27 November 2020
Public: coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for Devon on our website
Please pass this onto district, borough, parish and town councillors as appropriate. The bulletin can be shared as a link by clicking the 'View it as a Web page' link at the top. Find previous bulletins on our web page.
Do it for Devon
Stick with us and keep following the guidance to keep everyone safe and well.
We need the support of local residents and visitors to keep following the guidelines with social distancing, washing our hands and hand sanitising, wearing a face covering in enclosed spaces, avoiding busy places and keeping gatherings to groups of up to six people outside.
When this period of national lockdown ends on Wednesday 2 December the Government will re-introduce local restriction tiers.
These are different levels of restrictions that will apply to different parts of the country, depending on how prevalent coronavirus is and how rapidly it is spreading. It's similar to the system we had before, but the tiers have been strengthened in order to try and prevent the sharper increase in the rate of infections, which led to the second national lockdown.
There are three tiers of local restrictions, and the Government has decided that Devon is in 'Tier 2: High Alert', subject to parliamentary approval. This will be reviewed on 16 December.
In this special update:
The Leader of Devon County Council and Chair of the county’s Local Outbreak Engagement Board, Cllr John Hart said in response to the announcement about the new tier structure:
"Devon has done well so far in keeping case numbers relatively low and I would like to thank everyone for their actions during the latest lockdown, so I’m disappointed that we have been placed in tier 2.
"It’s even more vital now that we all stick to the guidelines and maintain social distance, wash our hands regularly and wear masks where required so we can get cases down and get into tier 1.
"And working with MPs and Team Devon partners I will be strongly lobbying the Government to provide tailored support for our hard-hit hospitality industry, which is losing out significantly during what’s usually their most lucrative period.
"I’m pleased local shops will be able to re-open in the run-up to Christmas and begin to help our economy recover, but in Devon, hospitality businesses are crucial and they need targeted support."
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The Director of Public Health Devon (Designate), Steve Brown, has described case numbers as ‘a real concern, particularly in the working age population and among older people.’ He said:
"While the number of cases across Devon has stabilised, it is clear that the virus is still with us.
"Local cases were rising when previously in tier 1 and it has only been through the additional restrictions and efforts of residents that we are now just starting to see a reduction in cases," he said. "Going into tier 2 now gives us the best chance of continuing to keep a lid on cases, or even continuing to bring them down.
"We must not let down our guard over the next few weeks, nor throw caution to the wind over the Christmas period."
Read the article in full on our Devon News Centre.
Detail from Tier 2 poster - click to download
The Government has decided that Devon will be under Tier 2 local restrictions when lockdown ends, subject to parliamentary approval.
It means that from Wednesday 2 December:
- You must not socialise with anyone indoors who is not in your household or part of your support bubble, at home or in a public space.
- If you are outside, you can meet in groups of up to six people from different households.
- Everyone who can work from home should do so.
- You should reduce the number of journeys you make, avoiding busy times and routes on public transport and car sharing with those outside of your household or support bubble. Walk or cycle instead if possible.
- Pubs and bars must close, unless operating as restaurants. Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals. Venues must stop taking orders at 10.00pm and must close by 11.00pm.
- Some businesses such as non-essential retail, leisure and sports venues can reopen providing they are COVID-secure.
- You must continue to follow Tier 2 restrictions if you travel to a Tier 1 area. You should avoid travel to a Tier 3 area other than where necessary, for example for work, education, medical treatment or to carry out caring responsibilities.
Full details of Tier 2 restrictions are available on the Government's website.
Posters for parishes and towns:
New posters have also been produced. They display information about the various tiers of restrictions in England from 2 December 2020. To note, there is no differentiation in the revised tier system regarding guidance on care home visiting.
Download and share the PDF poster for Tier 2 for your parish and town noticeboards.
The national lockdown restrictions have helped bring coronavirus transmission back under control, slowed its spread and eased pressure on the NHS. But infection rates still vary across the country, so different approaches are needed for different regions.
When deciding which tier of restrictions should apply to which area, the government consider a number of factors.
These include how many people are testing positive for coronavirus across all age groups and, in particular, how many of those are over 60 years old and therefore more vulnerable to becoming severely ill.
They also consider the rate at which cases are rising or falling in the area and the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of the total number of tests taken.
It's also important to take into account the pressure on local NHS services, for example how many hospital beds are occupied and what the projected demand is likely to be over the coming weeks, as well as staff absences.
The tier allocations will be regularly reviewed by the government, the first being by Wednesday 16 December.
If these indicators are not improving, an area may be moved up a tier and if the trajectory improves, an area may move to a lower tier.
You can read more about how tiering decisions are made on the government's website.
The festive period is traditionally a time spent with family and friends, but this year we won't be able to come together as we usually would.
The government is changing some social contact restrictions for a short period of time over Christmas to allow people to celebrate over the holidays, but we must all continue to take personal responsibility to limit the spread of the virus and protect our loved ones, particularly if they are vulnerable.
You can find out more about forming an exclusive Christmas bubble with no more than three households on the government's website.
Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon (Designate) has warned that, even though restrictions will be relaxed a little, please remember that Christmas this year will not be normal. He said:
“It is really important that we continue to follow the measures that help keep us safe - social distancing, wearing face coverings when indoors in public spaces, and washing our hands properly and regularly.
"It’s a very, very high price to pay if we relax our guard during Christmas and into the New Year.
“I am sure that everyone would agree that we need to protect our loved ones, and particularly those who are most vulnerable.”
By pulling together across the Council, with our partners and our communities, we are doing everything we can to help us all through this incredibly difficult time. Thank you to you and your community and stay safe and well.
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