Friday 18 September
Letting our residents and visitors know what’s happening and what they need to do to help keep everyone safe is key to preventing, identifying and controlling local outbreaks of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Devon.
We're endeavouring to bring you the latest news, advice and guidance via this email. You can help us reach as many people as possible in our communities by sharing it with your friends and family or encouraging them to sign up to receive it themselves via this link.
In this update:
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Testing numbers rise in Devon as confirmed cases fall
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Businesses urged to prepare for NHS COVID-19 app
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Advice for parents and carers to help keep schools safe
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How is COVID-19 impacting carers?
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Kickstart Grant Scheme reopening for tourism sector applications
 Testing numbers rise in Devon as confirmed cases fall
She was commenting following release of the latest data that actually shows a big rise in the number of tests completed in the last seven days, (around 8,500), compared to the previous week (around 6,500). The number of confirmed cases in Devon have also fallen in the last week, from 54 to 26.
"Clearly we need people with genuine COVID-19 symptoms - a high temperature; a new and continuous cough; a change in their sense of smell or taste - to self-isolate and then have a test," said Dr Pearson.
"If you live with others, self-isolating also applies to your whole household. So if one of you in the house has symptoms, all of you need to stay at home until that person has been tested, and then dependent on the test result. No one else in the households needs to have a test, unless they develop any of the three symptoms.
“If you test negative, your household can stop self-isolating. If you test positive, you must self-isolate for at least 10 days and others in the household for 14 days.
“If we stick to this then we can make sure that all those that really need to be tested can be tested, and that key workers and the most vulnerable can be prioritised.”
 Businesses urged to prepare for NHS COVID-19 app
The government is launching the NHS COVID-19 app in England and Wales on Thursday 24 September.
We all need to know about this and how it will work, because we're all likely to come upon it in our day to day lives.
Here's how it works.
Right now though, businesses and other venues across England and Wales (like places of worship or community organisations with a physical location that is open to the public; or an event which is taking place in a physical location), are being urged by government to ensure that they have NHS 'QR' code posters visible at their entrances, in advance of Thursday 24 September.
In fact, there is now a legal requirement for certain venues to display the NHS QR posters in their venues by the 24 September. They include venues in:
- Hospitality
- Leisure and tourism
- Close contact services
- Places of worship
- Local authority venues
The QR code posters are free to download, and available online.
Some businesses already use their own QR system, but they are being asked by government to switch to the NHS Test and Trace QR code.
For more information about the NHS COVID-19 app, visit covid19.nhs.uk.
 New laws announced today place duties on venues
Businesses and organisations have been playing their part by putting measures in place in their venues to tackle the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
From today, (Friday 18 September), new legal requirements make it compulsory for them to do so, or risk facing a fine.
From today, pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants in England will need to take bookings of no more than six people, ensure that people are not meeting in groups of more than six people on their premises, and make sure there is sufficient space between tables.
It will also be compulsory for certain businesses and organisations to collect customer, visitor and staff contact details.
From next Thursday, (24 September), it will also be a legal requirement for those businesses to display the official NHS QR code posters, (as mentioned above).
 Parents urged to help keep schools safe
There’s always a rise in the number of bugs and illness at the start of term, and this year for obvious reasons, there has been a heightened awareness of when our children feel unwell, though in most cases this will not be coronavirus (COVID-19).
However, coronavirus has not gone away so you can’t rule it out, especially as children and young people experience much milder symptoms of the virus than adults.
We've created some useful resources to help you identify the symptoms of coronavirus compared to a cold or seasonal flu and what action you need to take if your child or anyone in your household develops symptoms of coronavirus. You can find them on our website.
It’s extremely important that anyone with coronavirus symptoms stays at home and gets tested to avoid the risk of spreading the virus to others, including the more vulnerable in our communities.
That means if your child, or anyone in your household, has any of the symptoms of coronavirus, no matter how mild, you must keep your child off school and self-isolate your whole household while the person with symptoms gets tested and waits for the results. Just the person with symptoms needs to get tested. If you don't have symptoms, you don't need to get tested unless you are asked to by a health professional, but you do need to self-isolate until your household member gets their results.
 How is COVID-19 impacting carers?
If you provide care to a loved one or friend, Carers UK would like to know how coronavirus (COVID-19) is impacting on your life.
They're doing some research, and your input would be really valuable.
Carers UK not only campaign for better support for carers, but they also lobby government, by raising awareness of the sorts of issues that carers face every day.
This research will highlight how coronavirus is still having an on your lives. It will help inform them, and therefore help shape their campaigning for better support for carers.
 Kickstart Grant Scheme reopening for tourism sector
The Growth Support Kickstart Team is delighted to announce that businesses operating in the tourism sector are invited to apply for the second round of the Kickstart Grant Scheme when the application window reopens at midday on Monday 21 September.
After the initial allocation of funding, the Kickstart Team has £197,000 remaining for eligible tourism sector businesses located within the Heart of the South West LEP area which includes Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay.
There's not long to apply though. The window opens on Monday (21 September) at 12pm midday and will close on Tuesday (22 September) at 6.00pm. Grants will be awarded to eligible applicants who meet the sector criteria on a first come, first served basis according to the date and time of submission.
Tourism sector businesses are encouraged to carefully read the information and guidance available on the Kickstart Grant page before making their application.
Many eligible businesses have already benefited from the Grant Scheme, including a performing arts company who received £1,800 of funding to obtain digital marketing support and an accommodation provider who received £2,200 to develop their website and purchase relevant digital equipment.
 Jewish High Holidays checklist
From today (Friday 18 September), Jewish communities will be marking a series of religious festivals, starting with Rosh Hashana, known as the High Holy Days.
It's an important time for our Jewish communities, often shared and celebrated with friends and family, but the coronavirus pandemic means, like other religious events this year, we have to change the way we mark them.
With cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) on the rise nationally, we're urging those celebrating to remember to continue following social distancing and hygiene guidance to help keep everyone safe and well.
The government has published updated guidance around High Holy Day services and gatherings, to help people ensure they can take part in special religious services and gatherings safely at this time. It provides helpful advice for communal worship or prayer and guidance for people attending a synagogue or marking the festivals in other ways.
We wish our Jewish communities in Devon happy, peaceful and safe celebrations.
 Let's all stick to six
When seeing friends and family you do not live with or who are not in your support bubble you should not meet in groups of more than six people. If you do, you'll be breaking the law and the police have the powers to take enforcement action, including to issue fines of £100, doubling for further breaches up to a maximum of £3,200.
There are exceptions where groups can be larger than six people. You can find out more about those on the government's website.
When you do see people who are not part of your household, it's important to follow social distancing and hygience guidelines. Remember - hands, face, space.
It's also a good idea to limit how many different people you see socially over a short period of time, and meet people outdoors where practical as being outside together is safer than being indoors because fresh air provides better ventilation.
Don't forget there's a handy list of frequently asked questions about what you can and can't do on the government's website.
 Funding available for environmental charities
The government has announced a £40 million Green Recovery Challenge Fund, to help environmental charities and their partners to start work on projects across England to restore nature, and tackle climate change.
It's part of the government's green economic recovery plans, as the country moves forward from coronavirus (COVID-19).
It'll be delivered by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency.
To qualify, all projects must contribute to at least one of these:
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nature conservation and restoration
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nature-based solutions, particularly focused on climate change mitigation and adaption, such as through tree planting and restoring peatland
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connecting people with nature
Projects that create or retain jobs as well as opportunities and benefits for all ages will be favoured.
 Government consultation on vaccine deployment
Any vaccine must go through rigorous testing and development, and be shown to meet expected high standards of safety, quality and efficacy before it can be deployed.
The independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation will advise the government on which COVID-19 vaccine(s) the UK should use.
The government is consulting right now on steps that it would like to make to possibly reduce the time it takes for a potential vaccine to be deployed in the UK. Currently, EU legislation requires vaccines to be authorised via the European Medicines Agency. But the government wants to put in the legislative measures to allow for potential use of a vaccine before it's received a produce licence from Europe.
 Devon libraries open
All Devon libraries are now are open with the exception of Salcombe.
For those that aren't open for public access, they are operating a Choose and Collect service.
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