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19 January 2021
Please keep following the national lockdown restrictions
 Hounslow and the rest of the country is still under national lockdown restrictions.
Staying at home is the single most important action we can all take is to protect the NHS and save lives.
There are exceptions, but please check what the full set of regulations mean for you below.
We must all act responsibly, think of others and play our part to keep ourselves and the others safe.
It’s also important we all keep doing the basics - wear a face covering, wash your hands regularly and keep a 2m distance from others.
 This is a reminder that under the current guidelines, events where the public gather in person should not be taking place except under very limited circumstances.
- Funerals of up to 30 are permitted.
- Weddings of up to 6 are permitted in exceptional circumstances.
- Wakes and other linked ceremonials of up to 6 are permitted.
The police can take action against you if you meet in larger groups. This includes breaking up illegal gatherings and issuing fines (fixed penalty notices).
 Do you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine?
Perhaps you are worried about whether it is safe, or maybe if there are any potential side-effects? Maybe you would like to know whether the vaccine contains animal products?
Rest assured, you can find the answers to all your questions from a trusted source by clicking the button below.
 The COVID-19 vaccine is rolling out to the most vulnerable people now. This will take time, but the NHS is committed to vaccinating all people in the first four priority groups by the middle of February 2021.
Please do not contact your GP for a COVID-19 vaccine. The NHS will contact you when it’s your turn to have the vaccine.
Remember that the vaccination is only fully protective three weeks after the second dose has been administered. Do not relax the hands, face and space measures.
 Have you received a letter inviting you to book a vaccination appointment? Letters inviting residents to register for an appointment at large vaccination centres have now started to be sent out by the national booking service to people in the first priority groups.
Residents will not be able to book an appointment until they receive this invite letter, which will be sent when it’s your turn for a vaccination.
Some people may receive two invitations for their vaccination. If this happens, please ignore the second invitation or letter and keep the appointment you have already booked. This will ensure no vaccines are wasted.
 More than 4,000 Hounslow residents have now had a rapid test and we’re opening a new test site at Staines Rugby Club to make access even easier for everyone.
Around 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 have no symptoms but can still unknowingly infect other people. If you do not have COVID-19 symptoms, make sure you are getting tested regularly.
Rapid testing is available for anyone over the age of 18, who still needs to go out for work and who needs FREE, QUICK and REGULAR testing.
You can now get a rapid test at:
- Hounslow House
- Heston Library
- Isleworth Library
Simply drop-in at a time that suits you between 8am-4pm, seven days a week, or book an appointment online or call 0207 084 9697.
Pre-booked appointments ONLY are available at: Staines Rugby Club (from Wednesday 27 January onwards).
All sites are dedicated to rapid COVID-19 tests and are therefore not operating their regular services under Government guidelines.
You can also find out more about the work of our new mobile testing units by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
 We have joined forces with other Councils across London to launch the COVID Community Campaign as the pandemic drives more families into food poverty.
Reliance on Hounslow Community FoodBox has increased by 300% during the pandemic and the number of people in the borough of Hounslow on Universal Credit has almost doubled since the start of last year.
Click below to find out more information.
 We have started vaccinating residents in Hounslow against COVID-19 and we are looking for volunteers to support our Vaccination Centres so that we can vaccinate residents as quickly as possible.
Volunteers will assist with marshalling patients at the Vaccination Centres, organising parking and performing simple tasks including:
- Welcoming people into the Vaccination Centre
- Ensuring that patients respect guidelines regarding social distancing
- Managing the flow of people throughout the building.
- Providing patients with leaflets and written information regarding their vaccination
- Assisting with other non-clinical requests from staff
Volunteering will involve attending a Vaccination Centre and you should be prepared to comply with the usual government guidance including wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing. You must not be from a clinically extremely vulnerable group and you must be sufficiently mobile to be on your feet for the duration of your volunteering shift if required.
Volunteers must be aged 18 plus.
A DBS is not required.
- All volunteers will be trained on site by a member of NHS staff.
- Volunteers will receive a lateral flow test to check for symptoms of COVID-19 before their shift.
If you have any questions about this role please email: HOUCCG.communications@nhs.net
 Be alert to vaccine fraud.
The NHS will never ask for payment or your bank details. The NHS will also never arrive unannounced at your door or ask you to prove your identity by sending copies of your personal documents.
If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up.
If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge.
Report fraud or identity theft directly to Action Fraud below.
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