Friday 7 January 2022
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 Devon safe. While cases are high, everybody needs to continue to act carefully and remain cautious.
Keep up to date with the latest government coronavirus guidance.
#RespectProtectEnjoy #DoItForDevon
"A very Happy New Year to you all, with hopes for a brighter and safer year ahead of us.
"The number of cases of coronavirus in Devon is currently lower than the England average, with the highly infectious Omicron variant now dominant in all areas.
"Devon has lagged behind the national trend by a few weeks with coronavirus, which allows us more time to get booster jabs and be better protected. Cases of Omicron have so far been relatively mild, compared to earlier variants, and our uptake of the vaccinations is high, which is all good news.
"However, cases here in Devon are rising in all age groups and with the return to schools this week, we expect to see rates increase considerably in the coming weeks. At the same time, there are huge pressures within health and social care, including hospitals and ambulance services. Hospital admissions are rising, and we expect the pressure on those critical services to get worse over coming weeks.
"My New Year’s message is simple. We are not out of the woods with coronavirus, and we have an immediate hill to climb over the next few weeks to get us over this current Omicron surge. We know what to do. Please follow the guidance, and do everything we can to minimise risk to ourselves and others.
View his New Year’s message in full which includes the latest COVID-19 guidance.
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Director of Public Health urges people to help reduce risk for the sake of others
Steve Brown, Devon's Director of Public Health, was asked this week, with coronavirus cases in Devon already high and predicted to get considerably higher this month due to the Omicron variant, what more should people in the county do?
"This latest surge demonstrates that coronavirus is still very much with us, and still a serious health risk to many people,” he said.
"The Omicron variant, while extremely infectious, may not be leading to the same extent of high levels of illness or death, but the health risk to people who may be immuno-supressed or who have other underlying health conditions is still extremely serious.
"Add to that the risk to health, or at best disruption to day jobs while self-isolating, for the thousands of frontline staff in health, social care and other essential workers, and such high levels of coronavirus are likely to have a dramatic impact on the delivery of the services we rely heavily upon.
"We know what helps reduce risk - it's taking up the vaccine when invited, including the booster; wearing face coverings where appropriate and self-isolating when we need to.
"So I'm asking people to follow the guidance, if not for yourself, but for others - for those people who are more likely to get seriously ill from having coronavirus; and people whose professions we rely on to keep essential services running."
CCG Members' briefing - coronavirus vaccination in Devon
Please see below for the latest coronavirus vaccination briefing for Members from NHS Devon, Devon’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG):
You can view current and previous copies on the Provider Engagement Network (PEN) website.
Which test do I need?
We know it can be hard to keep track of which COVID-19 tests you should take: when you should take them; how often; which one - PCR or Lateral Flow Device; and what you’re meant to do afterward.
So, we’ve put together a tool to try to help you work out when and how to get tested.
You just answer a few simple questions about your current situation, and it takes you through the guidance. Rest assured, no personal information is required, so there's nothing to identify you.
Confirmatory PCR tests temporarily suspended
From Tuesday 11 January, people in England who test positive for coronavirus with a lateral flow device test will be required to self-isolate immediately, but won't need to take a confirmatory PCR test.
The temporary change comes because COVID-19 rates currently remain high across the UK, so when people are now testing positive with a lateral flow, there's a strong degree of confidence that they've got COVID-19.
But lateral flow tests should still only be used by people who show no COVID-19 symptoms. Anyone with a new and continuous cough, high temperature, or change to their usual sense of taste or smell, should stay at home, self-isolate and take a PCR test. And if that's positive, they continue self-isolating for the duration.
Under the new guidance, anyone testing positive with a lateral flow device should report their result on GOV.UK, and must self-isolate immediately. They don't need to take the confirmatory PCR test.
There are some exceptions to this new approach.
Critical workers to take daily lateral flow device tests to keep services running
From Monday 10 January, free lateral flow device (LFD) tests will be given to 100,000 critical workers in England, to help keep essential services and supply chains running.
Critical workers will be asked to take a test on every working day, for an initial five weeks.
Lateral flow tests are for people who show none of the three main symptoms of coronavirus, so daily testing by critical workers is to help identify people who are carrying the virus and could spread it unknowingly and limit the risk of outbreaks within those workplaces.
'Critical workers' in this case include people who work in critical national infrastructure, national security, transport, and food distribution and processing. It includes roles in Border Force, police, fire and rescue services control rooms, electricity generation, test kit warehouses and test surge labs.
Not included in this scheme are workers within adult social care or education, who already have a testing allocation with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The government is contacting organisations included in the scheme directly this week ahead of roll out starting on Monday 10 January 2022.
There are plenty of appointment slots available to receive your booster
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Appointments are available at our vaccine sites so please make time to book your booster now.
If you have not yet received or booked your COVID-19 vaccinations, you can do so through the National Booking Service – or by ringing 119.
You can also attend one of the many walk-in vaccination sites across the county or attend a pop-up clinic – which are advertised each week by the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and local authorities and via targeted social media.
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12 to 15 year olds eligible for second COVID-19 vaccination
12 to 15 year olds are eligible to book their second dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Two doses are now being offered to this age group to give them the best protection against COVID-19.
Most children can get a second dose from 12 weeks after they had their first dose. However, if your child has tested positive for COVID-19 and isn't high risk, they need to wait 12 weeks before they can have the vaccine. This starts from the date of their positive PCR test.
Vaccine teams are in schools in January to help with the rollout, but you can book an appointment for your child online if they are eligible now, or visit a walk-in clinic.
A new programme has been launched across Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Cornwall known as Guardianship - Together for the Community to help tackle housing shortages for health and social care workers and to provide company for people with a spare room to rent.
Placing health and care workers with householders who want to offer a spare room addresses loneliness and isolation, and also provides practical support for people living on their own, who have a spare room.
Householders will be able to offer space to a fully-vetted member of staff or medical student, who in return will provide a few hours’ help around the home each week, if required, as well as companionship.
The programme has been developed and is being overseen by Supportmatch Homeshare, by NHS England and NHS Improvement in the South West. It involves:
- NHS organisations that commission care or provide acute, community and mental health services
- local authorities that provide social care
- Health Education England, which oversees medical students
Find out how householders and staff are matched.
 Multi-million pound investment for adult social care
Millions of pounds are being pumped into support for adult social care providers in Devon this winter, to help ease the pressure on hospitals, and help them recruit and retain valuable care staff.
Following Devon County Council’s announcement in December of £3 million for domiciliary care staff, a further £5.3 million is available to help support independent sector residential and nursing care workers.
The funding comes from the government, and NHS Devon has also contributed to the one-off funding package.
The additional investment is to support residential and nursing care, so that it can help take some of the pressure off NHS hospitals.
Care homes, and domiciliary care, play a significant role in helping people avoid needing to go into hospital, and in getting people safely out of hospital as soon as they are well enough.
The money comes as a relief for care home providers, who, like all sectors within adult social care, are facing the greatest pressures in recent times, with demand for care escalating considerably, and a significant shortfall in the care workforce.
Unpaid carers will receive priority at vaccination centres
Unpaid carers - people who provide care for a relative or friend - are being given the same priority as social care staff in queues to receive their booster jabs for coronavirus.
It's to recognise their caring role, and how for many carers, time away from the person they care for is limited.
For people who provide care to someone else, there's a letter from the Department for Health and Social Care that will give them priority at vaccination centres. The letter simply informs vaccination centre staff that the bearer of it should be allowed priority if there are queues. Unpaid carers should print off the letter and take it with them to show a marshal at the vaccination centre. They will then be fast-tracked through any queue, so that they are not held up waiting.
The letter is available from Devon Carers on 03456 434 435 or by live chat on their website.
 Perfectly good food doesn’t have to be wasted!
Recycle Devon has told us about the Olio app which connects neighbours with each other so surplus food can be shared locally, not thrown away.
Nearly five million people are already doing it, so why not try it yourself?
£1 billion in support for businesses most impacted by Omicron
Businesses in the hospitality and leisure sectors in England will be eligible for one-off grants of up to £6,000 per premises, the government announced at the end of December.
They will also cover the cost of Statutory Sick Pay for COVID-19-related absences for small and medium-sized employers across the UK.
It's in recognition that the rise in the Omicron variant means some businesses are likely to struggle over coming weeks.
Businesses will also be able to apply for grants, that will be administered by local councils and be available in coming weeks.
The grants will be equivalent to the monthly cash grants provided to hospitality businesses when they were fully closed earlier this year.
To read their announcement, visit the government's webpage.
 Celebrating the achievements of Devon’s children and young people in care and care leavers
Our annual celebration of the achievements of Devon’s children and young people in care and care leavers will be held on Friday 11 March 2022 at St James’ School in Exeter, from 6.00pm to 9.00pm.
Why nominate?
This is your opportunity to nominate a young person you work with or care for who you think has achieved something significant for them over the last year, in one or more of the following categories:
- making progress in their personal development
- doing well in sport, music, arts, social / leisure activities
- making progress or trying their best at school or college
Find out more about the nomination process here.
Please ensure your nomination reason is concise (no more than five sentences), appropriate to be printed on the certificate and read out at the event.
We weren’t able to hold the event in 2021 due to the pandemic so have everything crossed that we can hold a real event in March 2022 to meet up, say well done and celebrate the successes of all our children. There are no winners or losers, all nominees will be invited to the event and awarded a personalised certificate and £10 gift card.
Please complete the nomination form by Friday 4 February 2022.
Members' Area
Don't forget your new Members' Area SharePoint site is your one-stop-shop to access resources to aid you in your role as a Devon County Councillor. Key documents from the Council's various service areas, including induction resources, are posted in the Document library, and the Who's who? highlights the best person for you to contact for an efficient resolution.
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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