Thursday 13 August 2020
In this update:
- Improved COVID-19 data on our website
- Study into longer term health impacts launched
- Social enterprises can join a support network
- More libraries open next week
- Help the high street this Shop Local Week
- Tools to help towards Better Health
 Good luck!
...to everyone expecting to receive their A-level results today, and in anticipation, to those awaiting GCSE results next Thursday.
 Creating lasting benefits from Exeter Veteran's Hub
Coronavirus made a lot of services rapidly re-think the way that they provide support to people who need them.
Changes were adopted quickly and new ways of staying connected with people remotely while providing the support they still need were implemented.
One might have assumed that those changes were temporary. But not necessarily so.
Many changes have shown us better ways of reaching and supporting people. It would be a backward step just to automatically revert to the way things used to be done, without re-evaluating.
The Armed Forces Community Support Hub in Exeter did just that.
Changes they have made since coronavirus - supporting veterans and their families across Devon, some have complex mental health conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression and anxiety - have made lasting improvements.
Unable to provide their usual face-to-face support, they used money from our COVID-19 Prompt Action Fund to help over 200 veterans and their families access online activities and meetings during lockdown, designed to help combat isolation, improve mental health and lessen anxieties.
So successful has it been, the hub is now looking to continue the virtual support sessions, in addition to their usual services, even when restrictions ease further.
They also bought smart phones to loan to veterans who were otherwise unable to access support during lockdown. Hub volunteers showed them how to use them and taught them new digital skills to do things, like apply for jobs online and stay connected.
 Facts and figures around the wider impacts of COVID-19
We’ve no doubt all found new routines and habits since March, with lockdown, self-isolation and shielding for those who were. New habits. Some good. Some perhaps less so.
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more than a third of adults are doing at least 30 minutes of physical activity on 5 or more days a week. Nearly a quarter of parents say their children are doing more than an hour of physical activity per day
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alcohol consumption is roughly what it was before COVID-19, but most 18 to 34s are more likely to be drinking less each week, and 35 to 54s more likely to be drinking more
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around half of smokers are still smoking as before, while others have increased it and some have cut. More than 1 in 10 smokers have tried to stop during COVID-19, and more than a quarter say they’re more likely to stop smoking now, than before lockdown
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anxiety levels are up, well above 2019 levels
- grocery shopping also up. Savoury home cooking purchases up by 27 per cent and sweet home cooking groceries up a quarter.
The data is interesting, but it also provides us an opportunity to reflect and reconsider our own habits and routines.
 Take One Small Step to improve your health
There’s help for everyone in Devon* who wants to improve their health.
One Small Step Devon is a free service that gives support to people wanting to make lifestyle changes and improve their health.
Their fully qualified Health Coaches will work with you to explore how important it is to you to make these changes.
*This support is available to anyone living in the Devon County Council area.
 The latest data is helping us keep on top of the situation
Dr Virginia Pearson, Director for Public Health Devon and Chair of the county's multi-agency COVID-19 Health Protection Board, said:
"Visitors to our website will have seen regular improvements since March to the way that we present public information and guidance about COVID-19.
"The data is publicly available from different sources, but we've pulled it together into the one place to give Devon residents and visitors to the county access to the latest information.
"We're using the data to monitor exactly what's happening in the county in order to spot potential situations at the earliest opportunity. That way, we can work with our partners to implement plans immediately to contain a situation before it becomes a problem.
“Devon, so far, is doing well to keep the number of confirmed cases low, even after there’s been easing of lockdown restrictions. That’s largely due to residents, and visitors, sticking to the guidance. There is no sign of any impact from the relaxation of lockdown or increased visitor numbers.
“To protect yourself and others, when you leave home you must:
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keep washing your hands regularly
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wear a face covering over your nose and mouth in enclosed spaces
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stay at least a metre, or better still two, away from people not in your household
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if you’re feeling unwell, get a test and do not leave home for at least 10 days.”
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Social enterprises invited to join regional network
As with other businesses, social enterprises have been struggling with reduced income and uncertainty surrounding consumer habits during the pandemic.
The uncertainty has led to social enterprises signing up to the network in increasing numbers - membership's grown from 170 to 389 in just a few months. One social enterprise said:
"The experience has been like coming home to people who understand your endeavour and who are excited by attempts to find new and innovative ways of doing things."
Another said:
"It was the network that made us aware of the government's grant relevant to us to cover income lost due to COVID-19 lockdown. The staff have always been great supporters and encouragers, and this is especially valued now. It's so encouraging to know that we are not alone."
 Financial support to businesses during COVID-19
Nearly 900,000 firms in England have benefitted from over £10 billion in business grants, according to the government. Thousands more in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have received £4.7 billion of coronavirus support.
119,000 grants totalling £1.3 billion have been given to businesses in the South West.
They say loan schemes, grants and business rates holidays have helped all sectors, but that retail, construction and hospitality, including hotels and restaurants, have benefitted the most.
 Helping high street shops bounce back
It's Shop Local Week this week, (10 to 16 August) where shoppers are urged to do their bit to help local businesses rebuild from the coronavirus pandemic.
We intuitively know it's good to support our local shops, and so many of them have pulled out the stops to do things differently to support us when we needed them.
So, let's make it a shop local week. The high street needs the support.
Shops are geared up to keep shoppers safe with restrictions on numbers inside and social distancing. Just follow the guidance, remember to use your face covering, and wash your hands well when you get home.
 Community groups are still doing an amazing job
Devon's incredibly lucky to have a strong and effective network of local groups and charities working in communities, supporting people who have needed help during coronavirus, and may continue to do so.
We've listed them on our webpages so that you can see what groups and individuals are offering help in your area.
Those webpages have received thousands of visits from the public over the past few months, highlighting how important the work of community groups has been to people in Devon.
As time moves on, and the urgency of those earlier days has become more routine for many, we're putting a call out to all of those groups we’ve listed to make sure that they’re still running.
We want to help raise awareness of them, and move them to our directory of local groups and services, called Pinpoint. Pinpoint is the go-to place for people wanting to find services and community groups in Devon.
If you are in a community group that we have listed on our webpages, or you're one that we don't know about but you'd like us and others to know about you, please add yourselves to Pinpoint. It’s totally free.
 More Devon libraries reopen next week
More of our libraries will be reopening for public access next week, commencing Monday 17 August.
They'll include Bampton, Kingsbridge, Lynton and Northam. Appledore library is opening too, but by appointment. In Torbay area, Churston library will be opening as well, and in Buckfastleigh, they'll be offering the Choose and Collect service from next week.
More details are available online.
 World-wide study launched in the UK
For most, the symptoms of having COVID-19 have been relatively straight forward with no serious implications. But for many it has required hospitalisation.
Around 10,000 patients are expected to take part, and it'll look at aspects of their physical health and recovery, and ways to improve their mental health. It will also assess how things like gender or ethnicity influence recovery.
 Better Health campaign
 Calling all Devon dairy farmers
The fund is to support eligible farmers in England who produce cows' milk, and it's provided in a one-off payment.
It was set up to help support dairy farmers who have seen decreased demand for their product, and to enable them to continue operating by helping cover ongoing costs.
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