Members Update - Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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Members briefing

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Members Update

Your weekly round up of the latest coronavirus response updates in Cumbria.

In this briefing:


Libraries Update

Next week the library service will launch a new Select & Collect service for its members. Select & Collect will make it possible for library members to order a selection of books by phone or email which they can collect from designated areas in the six main libraries.

The new service will be piloted from Tuesday 4 August from the county’s six main library branches.

The county's main library buildings in Carlisle, Penrith, Whitehaven, Workington, Kendal and Barrow will reopen on Monday 10 August. To protect the health and safety of library staff and customers, libraries will have new Covid-secure measures in place. You can get a glimpse of the added safety measures in a short video we shared on Facebook this week.

Libraries continue to share updates with their customers and members via their social media pages, ebulletins and local press and media. You can watch a video about Select & Collect on Facebook

Latest key messages for residents:

Select & Collect

From Tuesday 4 August we will be launching a new Select & Collect service. Library members will be able to order up to 6 books at a time by phone or email and book a slot to collect them from our main branches. More information will be available on the county council's website from Monday and a press release will be issued with full details. 

Home Delivery

Our Home Delivery service will start again from Tuesday 4 August. Our friendly home delivery service brings books to library members across Cumbria who are unable to leave their homes.

Returns and fines

Don’t worry too much about overdue items. We aren’t expecting customers to return them immediately.

Please return them when convenient for you. Fines incurred during our temporary closure will be waived until 31st December.

See our FAQs for more updates > https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/libraries-archives/covid19.asp.

FAQs

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions for responses to some of your most asked questions https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/libraries-archives/covid19.asp, including our opening hours, returns and service changes when our 6 main libraries reopen on Monday 10 August.

Branch reopening

Sadly at this time we are unable to reopen our smaller libraries. More work is required to make them safe environments for our customers, and although this work is underway it is likely to take some time. As this work progresses we will ensure that you are kept informed at all times but the safety of our customers and staff remains our priority in these difficult times. Read more at https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/libraries-archives/covid19.asp.

Digital services

Our online services continue to offer members free 24/7 access to eBooks, audio books, magazines and comics.

If you’ve not tried them yet, don’t miss out. Go to > https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/libraries/online_resources/booksandreading.asp. There’s something for all ages and interests.

Find our libraries on Facebook:


Weekly COVID-19 update: Positive signs in Carlisle and Eden

The latest COVID-19 status report for Cumbria has been published. The weekly report sets out key statistics relating COVID-19 infections in the county.

It can be found at www.cumbria.gov.uk/stopthespread.

This week’s report shows a smaller number of new COVID-19 cases in Cumbria than the preceding week, down from 55 to 41. Despite a very high number of people being tested following recent outbreaks in Carlisle and Eden, both districts also saw a reduction in the number of new cases.

However, the number of new positive cases in Carlisle and Eden is higher than other areas in Cumbria and the rate of cases per 100,000 in Eden remains high compared to the rest of Cumbria, but not compared to other areas of concern in the North West.

Other districts in the county continue to experience very low levels of new infections.

The local multi-agency Health Protection Board is closely monitoring the situation and is proactively contact tracing known cases. In the last week local contact tracing teams have been involved in 32 incidents, tracing 137 contacts.

There is no change to the local public health advice.

Colin Cox, Cumbria’s Director of Public Health, said:

“The numbers of new cases in Carlisle and Eden were a concern. That’s why we are extremely grateful to everyone who followed our advice and got tested. What we can now see, from the low number of new cases identified, is that there does not appear to have been widespread transmission of the virus as a result of the visits to local pubs by people who were infectious. This is good news but we continue to monitor closely.

“It is also very clear that the virus is still circulating and being passed between local people in the community, so we must not think that the risk has gone away. Only by continued vigilance and following the basic public health guidance will we prevent the number of people being infected growing again.

“For anyone heading for a night out this weekend I’d ask you just to do the basics – social distancing as far as possible, wash your hands regularly and make sure you provide contact details to any venues you visit. If you are getting a taxi we would also advise you to wear a mask or face covering.”

The key public health messages remain:

  • Wash or sanitise hands regularly
  • Observe social distancing rules
  • Wear face masks or coverings in enclosed public spaces
  • If you have symptoms, self-isolate and get tested
  • Follow advice to self-isolate if asked

Getting tested

The guidance on coronavirus testing, including who is eligible for a test and how to get tested, was updated this week to reflect that there is now a single GOV.​UK testing service for people who have symptoms and want to get tested.

Guidance

Book a test or order a home testing kit

Local mobile testing site details

Testing is available in Carlisle at Brunton Park until Sunday 2 August from 10am to 3pm and then again on Wednesday 5 August and Thursday 6 August. Testing is also available at Penrith Rugby Club seven days a week.

Testing is also available in Annan and Gretna. Tests can be booked at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested/pages/arrange-a-test/

Anyone who tests positive is being asked to contact our COVID-19 call centre on 0800 783 1968.


Upcoming milestones

  • 1 August - The government will update the advice on going to work. The government will give employers more discretion, and ask them to make decisions about how their staff can work safely.
  • 1 August – Shielding and the clinically extremely vulnerable will no longer need to follow advice on shielding, though should still take particular care to follow the social distancing guidelines when meeting people.
  • 1 August - The government will reopen most remaining leisure settings, namely bowling, skating rinks and casinos, and will enable all close contact services such as beauticians to resume.
  • 1 August - Indoor performances to a live audience, including conferences and exhibitions, subject to the success of pilots, can restart and the government will also pilot larger gatherings in venues like sports stadia, with a view to wider reopening in the Autumn. Wedding receptions for up to 30 people will also be allowed.
  • September – The government are suggesting schools, nurseries and colleges will open for all children and young people on a full-time basis. Universities are working to reopen as fully as possible
  • October - The government intends to bring back audiences in stadia and to allow conferences and other business events to recommence in covid-secure way, subject to the successful outcome of pilots.
  • November – The government’s ambition is to scale back remaining social distancing measures, but this is contingent on a number of factors, including consideration of the specific challenges as we move into winter.

Statement from the UK Chief Medical Officers on extension of self-isolation period

The self-isolation period has been extended to 10 days for those in the community who have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms or a positive test result.

Read the full statement


Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Employers should be aware that there will be changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) from 31 July.

What employers need to do before 31 July:

  • Submit CJRS claims for periods ending on or before 30 June 2020 by 31 July 2020. This is the last date to make those claims. Employers need to have made a claim at any point on or before 31 July to be able to make a claim for future months.
  • Amend previous claims to add any additional employees that may have been missed off in error. After 31 July they will not be able to add any new employees for periods ending on or before 30 June.

What employers need to do from 1 August:

  • From 1 August 2020 the scheme will no longer fund employers’ National Insurance (NI) and pensions contributions. Employers will have to make these payments from their own resources for all employees, whether furloughed or not.

Better Health campaign

This week, Public Health England (PHE) launched the Better Health campaign to support people to live healthier lives and reduce their risk of serious illness, including COVID-19.

The campaign – unveiled as part of the government’s new Obesity Strategy – encourages adults to introduce changes that will help them work towards a healthier weight, with a suite of free tools and apps supporting people to eat better, drink less alcohol and get active. This includes a new app for the free 12-week NHS Weight Loss Plan, helping people make healthier food choices and learn skills to prevent weight gain.

Announcement


New litter campaign launched

Keep Britain Tidy and its Centre for Social Innovation has developed a new ‘Love Parks’ campaign to address the issue of litter being left behind in parks across the country. The campaign launched on Friday (24 July) and is taking place in eight parks across the country as an in-situ intervention, which will be measured over the summer. Materials are available to order alongside a free digital toolkit and downloadable resources.

The campaign has been funded as part of the Government’s Coronavirus response and will be bolstered with additional campaign activity led by Defra over the summer both online and in locations near to beaches and national parks. This activity will further highlight the impacts of littering, including non-medical PPE litter, as well as unauthorised barbeques and campfires, and breaches of the countryside code. Communication materials are available online through the Dropbox showcase link below; these will be added to over the coming weeks.

Overview of campaign


Eat Out to Help Out Scheme restaurant finder

This week, HMRC launched an online tool for the public to find restaurants that are registered for the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme. The restaurant finder tool shows results within a 5-mile radius of a postcode.

Restaurant finder tool


Useful links


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