 1 April 2021
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 to keep following the guidelines. Please remember to follow advice and guidance around social distancing, washing hands and sanitising hands regularly, wearing a face covering in enclosed spaces (unless exempt), and avoiding busy places.
Latest message from Steve Brown, Devon’s Director of Public Health
Click to watch the video on YouTube
Remember, outdoors only this weekend, and social distancing
Social distancing is crucial to reducing transmission of coronavirus, Steve Brown is reminding people ahead of the Easter weekend.
“With the easing of the restrictions and a nice long Easter weekend to look forward to, it’s natural that people are going to meet up with friends and family, maybe many of whom you haven’t seen for a long time,” said the Director of Public Health Devon.
“But please remember, while you can meet up – two households or a maximum of six people – it’s outdoors only, not indoors.
“So that’s in the garden, or a park, or at a beach for example.
“We know that the virus transmits really well indoors, so staying outside and keeping two metres apart is absolutely crucial to try to reduce the risk of transmission.”
Listen to Steve Brown’s latest message on You Tube.
Respect each other and local communities, asks Public Health Devon
"These last 12 months, with successive periods of lockdown, have been extremely difficult for everyone, and I know that many people will find the prospect of coming out of restrictions also daunting," says Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon.
“My ask to all Devon residents is to look out for each other. You know the people who may be worried right now about the next steps, so please look out for them. Know that they may be anxious, and let them know that you are still there for them.
“To those keen to see others this weekend and hereafter, please do so responsibly. However you spend it, at home in the garden or walking out onto the moors, please keep within the rules. Keep your social distance, wear a face covering when indoors in a public space, and wash your hands regularly and properly.
“If you are out and about, please respect each other and local communities, and be conscious of the impact your actions have on others and on the environment – park responsibly if you’re driving, and take your litter home with you.”
Read more from Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon.
CCG Members' briefing - coronavirus vaccination in Devon
Please see the latest coronavirus vaccination briefing for Members from NHS Devon, Devon’s CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group):
You can view current and previous copies on the Provider Engagement Network (PEN) website
 Workplace testing programme expands to offer free rapid home testing
In the next major push for the government’s workplace testing programme, all employers will now be able to offer their employees free, rapid and regular testing that can be taken at home.
From Tuesday 6 April, the government's workplace testing programme will supply home lateral flow test kits to companies with over 10 workers where it is not possible to set up testing on-site, due to a lack of space or because companies operate across multiple sites.
Employers with fewer than 10 people can continue to access regular testing through our community testing sites.
Around one in three people with coronavirus don’t have symptoms, which means they could be spreading the virus in workplaces without knowing, so regular testing could be the difference between a workplace being able to stay open and operational, or needing to close due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
Businesses are encouraged to register before Monday 12 April in order to access free tests until the end of June, even if they’re not yet open or are not able to start using the tests straight away.
Clinically extremely vulnerable people are no longer advised to shield
The government has advised that clinically extremely vulnerable people are no longer advised to shield and can now follow the same national restrictions as the rest of the population. This is because cases of COVID-19 have fallen considerably since shielding measures were introduced in January, and over 30 million people have had at least one dose of the vaccine.
Updated guidance about extra precautions you can take to protect yourself while the virus is still spreading in our communities has been published on the government's website. It provides practical steps that cover things like socialising, travel and going to work and school. These are not rules but advice, so you can choose whether you wish to follow them or not, but we urge you to take care to minimise your risk of exposure to the virus.
Shielding has not been easy, so as well as taking care of your physical health it is important to look after your mental health. The Every Mind Matters website has advice and practical steps that you can take to support your wellbeing and manage your mental health during this pandemic and beyond. The Let’s Talk Loneliness website also has a variety of tips, advice and further resources that you may find helpful.
Are you eligible for the Test and Trace Support Payment?
The government has updated its guidance about claiming financial support if you're told to self-isolate.
If you have been told by NHS Test and Trace to self-isolate, and you're eligible for the Test and Trace Support Payment or a discretionary payment, you will receive £500 in addition to any benefits and Statutory Sick Pay that you currently receive.
You are eligible for the £500 Test and Trace Support Payment if you live in England and meet the government's criteria.
If you are a parent or a guardian of a child who has been told to self-isolate by their education setting or by NHS Test and Trace, and you are therefore unable to attend work due to childcare responsibilities, you might also be eligible for a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment or discretionary payment, if you meet the government's criteria.
The government's website tells you how to apply.
Over 30 million people receive first COVID-19 vaccine dose
More than 30 million people in the UK have received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as the NHS prepares to administer millions of second doses in the coming weeks.
Around 57% of adults have received their first dose, which includes over 96% of people aged 60 years old and over. Everyone over 50 years old or those who are clinically vulnerable are urged to come forward for their vaccine as soon as possible.
As the drive to vaccinate people with second doses accelerates the total number of jabs administered overall is now more than 33 million.
Around 6% of the adult population have had their second doses so far and there will be a strong push over the coming weeks to give people their second jabs in line with the 12 week dose interval.
The rollout is continuing at pace and the UK is on track to achieve the Prime Minister’s target of offering all over-50s and the clinically vulnerable their first vaccine by 15 April, as well as all adults by the end of July.
What can I do from Monday 29 March?
In the Prime Minister's roadmap out of lockdown, the following now applies:
- Outdoor gatherings, including in private gardens, of up to 6 people (the Rule of 6) or two households of any size, are allowed (each household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible).
- The 'stay at home' rule has ended, but many restrictions remain in place. People should still continue working from home where they can and minimise the number of journeys they make where possible.
- Travelling abroad is still a no-go, for all but a few permitted reasons. Holidays abroad are not allowed.
- Tennis courts, basketball courts, open-air swimming pools and other outdoor sports facilities are reopoen. People can take part in formally organised outdoor sports.
The next milestone is Monday 12 April when, data permitting, we can expect non-essential retail, hairdressers, libraries, gyms, outdoor hospitality venues, holiday lets and more to reopen.
Stay outside when meeting others to reduce the spread of coronavirus
As the rules around social contact change, it is important to consider why the restrictions are being eased in a certain way.
Step one of the government's roadmap out of lockdown is now underway with up to six people or two households of any size now able to meet outside and outdoor sports resuming. It's exciting after so many weeks of lockdown, but please don't be tempted to meet indoors as the risk of spreading the virus is significantly higher inside.
This is because the closer you are to people, the greater the risk of breathing in infected particles, particularly when indoors, as it is harder to physically distance. Outside there is more room to distance, reducing the risk of breathing in larger particles from an infected person.
When indoors, smaller droplets and aerosols containing the virus can remain suspended in the air for some time, especially if there is no ventilation and therefore build ups are more likely to be inhaled by others, but when outside in fresh air, the virus disperses more easily.
It is also important to remember that while the requirement to stay at home has also been lifted, the advice is to minimise travel. Overnight stays away from your own home are still not permitted including over the Easter weekend.
Those who have had a vaccination must also continue to follow the rules. The full impact of the vaccine on transmission of the virus is not yet known, therefore it may be possible to spread the virus, putting others at risk.
Handy advice to share
Public Health England has published this blog about keeping yourself and others safe as we come out of lockdown. Please do share.
 Continue to take your lateral flow tests during the Easter holidays
Rapid COVID-19 tests (known as lateral flow tests) for people without symptoms of coronavirus are important because they help identify those who could be transmitting it unknowingly so they can self-isolate and help stop the spread.
Secondary school pupils, college students and staff working in all education settings have been taking these tests regularly, and everyone else in their household or support bubble has also been encouraged to take the tests twice a week.
Even though schools and colleges are closed for the Easter holiday, please continue to take your lateral flow tests twice a week and report your results.
If you test negative it means that you're unlikely to have coronavirus and you can get on with enjoying your day while still adhering to the guidelines on social distancing, face coverings and regular hand washing. Or, if you test positive, stay at home and self-isolate so you don't infect anyone.
Students returning to school or college for the summer term will also need to remember to take a test either the night before or the morning of their first day back. This is to find and isolate any positive cases.
Confirmed – childminders and foster carers have access to regular testing
If you are a childminder, foster carer, bus driver who drives children to school, or you work in a before-school breakfast club or provide after-school childcare, you can access the rapid lateral flow tests.
Care providers and staff thanked for their efforts during COVID-19 pandemic
This week Jennie Stephens, our Chief Officer for Adult Care and Health, paid tribute to all those involved in providing adult social care services in Devon.
"As we reflect on the year since the first lockdown in response to the pandemic, I’d like to pay tribute to all those involved in providing adult social care services in Devon, especially those working in care homes – and delivering care in people’s homes – who have done everything they can to keep residents safe and enjoying the best quality of life they can in the circumstances," she said.
In her message, she says that the take-up of vaccine by care home residents and adult social care staff in Devon has been comparatively very high. And that while vaccination offers a good level of protection against serious disease, it is not failsafe.
'It is important we all maintain good practice in infection prevention and control in our working and home lives,' she says.
You can read the full message from Jennie Stephens on our News Centre.
Devon approved as Integrated Care System
Devon has been approved by NHS England and NHS Improvement to be designated as an Integrated Care System (ICS) from today (1 April 2021).
We have been building the foundations towards an ICS for the past four years.
Working closely alongside the CCG, Plymouth and Torbay Councils, NHS Trusts, general practice, community services, mental health trusts, and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, the ICS aims to improve the health of all residents, better support people living with multiple and long term conditions, prevent illness, tackle variation in care and deliver seamless services while getting maximum impact for every pound.
For more information about the announcement, read NHS England and NHS Improvement’s press release. You can also find out more about ICSs by watching this short animation.
Head of Midwifery reassures women the COVID-19 vaccine is safe
The NHS in Devon is reassuring women that having the COVID-19 vaccination will not impact their ability to have a family and is encouraging health and social care workers to take up the jab.
More than 87 per cent of frontline health and social care workers in Devon have had their first dose of the life-saving vaccine. However, some female staff have been hesitant and highlighted concerns caused by misinformation circulating about fertility.
University Hospitals Plymouth Acting Head of Midwifery, Charlotte Wilton is among those offering reassurance and has recorded a message which you can watch on You Tube. She says:
“The vaccine works by travelling to your lymph glands and then is disposed of within a couple of days by the body. There is no mechanism by which the coronavirus vaccine can affect your fertility either now or in the future."
One of our social workers, Laura Boyle, is 33 years old and hopes to have another child. She says she had no hesitation in taking up the vaccine:
“I have no doubt in my head that it is safe. We have so many vaccines throughout our lives. Women have the flu and whooping cough vaccine routinely in pregnancy. I wasn’t worried that the coronavirus vaccine would have any impact on my future fertility.”
Public Health England has published a guide to the COVID-19 vaccination for women of childbearing age, those currently pregnant or breastfeeding.
Click to watch the Find Your Calling campaign video on YouTube
Proud to Care campaign launches with the aim of recruiting 1,500 care workers
Proud to Care Devon has launched a campaign to recruit 1,500 new healthcare assistants and care workers in the county, particularly in domiciliary care and care homes. The campaign is encouraging those who may find themselves out of work to consider if their skills and values are suitable for a career in care.
It is estimated that since the start of the pandemic, the number of people in Devon claiming Jobseekers Allowance and Universal Credit has increased by over 11,000 and there are almost 20,000 unemployed people in Devon.
The Find Your Calling campaign aims to mobilise an army of new care workers in Devon, encouraging people with the right values and skills to apply. The campaign calls for people to register their interest by completing a quick online form.
 Visitors asked not to travel too soon and to respect local communities
We will give visitors a warm welcome when the guidelines allow, but not before.
That's the message from us and other authorities across the South West who have joined together to warn people against travelling to the region too soon before further lockdown measures are due to be relaxed on Monday 12 April.
Keri Denton, our Head of Economy, Skills and Enterprise, said:
“After all our hard work to keep COVID-19 cases in Devon so low we do not want to risk things now.
“We ask everyone thinking of coming to Devon after Monday 12 April to behave responsibly and make sure you book the sort of accommodation and experiences you can enjoy safely in advance.
“We also ask potential visitors, as well as our own residents thinking of travelling within Devon, to take extra care and to show our local communities respect and courtesy. This includes the simple things like parking responsibly, respecting the countryside and taking litter away.”
The government’s full timetable for reopening after lockdown can be found on their website.
Be on the lookout for cyber-attacks which impersonate Microsoft 365 services
Our Data Protection and Cyber Security Team has recently become aware of phishing attack methods which could reach our mailboxes.
Follow their guidance on Inside Devon.
 A year living with coronavirus and our message of thanks and hope
Last week we marked a year since the Prime Minister announced the first national coronavirus lockdown and we were told to stay at home to protect our NHS and save lives.
Tuesday 23 March 2021 was named a National Day of Reflection by the end of life charity, Marie Curie, and offered a moment to stop, catch our collective breath, and remember.
Like everywhere, many of us in Devon have had a painful year due to grief, sudden changes to employment or the stresses of our own personal circumstances.
None of us expected that 12 months later we would still be living with coronavirus. It's been a long journey, and it's not over yet. But while is has been extremely difficult for a lot of people, some good things have come from the changes we have had to make in our lives. We sent you a special email looking back over some of positive things that have happened in Devon during the coronavirus pandemic. You can also find it on our website along with an archive of all our previous emails.
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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