Coronavirus (Covid-19) update - 21 August 2020
Welcome to the weekly Coronavirus (Covid-19) update for East Devon residents. We are working to keep you informed through this email update and the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pages on our website, which have all our latest information, and links to the Government, the NHS and our community.
Please forward this email to anyone you think would find it useful and encourage them to sign up.
You can also can share this update on social media and in any online groups you're part of by using this link to the update on our website.
Keeping COVID-19 under control
With so much coverage in the national media about a potential second wave of coronavirus, we want to reassure you about our continued efforts in East Devon to contain the virus. The number of COVID-19 cases in Devon is still very low and we want to keep it that way.
Everyone has done well so far to comply with prevention measures and national guidance so it's vital that we all keep it up and to work together to help prevent a second peak by maintaining social distancing, regularly washing our hands and wearing face coverings in enclosed spaces.
There is a Local Outbreak Management Plan for Devon and we continue to work closely with partners and with the very latest local data and intelligence to help monitor the situation very closely and respond rapidly if necessary. Up-to-date information about the number of cases in Devon is also available.
Travelling abroad? Stay up-to-date on travel corridors
 With the summer holidays now in full swing, many of us may be travelling abroad for our break. You can stay up-to-date with the latest government news on travel corridors - this is the list of countries and territories from where you can travel to England and may not have to self-isolate, on the government website, as well as sign up for email updates.
There is also lots of information on the website about how to self-isolate if you need to when you return.
Before you go out - don't forget your face covering
 Before you leave home, don’t forget to take a face covering with you if you’re able to wear one. There are those who are exempt for wearing a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability. But if you can, wear one. It’s not a replacement for hand washing and social distancing, but it can help prevent the spread of the virus.
Find out more here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own
If you are wearing a disposable face mask or face covering please dispose of it carefully by placing it into a plastic bag, tying the top of the bag to prevent escape of the material and putting it in to your refuse bin. Any potentially infectious waste should be double bagged and stored for 72 hours before being put out for collection. Please do not place disposable face masks or coverings into any recycling box or other recycling container. Thanks for your help.
Donating clothes to charity? Check the shop is open first
If you’re looking at taking your unwanted clothes to a charity shop, please check beforehand that the shop is open and accepting donations.
East Devon District Council's REACT team collected a huge pile of clothing (pictured) dumped outside a Honiton charity shop this week, despite a note in the shop window saying the shop was closed due to COVID-19 and asking for donations not to be left on the doorstep. As the team was removing the clothing, a shopper tried to add a further bag of unwanted clothes on the doorstep.
If you have unwanted clothes, please store them if possible until you are absolutely sure that the shop you are taking them to is open and accepting donations. Thanks for your help.
East Devon residents encouraged to register for COVID-19 vaccine trials
More than 100,000 people have volunteered to take part in COVID-19 vaccine trials, helping to speed up efforts to discover a safe and effective vaccine.
The government is encouraging more people to join the thousands of volunteers and sign up to the NHS COVID-19 Vaccine Research Registry to help the NHS in the fight against coronavirus and ensure potential candidates work for everyone.
Bake a ‘pup cake’ to win a hamper of dog goodies!
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To celebrate its third birthday, Devon Loves Dogs is asking people to submit their best cake photos for the chance to win a doggy hamper.All you have to do is bake a dog-friendly cake, take a photo and send a digital copy to Devon Loves Dogs by 9am on Tuesday 25th August. It could be a ‘pup’ cake, a paw-shaped cake or any kind of cake, as long as it is safe for dogs.
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 Self-employment Income Support Scheme
The second round of the Self-employment Income Support scheme opened this week. If you’re self-employed or a member of a partnership, you can check and put in a claim.
Grant funding
Businesses should register their interest in receiving grants between £1,000 – £5,000 to help them use new technology and equipment as well as professional, legal, financial or other advice to get their businesses back on track.
Culture Recovery Fund
This fund provides financial support for cultural organisations that were financially stable before Covid-19, but are now at imminent risk of failure. The second round of applications begins at 4pm today (Friday 21 August), closing at 12pm on 4 September.
Free government webinars for businesses affected by COVID-19
If your business has been affected by Coronavirus, there is a wealth of information available to help you on the government website, including new free webinars to learn more about the support available to help you and your business deal with the economic impacts of coronavirus.
 The Creative Cabin - coming soon to a neighbourhood near you!
The Creative Cabin is a fun, creative and safe space to explore art, culture and nature. It will set off on tour starting in Exmouth on Saturday 29 August. Throughout the autumn there will be a broad range of art activities, projects, talks, performances and workshops, to support health, wellbeing and respond to the local environment.
It draws together the skills and knowledge of East Devon District Council’s culture and countryside teams, who have developed activities to suit a wide variety of groups in both urban and isolated rural communities.
As well as individuals and families, the cabin will bring activities to groups most in need including schools, colleges, Memory Cafés, Devon Recovery Learning Community, Devon Young Carers, Refugee Support Groups, Devon Insight, and Headlight – an Action East Devon service for young people encountering mental health issues.
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 Wild Honiton: share your views on green spaces in Honiton
Wild Honiton is a new project which will focus on the creation and improvement of the town’s green spaces to encourage more people to use them, enjoy walking routes, as well as restoring natural wildlife habitat. In future, Wild Honiton aims to work with local groups and key partners to develop experimental and rewarding outdoor activities and events.
Complete a survey about the future of parks, public gardens and other outdoor open spaces within Honiton, and you could win £40 of shopping vouchers!
Help our hedgehogs!
We think one of the benefits of lockdown is that we're all far more aware of our natural surroundings, walking more in our beautiful countryside. So it's sad to hear this week that the British hedgehog is now officially classed as vulnerable to extinction.
To keep in touch with the Wild East Devon Team follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
Trusted sources of advice and information
Please make sure that you only follow advice from trusted, official sources:
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