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(1) Four-week pause on lockdown easing:
Earlier this week the Prime Minister announced a four-week delay to step four of the government’s roadmap until 19 July. Cheshire East was also declared an 'Enhanced Resource area' meaning additional testing provision and resources available to combat the recent growth in Covid-19 locally. Both actions are due to concerns caused by the Delta (Indian) variant and to allow more people to receive their second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine before further easing of restrictions takes place.
What this means for local businesses:
A four week pause at step 3, until 19 July - Step 3 restrictions remain in place, and you should follow the government guidance page, which explains what you can and cannot do. It is expected that England will move to Step 4 on 19 July, though the data will be reviewed after 2 weeks in case the risks have reduced. The government will continue to monitor the data and the move to Step 4 will be confirmed one week in advance.
There will be a targeted easing of some restrictions from 21 June though, with changes to the rules on:
- 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
Full details at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do
(2) Cheshire East identified as Covid-19 Enhanced Resource Area
It was also announced on Monday that Cheshire East has been designated as an “'Enhanced Resource Area'’ to help combat the rapid rise of the Delta (Indian) variant across the borough.
This variant is more transmissible than previous variants and cases are rising in other areas of the north west, including Cheshire West, Greater Manchester and Lancashire, which have also been placed into this category, along with a growing list of areas across the country.
Designation as an Enhanced Resource Area is not a local lockdown or a return to a tiered system. It means we are able to access a range of support and guidance to address rapidly rising infection rates. This can include driving vaccine uptake for eligible people, the possibility of requesting military aid, additional testing support – including schools testing, and other assistance and support. You can read more about this latest update in our media release.
This means it is more important than ever that we all do everything we can to help stop the spread of the virus and protect our family, friends and community. You may wish to highlight to your staff the latest guidance. Wherever possible all local residents should:
- meet outside rather than inside where possible
- keep 2 metres apart from people that you don’t live with (unless you have formed a support bubble with them), this includes friends and family you don’t live with
- minimise travel in and out of affected areas.
With the Government announcement yesterday of a 4-week pause at Step 3, it is worth summarising how the Swab Squab can support local businesses.
- Supporting your role in workplace testing:
- We hold regular training sessions via webinar to help businesses to set up their own LFT covid testing system in-house. This is free, and to book onto the training it is just a case of emailing us at:LFT@cheshireeast.gov.uk
- We can also provide tailored support for your business in establishing workplace testing.
- We can provide you with posters and social media assets (also translated into a range of languages) to communicate to workforces the ongoing importance of getting tested.
- Supporting employers with any applicable testing which they may need to put in place (e.g. where staff have to travel across borders within UK) full guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-employer-testing-duty
- On-site visits and presentations to remind staff of the need to follow the Covid-19 Delta variant guidance that remains in place.
- Provide preventative workplace testing support:
If you have a workforce that cannot work from home, and you have not done so already, we may be able to provide your workplace with a preventative workplace testing visit to establish workplace testing, showing staff how to test and issuing boxes of regular, rapid test kits.
- Provide reactive working testing support:
For on-site workforces where there may have been some positive cases of Covid-19, we offer a reactive testing service to test your staff and provide your staff with rapid, regular test kits.
Following the government announcement yesterday, there may be some renewed energy and interest from your staff for testing, for any of the above services, please get in touch at: LFT@cheshireeast.gov.uk
A strong rise in cases of Covid-19 locally has been accompanied by the arrival of Summer; warmer weather and the ability for people to mix and enjoy themselves, bring the very conditions which allows coronavirus to spread so easily. The broad vaccine rollout has encouraged some complacency in this regard, we would appreciate local companies reminding your workforce that as Covid is on the rise locally, we all need to:
Get Tested: Testing remains a vital way to screen for and control the spread of Covid-19. This includes:
Anyone with symptoms or a positive test result for Covid-19 should self-isolate immediately
There is financial support if you’re off work because of coronavirus.
 The Summer Safety tips are simply a reminder then to:
- meet outside rather than inside where possible
- keep 2 metres apart from people that you don’t live with (unless you have formed a support bubble with them), this includes friends and family you don’t live with
- minimise travel in and out of affected areas.
Last week...the team were at Tytherington school for 2 days testing year 12’s and other relatives of students.
They were also at Wilmslow High school undertaking testing of students, where they processed 286 lateral flow tests (LFT), and identified a positive case.
We held training for a local business to help set up their Lateral Flow Testing process as an on-site screening safety measure for their staff.
The team arranged the opening of temporary Covid Mobile Testing Units (MTU) in Macclesfield and Cranage Hall.
This week... the team are co-ordinating testing at our new temporary Mobile Testing Unit's at Middlewich, Cranage Hall, Poynton and Macclesfiled, which are located at:
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Middlewich Town Football Club, Finney's Lane, Middlewich CW10 9DR Opening hours: 9am to 4pm, 7 days a week.
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Cranage Hall, Byley Lane, Cranage, Holmes Chapel, CW4 8EW Opening hours: 9am to 4pm, 7 days a week.
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The Centre,107 Park Lane, Poynton, SK12 1RB. Opening hours: 9am to 4pm.
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Macclesfield local test site, Commercial Road, Macclesfield, SK10 2QJ. Opening hours: 8am to 8pm daily (7 days)
The team will also be providing rapid, regular testing to screen for Covid-19 at our regular pop-up asymptomatic testing across the borough at: Audlem Town Hall, Congleton New Life Church, Crewe Alexandra F.C, Middlewich Community Church, Prestbury Village Hall and Sandbach Wesley Centre. These testing sites occur between Mon-Sat and appointments for a test can be booked at: https://cheshireeast.zipporah.co.uk/LFT.Bookings/Booking/TrackAndTrace
Do you know the difference between a Lateral Flow Test and a PCR Test?
And if Lateral Tests are usually for people without symptoms and PCR tests are usually for people with symptoms, why does local enhanced testing mean everyone can now get a PCR test?
Confused? Don't be... we've put together the following definitions and graphic to help explain this:
- LFT remains the best regular screening tool, that we want people to engage on regularly and become habitual in using.
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PCR remains the best diagnostic tool that we will deploy for those with symptoms and during outbreaks, whether those outbreaks be in schools, businesses or within the community.
For the latest government guidance on coronavirus, visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus
For the latest government data and insights on coronavirus, visit https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk
For the latest posters, social media assets and other national communications related to coronavirus and testing, visit: https://coronavirusresources.phe.gov.uk/Community-Testing/
For regular news and updates about this new service and other local testing facilities available, follow the Swab Squad on their Twitter page
For full details about our testing facilities for both asymptomatic and symptomatic testing visit our web page
Cheshire East Council self-isolation support and guidance.
Cheshire East Council Covid-19 Support for Business page.
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