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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. 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.
#RespectProtectEnjoy #DoItForDevon
28 May 2021
 Devon County Council Leader, Councillor John Hart, has refreshed his ruling Cabinet following last month’s election victory.
Councillor John Hart said:
“Last month we won an historic fourth term in office at County Hall.
“Devon County Council is a big business with a turnover of more than one billion pounds a year and it is important that Cabinet members gain experience in all areas of the operation and take on new responsibilities.
“This new Cabinet blends both experience and fresh faces and I know it will be effective in our major challenges of ensuring the Devon economy recovers from the effects of the pandemic and leading our increasing efforts to combat climate change.”
Climate change takes centre stage in Devon
A new role overseeing climate change has been created on Devon County Council’s Cabinet for the first time as Leader, Councillor John Hart, re-shuffles his team.
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Newly elected councillor event
The Local Government Association (LGA) is holding three free events for newly elected councillors. These events offer a great opportunity for new councillors to explore their role; learn about challenges facing councils; and meet colleagues from other councils. The session will cover national and regional issues, along with an opportunity to meet experienced councillors and hear more about the LGA’s support.
Delegates can choose to attend one of the following 90 minute events:
CCG Members' briefing - coronavirus vaccination in Devon
At total of 728,745 people in Devon received a first vaccine dose between 8 December and 16 May, while 436,224 second doses have been given. This means 1,164,969 doses have been given in Devon. More than seven out of ten adults (aged 16+) in Devon have had at least one dose.
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.
Rise in COVID-19 cases in the South Hams
Positive cases of coronavirus remain stable in Devon, and well below the national average in most areas. However, there’s been a rise in cases in the South Hams over the last week or so, and the rate there is now 25.3 per 100,000 which is slightly above the national rate of 22.5 per 100,000.
We can meet with people we don’t live with indoors in groups of up to six from any number of households, or a group of any size from just two households. But socialising outdoors is always the safest option where possible, and we can meet outside in groups of up to 30 people. If you are having visitors or visiting others, make sure you let fresh air in.
Tourism and hospitality is opening up. What can we expect?
It’s a bank holiday this weekend, followed by the May half-term break next week, and we are encouraging everyone to enjoy the time safely, whether at home or away, by continuing to follow the advice and guidance to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
This includes the familiar social distancing, regular hand washing, wearing a face covering when required, but also making sure everyone knows what the latest rules are for socialising and following COVID-secure guidelines when visiting places like shops and restaurants.
Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon, said:
“If you are away visiting friends and family this holiday, please remember to take tests with you, and take them again on your return home. Testing and self-isolating if positive are how we stop the virus spreading.”
With tourism and hospitality reopening, many will be planning a holiday this bank holiday and half-term, so we've rounded up some commonly asked questions so you know what to expect.
Advice if planning to travel to areas of the UK where the new variant is spreading
There are no known cases of the new ‘Indian’ variant of coronavirus within Devon at the moment, but as people plan to visit friends and families during the half-term holiday, Public Health Devon is advising extra caution.
 Go for the Flow testing campaign
Did you know that one in three people with coronavirus do not have symptoms? Devon County Council has launched the Go for the Flow campaign to encourage people to take twice-weekly rapid lateral flow tests, helping identify those who may unknowingly have the virus, and breaking the chain of transmission.
We would appreciate your help to spread the word further among your constituencies.
Find out more about how and where to access rapid lateral flow tests on our website: devon.cc/flow or call 0345 155 1015.
 Drive to combat children’s holiday hunger in Devon gets £250,000 boost
Almost 17,000 food vouchers worth over a quarter of a million pounds are being distributed to families this half-term as Devon County Council continues to combat holiday hunger.
Families of children currently receiving free school meals will automatically be sent supermarket vouchers to help them buy food over the holiday to replace the meals their children would have had in school.
The vouchers – worth £15 a week for each child – can be redeemed in major supermarkets across Devon. Arrangements are in place for families who cannot get to a supermarket.
More than 310 schools across the county are helping to distribute the vouchers – worth £252,000 – to the families of their pupils. It’s part of a £2 million programme organised by Devon County Council to combat holiday hunger over the Christmas, half-term and Easter breaks.
If you know of a family who previously didn't qualify for free school meals but now their income has reduced or stopped, families can apply online through our website to check if they are eligible for this support; they will get an instant decision.
Alternatively, people can call Devon County Council's education helpline on 0345 155 1019. More information about the free school meals holiday voucher scheme is available on our website.
Ofsted Focused Visit
Ofsted has completed a Social Care Focused Visit to Devon County Council on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 May 2021, following their notification on Wednesday 12 May.
The team included four of Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) for Social Care, one Education HMI and one shadowing new inspector. Staff have worked tirelessly over the past couple of weeks preparing for the visit with briefings, sharing data, and scheduling meetings ahead of their virtual visit this week.
The areas of focus were:
- Effectiveness of initial enquiries through the 'front door' process, rise in referrals, Section 47 child protection enquiries etc.
- Progress of children subject to children in need and child protection plans.
- Progress of those recently stepped up or stepped down to early help.
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Edge of Care (now known as the Bridges team) and pre-proceedings work.
- Physical and mental wellbeing of those in care and care leavers, including being in touch, and facilitated contact with families.
- Placement decisions, matching, sufficiency when challenged, placement stability, finding the right placements.
- Impact of leaders on early help and protection, quality assurance and line of sight, practice evaluations.
- Management and workforce capacity, responses to staff wellbeing, recruitment and retention and how we have supported people through COVID-19.
- Effectiveness of leaders in contributing to multi-agency working and impact on social work practice.
We will receive feedback from Ofsted and will share the highlights with you following the visit.
 Emergency foster carers needed for Devon’s most vulnerable children
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic the number of children in care in Devon has increased from 762 in April 2020 to 821 May 2021. Devon County Council’s fostering service, Fostering Devon, is now calling for people to consider offering emergency foster care to vulnerable children.
The new Emergency Bed Scheme provides rapid support for children and young people, aged between 0 and 18 years old, who are unable to remain living in their current home and need an immediate place of safety at a time of crisis.
Foster carers providing emergency placements must have no other children at home so that can accept any child or young person that needs a bed for up to seven nights.
For further information or if you would like to speak to a member of the Fostering Devon team, please call 0345 155 1077 or email foster@devon.gov.uk.
 Combatting misinformation
People aged 30 or over, or those who turn 30 before Thursday 1 July 2021, can now book their COVID-19 vaccine. This means that more women of childbearing age are becoming eligible for the vaccine. We are working with the NHS in Devon to dispel misinformation about the vaccination impacting on fertility, while also offering reassurance on its safety for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Nearly three-quarters of adults in the UK have already had one dose, and more than two-fifths have had two.
Over-50s, frontline health and social care workers and people who are considered most vulnerable if they catch coronavirus (vaccination priority groups one to nine) are having their second doses brought forward to eight weeks after their first dose - rather than 12 - to help ensure they have the strongest possible protection from the virus at an earlier opportunity following concerns about the variants.
You cannot catch coronavirus from the COVID-19 vaccine.
There’s a lot of misinformation out there, so please ensure the people in your community are getting it from a trusted source. For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the NHS website.
Testing is essential to detect COVID-19 and prevent onward transmission
People who have had their vaccination(s) are more protected from becoming seriously ill from COVID-19, and early evidence suggests that the vaccine can also prevent a person’s ability to transmit the virus.
But there are no guarantees and we don’t know how effective the current vaccines may be against as yet unknown variants of the virus. So, whether or not we have had the vaccine, we should all continue to assume that transmission is possible, and keep following infection, prevention and control guidance.
Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon, says:
"Make testing part of your regular week.
"Build it into a routine, and use the lateral flow device tests when you know you’re likely to be meeting up with friends or family. These tests are so fast now that you will have your result and peace of mind in half an hour. If it comes back positive, then you’ll prevent others from catching it by staying home and arranging a confirmatory test.”
For more information about where you can get your lateral flow tests, visit devon.cc/flow.
Celebrating staff and volunteers
More than one million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been given to people
across Devon. This could not have been possible without the hard work and
dedication of the many staff and volunteers. Here are some of their stories:
Hannah Hurrell is Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Operational lead for Devon
County Council but also became Vaccinations
Bookings Manager for frontline health and care
staff.
In approximately five weeks Hannah and her
small team arranged for around 18,000 frontline health and social care workers to have the COVID-19 vaccination.
Along with many others involved in the vaccination
programme, Hannah had only a couple of days off
for Christmas, but she says it didn’t feel like work:
“We felt we were helping people. It was great to be involved because we were at the front end of it.”
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Dr Liz Thomas, Assistant Medical Director, Exeter Large Vaccination Centre
When people aren’t sure whether they should have the vaccination, or are worried about allergic reactions, or feel unwell, Dr Liz Thomas is part of the clinical team on hand at the Exeter Vaccination Centre to offer advice. She’s seconded from her normal role as Deputy Medical Director for the region.
“It is wonderful when you hear patients’ stories and see their delight. Some people have dressed up for it, some are anxious, some are celebrating. All human emotion is
here.”
She says many patients give volunteers a thumbs-up as they drive away.
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Vaccine volunteers Hamish Marshall and Ian Aspinall last met around 15 years ago.
Back then they were also dressed in high-vis jackets. Ian was a Chief Inspector and Head of Roads Policing at Devon and Cornwall Police and Hamish was a senior news reporter for BBC Spotlight.
Hamish, who has been volunteering as both a steward and shift leader at Exeter Large Vaccination Centre, said:
“I saw Ian’s name on the list and thought I recognised him from years ago. It was really good to catch up and remember the times we worked together before.”
Ian says he tries to put people at ease with a bit of light humour and by engaging with them. He’s also found people are generally happier to see him than when he was in uniform! Ian added:
“It’s probably one of the few jobs where almost everyone is glad to see you. The teams are all smashing, there’s such an eclectic mix of people from all walks of life."
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Sewage testing ramped up to help tackle COVID-19 outbreaks
An innovative Government-led programme to test wastewater for traces of COVID-19 has ramped up sequencing capacity to help rapidly detect outbreaks of variants of concern.
Testing sewage for coronavirus now covers more than two thirds of the population of England and helps identify where variants of concern may be circulating undetected in communities. Continuing to monitor sewage after surge testing has ended in an area also provides reassurance the variant is no longer circulating in that community.
It's a non-invasive way of pinpointing potential outbreaks in smaller areas and neighbourhoods, without the need to rely on individuals coming forward for swab tests. It is not possible to trace back the samples of COVID-19 to specific individuals and no personal information is collected.
A new laboratory in Exeter opened last month dedicated to analysing wastewater, making it one of the biggest wastewater processing labs in the world.
Insights from the programme have already been used in Bristol and Luton to provide timely understanding of the spread of variants in their communities and help to provide reassurance that local outbreak control measures are working.
You can find out more on the Government's website.
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 Help clean up Devon
As a part of their Greener Devon campaign, Devon Youth Parliament is hosting a countywide litter picking week during the upcoming May half-term holiday.
The week-long event – called ‘Clean Up Devon’ – aims to encourage young people to get out and help to clear up their communities from litter. Young people across Devon are being encouraged to take part in this exciting week – which is taking place from Monday 31 May to Sunday 6 June, although litter picks can happen later than this if that is easier for your group.
To get involved, simply form a group and go out and start litter picking, then send in your photos to Greener Devon’s social media (Instagram and Twitter) or email greenerdevon@gmail.com.
 Getting help this bank holiday weekend
The NHS in Devon is reminding people how to access health services and get the care they need this bank holiday. Most GP practices will be closed over the three-day-weekend with normal opening hours resuming on Tuesday 1 June.
For urgent advice over the long weekend people are encouraged to ‘Think 111 First’ and contact NHS 111 from anywhere, either by phone or online, any time of day or night.
Local pharmacies can provide expert advice and a fast route to medication for minor ailments. They are open until late and at weekends with no need for an appointment, and most have a confidential consulting area.
Pharmacy opening times for the bank holiday:
Visit the NHS website to find your nearest pharmacy and check opening times, or call the free helpline NHS 111.
Watch the short clip on the Northam Care Trust website
COVID HERO award for Devon
Northam Lodge, part of the Northam Care Trust in Bideford, supports 25 adults with profound and multiple learning and physical disabilities and complex health needs. The Northam Lodge team has won the South West Care Home Network COVID HERO award for Devon in recognition of the hard work, dedication, team work and commitment of the staff team in keeping colleagues and residents with profound disabilities and health needs, safe during the pandemic.
The well-deserved award recognises the protection they have given residents throughout the pandemic and for the innovations to make it a positive experience. This includes enabling residents to communicate with their families and other stakeholders. When residents couldn’t go out, the team brought the outside world in, including Christmas.
(Pictured: Jo Burke, Registered Manager at Northam Lodge, with a resident).
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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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