The number of first doses administered stands at almost 318,000 and just over 118,000 second doses.

The National Booking Services has opened to those aged over 45. Bookings at the large vaccination sites in Somerset (Taunton Racecourse and the Bath and West Showground) and at pharmacy sites are available on the National Booking Service in line with each centre’s current supply of vaccine, alongside pre-existing bookings for second doses.

Additional booking slots will become available in line with new vaccine deliveries. Community-led GP sites are also contacting people aged between 45 and 49 directly to come for their vaccinations: https://www.somersetccg.nhs.uk/health/local-services/health-services-during-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccinations-in-somerset/

The second vaccine around 12 weeks later maximises protection against COVID-19 infection.

The same vaccine should be used for both doses. To ensure this, people should have their second dose at the same place as their first.

People who received their first dose in a hospital hub or through a GP service will be contacted to receive their second dose.

Those who booked their first appointment through the national booking service will have booked both their first and second appointments at the same time, and can log in at www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine to be reminded of their arrangements.

You can read more here

This week’s Covid Catch up film, hosted by former BBC correspondent Clinton Rogers, focuses on how Somerset County Council is working closely with the local NHS and care providers to ensure people safely return home from hospital as quickly as possible – with ongoing care needs ready, in place and at home.

Pioneering work on intermediate care in Somerset to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and help people get better at home has proven so successful it is being used to help shape national policy.

Demand for intermediate care in Somerset has increased by 20% during the pandemic. Despite this, Somerset remains one of the best performers nationally for discharging people home from hospital, where they have a better chance of recovery compared to long stays in hospital.

By March 2021, more than 94% of people over 65 were going home from hospital, significantly exceeding government targets.

You can find out more at: https://somersetnewsroom.com/2021/04/23/somersets-health-and-social-care-partnership-blazing-a-trail-nationally/

Clinton’s catch-up can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/wZNuNAVBWJM

Everyone in Somerset is encouraged to access free, regular, rapid coronavirus testing. As restrictions ease and we start to enjoy the new freedoms, it’s vital that we keep the virus at bay.

People are encouraged to take regular tests (twice a week) to help prevent outbreaks and continue on the path to a more normal way of life.

One in three people with COVID-19 do not experience any symptoms and may be spreading the virus unwittingly. Rapid testing detects cases quickly, meaning positive cases can isolate immediately.

The expanded regular testing offer for people without symptoms is delivered through:

• test sites across Somerset between set times. To find your nearest Somerset test collection site, please click https://somerset.maps.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/and enter your postcode.
• workplace testing programmes, on-site or at home
• testing on-site at schools and colleges
• a home ordering service, which allows people to order lateral flow tests online to be delivered to their home

NHS – Getting tested for Coronavirus

Now that we are on the second step on the roadmap out of lockdown it is crucial that we continue to stick to the rules. It’s a time to enjoy the sunny weather and meet up with friends and family outside as long as there are no more than six people, or two households.

Please do not mix indoors with anyone who is not in your household or support bubble. Transmission risk is highest indoors or in a closed space such as a car. If there is no alternative way of travelling, the advice is to keep the car windows open, wear a face covering, touch as few surfaces as possible and use hand sanitiser.

The virus is still here and so we must continue to follow the government guidance and remember: hands, face, space and fresh air.

Find out what you can and can’t do

Now that restrictions are easing, it’s important to keep following the rules while still enjoying the new freedoms – and the current sunny weather.

You can now in meet in groups of up to six people – or two households – out in the open, including private gardens.

Please keep travel to a minimum, avoid unnecessary journeys and try to combine trips if that’s possible. If you need to travel, walk or cycle where possible, and plan ahead to avoid busy times and routes if you use public transport. This will allow you to practise social distancing while you travel. If you need to use public transport, you should follow the safer travel guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer travel guidance for passengers – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Before setting off, do check if facilities are open to visitors – for example, car parks and toilets. Do not park on verges or block gates as this restricts access for other vehicles. When in the countryside, please follow the Countryside Code.

More detailed information and guidance can be found here: Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice on accessing green spaces safely – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The funeral of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh takes place tomorrow (Saturday April 17) at Windsor at 3pm.

There will be a national one minute’s silence before the service begins – for full details of the funeral, please visit: https://www.royal.uk/funeral-duke-edinburgh-0

It will be a Ceremonial Royal Funeral, the same as for Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, rather than a State Funeral – something which is generally reserved for Monarchs. The plans have been approved by The Queen and reflect appropriate Government advice.

People are respectfully asked not to gather in public places to lay flowers or other tributes. Instead you can donate to one of His Royal Highness’s many patronages in honour of his legacy. People can also sign an online, national Book of Condolence – details of how to make a donation or sign the book can be found here: https://www.royal.uk/

If you’re planning to watch the funeral at home, please remember that gathering indoors with people from outside your household is still not permitted, unless they are part of your support bubble.

The Government has confirmed that all university students who have not yet returned to campus and in-person teaching will be able to do so from 17 May.

The timing aligns with step three of the Government’s roadmap, where restrictions on social contact and indoor mixing will be further eased.

Progression to step three of the roadmap will be dependent on a review of the latest data and the impact of step two on the four key tests.

When they return, all students and staff are encouraged to take three supervised tests (three to five days apart) at an asymptomatic testing site on campus, where this is available. Students will also have access to home testing kits throughout the summer term through both the government’s offer of free rapid lateral flow devices tests twice a week and through the ‘University Collect’ service.

Read more on GOV.UK

In this week’s Covid Catch Up Somerset Covid Catch up – Week 19, 13 April 2021 – YouTube, former BBC Points West correspondent Clinton Rogers speaks to staff at a local testing site and a pharmacy in Somerset.

Lateral Flow Testing – regular twice weekly testing for people without symptoms, is now available universally in England. There are many ways in which you can get tested, including collecting kits from local sites and pharmacies or ordering online for delivery to your home.

Regular testing for Covid-19 is so important as society opens up again as it helps to identify cases that may have gone undetected and therefore breaks the chain of transmission. Regular testing also helps to identify new strains of Covid-19.

For more information on getting tested, please visit: Coronavirus – Get a test if you do not have symptoms (somerset.gov.uk)

To support people’s ability to access testing we are keen to hear your views and have launched a community survey to seek the views of as many people across Somerset as possible.

As we continue the cautious journey out of national lockdown, we are keen to hear from you about three key areas:

1. testing
2. vaccination
3. self-isolating

Please help us by responding to our survey to help us get a better understanding of any barriers that may prevent people from doing these tested or having the vaccine when it is offered.

Respond here

The Government has just updated guidance for people moving into homes in England, whether as owner-occupiers or as private or social renters, to reflect changes to national lockdown rules which came into effect on Monday.

Read more on GOV.UK

The Somerset COVID-19 Vaccination Programme has now delivered 367,549 vaccinations to the most vulnerable residents and frontline health and care workers across the county (figures as of 4 April).

Vaccinations are currently open to the first nine groups identified by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation which includes those aged over 50 and those of all ages who have a health condition that put them at greater risk from COVID-19.

We are urging anyone within these groups, who has not yet had their first dose, to book online as quickly as possible by going online nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or by phoning 119.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued new advice, concluding a possible link between the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and extremely rare, unlikely to occur blood clots. It concluded that the benefits of vaccination continue to outweigh any risks but advised careful consideration is given to people who are at higher risk of specific types of blood clots because of their medical condition.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has weighed the relative balance of benefits and risks of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and advise that:
• The benefits of prompt vaccination with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine far outweigh the risk of adverse events for individuals 30 years of age and over and those who have underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease.
• It is preferable for adults aged under 30 years without underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease, to be offered an alternative COVID-19 vaccine, if available. People may make an informed choice to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to receive earlier protection.

For more detailed information, please visit: Covid-19 vaccinations in Somerset – Somerset CCG

Following the death of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, the public is asked not to travel to landmarks and major public spaces to lay tributes due to the coronavirus pandemic.

There is a national, online book of condolence where you can pay your respects – it can be found here: The Royal Family

Many people want to express their grief at the Duke’s death and making a donation to one of His Royal Highness’s many patronages would be a fitting way to pay tribute – details can be found here: The Royal Family

Yesterday we entered Step 2 of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown. Shops are allowed to open, along with hairdressers, outdoor hospitality and gyms.

Please do enjoy the new freedoms and take advantage of the lifting of restrictions– but do not be tempted to meet indoors as the risk of spreading the virus is significantly higher inside. The current planned date for allowing households or groups of up to six people to mix indoors is 17 May at the earliest.

Our message is to stay local, keep travel to a minimum and continue to follow ‘hands, face, space and fresh air’ to reduce the risk of catching Covid-19 and spreading it to others – even if you have been vaccinated.

Find out more

To support people’s ability to access testing we are keen to hear your views and have launched a community survey to seek the views of as many people across Somerset as possible.

As we continue the cautious journey out of national lockdown, we are keen to hear from you about three key areas:
1. testing
2. vaccination
3. self-isolating

Please help us by responding to our survey to help us get a better understanding of any barriers that may prevent people from doing these tested or having the vaccine when it is offered.

On behalf of our residents, Somerset County Council offers deepest sympathies to the Royal Family on the passing of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.

While people may want to gather to lay flowers and pay their respects Government Covid-19 guidelines mean physical books of condolence cannot be opened in public places at the moment. Please be mindful of the current coronavirus restrictions and consider safer alternatives, such as making a donation to charity.

If you wish to express your condolences, please send a message to the Royal Family via the online Book of Condolence on the Royal website: Send a message of condolence | The Royal Family

Some of the restrictions on what you can and cannot are changing from Monday with shops, hairdressers and outdoor hospitality opening as lockdown starts to ease.

Please do enjoy the new freedoms and take advantage of the lifting of restrictions from 12 April – but do not be tempted to meet indoors as the risk of spreading the virus is significantly higher inside. The current planned date for allowing households or groups of up to six people to mix indoors is 17 May at the earliest.

Our message is to stay local, keep travel to a minimum and continue to follow ‘hands, face, space and fresh air’ to reduce the risk of catching Covid-19 and spreading it to others – even if you have been vaccinated.

• Here’s a quick reminder of some of the changes that will take place after this weekend:
• non-essential retail will be able to reopen
• personal care premises such as hairdressers and nail salons will be able to reopen
• public buildings such as libraries and community centres will be able to reopen
• outdoor hospitality venues will be able to reopen – table service only
• most outdoor attractions including zoos, theme parks, and drive-in performances (such as cinemas and concerts) will be able to reopen
• some smaller outdoor events such as fetes, literary fairs, and fairgrounds will be able to take place
• indoor leisure and sports facilities will be able to reopen for individual exercise, or exercise with your household or support bubble
• all childcare and supervised activities will be allowed indoors (as well as outdoors) for all children.
• weddings, civil partnership ceremonies, wakes and other commemorative events will be able to take place for up to 15 people. Wedding receptions can also take place for up to 15 people, but must be outdoors, not including private gardens
• self-contained accommodation will be able to open for overnight stays in England with your household or support bubble.

Read more here

Somerset Libraries are getting ready to welcome customers back into library buildings again from Monday.

Shelves will be crammed with an array of brand-new book with something for everyone. Library members can borrow up to 20 books at a time, all for free! Covid secure measures will still be in place, and charges will still apply to some other items including DVD’s and Talking Books.

For some members, this will be the first time they have used their local library in a while. To check if memberships are still active then just use the simple ‘membership checker’ form on www.somersetlibraries.co.uk or pop into your local branch where staff will be happy to help.

A major milestone was reached this week with more than 100 trained Covid Champions now in place to help people in Somerset stay up to date with the Covid-19 latest advice.

The Covid Community Champion Network has been going from strength to strength since it was first launched in October. There are now just over 100 trained Champions across Somerset, sharing messages about Covid-19 and how to stay healthy, happy and safe with their friends, family and work colleagues.

The Covid Community Champions scheme is funded by Somerset County Council and delivered by a partnership between Spark Somerset and the Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP).

To build on the success of the Covid Community Champion network, Spark Somerset and Somerset County Council are offering Vaccination Myth Buster Training to anyone who is in a position to have conversations about the vaccine.

People attending this training will also be offered the opportunity to become Vaccination Buddies: specially trained volunteers who have supportive telephone calls with people who have questions and concerns about the Covid-19 vaccine.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

This week’s Covid Catch-up video sees Clinton Rogers highlighting the work of the Covid Champions. Clinton speaks to Helen Fielden, who co-ordinates the programme as well as one of the Champions themselves. He also discusses the work and importance of the new ‘Vaccine Buddies’ programme with one of Public Health’s Consultants Matthew Hibbert.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/GbRMHizhvQs

People in Somerset will have access to regular coronavirus testing from today (Friday 9 April) as the country takes another vital step towards society reopening.

The Government is encouraging everyone in England to access free, regular, rapid Covid-19 testing. This regular testing is for those without symptoms of Covid-19 and helps break the chain of transmission which might otherwise have gone unidentified, as well as helping to identify and suppress new variants of concern.

From today, there will be several routes people in Somerset can use to access Lateral Flow (rapid) testing.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

To support people’s ability to access testing we are keen to hear your views and have launched a community survey to seek the views of as many people across Somerset as possible.
As we continue the cautious journey out of national lockdown, we are keen to hear from you about three key areas:

1. testing
2. vaccination
3. self-isolating

Please help us by responding to our survey to help us get a better understanding of any barriers that may prevent people from doing these tested or having the vaccine when it is offered.

Respond now

Everyone in Somerset will be able to access free, regular, rapid coronavirus testing from Friday 9 April as part of a new Government initiative in England.

Rapid testing has so far been available to those most at risk and people who need to leave home for work, including frontline NHS workers, care home staff and residents, and schoolchildren and their families. Now rapid testing will be offered to everyone, with people encouraged to take regular tests (twice a week) to help prevent outbreaks and reclaim a more normal way of life.

One in three people with COVID-19 do not experience any symptoms and may be spreading the virus unwittingly. Rapid testing detects cases quickly, meaning positive cases can isolate immediately.

The expanded regular testing offer for people without symptoms will be delivered through:
• community testing on site at one of the testing sites, offered by all local authorities
• collection at a local test site to take away during specific test collection time windows
• workplace testing programmes, on-site or at home
• testing on-site at schools and colleges
• a home ordering service, which allows people to order lateral flow tests online to be delivered to their home: About the people in your household or bubble – Get a coronavirus test – GOV.UK

To find out how to book a lateral flow test if you do not have any symptoms – Coronavirus – Getting tested

A new ‘Pharmacy Collect’ service is also launching which will provide an additional route to regular testing. People aged over 18 without symptoms will be able to visit a participating local pharmacy and collect a box of 7 rapid tests to use twice a week at home. More details on which Somerset pharmacies are participating will be available shortly.

People taking part in lateral flow testing on a regular basis will be really important as we move forward especially as society starts to open up again.

Regular testing helps break the chain of transmission which might otherwise have gone unidentified and helps to identify and supress new variants of concern – more people getting a test will increase the ability to identify and control these variants.

We have recently launched a community survey to seek the views of people across Somerset. The team is keen to hear from as many people as possible about three key areas:
• testing
• vaccination
• self-isolating

We would like to understand people’s knowledge of the above and any barriers that may prevent them from doing these things or having the vaccine when it is offered. Please share the survey with your networks:

Please respond

To coincide with the offer of free rapid testing for everyone, there will be updates to the NHS COVID-19 app in England from 8 April.

In line with new regulations, when a group enters a hospitality venue, every individual must check either by scanning the official NHS QR code poster with the NHS COVID-19 app, or by providing their contact details. Previously, only the lead member of the group needed to provide contact details to check in.

If an app user tests positive, they will be asked to share their venue history in a privacy-protecting way via the app. This will allow venue alerts to be generated more quickly and improve the ability to identify where outbreaks are occurring and take steps to prevent the virus spreading.

If a person has been at a venue on the same day as several other people who have since tested positive for COVID-19, they may receive an alert advising them to book a test immediately, whether they are showing symptoms or not. This is to support finding asymptomatic cases who may have caught the virus but are not displaying symptoms.

Find out more

On Monday, the Prime Minister confirmed that some of the rules on what you can and cannot do will change on 12 April.

From that date:
•  non-essential retail will be able to reopen
•  personal care premises such as hairdressers and nail salons will be able to reopen
•  public buildings such as libraries and community centres will be able to reopen
•  outdoor hospitality venues will be able to reopen, with table service only
•  most outdoor attractions including zoos, theme parks, and drive-in performances (such as cinemas and concerts) will be able to reopen
•  some smaller outdoor events such as fetes, literary fairs, and fairgrounds will be able to take place
•  indoor leisure and sports facilities will be able to reopen for individual exercise, or exercise with your household or support bubble
•  all childcare and supervised activities will be allowed indoors (as well as outdoors) for all children. Parent and child groups can take place indoors (as well as outdoors) for up to 15 people (children under 5 will not be counted in this number)
•  weddings, civil partnership ceremonies, wakes and other commemorative events will be able to take place for up to 15 people (anyone working is not included in this limit), including in indoor venues that are permitted to open or where an exemption applies. Wedding receptions can also take place for up to 15 people, but must take place outdoors, not including private gardens
•  self-contained accommodation will be able to open for overnight stays in England with your household or support bubble
•  you should continue to minimise the amount that you travel where possible
•  care home residents will be able to nominate two named individuals for regular indoor visits (following a rapid lateral flow test)

Find out more

A new, refreshed Countryside Code has been launched by Natural England and Natural Resources Wales, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the creation of the founding booklet.

With more people enjoying the outdoors than ever before, the code has been revised to help people enjoy countryside in a safe and respectful way.

Changes include advice on creating a welcoming environment, for example by saying hello to fellow visitors; clearer rules to underline the importance of clearing away dog poo; staying on footpaths; and not feeding livestock. It also provides advice on how to seek permissions for activities such as wild swimming.

Find out more

As we approach the Easter weekend, it is important that people continue to follow guidance to keep coronavirus at bay.

Lou Woolway, Deputy Director of Public Health at Somerset County Council said: “It’s great lockdown restrictions are easing and we’re able to enjoy new freedoms such as meeting up outdoors with another household or a rule of six.

“It’s vital we continue to remain two metres apart from anyone who is not an immediate member of our household or support bubble when socialising outside. We all need to remain vigilant, careful and abide by social distancing rules.

“Covid is still here in communities and we don’t want cases to rise, which could affect the roadmap. Enjoy these new freedoms but enjoy them safely. If we all follow this guidance now, all play our part, we will stay on target for further restrictions to be lifted.

“Remember – stay local, minimise travel and behave responsibly and continue to follow ‘hands, face, space’ with the new message of ‘fresh air’ to minimise catching Coronavirus and spreading it to others – even if you are vaccinated.”

As a reminder, the ‘stay at home’ rule has now ended and outdoor gatherings (including in private gardens) of either six people or two households are now allowed, meaning friends and families can meet outside.

Outdoor sports facilities such as tennis and basketball courts, and open-air swimming pools are now also able to reopen, and people can take part in formally organised outdoor sports.

Many restrictions, however, remain in place and people are still being advised to continue to work from home where they can and minimise the number of journeys they make where possible.

GOV.UK – What you can and can’t do

The South West is getting ready to welcome tourists and visitors for a well-earned holiday once it is safe and legal to do so and restrictions are lifted. While the ‘stay at home’ order has been removed from 29 March, this does not permit holidays. The advice is to stay ‘local’ and to continue to minimise travelling where possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

As a result, the SW tourism industry is cautioning would-be visitors to think again, given the lack of facilities that are open. Only essential food shops and takeaways are available. Pubs, restaurants, and many other businesses that are part and parcel of having a great time away are closed under the lockdown restrictions. Instead, the industry asks people to plan ahead, book now and visit later.

In this week’s Somerset Covid Catch-up, former BBC correspondent Clinton Rogers speaks to medical professionals about the importance of the Covid-19 vaccine, especially having the second dose.

Somerset’s Director for Public Health gets her first dose of the vaccine and Clinton talks to a local pharmacist around the importance of all communities stepping forward when it’s their turn for the jab.

View this week’s video here

From today, clinically extremely vulnerable people in England are no longer being advised to shield.

Earlier this month, letters were sent to people on the shielded patient list with updated guidance. The letters set out the practical steps people can follow to reduce their risk of catching the virus, including continuing to maintain strict social distancing and keeping their overall social contacts at low levels, such as through working from home where possible.

People should continue to follow the national rules and take the additional precautions set out in the guidance to keep themselves as protected as possible.

Read more on GOV.UK

Seasonal agricultural workers can receive free Covid-19 tests on farms. Employers must register for the programme by 12 April to receive a supply of free test kits until the end of June.

Full information can be found here

More than 30,000 local people have been contacted and invited for a Covid-19 vaccination by staff from Somerset’s five councils.

Since the opening of vaccination centres in the county, staff from Somerset County Council, Mendip District Council, Sedgemoor District Council, Somerset West and Taunton Council and South Somerset District Council have been working together contacting residents in the top nine priority groups offering them a vaccine appointment – to date they have been in touch with more than 30,000 residents. The latest data shows more than 310,378 vaccinations have been given in Somerset.

Staff have found the calls are well received with the majority of the public thankful of the opportunity to be vaccinated against the deadly virus.

Trudi Grant, Somerset County Council’s Director of Public Health, said: “I want to thank the many Council staff who left their day jobs and answered the call to help support the largest vaccination programme in history. Over 30,000 Somerset residents have been contacted and invited for a vaccine – an enormous feat. It has been a huge help working together and an honour to support the NHS.

“If we are to protect our community and stop the spread of this virus, we need to vaccinate at least 80% of our population as soon as possible. So, I urge you turn up for your appointment, and help protect yourself, your family and our society by having the vaccine when we offer it to you.”

People are reminded that the vaccine takes three weeks to give you protection from the virus and whilst it will help protect you from getting serious symptoms, you may still be able to catch Coronavirus and spread it to others – so continue to work from home where you can, socially distance in public and maintain the hands, space, face and fresh air guidance.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

Lockdown restrictions were eased on Monday – and while we all want to make the most of the new freedoms, we must be careful too. Somerset’s Public Health leaders are urging residents to be responsible and stay safe as lockdown eases in order to keep infection rates down.

The changes to restrictions mean outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed, and outdoor sports facilities such as tennis and basketball courts will be allowed to reopen. People will also be able to take part in formally organised outdoor sports.

However, people should continue to work from home where they can, and minimise the number of journeys they take where possible. If you do have to travel, stay local where possible and avoid the busiest times and the busiest routes.

Somerset’s Director of Public Health, Trudi Grant, said: “We’ve all pulled together through these difficult times, but let’s keep going; keep sticking to the hands, face, space guidance and take a gradual approach to enjoying new freedoms one day at a time. It will only be through a collective effort of acting responsibly and cautiously that we be able to move closer to a future that is more familiar.”

There are further relaxations of restrictions planned on April 12, May 17 and June 21. However the roadmap dates are all based on data and may change.

Somerset County Council’s Deputy Director of Public Health Lou Woolway added: “The dates set out are the earliest points which we may reopen – not necessarily will. While it will be a great relief to many of us to see the lockdown restrictions beginning to ease, we must not take advantage of this period of transition. By persevering and being patient now, we can all help to keep the number of cases as low as we can which will help people to stay well and ease the pressure on our local healthcare services.”

More information on the Governments roadmap

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

Local health leaders are asking people to prepare for the upcoming Easter bank holiday weekend by organising their prescriptions, keeping a well-stocked medicine cabinet and calling 111 first for urgent, but not life-threatening, health advice and treatment.

They will make sure you get the help from the most appropriate service for your healthcare needs.

GP surgeries will be closed as normal over the bank holiday weekend and will reopen on Tuesday 6 April.

Helen Thomas, Associate Clinical Director for Urgent and Emergency Care with Somerset Clinical Commissioning group, said: “While your local GP is closed, there are still lots of healthcare options available for you, including local pharmacies and contacting NHS 111 for advice and support to get you to the service that best meets your needs including Minor Injury Units and emergency services.

“If you need medical advice or treatment and you’re not sure what to do visit 111.nhs.uk first, or call NHS 111. If needed, they can arrange for you to be seen safely at your local A&E, emergency dental service, pharmacy or another more appropriate local service. They can also send an ambulance if your condition is serious or life-threatening.”

You can read more here

Somerset County Council has taken several steps to ensure there is robust support for families in place over the upcoming Easter holidays.

The County Council has provided schools with funding for food vouchers over Easter worth £30 (£15 per week) for children eligible for Free School Meals, as well as additional funding so that schools can help a wider range of children in need of food support.

Somerset County Council is also working with Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership on the Easter Holiday Activities and Food Programme, which is aimed at countering the triple inequalities facing Somerset’s most disadvantaged young people – holiday hunger, physical inactivity, and social isolation.

More than 2,000 young people aged 5 to 16 years will have access to these opportunities over Easter, with organisations across the county offering four half days of activities to young people in receipt of free school meals.

Read more on the Somerset Newsroom

Vaccinations have now been given to more than 300,000 of the most vulnerable residents and front line health and care workers across the county.

As of March 21, a total of 310,378 people had received vaccination jabs in just over 16 weeks since the launch of the programme.

Uptake of the COVID vaccine has been very high with around 88% of Somerset residents within the top priority groups as described by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) having at least one dose.

Health and care teams, supported by an army of volunteers have worked tirelessly to support the roll out of the programme across 21 vaccination sites across the county, including two hospital hubs, thirteen GP-led community locations, two large vaccination centres at Taunton Racecourse and the Bath and West Showground and four pharmacy-led sites at Taunton, Yeovil, Bruton and Burnham-on Sea.

In addition to the vaccination sites, roving teams of vaccinators have worked closely with GP practices to deliver vaccines to the most vulnerable residents, including hospital in-patients, housebound people, people with learning disabilities, homeless people and hard to reach communities, to ensure that everyone has equal access to the vaccination programme.

The flag flew at half-mast outside County Hall in Taunton yesterday as Somerset County Council marked a year since the first lockdown was introduced.

And to mark the day, Somerset’s Director of Public Health Trudi Grant thanked everyone who had worked so hard during the pandemic while urging people to maintain the “hands, face, space” good practice to keep coronavirus at bay.

She said: “Coronavirus has touched all our lives. Tragically, people have suffered grief, lost a loved one or seen a friend or family member struggle with the virus. Others have had to shield and have not been able to see those they love.

“People have lost their jobs or seen their employment prospects affected. But we have also seen the very best of our communities with people helping each other, volunteering and going that extra mile time after time.

“We must not forget all the positives – the incredible vaccination programme, and testing capability. Those successes – as well as our own behaviour – are key to unlocking restrictions.

“Covid-19 is not going to disappear but we can all play our part in keeping numbers down: please take the vaccination when offered, keep washing hands, keep social distancing – and keep looking after ourselves and each other.”

The Council joined the rest of the nation in a minute’s silence to remember and reflect on the 12 months of the pandemic. County Hall will be illuminated in blue and green this evening to honour all those in the emergency services.

Free Coronavirus community testing is now available for even more groups of Somerset residents to help break chains of transmission and keep communities safe.

Around one in three people with Coronavirus do not have symptoms. Community testing, using lateral flow devices, is a fast and simple way to test people who do not have symptoms, but who may still be spreading the virus.

Free, rapid lateral flow COVID-19 tests are now being offered to:
•  anyone whose job or volunteering work requires them to leave the house and be in contact with others
•  anyone who cares for others, either paid or voluntary

Everyone in these groups – even if they are vaccinated – is encouraged to test themselves twice a week from now on to help identify positive cases and prevent Covid-19 being passed onto others. This helps keeps the community safe.

From vaccinators to van drivers, health staff to home-schoolers, countless people have kept Somerset going over the last 12 months – and now Somerset County Council is honouring them with a new accolade.

Yesterday (23 March) marks one year since the first lockdown was introduced – and now it also marks the launch of the Somerset Medal in tribute to all those who made superhuman efforts during the pandemic.

The Medal is designed to say a heartfelt thank-you to the best of the best, nominated by the people and presented on behalf the people on Somerset Day, 11 May.

Somerset County Council has joined with Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP) to organise a programme of activities for the Easter holidays, aimed at countering the triple inequalities facing Somerset’s most disadvantaged young people – holiday hunger, physical inactivity, and social isolation.

More than 2,000 young people aged 5 to 16 years will have access to these opportunities through the Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) over Easter.

Organisations across the county will be offering four half days of activities to young people in receipt of free school meals.

Half of all adults in the UK have received their first dose of the (coronavirus) COVID-19 vaccine, the latest figures show.

The UK health services vaccinated a total of 26.8 million people between 8 December and 19 March with first doses, while 2.1 million people have had their second dose so far.

Find out more

A minute’s silence will be held by Somerset County Council to mark a National Day of Reflection, remembering those who sadly lost their lives during the pandemic and to show support for everyone who has been bereaved.

Initiated by end of life charity Marie Curie, the National Day of Reflection is due to take place on Tuesday 23 March – the anniversary of the UK going into the first national lockdown.

The flag at County Hall will also fly at half-mast as a sign of respect for all those taken before their time by Covid-19 and for the bereaved they have left behind. County Hall will be lit up in blue and green in the evening to honour the emergency services.

An online ‘Covid reflection’ page has been made available for members of the public to share their own personal reflection messages – which will remain as a permanent reminder of the last year.

Anyone who wishes to take part and would like to add their own reflection message, photo or poem to the ‘Covid reflection’ memorial page can do so by emailing communications@somerset.gov.uk. Messages may also be shared via the County Council’s social media channels on the day.

Even though case numbers nationally and locally are reducing, we are still seeing cases and regular testing helps to break the chain of transmission.

In Somerset, targeted community testing has already been in place for workers who care for vulnerable groups such as the elderly in their own homes. This testing sits alongside the multitude of national testing programmes.

Somerset County Council’s Public Health has now expanded the offer and free, rapid lateral flow Covid-19 tests are now being offered to:

• Anyone whose job or volunteering work requires them to leave the house and be in contact with others
• Anyone who cares for others, either paid or voluntary

You can book your test here

If you are a parent, or part of household, childcare bubble or support bubble of school staff or a pupil – you can collect testing kits for you to do on yourself. Free ‘lateral flow’ test kits are available to collect from test sites across Somerset between set times.

Find your nearest Somerset test collection site here and enter your postcode.

You can find more information about on our Coronavirus – Getting tested page

Vulnerable residents in West Somerset have been offered a lifeline during the pandemic thanks to the partnership of transport charity ATWEST and Somerset County Council.

Accessible Transport West Somerset (ATWEST) provides fully accessible transport to local residents and despite the challenges of Covid it has been keeping communities connected with the support of the Council.

These include the regular 198 service between Minehead, Timberscombe and Dulverton, as well the 10 service between Minehead and Porlock Weir. And the County Council-funded Slinky buses are continuing to get rurally isolated people out and about.

To keep users safe, dedicated staff at ATWEST have stuck to a rigorous cleaning regime after each journey to ensure the safety of passengers.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

Public Health England has published new findings showing that an estimated 76% of 70 to 84-year-old blood donors had antibodies against coronavirus by early March.

The study found that the proportion of over 70s with vaccine antibodies started to increase from early January. This is in line with expectations as it takes two to three weeks to produce an antibody response after vaccination.

The proportion with antibodies resulting from natural infection started to plateau at the same time, suggesting that the vaccine is preventing older people from getting coronavirus.
The group with the highest proportion of antibodies after natural infection are the 16 to 29-year-olds, indicating ongoing infection and transmission in younger people.

Read more on GOV.UK

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, more young people in Somerset have found themselves in a position where they need to provide care for a loved one.

On Young Carers Actions Day Somerset County Council took the opportunity to thank the county’s young carers for their amazing work and highlight the support available to help them.

A young carer is anyone under the age of 18 who provides care for another person by taking on practical or emotional responsibilities that would normally be expected of an adult.

This can include being responsible for the household, including buying and cooking food, managing money or bills, providing physical care such as washing, bathing, and dressing someone, helping to manage medication or being relied upon to provide emotional support.

During the coronavirus pandemic more than 90 young carers have attended online group support sessions.

Young carers have also been able to access young carer Zoom meetings, which facilitated sharing self-care tips, and organised themed online quizzes.

A guide for businesses to understand and support people in their organisations who may have been traumatised by the pandemic has been launched by City Mental Health Alliance and the Centre for Mental Health.

Primarily focused on the effects of coronavirus, the guide also looks at other causes of trauma, including racism. It offers an overview of some of the difficulties people may face plus practical tips for employers to reduce the risks to their people’s mental health, both in the short- and long-term.

Some will come through the crisis with no ill effects to their mental wellbeing. Others will have experienced distress so severe that they will meet the clinical criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Others will find themselves somewhere in between.

The guide is available here

More than 48,000 businesses have now registered their interest in the government’s free workplace testing programme, using rapid lateral flow tests that can give a result in 30 minutes.

More than 9,000 businesses have completed the sign-up process, and all other businesses are encouraged to register by 31 March, even if they’re not yet open or are not able to start using the tests straight away.

Register here

Families getting to grips with Covid self-test kits are being asked to make sure they dispose of them correctly.

Secondary schools across the county and country are providing the home Lateral Flow Testing kits for pupils, though exactly when and how may vary from school to school.

And as the kits come home, Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) is highlighting the Government guidance on disposing of them – once used, kit contents should go straight into standard rubbish bins.

Whether the result is positive or negative, the used items from each test – including the testing strip, swab and extraction tube – should be put in the small plastic bag that comes with the pack.

This bag should then go straight into your normal rubbish bin. The kits are not considered clinical waste requiring a special collection, nor should they be recycled.

If a test result is positive, as well as following the reporting instructions included in the test kits, people should make sure they then treat their personal waste appropriately.

Read more on the Somerset Waste Partnership website

Following last week’s focus on Primary schools, in this week’s Somerset Covid Catch Up former BBC Correspondent Clinton Rogers looks at how secondary school students are taking part in regular Covid-19 testing. He visits Court Fields School in Wellington where he is met by Headteacher Polly Matthews, and speaks to students about how they are finding the testing process and their return to the classroom.

Watch the video in full on YouTube here

For more information, visit www.gov.uk/backtoschool

The Government has announced an extension to the ban on bailiff enforced evictions for residential tenants, in all but the most serious circumstances, until at least 31 May.

The requirement for landlords to provide six-month notice periods to residential tenants before they evict will also be extended until at least 31 May.

The Government has also confirmed that the ban on commercial evictions will be extended for a further three months to 30 June.

Read more on GOV.UK

Unpaid carers are now being invited to receive their first COVID-19 vaccination, providing they:
•  Are eligible for a carer’s allowance
•  Are identified as a primary carer by their GP
•  Are receiving support following a carer’s assessment by their local council or from a local carer’s organisation
•  Are the sole or primary carer who provides close personal care or face to face support for an elderly or disabled person who is clinically vulnerable to COVID-19

Carers will be contacted in phases, starting with those carers already known to health and social care services. All eligible unpaid carers will be contacted by the NHS when it’s their turn to receive the vaccine and will be given information about how they should book their appointment. This will either be at a vaccination site in their local community supported by their GP practice, or at a large vaccination centre.

In some cases where caring responsibilities are shared, an additional person can be classed as a primary carer and receive a vaccination.

Every possible effort will be made to vaccinate eligible carers at the same time as the people they care for, such as when they accompany them for a vaccination.

If you are an unpaid carer and you are unsure if you are eligible, contact your local council or local carers organisation and they will advise you if you are able to receive your COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccines are the way out of this pandemic. By getting vaccinated unpaid carers can help protect themselves from becoming seriously ill from COVID-19, so they can continue to be there for their family, friends, and the people they care for.

For more information visit www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine. Government guidance on how unpaid carers in England, who care for a person vulnerable to COVID-19, can get vaccinated can be found here: Coronavirus » COVID-19 standard operating procedure – COVID-19 vaccine deployment programme: unpaid carers (JCVI priority cohort 6)

Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic there has been an increase in people feeding the ponies on the open hilltops of the Quantocks. These ponies thrive on the grasses, heathers and plants on the hilltops and do not need extra food.

Some horses have special dietary considerations and can be intolerant to foods such as carrots and apples and cannot have too much sugar. Giving them “sweets and treats” can result in stomach ulcers, which are very painful, and colic which can kill them. Many fruit and vegetables may seem like “healthy” or “normal” horse treats, but they are not suitable for many horses including the ponies which graze the Quantocks.

As many of these ponies roam wild over the open hills people are unable to know how many “treats” they have been fed and people are making the mistake of saying “just one won’t hurt”.

Find out more

Trading Standards is warning young people to be wary of fake job adverts on social media that at first glance might appear to be the answer to their financial woes.

The pandemic has hit the pockets of many financially, but none more so than young people many of which are students who rely on jobs in the tourist and hospitality sectors. However, as a consequence of lockdown and jobs not being available, many are struggling to make ends meet.

Some fake job adverts on social media have the sole aim of harvesting personal details, which are later used to commit identity theft.

Find out more

Somerset residents are being urged to be patient as the county and country begin to emerge from the latest lockdown.

The first careful step towards easing national COVID-19 restrictions was taken on Monday with the return to school of thousands of children and young people, and changes to some rules on social mixing.

The first steps are welcome, but people must remember to keep to the guidance to keep coronavirus cases low and make sure the four-step route to easing national restrictions is a success.

As well as reopening schools, rules on socialising in a public space have relaxed. Under the new rules one person can sit down with another person from outside their household or bubble for a coffee or picnic. Please remember to stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household or bubble and stay within your local area.

Further guidance and detail on the Government’s updated four-step route to easing national lockdown restrictions

All businesses in England are now able to sign up to the government’s free COVID-19 workplace testing programme, including those with fewer than 50 employees (previously restricted to those with more than 50 employees).

Businesses can register to order tests if:
• the business is registered in England
• employees cannot work from home

Business must register on or before 31 March and can get the forms they will need to order free lateral flow tests to test employees in the workplace.

As we move towards the High Street reopening, would you like to know that your employees have the right information to help keep themselves, their colleagues and the public safe?

The Covid Community Champion network gives local people a role in helping their community to get up to date information and make the right choices to stay healthy. It is provided free of charge by Spark Somerset, in partnership with SASP, on behalf of Somerset County Council

After attending a short online induction, Covid Community Champions can help their workplace, family, friends and the wider community to understand the latest guidance around Covid-19, and signpost to other health and wellbeing support.

They play a vital part in helping keep local people informed, happy and healthy. Here’s a short video about the network: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC062nTEXYY

If you, or someone you know who might be interested in becoming a Covid Community Champion, you can find more information and sign up for the next training session: Covid Community Champions | Spark a Change

Somerset Libraries are delighted to announce that almost all libraries have reopened, offering a limited service as lockdown measures start to ease.

A new ‘Reading Friends’ befriending service is also being launched for those who may feel lonely or isolated in these continuing times.

Libraries will initially be open in the mornings for people to collect books from the popular ‘Library Choice’ service.

For regular updates on library opening times and services on offer, visit www.somersetlibraries.co.uk or social media – see Somerset Libraries UK on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

With schools returning to face to face learning from Monday 8 March, this guidance will help to make sure Somerset pupils can travel to and from school safely:

•  If you live a short distance from your school or college, walk, cycle or scoot to and from school wherever it is possible and safe to do so
•  Avoid sharing a car with anyone outside your household or support bubble
•  If you are using public transport to get to school or college, plan ahead and allow more time for your journey
•  When you are travelling by public or dedicated school transport, don’t forget to:
•  Wear a face covering (unless you are exempt, including if you are aged 11 and under). It is important you wear them for the entirety of your journey, including inside a bus or railway station
•  Socially distance where possible
•  Wash or sanitise your hands regularly
•  Be considerate to fellow passengers and staff.

More information 

You will have seen news coverage about outbreaks in factories, but we are also seeing outbreaks in office-based businesses such as accountants, solicitors and estate agents.

It’s important to remember that working from home where you can is the best protection. If you do need to be in the office working with others, stick to the hands, face and space rules as much as possible, but be aware that even by following those rules, if there is someone in a poorly ventilated office who is asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic, they may very easily be able to pass the virus onto others.

Spending several hours in an office with someone who is carrying the virus, even using face-coverings and two metre distancing, is a significant risk, as viral particles will build up in the air. That is why it is crucially important to ventilate the office, ideally continuously, but if not by regularly opening windows to freshen the air. So, make sure you dress warmly for work and ventilate, ventilate, ventilate!

It’s important to keep your home well ventilated – and to make sure there’s a fresh air flow in vehicles. Here are some tips:
Ventilation in your home:

•  Opening windows and doors at home is the simplest way of improving ventilation for most people.
•  Opening windows and doors at opposite sides of your room or home will provide a good flow of fresh air.
•  If someone is self-isolating, keep a window slightly open in their room and keep the door closed to reduce the spread of contaminated air to other parts of the household.
•  If you have people working in or visiting your home let as much fresh air into your home as possible without getting uncomfortably cold while they are there, and for a short period before they arrive and after they have left.
•  Keep the temperature in the room you are in to at least 18ºC as temperatures below this can affect your health, especially if you are 65 or older, or if you have a long-term health condition.

Ventilation in vehicles:
•  Switch ventilation systems on while people are in the vehicle. Make sure you set to drawing fresh air in, not recirculating air.
•  Windows can be opened (partially if it’s cold).
•  Heating can be left on to keep the vehicle warm.

Find out more

The latest national figures confirm that 20 million people across the country have now been offered the COVID jab. Locally, the NHS vaccination programme in Somerset has also reached a new milestone, with more than 200,000 vaccinations given to people in the highest priority groups.

Health and care teams have continued to work extremely hard to offer vaccinations across 20 different locations in Somerset, with hundreds of GPs, nurses, vaccinators, administrators, marshals and volunteers joining together to invite and vaccinate as many eligible people, as quickly and safely as possible.

In Somerset, phenomenal vaccination efforts mean that more than a third of the local adult population have now had their first COVID vaccination, with plans now in place to extend the roll out of the programme to invite people who are aged over 60 to come forward for their vaccination.

This week, local residents, from priority group seven (aged 60 plus), will start to receive letters from the NHS inviting them to book their vaccination appointments through the National Booking Service, online or by calling 119. People are encouraged to book their slot, as soon they receive their invitation.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

It is welcome news for many that from Monday 8 March all students in Somerset will be able to return to school, college and university.

Although this will come with its own challenges, work is underway to make sure our teachers, support staff, children and young people are kept as safe as possible. This will include regular testing and a number of different social distancing and safety measures depending on the set-up of each individual school.

In this week’s Somerset Covid Catch Up, former BBC Correspondent Clinton Rogers visits Willowdown Primary School in Bridgwater to see what safety measures they have put in place and speaks with Lead Member for Education and Transformation, Cllr Faye Purbrick, who has a message of thanks for all school staff for what they have done and continue to do in response to the pandemic.

Watch the video in full on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/_dfLPphYr2o

Next week’s film will focus on the return of Secondary schools and Further Education settings. For more information, visit gov.uk/backtoschool

Public Health England (PHE) has submitted a pre-print report that shows that both the Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines are highly effective in reducing coronavirus infections among people aged 70 years and over.

A pre-print is a research report that has not yet been certified by peer review.

In the over 80s, the data suggest that a single dose of either vaccine is more than 80% effective at preventing hospitalisation, around three to four weeks after the jab. There is also evidence which suggests the Pfizer vaccine leads to an 83% reduction in deaths.

The new analysis adds to growing evidence that the vaccines are highly effective in protecting people against severe illness, hospitalisation and death.

You can read more here

A free Somerset County Council Taunton town centre shuttle service has been launched to get people straight to their vital vaccination slot at Taunton Racecourse.

The Covid vaccination shuttle bus service started on 1 March and will run every 30 minutes from Castle Way in Taunton town centre to Taunton Racecourse – one of Somerset’s large vaccination centres.

The seven-day a week service uses one of the Council’s fleet of minibuses and will help to support those who don’t drive and will link easily with other operators coming into the town centre.

This follows other key transport support from the Council and partners including a regular shuttle to Bath and West Showground from Shepton Mallet, the suspension of concessionary bus pass rules for all public services before 9.30am and working with Community Transport and Slinky Demand Response services to allow free travel for bus pass holders attending vaccination appointments.

Find out more

Somerset County Council has reaffirmed its commitment to care workers today promising them full pay for Covid-related absences – on top of committing to an additional £10m for adult social care services next year.

The announcement comes following negotiations between UNISON and the Council, and means that if care workers are required to self-isolate they will continue to receive full pay to do so.

In August 2020, the Council became the first in the South West to sign up to UNISON’s ‘Stop the Spread’ pledge, an initiative to protect care workers throughout the pandemic.

Measures included priority testing for care workers, suitable personal protective equipment, and pay protections such as full pay during self-isolation, and carers leave on full pay for workers caring for a dependent with Covid 19.

Find out more

From Monday 8 March, some of the rules on what you can and cannot do will be changing as lockdown begins to slowly ease. But please continue to follow the Hands, Face, Space guidance to keep yourself and others safe.

•  You will be allowed to spend time in outdoor public spaces for recreation on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble. This means you can sit down for a drink or picnic. You must continue to maintain social distance from those outside your household. This is in addition to outdoor exercise, which is already permitted.

•  Schools and colleges will re-open for all pupils, and they will be able to return to face-to-face education.

•  Wraparound childcare can reopen and other children’s activities can restart for all children where it is needed to enable parents to work, attend education, seek medical care or attend a support group. Vulnerable children can attend childcare and other children’s activities in all circumstances.

•  Care home residents will be able to have one regular named indoor visitor, providing they are tested beforehand, wear personal protective equipment and avoid close contact.

•  There will continue to be restrictions on international travel. Holidays will not be a permitted reason to travel. Those seeking to leave the UK must complete an outbound declaration of travel form ahead of departure.

•  Those who have been identified as ‘Clinically Extremely Vulnerable’ are advised not to attend work or education settings until at least Wednesday 31 March.

For more information, visit: National lockdown: Stay at Home – GOV.UK

Health Secretary, Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, has given a statement on coronavirus and provided an update on the vaccination programme, the effectiveness of the vaccine and the six cases of the Variant of Concern first identified in Brazil (P.1) which have been detected in the UK.

Public Health England (PHE) has identified three of these cases of the Variant of Concern in England. Two of the cases in England are from one household in South Gloucestershire with a history of travel to Brazil and further investigation is currently underway into the third, currently unlinked case.

Find out more

Somerset’s Director of Public Health has urged people to be ‘cautious and sensible’ after the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown has been revealed.

Trudi Grant has warned that if people act irresponsibly, the risk of virus rates rising sharply again is very real.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled his plan earlier this week. The first step is the re-opening of schools on 8 March, but the message to stay at home unless journeys are essential will remain.

There will be further relaxations of restrictions no earlier than 29 March, 12 April, 17 May, and 21 June.

But Mr Johnson has made it clear that every step is dependent on tests being met on vaccine targets, infection rates and new coronavirus variants.

Trudi Grant said everyone needs to play their part to make sure these key dates are met, and life can start returning to normal.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

As the route out of lockdown is on everyone’s minds this week, Clinton Rogers’ Covid Catch-Up film is dedicated to the subject and features an interview with Somerset County Council’s Director of Public Health Trudi Grant who shares some of her thoughts about the months ahead. As always, please do watch and share this film with your networks.

You can find it here: https://youtu.be/1YOQ3E-rNrw

The Government has launched a new campaign encouraging people to keep going and stay at home. It aims to remind people everything they’re doing is helping stop the spread of the virus.

The campaign will run across TV, radio, out-of-home advertising and on social media, reminding people that everything they’ve done – working from home, washing their hands, wearing a mask, maintaining social distancing and video calling – is helping stop the spread of coronavirus and new variants.

Read more on GOV.UK

Somerset Community Foundation (SCF) has announced that the 2020/21 Surviving Winter appeal has smashed its target, raising an incredible, record-breaking £160,000, thanks to the generosity of local donors.

The annual appeal encourages those who can afford to, to donate some, or all, of their Winter Fuel Payment. These donations provide funding and support to our older and vulnerable neighbours across Somerset who, this year due to the need to stay at home during the coronavirus outbreak, are finding themselves cut off from family and friends, and facing higher than usual costs to heat their homes.

The Surviving Winter team at SCF, and their partners, have been distributing funding across the county to those in need. The appeal aims to support more than 700 people this year, helping to keep them warm, safe, and well.

Read more on the Somerset Community Foundation website

We have had feedback that it is hard to keep track of all the national and local testing programmes and so we have now brought these together into one page on the Somerset County Council website. We hope this will serve as ‘one stop shop’ for advice on ‘Who, When, Why, How and Where’ people can get tested for Covid-19.

Read our Coronavirus – getting tested page

The new roadmap out of the current lockdown has been published: COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021

It sets out how the government will begin to lift restrictions in England from 8 March, starting with schools and colleges.

It outlines four steps for easing restrictions. Before taking each step, the government will review the latest data on the impact of the previous step against the following four tests:

• The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
• Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
• Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
• The government’s assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern.

The four steps for easing restrictions are:

• Step 1 – 8 March the priority is to ensure that all children and students return safely to face-to-face education in schools and colleges from 8 March.
• Step 2 –no earlier than 12 April, will see the opening of non-essential retail; personal care premises such as hairdressers and nail salons; and public buildings, including libraries and community centres.
• Step 3 –no earlier than 17 May, the Government will look to continue easing limits on seeing friends and family wherever possible, allowing people to decide on the appropriate level of risk for their circumstances.
• Step 4 –no earlier than 21 June, the Government hopes to be in a position to remove all legal limits on social contact. Before Step 4 begins, the Government will complete a review of social distancing and other long-term measures that have been put in place to cut transmission.

Somerset County Council has paid tribute to the partners who have helped make sure emergency food support has been readily available to anyone in Somerset who needs it throughout the course of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Set up at the start of the pandemic, the Somerset Food Resilience Taskforce has worked to identify the people in need of food support, ensure there is more than enough emergency food available to meet demand, and make sure that food can be safely distributed where it is needed.

In less than a year the Taskforce has grown to include 36 community food groups and has distributed more than 270,000 items of food to individuals and families across Somerset.

Find out more

Want to volunteer, but feel like your options are limited due to lockdown?

Somerset County Council’s Digital Customer Volunteers initiative provides an opportunity for volunteers to help the Council provide better services, without having to leave home.

Volunteers have played a crucial part in providing support to Somerset’s communities over the past year and helping each other is more important than ever.

Those who sign up to become Digital Customer Volunteers will help Somerset County Council to develop better online services and improve the lives of Somerset residents.

Find out more

Smart Communities part of the CCS (Community Council for Somerset) group has launched a ‘Chat to Connect’ service for clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) adults in Somerset.

They are reaching out to anyone on the CEV list in Somerset. COVID has been exceptionally hard for those who are shielded from society.

Do you want to meet new people in a similar position to you, with shared interests? It’s good to talk and share experiences. CCS can connect you with another person who is on the CEV list to keep your spirits up – you are not alone.

Find out more

Thanks to the efforts of hundreds of GPs, nurses, vaccinators, administrators, marshals and volunteers, the Somerset COVID-19 vaccination programme has offered a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to the most vulnerable residents across Somerset.

Vaccinations have now opened to people in the next two priority groups. They are those aged 65 to 69 (group 5) and those aged 16 to  65 who have specific underlying health conditions (group 6) as identified by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation that increases their risk of serious illness from COVID-19. At the same time, we are also inviting anyone from the first four priority groups who still wants to get their vaccination, to book an appointment.

In Somerset, we are inviting those aged over 65 to book an appointment at a large vaccination centre (at Taunton Racecourse or the Bath and West Showground) or a pharmacy-led hub in the county, situated in Taunton, Yeovil or Bruton. GP practices will contact those who have been identified with a specific underlying health condition, to invite them to book at a GP-led hub.

For more information on the NHS vaccination in Somerset please visit: https://www.somersetccg.nhs.uk/health/local-services/health-services-during-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccinations-in-somerset/

A group of Somerset charities which provide free, confidential, and impartial advice on everything from money and employment to housing and relationships has been awarded a grant of £400,000 by Somerset County Council.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Citizens Advice services in Somerset have stepped up the services offered through their freephone Adviceline, with face-to-face appointments and drop-ins scaled back.

The charities are expecting demand for services to rise exponentially over the next 12 months, particularly as the furlough scheme ends and eviction proceedings recommence.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

Somerset County Council has joined up with Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP) to organise a programme for the forthcoming Easter holidays aimed at countering the triple inequalities facing Somerset’s most disadvantaged young people – holiday hunger, physical inactivity, and social isolation.

The County Council has already confirmed it will continue to fund Free School Meals provision for vulnerable families over the Easter holidays.

Now, in an initiative funded by the Department for Education, existing or prospective organisers of holiday activity programmes can access funding to deliver daily, four-hour programmes where young people in receipt of free school meals will be able to take part in a range of food, sports and cultural activities, and receive advice on nutrition and cooking skills.

You can read more on our Somerset Newsroom

The coronavirus vaccine is designed to prevent serious illness and death from Covid-19. However, even if you have had the vaccine, you can still catch it and might still be able to pass it on, so the hands, face, space guidance must still be followed to protect yourselves and others.

Please remember – and share with others that if you haven’t had a vaccine yet, if you have had one dose of the vaccine, if you have had two doses of the vaccine, the message is the same, we all need to stay at home where possible and keep following the hands, face, space guidance to keep ourselves and others safe.

The Government has announced that it has introduced improvements to the home testing programme to make it easier to get tested.

They include:

-People who do not have access to the internet can now order home testing kits over the phone by calling 119, without needing an email address or any other digital requirement.

-A new NHS Test and Trace partnership with Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to improve the home testing service for people with visual impairments.

-A new video-call support service with specially trained NHS Test and Trace staff that will help people with vision impairments to test at home.

Read more on GOV.UK

The devastating impact of coronavirus on care staff and residents has been laid bare in a powerful account by a Somerset care home.

Linden House in Wellington lost almost a third of its residents as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, and had 80% of its staff self-isolating over the Christmas period.

Sandra Joyce, owner of Linden House, has detailed the daily heartbreak, anxiety, and exhaustion care staff experienced at the hands of a virus that takes no prisoners.

Her story is told in the latest Somerset Covid Catch-up film and blog.

Somerset County Council and the NHS have paid tribute to all the fantastic volunteers supporting Somerset’s Covid-19 vaccination programme.

More than 1,000 people have answered the call supporting 20 vaccination sites across the county including community-based locations, hospital hubs, some GP surgeries and large vaccination centres at Taunton Racecourse and the Bath & West Showground.

Sarah, 38, a project manager who has been volunteering as a marshal at the Taunton Racecourse vaccination site, said: “During my shifts at the vaccination centre I truly felt useful. There is a united feeling across all levels of contribution, that we are in this together and all making a difference.”

Read more

It can be challenging to keep children entertained during half term at the best of times, let alone during a lockdown.

With isolation, the cold weather, and many children not able to go out on day trips, see grandparents or visit friends – this will not be a normal half term.

Somerset County Council has put together an action-packed list of things to do with your children from home – the aim, to keep children occupied and having fun during the holiday.

Find out more

Somerset County Council’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has been praised by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

In a letter sent to Council Leader David Fothergill, the Prime Minster also said the Government had no concern about the Council’s use of Covid-19 funding and thanked the council for voluntarily reporting back on spending.

Read more

From 15 February onwards, a new testing regime for all travellers arriving in England has started, with two tests required during the quarantine process.

They will be required to get a test on days two and eight of their 10-day quarantine period, whether they are isolating at home or in a hotel.

All UK residents who arrive in England after being in a high-risk Covid country now have to quarantine in hotels.
The new regulations, which aim to stop Covid variants entering the country, apply to arrivals who have been in one of the 33 countries on the “red list” in the past 10 days.

Find out more

People aged 70 and over who have not yet been vaccinated against Covid, and who would like to be, are today being asked to contact the NHS to arrange a jab.

Until now the NHS has asked people to wait until they are contacted to help ensure that those who are most vulnerable are protected first – and that remains the case for most people. However, to ensure absolutely everyone is offered the vaccine, people aged 70 and over can now contact the NHS so they can be vaccinated by the middle of this month.

The easiest way to arrange a vaccination is through the national booking service which can be accessed at www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination.

Anyone unable to book online can call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm seven days a week.

If a suitable and convenient slot is not available people can also call their GP practice.

Covid-19 (coronavirus) is spread through the air, especially in indoor spaces.

What steps can we take to reduce the spread?
Reducing the time and duration of contact indoors – it is clear that the risk of infection drops to below one when the group uses face masks, shortens the length of contact and ventilates the space. People should not spend long periods of time in poorly ventilated spaces with other people.

Let plenty of fresh air into your home or room without getting uncomfortably cold if you have people working in or visiting you (only where permitted). You should do this during their visit and after they leave.

Avoid coming into contact with people in spaces with limited flow of fresh air, such as rooms with windows that are never opened.

More information on how ventilation can help the spread of covid-19

Public health staff from Somerset County Council are rolling up their sleeves – and those of others – to join the army of vaccinators in the county.

Jo Smith is the first fully trained Somerset County Council vaccinator, working in the Burnham-on-Sea vaccination site, and is combining her new role with her day job by working shifts outside her normal working hours – evenings and weekends.

She will soon be joined by other members of the Council’s public health nursing team who will be offering vaccination shifts outside normal working hours to make sure delivery of their vital day-to-day work is not affected.

As Head of Service for the Public Health Operational Teams, Jo’s vital day job includes managing the public health nursing team, who work with local communities and families in different settings such as homes, children’s centres, GP surgeries, schools and Early Years, supporting families from pregnancy up to 19 years old. So she is well aware of the vital role vaccinators are playing in the national effort to combat coronavirus.

She is a qualified nurse and health visitor but still had to undertake intensive training for her role as a vaccinator, adding: “It has been a robust training programme.”

The first jab she administered on Friday was given under supervision before becoming part of the vaccination team.

“I am feeling very excited that I will be able to do something to reduce the risks of COVID-19 and looking forward to the contribution I will be able to play in the vaccination programme,” she said.

At first Jo will be working with staff in a GP-led hub and will also be looking to offer support to the mass vaccination sites if required.

And her message to all those Somerset residents who are awaiting their first immunisation shot? “Please be patient, your turn will come soon but for now the best way you can help the NHS is by waiting until you are asked to attend and get your vaccination. And please remember, even if you are vaccinated it is still vitally important you continue to ‘hands, face, space’ as the vaccine will only prevent serious illness and death; you may still be able it and you still may be able to pass it onto others.”

Across Somerset, there are now 20 sites where vaccinations are taking place, including the two large vaccination sites at Taunton Racecourse and the Bath and West Showground, two hospital hubs, 13 GP-led community sites and now three pharmacy-led sites at Morrisons carpark in Yeovil, Boots, Taunton, and Bruton Community Hall.

Somerset County Council staff have been supporting the programme from the outset with hundreds of staff redeployed to a range of roles, from project management and logistics to admin and traffic management.

The NHS has set up a web page which sets out more information about Somerset’s vaccination programme.

If anyone is concerned about accessing an appointment, or needs other help or support during the pandemic, please call the Coronavirus helpline on 0300 790 6275. Lines are open from 8am to 6pm, seven days a week.

Somerset County Council is continuing to provide food support for families during the upcoming February half-term.

The Council has used funding from the Winter Covid Grant Scheme to ensure families with children eligible for Free School Meals will receive food or vouchers during the holiday and has asked schools to help deliver this targeted food support.

Somerset County Council has also provided additional funding so that more families and children needing support over half-term can receive help.

Support for schools is just part of a much wider network of support in the county during the pandemic which has ensured people in Somerset have access to food, personal, financial and emotional support.

Two more pharmacies in Somerset will start to offer the COVID-19 vaccination to those in the highest priority groups from this week.

The new sites include Boots pharmacy in Taunton who will provide vaccination services from specially designed facilities within the high street store, and Bruton pharmacy, who will operate from the Community Hall in Silver Street, Bruton.

The pharmacy-led sites will deliver a wide range of pre-booked vaccination appointments throughout the week. People in the highest priority groups as identified by the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation will be sent a letter by the NHS and invited to book their vaccination through the national booking service by phone, or online.

A team of officers from Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards are receiving mental health ‘first aid’ training to improve the support they can offer rural businesses and farmers.

The training is part of an initiative aimed at helping officers to recognise the signs of mental illness in order to raise awareness and provide businesses with valuable signposting to support services.

According to the Farming Community Network (FCN) nearly half of all calls made to their helpline between July and October last year were related to mental health and 56% of all calls last April related to Covid-19.

The pandemic has remained a source of concern for the farming community since then.

Hannah Vile, the new Young Person’s Health and Wellbeing Champion for Somerset, is urging young people from across Somerset to have their say.

Hannah, who is excited to be promoting the voice of local students, is heading up a new project aimed at improving outcomes for young people.

Hannah is creating a student voice task group who will meet regularly over the next 8 months to explore young people’s experiences, thoughts and ideas.

She will also work with schools to investigate the impact of the Health and Wellbeing Framework. In September she will report her findings and make recommendations to Public Health and schools to maximise outcomes for young people.

Larger employers in Somerset can now order coronavirus tests for their workforce if they cannot work from home.
The direct route for ordering rapid lateral flow tests has been set up for employers with 50 or more staff in England.

More information

A ‘major milestone’ has been met yesterday as the number of first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine offered to people in the south west topped one million.

Staff across the NHS have been supporting the roll-out of the vaccination programme in the areas, with people most at-risk of Covid-19 being prioritised, in line with expert guidance.

The regional milestone is being celebrated at the vaccination centre at the Taunton Racecourse in Somerset, one of seven health and care systems in the South West delivering the vaccination programme.

All residents of care homes for older adults in Somerset have also now been offered a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine aside from those who cannot have it for clinical reasons, and where local directors of public health have advised that care homes cannot be offered the jab due to outbreaks.

In Somerset vaccinations are being delivered from 18 sites including the two hospital hubs at Yeovil District Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital and from a pharmacy-led hub in Yeovil, as well as 13 GP-led sites across the county. Two further pharmacies, a Boots pharmacy in Taunton and a pharmacy in Bruton, as well as the large centre at Taunton Racecourse, another large centre at the Royal Bath & West Showground, are scheduled to begin vaccinations this week.

More information on the NHS vaccination in Somerset.

Today, Thursday, is Time to Talk day – and this year in lockdown it’s more important than ever. It’s not always easy to talk about mental health but there are useful ideas here: Time to Talk Day 2021 | Time To Change (time-to-change.org.uk)

And in this week’s Covid Catch up, former BBC Correspondent Clinton Rogers talks about the importance of looking after our mental health at this difficult time.

It’s not surprising that people may feel low, isolated or simply fed up with trying to juggle work, children, home schooling, health and other caring responsibilities.

He talks about support available and highlights Time to Talk day where we are all being encouraged to check in on family friends and colleagues. A small conversation about mental health has the power to make a big difference.

Please find a few minutes to watch – and do share with others who may benefit: Somerset Covid Catch-up Week 9 – 03 February 2021 – YouTube

During lockdown it’s particularly important for children to exercise or play outdoors in their garden or local area.

Getting into a routine and heading outside regularly for some exercise or play is a good way to break up the day and keep you and your children mentally and physically healthy. It’s also a good way to have fun together as a family.

Somerset’s parks and green spaces provide a safe environment to exercise or play outdoors, especially during off peak times.

Remember:
• Only exercise with people from your household, support bubble or one other person
• Keep 2 metres apart at all times from anyone not in your household or support bubble
• Parks can get busy, particularly at weekends, so consider making a visit at off-peak times
• If possible, leave the park or green space if it’s too busy, and exercise or play somewhere else
• Don’t go to a park if you have symptoms of COVID-19. You and your household must stay home and self-isolate for ten days.

Larger employers in Somerset can now order coronavirus tests for their workforce if they cannot work from home. The direct route for ordering rapid lateral flow tests has been set up for employers with 50 or more staff in England.

You can find out more on GOV.UK

Following an increasing number of reports around scams asking people to wrongly pay for COVID-19 vaccinations, Avon and Somerset Police are reminding people to be wary and to report any suspected cases to Action Fraud.

Action Fraud revealed last week it recorded more than 1,000 reports nationally of phishing emails and text messages connected to the vaccine roll-out in just one day.

The scams fraudulently claim to be from the NHS and ask the recipient to click on a link to accept or decline an invitation to receive the coronavirus vaccine. If they click accept, they are asked to input personal information and their bank card details.
In the UK, coronavirus vaccines will only be available through the National Health Services of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. You can be contacted by the NHS, your employer, a GP surgery or pharmacy local to you, to receive your vaccine. How you will be contacted for your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

The vaccine is therefore free and at no point will people be asked to pay for one.

People planning to use public transport to get to the large vaccination site at the Bath & West Showground are being reminded to:

-take their appointment letter with them and
-aim to use the timetabled journey which arrives at the Bath & West Showground as close to their appointment time as possible to avoid waiting time on site.

Somerset County Council is joining forces with transport providers to help vulnerable residents get to their Covid vaccination appointments. The Council is working with First West of England to provide a service every 30 minutes from Wells Bus Station via Shepton Mallet terminating at the showground – seven days a week, providing connections to/from other bus services at both Wells Bus Station and Shepton Mallet Cenotaph. This service is also free for bus pass holders and started Monday 1 February.

Somerset County Council is urging people with underlying health conditions to take up the free offer of a flu vaccination if they haven’t already.

Flu can affect anyone, but for those living with a long-term health condition the effects of catching the flu can make it worse, even if the condition is well managed and they normally feel well.

This winter we have the added complication of Coronavirus still being in circulation throughout our community. Catching flu and Coronavirus together is even more likely to lead to severe illness, hospitalisation and sadly death.

A new COVID-19 vaccination site has now opened at Morrisons, in Yeovil, one of the first pharmacy sites in Somerset to offer the jab. The launch of the new site is part of a national drive to protect the public from the virus and accelerate the roll out of the local vaccination programme.

The pharmacy-led site, managed by Pharmacy2U, the UK’s largest online pharmacy, will deliver pre-booked vaccination appointments between the hours of 8am and 8pm, seven days a week. The set up includes two marquees within the Morrisons car park on Lysander Road in Yeovil.

People in the highest priority groups as identified by the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation will be sent a letter by the NHS and invited to book their jab through the national booking service by phone, or online.

People can choose to attend a large vaccination centre or a pharmacy service which is most convenient and accessible to them, or can also choose to wait to be called by their local GP surgery if they prefer.

Across Somerset, there are now 18 vaccination sites including the two large vaccination sites at Taunton Racecourse, the Bath and West Showground, two hospital hubs and 13 GP-led community sites.

You can read more on the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group website

COVID-19 spreads from person to person through small droplets, clouds of tiny airborne particles known as aerosols and through direct contact.

-As well as social distancing and other measures, you can also reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 if you:

-avoid coming into contact with people in spaces with limited flow of fresh air such as rooms with windows that are never opened

-reduce the amount of time you spend indoors with people you do not live with

make sure you let plenty of fresh air into your home without getting uncomfortably cold if you have people working in or visiting your house (only where permitted). You should do this during their visit and after they leave

To increase the flow of air you can:

-open windows as much as possible

-open doors

-make sure that any vents (for example at the top of a window) are open and airflow is not blocked

-leave extractor fans (for example in bathrooms) running for longer than usual with the door closed after someone has used the room

Somerset residents who have received their vaccine jabs are being urged to keep following the “stay safe” guidance.

Somerset now has two large vaccination centres in operation, as well as 13 GP-led community sites and two hospital hubs, enabling thousands of vaccinations to be administered.

Trudi Grant, Somerset County Council’s Director of Public Health, said the NHS and partners had worked round the clock to get the centres up and running – but warned the virus risk was still high.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

Somerset County Council is joining forces with transport providers to help vulnerable residents get to their Covid vaccination appointments.

While many older and more vulnerable people will be able to attend a location close to their home, some will be relying on public transport. Somerset County Council is working with bus operators and community transport providers to make it as easy as possible for those people to get to appointments by:

• Working with First West of England to provide a service every 30 minutes from Wells Bus Station via Shepton Mallet terminating at the showground – seven days a week, providing connections to/from other bus services at both Wells Bus Station and Shepton Mallet Cenotaph. This service is also free for bus pass holders and will commence on February 1.
• Suspending current concessionary bus pass rules so these can be used on all public services before 9.30am. This comes into effect from February 1.
• Working with Community Transport and Slinky Demand Responsive services across Somerset to allow free travel for bus pass holders when attending vaccination appointments.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

In this week’s Somerset Covid catch up video, it’s Somerset’s Director of Public Health Trudi Grant’s mum’s turn for the Covid-19 vaccine.

Former BBC Correspondent Clinton Rogers interviews Trudi around the safety of the vaccine and speaks with Ashley Jones, from the Fraud Protect Unit, to find out how we can all be alert to vaccine scams that are circulating.

You can watch the interviews here: https://youtu.be/ZR9lnNpW-dA

Sadly, criminals are using the coronavirus vaccine as a way to target the public by tricking them to hand over cash or financial details. They are sending convincing-looking text messages telling people they are eligible for the vaccine or are phoning people directly pretending to be the from the NHS or their local pharmacy.

Information on how to spot a scam – and what to do – is available here 

Supermarkets have put many measures in place throughout the pandemic but everyone can play their part to minimise the spread of COVID-19 by taking a few simple actions:

• Arrange a click and collect or delivery
• Make a list – this will help reduce the amount of time spent in store
• Shop alone if possible
• Avoid shopping at busy times.
• Wear a face covering, unless exempt, at all times. It must cover your nose and mouth
• Sanitise your trolley or basket before using
• Sanitise your hands when you enter and leave the store
• Keep your distance from others

Coronavirus continues to put pressure on recycling and rubbish collections in Somerset. Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) and contractors are doing everything to keep disruption to a minimum while keeping staff and public safe.

From Monday 1 February, collections will start at 6am rather than 7am to help crews cope with COVID-19 absences and to further protect staff.

SWP continues to take a precautionary approach to limit contact and minimise risk: for example, crews work in tightly-controlled team bubbles and the whole bubble isolates when a member is symptomatic, has a positive test or is in contact with someone who tests positive.

Read more on the SWP website

This week, The Royal Bath and West Showground will start to vaccinate local residents and frontline health and care workers from the highest priority groups.

The second large vaccination site in Somerset will open seven days a week, 8am to 8pm as part of an additional wave of ‘large’ vaccination centres opening across the country.

Health and care organisations have been working together over a number of weeks to put detailed plans in place to prepare the site for the large-scale vaccination programme.

The vaccination site has been set up in the Showerings Pavilion at the Bath and West Showground and it is hoped that once fully operational, alongside scheduled deliveries, teams will be able to vaccinate around 1,300 people a day through four vaccination ‘pods’.

Healthcare teams are working extremely hard to vaccinate the most vulnerable groups as quickly and safely as possible. Please be patient and the NHS will contact you directly when it is your turn – don’t call your GP surgery or local hospital to ask about your appointment.

You can read more on the NHS CCG website

During lockdown you are allowed to leave your house to walk your dog – but please make sure you are:

• by yourself or
• with the people you live with or
• with your support bubble (if you’re legally permitted to form one)
• or, when on your own in a public outdoor space, with one person from another household

Although the government generally advises you should exercise once a day, you can go out more often if you need to walk your dog but should limit this where possible.

Find out more on GOV.UK

A brand new walk-through coronavirus testing facility has opened at Chard’s Guildhall this week, as Somerset County Council continues to make testing widely available and accessible across the county.

Achieved with the co-operation of Chard Town Council, Somerset Local Authorities and the Department of Health and Social Care, it is hoped the new Local Testing Station located in Fore Street will help address the spread of the virus in the area with the aim of bringing it under control.

The Testing Station opened on Wednesday, January 20 and will be open 8am to 8pm, seven days a week.

The site will have ten testing bays including two with disabled access and for use by families.

Trudi Grant, Somerset County Council’s Director of Public Health said: “The new Local Testing Centre in Chard is another welcome addition to the facilities in Somerset to help us bring the virus under control.

“Testing plays a key role in helping reduce the spread of this highly infectious disease. Please only get a test if you have symptoms. If we know who is infected, we can isolate them accordingly and notify anyone that they may have been in close contact with.”

Testing at the Chard site is only available for those with coronavirus symptoms – a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to sense of smell or taste. Anyone with one or more of these symptoms should book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119. Anyone who is tested should continue to self-isolate while awaiting the test results.

Those being tested will be required to follow public health measures, including social distancing, not travelling by taxi or public transport, practising good personal hygiene and wearing a face covering throughout, including while travelling to and from the testing centre. People will need to bring a valid ID, the booking confirmation email and a face covering.

Testing sites are now available at Taunton Racecourse, Bridgwater Town Hall, Cheddar, Street, Frome Cricket Club, Yeovil, Yeovilton, and over the border in Weston-super-Mare, Trowbridge, Warminster, Paulton, Tiverton, Barnstaple, Dorchester, Bridport, Exeter and Bristol. When you book your test you will be shown the nearest available sites to your location at the time of booking.

NHS staff and partners are doing an incredible job to deliver what it is the largest vaccination programme in our history, at the same time as dealing with a new admission for Covid-19 every 30 seconds, but we need the public to play their part too:

• please don’t contact the NHS to seek a vaccine, we will contact you;
• when we do contact you, please attend your booked appointments at exactly the time you’re asked to, so that we can avoid queues in this cold weather;
• and please continue to follow all the guidance in place to control the virus and save lives, even if you have already had your vaccine.

For our latest Covid update film, Clinton Rogers was given access to film at the racecourse where he interviewed the centre manager, Helen McEvansoneya. The interview answers many of the common questions people have about the vaccination, gives viewers insight into what to expect when they arrive at the centre, and will hopefully alleviate any anxiety felt by people invited to receive their vaccination.

You can watch it here: Somerset Covid Catch-up Week 7 – 20 January 2021 – YouTube

You can now check Somerset’s vaccination data on our coronavirus dashboard. The information provided by the NHS will be added every Friday. This week’s figures show that a total of 45,713 doses have been administered up to the week ending January 17. The dashboard provides an overview of coronavirus cases, a map, the R number and more detailed district-level information.

You can access it here: https://www.somerset.gov.uk/covid-19-dashboard/

Following the latest lockdown and closure of non-essential retail, schemes introduced to support social distancing and the reopening of high streets in two Somerset towns are to end.

Temporary schemes introduced last summer in Yeovil and Bridgwater, featuring a pedestrianised zone and one-way system respectively, were funded by Government and overseen by Somerset’s Active Travel Group, which represents the five local councils, police and public health.

Yeovil’s scheme ends on Friday 29 January and Bridgwater’s on Friday 22 January.

The schemes were among a number set up in towns across Somerset. Most have now ended.

You can read more on our Somerset Newsroom

With more people using Somerset’s public rights of way for their daily exercise during lockdown, walkers are being asked to make sure that livestock is not disturbed by dogs.

Dog owners are reminded to act responsibly and keep their dogs under close control. When walking your dog in areas used by other people it is advised that dogs are kept on a lead if a physical distance of two metres cannot be adhered to.

Care must also be taken when approaching animals with their young. There’s useful guidance in the Countryside Code on GOV.UK

The current Government advice during lockdown is that you can leave your home to exercise and spend time outdoors for recreation, however this should be limited to once per day and should be in your local area.

Help is available for anyone in Somerset who may need additional support. The five councils in Somerset have been working together since the first lockdown to provide a single phone number for anyone in Somerset who needs Coronavirus-related support.

Residents are reminded they can call 0300 790 6275 if they need any help themselves or are concerned about relatives or neighbours. Lines are open seven days a week between 8am and 6pm.

It’s vital everyone acts to reduce their own risk, and the risk to others, from getting ill with coronavirus.

There’s really important information available to help Somerset residents, businesses and visitors take all-important precautions.

You can read more on our Healthy Somerset website

Somerset County Council has allocated a further £427,000 of funding to help schools provide families with food support during this lockdown.

During term time, the Department for Education (DfE) has asked schools to provide meal options for all pupils who are in school – including vulnerable children and the children of critical workers – as well as those children being home-schooled who are eligible for Free School Meals.

The decision on whether to provide boxes or vouchers rests with the individual schools. However, Somerset County Council is working with them to ensure that Somerset food boxes meet or exceed the DfE standard.

Somerset County Council is providing schools with an additional £427,000 to enhance the level of food provided and meet dietary requirements. The Council recognises that some children are not eligible for Free School Meals but for one reason or another would benefit from receiving food support. Therefore, this funding can also be used by schools to support a wider range of children.

Before the February half term, all schools in Somerset have also been provided with funding from the Winter Covid Grant scheme for every child who receives Free School Meals. This funding can be used to provide vouchers or food.

On 10 January 2021 central government announced that a community testing offer using lateral flow devices, was to be expanded across all local authorities in England to test people without symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Lateral flow testing involves a swab of the nose and throat to collect a sample and provides a result within around half an hour. This screening test will require twice weekly testing and will be targeted at people who cannot work from home during lockdown.

In Somerset targeted testing is already in place for workers who care for vulnerable groups such as the elderly in their own homes. This testing sits alongside the multitude of national testing programmes. This latest announcement expanding the offer across a wider group of workers presents a new challenge. Any new testing programme in Somerset will need to be phased and designed to reach the most urgent areas of our community first.

The Somerset Coronavirus Appeal, launched by charity Somerset Community Foundation (SCF) at the start of the pandemic, has raised a phenomenal £1.5 million.

The funding has enabled the Foundation to award grants to more than 300 local charities [correct as at 19/01/2021] in just 10 months, thanks to the generous support of local individuals, businesses, charitable trusts and public sector partners, as well as funding from a national appeal run by The National Emergencies Trust (NET).

Donations to the Somerset Coronavirus Appeal are continuing to help provide grants of £100 up to £5,000 to local groups and charities, helping those in our communities across the county who are most affected by the outbreak, including vulnerable older people, domestic abuse survivors, people experiencing mental health problems, and children and families living in poverty.

Hundreds of Somerset County Council staff are working tirelessly alongside the NHS and within communities to help support the fight back against Coronavirus.

Our officers are redeployed from their ‘business as usual’ jobs to project manage the setting up of Somerset’s GP vaccination hubs, now live across Somerset.

Council staff are also contacting eligible residents inviting them to vaccination appointments, supporting the ‘Test and Trace’ effort if a Somerset resident tests positive, running the care home vaccination programme and delivering vital food parcels and PPE.

Find out more

Somerset County Council has allocated a further £427,000 of funding to help schools provide families with food support during this lockdown.

During term time, the Department for Education (DfE) has asked schools to provide meal options for all pupils who are in school – including vulnerable children and the children of critical workers – as well as those children being home-schooled who are eligible for Free School Meals.

The decision on whether to provide boxes or vouchers rests with the individual schools. However, Somerset County Council is working with them to ensure that Somerset food boxes meet or exceed the DfE standard.

Somerset County Council is providing schools with an additional £427,000 to enhance the level of food provided and meet dietary requirements. The Council recognises that some children are not eligible for Free School Meals but for one reason or another would benefit from receiving food support. Therefore, this funding can also be used by schools to support a wider range of children.

Ahead of the February half term, all schools in Somerset have also been provided with funding from the Winter Covid Grant scheme for every child who receives Free School Meals. This funding can be used to provide vouchers or food.

This funding for schools is just part of a much wider network of support in the county during the pandemic which has ensured people in Somerset have access to food, personal, financial and emotional support.

Somerset’s local authorities are working with organisations including foodbanks, FareShare, HIS Church, Somerset Community Council Village Agents and many voluntary and community groups across Somerset to provide food items and frozen meals for immediate use, as well as supporting the development of new community pantries and larders to help communities have longer term sustainable solutions in place.

Any family who needs food support is encouraged to contact the Coronavirus Helpline on 0300 790 6275. The advisers will then link families to the right support for them.

Taunton Racecourse opened its doors today (18 January) as a new large vaccination centre for Somerset, part of a wave of ‘large’ vaccination centres opening across the country.

The site will open seven days a week, 8am – 8pm to offer the COVID-19 jab to people across Somerset, supporting the accelerated roll out of the local vaccination programme.

The racecourse will be providing vaccines for people in the highest priority groups including the over 80s and health and care staff.

Health and care organisations have been working together over the last few weeks to put detailed plans in place to prepare the site to deliver the large-scale vaccination programme.

Over the weekend, NHS letters were sent to local residents from the priority groups who live up to 45 minutes away from the new site. People are being invited to book their jab through the new national booking services by phone, or online. The centre is another option for people to have their COVID-19 jab, but they can also choose to wait to be called by their local GP surgery if they prefer.

People should continue to wait to be contacted by the NHS, either by a letter or phone call – please do not call the racecourse or turn up without an appointment.

Please support the NHS:

• Please don’t contact the NHS or visit any sites to ask about your vaccine, you will be contacted;
• When you are contacted, please attend your booked appointments;
• And please continue to follow all the guidance to control the spread of the virus and save lives.

You can read more here

From today (18 January) all air travel corridors are temporarily closed to protect against the risk of unidentified new coronavirus strains.

This means that travellers to the UK must have proof of a negative coronavirus test that they have taken in the 72 hours before leaving, must have filled in a Passenger Locator Form and must quarantine for 10 days on arrival.

The Government also announced that passengers who have been in or transited through Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Cape Verde, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Panama, Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores), Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela in the last 10 days will no longer be granted access to the UK.

You can find out more on GOV.UK

The Government has updated the advice for those in difficulty with utility bills, or repayment commitments on credit cards, loans and mortgages, as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

The guidance sets out what people should do if they are struggling to pay bills and sets out the action the Government has taken with different utility providers, as well as loan, credit card, insurance and mortgage providers.

The Government has extended the deadline for applying for a mortgage payment holiday to 31 March 2021.

Read more on GOV.UK

Three more GP-led community vaccination sites will start to vaccinate people in highest priority groups in Somerset this week. The final three primary care network (PCN) areas will join the existing ten sites launched over the past few weeks across the county, as part of a phased delivery plan.

The new vaccination sites include: Wincanton Community Hospital, College Way Surgery in Taunton, and Wellington Community Hospital. Practice teams have been working hard to develop and prepare the new community locations, ready to welcome the first people to have their vaccine over the next few days.

Health and care teams across the county have been working closely with national NHS colleagues to set up local GP vaccination services for the most vulnerable people, alongside the national delivery schedule.

It is expected that the new GP-led sites will be using both the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and the newly approved Oxford/AstraZeneca for the priority groups identified by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) including care home residents, people aged over 80 and frontline health and care staff.

Find out more on the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group website

In the latest Somerset Covid Catch Up film, former BBC Points West producer Clinton Rogers looks at how vaccinations are being rolled out in Somerset. The short film focuses on how Somerset’s councils are working with the NHS to make sure priority groups get their jabs.

You can watch the film here

Samaritans’ Brew Monday will kick off on 18 January, the third Monday in January, which is usually known as ‘Blue Monday’.

Somerset County Council is supporting the campaign – to raise awareness of the positive things you can do to support your emotional health – by encouraging people to get together over a warming virtual ‘cuppa’, on the day that is thought to be the most depressing day of the year.

The months since the pandemic arrived have been difficult. With another national lockdown under way, we are all feeling the pressure that comes with coronavirus, so, now more than ever, sharing a ‘cuppa’ is more than a drink – it’s about making contact, checking in and staying connected.

The Council is asking everyone to join them this ‘Brew Monday’ by reaching out to someone for a virtual ‘cuppa’ and a chat.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

Somerset County Council is reassuring the public that help is, and will continue to be, available for people seeking help who are experiencing abuse from their partner or a family member.

The current Government guidelines allow you to leave your home to flee danger, this includes an abusive relationship.

Domestic abuse has regularly been defined as a “hidden crime”. Even before the current pandemic and subsequent lockdowns and restrictions, people often encountered controlling domestic abuse behind closed doors – making it difficult for them to seek help.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

As we start the weekend, please remember that we are still in a national lockdown. Restrictions are challenging, but we must keep going to drive down the infection rate in Somerset.

Under the rules of the national lockdown:

– You must stay at home.
– Work from home if you can.
– You must not leave, or be outside of your home except where necessary, e.g. to shop for basic necessities, seek medical assistance or get a COVID-19 test.
– You cannot leave your home to meet socially with anyone you do not live with or are not in a support bubble with.
– You may exercise on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble. This should be limited to once per day.
– Colleges, secondary and primary schools are closed, and open only for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers.

The restrictions are set out here: National lockdown: Stay at Home

Action Fraud is warning the public to remain vigilant as criminals begin to take advantage of the roll out of the coronavirus vaccine to commit fraud.

Remember:
•  The vaccine is free of charge.
•  The NHS will never ask you for your bank account or card details.
•  The NHS will never ask you for your PIN or banking password.
•  The NHS will never arrive unannounced to your home to administer the vaccine.
•  The NHS will never ask you to prove your identity by sending copies of personal documents such as your passport, driving licence, bills or pay slips.
•  If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up.
•  If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk.
•  Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726, which is free of charge.
•  If you believe you are the victim of a fraud, please report this to Action Fraud as soon as possible by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.

A countywide scheme is being launched to support tourism and visitor-centred businesses in Somerset in the wake of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The visitor economy plays an important part in the wider Somerset economy and coronavirus restrictions have hit businesses and employment hard.

Now Somerset’s County and District Councils have put in place the Visitor Economy Support Programme (VESP) to help businesses strengthen and build their competitiveness. The programme has been designed to provide help and support so that small and medium size businesses in the sector are more resilient and ready to recover and grow.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorised the third coronavirus vaccine for the UK, developed by Moderna. Find out more

Inbound passengers to the UK arriving by boat, plane or train will have to take a coronavirus test up to 72 hours before departing the country they are in.

In addition, all passengers arriving from countries not on the government’s travel corridor list will still be required to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of the test result. Passengers will also still be required to fill in a passenger locator form and will be subject to national lockdown restrictions.

Find out more

The Government has announced that the housing market in England will remain open during this national lockdown. This means that people looking to move home will be able to continue with planned moves and be able to view properties to move into in the future and that estate and letting agents will be able to continue working. Guidance has been updated to provide important public health information to ensure that moving home and related activities, such as viewings.

More people in the high priority groups in Somerset are being invited to have their COVID-19 vaccinations this week as two more sites are launched in the county.

Please don’t contact the NHS or visit any of the sites to ask about your vaccine, you will be contacted.

Vaccinations are beginning this week at a further GP-led community site and in a new hospital hub at Musgrove Park Hospital. Vaccinations are now being offered at 12 sites across the county – at ten GP-led community sites and at hospital hubs at both Musgrove Park Hospital and at Yeovil District Hospital – and teams of vaccinators are also vaccinating care home residents.

The Somerset programme is offering vaccinations to people in the high priority groups identified by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation – care home residents and their carers, those aged 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers.

Clinicians are now vaccinating people from the new GP-led site; The Meadows Surgery in Ilminster which is part of the CLICK Primary Care Network that includes seven local GP surgeries.

This weekend vaccinations begin at Musgrove Park Hospital which will operate a vaccination hub seven days a week from next week.

Both the Pfizer Biotech and the newly approved Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines will be given in Somerset.

People are asked to support the NHS:

• By not contacting GPs and health services about vaccinations. You will be contacted when it is your turn to be invited for your vaccination. Some phone lines are jammed with people asking about vaccinations and this is preventing people who need help from getting through.
• When contacted, please attend your booked appointments;
• and please continue to follow all the guidance to control the spread of the virus and save lives.

You can read more on the NHS CCG website

Trading Standards is warning the public to be on their guard following reports that fraudsters are sending out fake texts offering a COVID-19 vaccine in an attempt to steal bank details.

The text offers a link to what police call an “extremely convincing” fake NHS website. Once on the website people are asked to input their bank details to register for a vaccine.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom

The BBC is helping children keep up with their studies during the latest lockdown, by broadcasting lessons on BBC Two and CBBC, as well as online.

The curriculum-based programmes will start being aired on BBC TV from Monday 11 January. They will include three hours of primary school programming every weekday on CBBC, and at least two hours for secondary pupils on BBC Two.

During the first lockdown, lessons were available in iPlayer, red button and online, but not on regular TV channels.

Find out more here

In the latest Somerset Covid Catch Up film, former BBC Points West producer Clinton Rogers interviews Somerset County Council’s Director of Public Health to find out more about the current lockdown and what the situation is in Somerset. You can view the film here

As we adjust again to staying at home more, and minimising our contacts outside the home, it’s important that we remember to take care of our minds as well as our bodies.

Every Mind Matters has some helpful information online to support us through this time, whether that’s concerns about finances, or making sure that you or others have the support you need, or staying connected with others.

Everyone must stay at home as much as possible in lockdown. But being outside is also so important for physical and mental wellbeing.

Ordnance Survey has launched a useful guide on getting outside safely, and it has been updated in line with lockdown rules.

The outdoors is still open, and everyone is encouraged to get outside and stay local to enhance physical and mental health.

Just type in the location – Somerset for example – and choose what outdoor activity that is of interest, such as walking. The guide provides the latest advice for walking in Somerset – what’s permitted, what’s not, and helpful suggestions along the way.

The key is in knowing how to minimise risk to yourself and others when outside. Remember, outdoor exercise is allowed, but choose less busy places to go, and follow the guidance – social distancing, wear a face covering in enclosed spaces, and wash hands well as soon when back indoors.

Somerset – with the rest of England – is now in national lockdown following the government’s announcement last night.

The message is simple: you must stay at home. The single most important action we can all take is to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

You must not leave or be outside your home except where necessary. You may leave home to:

• shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person
• go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home
• exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
• meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally allowed to form one
• seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including fleeing from domestic abuse)
• attend education or childcare – for those eligible

Colleges, primary and secondary schools will remain open only for vulnerable children and the children of key workers such as those working in health and social care. All other children will learn remotely until February half term. Early Years settings, for example nurseries, can remain open.

The rules apply to those who are fit and well. Separate guidance has been issued for those who are clinically extremely vulnerable.

National lockdown: Stay at Home – GOV.UK 

If you are clinically vulnerable, you could be at higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus. There is additional advice for clinically extremely vulnerable people who should not attend work, school, college or university, and limit the time you spend outside the home. You should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential.

The government is sending COVID-19: letters to clinically extremely vulnerable people. This letter is to inform them about the new guidance that will be in place.

You can find out more here

Help is available for anyone in Somerset who may need additional support. The five councils in Somerset have been working together since the first lockdown to provide a single phone number for anyone in Somerset who needs Coronavirus-related support.

Residents are reminded they can call 0300 790 6275 if they need any help themselves or are concerned about relatives or neighbours. Lines are open seven days a week between 8am and 6pm.

Health services in Somerset are encouraging people to volunteer to support the county’s vaccination programme. They are looking for people to help greet residents as they come to be vaccinated, marshal, and help with administration. They are also looking for retired or former nurses who are willing to step forward as vaccinators. All necessary training will be provided. If you think you can help, please email mvp.recruitment@somersetft.nhs.uk to register your interest.

The vaccination programme is currently focusing on those aged 80 and over and health and care staff in line with the priorities identified by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

Please don’t contact the NHS to seek a vaccine, they will contact you.

When you are contacted please attend your booked appointments. You will be given all the information that you need and any questions you may have at your vaccination appointment will be answered.

Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) plans to keep the county’s 16 recycling sites open on standard winter hours for essential use during the latest COVID-19 national lockdown.

Government guidance – gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home has clarified that people can visit recycling sites as they are an essential service.

SWP is asking people to only visit sites if the trip is really necessary, for example because waste cannot be safely kept home or disposed of through kerbside recycling and rubbish collections.

Find out more on the SWP website

It’s vital everyone acts to reduce their own risk, and the risk to others, from getting ill with coronavirus.

There’s really important information available to help Somerset residents, businesses and visitors take all-important precautions.

Read more here

Somerset will be escalated to Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions tomorrow (31 December) in a bid to reduce a rise in cases, the government announced this afternoon.

For Somerset residents living in a Tier 4 area, this means you must not leave or be outside of your home except for specific purposes. The essential guidelines are set out below.

• No household mixing, aside from support bubbles and two people meeting in public outdoor spaces.
• Hospitality closed, aside from sales by takeaway, drive-through or delivery.
• Essential shops can open. Non-essential retail must close and can only open for click-and-collect and delivery.
• Everyone must work from home unless they are unable to do so.
• Early years settings, schools, colleges and universities open during term time (please refer to government guidance for latest updates). Registered childcare, other supervised activities for childcare purposes, and childcare bubbles permitted.
• Indoor leisure, accommodation and personal care – closed.
• You must not stay overnight away from home. Limited exceptions apply.
• Funerals of up to 30 people permitted. Wakes and other linked ceremonial events can continue in a group of up to six. Weddings of up to six can continue in exceptional circumstances.
• Indoor entertainment closed. Some outdoor attractions may remain open.
• Places of worship open for private prayer and communal worship but cannot interact with anyone outside household or support bubble.
• You must stay at home and only travel for work, education or other legally permitted reasons. If you must travel, you should stay local, and reduce the number of journeys you make. You must not leave a Tier 4 area or stay overnight away from home. Residents in Tiers 1 – 3 should not enter Tier 4 areas. Do not travel abroad if you live in a Tier 4 area unless an exemption applies.
• You can leave your home to exercise by yourself, with your household or support bubble, or with one person from another household. Outdoor sport allowed but gatherings limit applies except for youth and disabled sport.
• You can visit relatives in care homes with COVID-secure arrangements such as substantial screens, visiting pods, and window visits.
• The Clinically Extremely Vulnerable are advised to stay at home as much as possible, except to go outdoors for exercise or to attend health appointments.

For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home

Teams of vaccinators are preparing to begin vaccinating care home residents and staff between now and New Year. At the same time two more GP-led community sites will begin vaccinating people aged over 80 and health and care staff.

COVID-19 vaccinations will also begin at North Petherton Rugby Club in Bridgwater and the Shape Centre Mendip District Council offices in Shepton Mallet. GP-led sites have been developed by primary care networks (groups of local GP practices) who have been working closely together to develop detailed plans to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations in community locations.

Meanwhile, NHS staff have vaccinated more than half a million patients in England against Coronavirus in under two weeks, according to official figures. A total of 521,594 people have received an NHS vaccination in the 13 days that followed to Sunday 20 December, the first of what will be weekly data reports shows.

Some 366,715 of those vaccinated were aged 80, making up 70% of the total number of jabs administered.

Read more on our Somerset Newsroom