Friday 20 November 2020
 In this update:
- A plea from Steve Brown, the Director of Public Health Devon (Designate)
- Health and care workers urgently needed
- £1.3m Active Travel Funding
- Open your windows this winter
- Devon's care homes take part in testing pilot
- Support grants for businesses
 We must keep our wits about us
Steve Brown, the Director of Public Health Devon (Designate) made a fresh plea this week. He acknowledges some of the positive things happening right now, but asks that we all keep our wits about us as coronavirus case numbers continue to rise in Devon. He said:
"There's lots to be optimistic about right now, which is great. But we mustn't let it become a distraction from the task in hand - to stop the spread of coronavirus.
"We have Christmas approaching and talk of families being able to come together.
"We have rapid test pilots enabling people to see their loved ones in care homes and to hold hands for the first time in a very long time.
"We've got several vaccines coming fast down the track. And we're approaching the final weeks of our current national lockdown restrictions, subject to what the government decides.
"We may be feeling like we're in the final chapter of this pandemic.
"But I wouldn't be doing my job as Director of Public Health if I were not to inject a strong measure of caution with a dose of cold facts.
"Case numbers in Devon are still rising, especially in the working age population. We're seeing spread in social and communal settings within the workplace, in staff rooms, kitchens, corridors, car parks - the bits of our daily life where we're more easily distracted and our attention slips.
"My plea to you is that we must not let our enthusiasm to return to normal actually set us further back.
"It will be some time yet before we see the impact of these last few weeks of national restrictions. Our rising cases have to stop. To do that, we must focus on the here and the now.
 Health and care workers urgently needed this winter
Every winter, care providers, residential homes and the NHS are under pressure as demand for services increases with the onset of cold weather and flu.
This year that pressure has increased as the coronavirus ‘second wave’ has developed.
Authorities are now calling on people of all ages and backgrounds - anyone who is caring, compassionate and committed - to help care for vulnerable people across the county.
Health and care workers are needed for temporary and permanent positions with working hours during the day, evenings and across weekends, in residential settings, hospitals and in people's homes.
If that could be you, you can register your interest in a variety of healthcare assistant roles across Devon on the Proud to Care Devon website. Previous experience in care is not necessary.
Applicants could be people who have left the caring profession, or have recently found themselves out of work, or recent college leavers. They might not even have considered a career in care before.
 We've got £1.3 million Active Travel Funding
Earlier in the year, we looked at how we can improve our roads and pavements to help people get about easier, to keep socially distanced, and to encourage more active travel - walking and cycling where possible. The government called it 'reallocating road space in response to COVID-19.'
We set up a series of 'pop-up' measures across the county, including in Exeter, Barnstaple, Bideford and Newton Abbot, widening pedestrian spaces, introducing cycling lanes and more.
As people's routines have changed, we've continued to encourage active travel more. There was support last month from Councillors to make some of those temporary pop-up measures permanent, and there'll be a consultation on other arrangements in Exeter.
That's obviously welcome news. We want to encourage active travel, not just for now with COVID-19, but for always, because it tackles congestion, cuts carbon emissions and helps improve our health.
 Open your windows this winter
The government is encouraging people to open their windows and keep their homes well ventilated during the winter.
It's because research has shown that being in a room with fresh air can reduce the risk of infection from coronavirus by over 70 per cent.
As the weather turns colder, we all tend to spend more time indoors, so experts are recommending that you open windows for short, sharp bursts of 10 to 15 minutes regularly throughout the day or leave windows open a small amount continuously. This helps to remove any infected particles lingering in the room.
They're also advising that any household systems that use outdoor air, including kitchen or bathroom extractor fans, are used correctly and regularly as an additional method to remove infected particles.
Airing indoor spaces is particularly important if someone in your household has coronavirus as it can help prevent it spreading to other household members.
It's also important to do if you have visitors in your home, such as a care worker or tradesperson, or other visitors like friends and family from other households when that's permitted.
The government has produced a short film to show how coronavirus lingers in the air in spaces with no fresh air, increasing the risk of people breathing in infected particles, and how the risk can be reduced significantly by regularly ventilating enclosed areas. You can watch it here.
 Devon care homes part of new testing pilot
Family and friends may soon be able to regularly visit loved ones in care homes as a new testing pilot is launched by the government.
A small number of care homes in Devon are taking part in the trial which involves regular testing of one family member or friend per resident so that, when combined with other infection-control measures such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), they can visit their loved one indoors and without a screen, while reducing the risk to care home residents, staff and other visitors.
Steve Brown, Public Health Devon Director (Designate), said:
"The visiting restrictions for care homes have been incredibly difficult, both for the residents and their loved ones who have been unable to comfort them in the way they would do normally.
"Care homes in Devon have worked hard to continue to enable visits in line with government guidance where possible and with all the appropriate safeguards in place to protect residents visitors and staff. But this has often involved separation screens or talking through windows, which for some has been extremely confusing and distressing.
"I'm pleased that Devon is taking part in this innovative pilot to help care home residents safely see their families and friends more regularly, and if successful, we look forward to more welcome reunions as the government rolls the scheme out more widely."
 Volunteering safely during coronavirus
Organisations and groups have a duty of care to volunteers to ensure that, as far as reasonably practical, they are not exposed to risks to their health and safety.
So, if you are using volunteers, there are things that you need to be aware of.
The guidance includes information about who can volunteer, and what restrictions there are. And what volunteers who meet in groups can do, so long as they follow social distancing guidance.
There's also advice about travelling in order to volunteer.
Some volunteers will be classified as being in essential worker roles due to the nature of the service they are providing, and as such they are prioritised for coronavirus testing.
Organisations or groups should also assess the risks around volunteering roles and activities and take steps to keep volunteers safe.
 It's Alcohol Awareness Week
We don't necessarily need to give a week a label to bring it to our attention, but this week is national Alcohol Awareness Week.
Fewer have given up drinking altogether, but more - one in three of us - are taking active steps to manage our drinking.
It's a fact that in times of stress many find themselves drinking more, and more frequently.
The government advice is that adults, men and women, should drink no more than 14 units a week. You think you might know what a unit is, but it depends on how strong the alcohol is.
Without underestimating how difficult that can be for some, they can also support you to cut your alcohol consumption. Start that journey today.
 Local Restrictions Support Grants for businesses
At the start of this second lockdown period the government announced that there would be further support for businesses who could not trade.
This grant is called the Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) and is aimed at those businesses which were told that they must close due to the current coronavirus restrictions.
They include non-essential retail and leisure businesses such as shops, gyms and soft play centres, those which provide personal care, like hairdressers and beauty salons and hospitality businesses, for example holiday accommodation, pubs and restaurants. You can find the full list of business categories required to close on the government's website.
If a business on the list has closed its premises but is still operating a click and collect service, they can still apply. This could be a pub or restaurant operating a takeaway service, or a shop offering home delivery as an alternative to its usual business.
In Devon the grants are being administered by the district councils (or Torbay and Plymouth Councils if you live there), so please visit their websites to find out more, including how to apply. We've put their details on our website.
The government is also offering a discretionary Additional Restrictions Grant scheme through district councils to provide a broad range of support to local businesses that are not covered by other grant schemes or where additional funding is needed. You can find out more about it on the government's website.
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