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Monday 5 October 2020
 London is at a tipping point in its battle to limit the spread of coronavirus as cases continue to rise across the city – but we hold the key to reducing infection rates.
We are still seeing a steady increase across a wide range of COVID-19 indicators including testing, hospital admissions, patients in intensive care, GP attendance and calls to NHS 111.
But a continuation of this trend is not inevitable, and it remains in our gift to do something by making a conscious effort to consider our movements and behaviour over the coming weeks.
Small actions can have a big impact.
Practising social distancing, good hand hygiene and adhering to government guidelines on the rule of six and wearing a face covering will make a real difference. As will self-isolating immediately if you display any symptoms of coronavirus and booking a test as soon as possible.
Cases of COVID-19 are rising here. As our Director of Public Health said on Friday, when cases rise, eventually hospital admissions rise, and we are seeing that now. Then people get very ill and then more people will die. It is so important we act on government measures, including working from home where possible and restricted opening hours for pubs and restaurants, in order to limit opportunities for prolonged social contact and, subsequently, for transmission of the coronavirus.
Now is the time to support each other and consider how we as individuals can make a valuable contribution to limiting the spread of this awful virus.
See our website for more information on how you can be a part of our #DoingMyBit campaign.
Lastly, today is World Teachers' Day. In this crisis, teachers have shown, as they have done so often, great leadership and innovation in ensuring that schools re-opened and learning continued for thousands of Havering children and youngsters.
My thanks to all of them for supporting students with the return to school and keeping schools running whilst following new COVID-19 secure procedures.
If you want to contact me directly, email me. However, please be patient as there may be a delay of a day or two in getting back to you due to the volume of messages I am receiving.
Cllr Damian White
Leader, Havering Council
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 however mild, self-isolate for at least 10 days from when your symptoms started.
You should arrange to have a test to see if you have COVID-19.
If you are not experiencing symptoms but have tested positive for COVID-19, you must self-isolate for at least 10 days, starting from the day the test was taken.
If you develop symptoms during this isolation period, restart your 10-day isolation from the day you developed symptoms.
People in England are required by law to self-isolate if they test positive or are contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
People in England who must self-isolate, are unable to work from home, who are losing income, and who are claiming qualifying benefits or working tax credit, are eligibile for a £500 ‘Test and Trace Support’ payment.
If you reside in Havering and have been instructed by the NHS to self-isolate and meet the eligibility criteria mentioned above, please register your interest by email and you will be contacted by the middle of this month to complete an online application form.
Please remember:
If you, or someone you know, have concerns around care, urgent issues around health and wellbeing or lack of access to supplies including food and medicine please email us, or call our free to use helpline: 0800 368 5201.
It's open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and also, for emergencies only, at weekends between 11am and 4pm.
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Havering Council has joined forces with other local authorities across London to launch a nationwide recruitment campaign to encourage more people to adopt.
In the UK, there are almost 3,000 children that are in need of an adoptive family and the number of adoptions in England has fallen by a third in four years.
Supported by the Department for Education, the campaign will raise awareness of the need for people from all walks of life to come forward.
To help shine a light on the diverse range of families who have and can adopt, a new film has been released featuring singer Sinitta and TV vocal coaches Carrie and David Grant (pictured) alongside other families who are joining in encouraging others to consider adoption.
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Only request a COVID-19 test if you have symptoms of the virus.
This helps people who have symptoms to get a test when they need it. If you take a test when you have no symptoms you could be taking a test away from someone who really needs it.
We recommend that when someone is unable to book a test, or are offered a location or time which is not convenient, they try again a few hours later or the next day because more tests are made available throughout the day.
Locally, COVID-19 testing is available in Romford, South Hornchurch and Harold Hill.
When visiting a site, you must not visit other local amenities – after testing return home and remain in isolation until the result of the test is known. Wear a face covering, maintain social distance - especially when queueing for a test - and do not travel on public transport.
Please remember if you have chosen to get tested at one of our local sites rather than get a home testing kit, you must have booked an appointment on the NHS website or called 119.
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 Each year Havering's Election Services team must review and update the Electoral Register.
To do this, forms have been sent out over the last two months to every residential property in the borough addressed to ‘The Resident’.
You are required by law to check the information on the form is correct and update it if necessary.
If you have not completed and sent back your form, please do so as a matter of urgency, this will avoid a member of staff having to visit your property and will save us money.
Our officers will be door-knocking those homes that have not returned their form between now and 16 October.
Anybody not currently registered to vote will need to register to vote - even if you added their name to the form.
Today (Monday, 5 October) marks the start of Hospice Care Week.
This year's theme is This is What it Takes.
Over this past year, Havering-based Saint Francis Hospice has cared for 1,674 people living in Havering, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Brentwood and West Essex.
The community services, who deliver 85 per cent of the hospice's care, and the hospice inpatient unit have been busier than ever since March, reflecting the higher need for support of people with advanced illness during the pandemic.
The charity has maintained essential visiting all the way through the pandemic for those in crisis and for those who are dying, but has also had to step up the manning of its Advice Line to meet the demand for advice and support to GPs, district nurses and others.
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As four years of consultation on the proposed new Lower Thames Crossing comes to a close a planning application will be submitted shortly.
A new video updating viewers on the consultation process, and preparatory works already undertaken has been produced by Highways England.
Following on from our petition for Havering to be included in the local resident discount for the crossing, Havering Council Leader, Damian White is continuing to press the matter with Highways England. Havering residents will be affected by the crossing and deserve to be compensated for the disruption by being part of the loal resident discount scheme.
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The Havering Community Hub offers activities for both children and parents and access to online safety tools to ensure children are using digital platforms safely.
Go to the “Explore” section of the site to find out more about what’s on in Havering and the range of online training that is available for people of all ages.
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 This week is Walk to School Week.
Havering Council supports the campaign to get more children walking to school and many schools in the borough are actively particapating in the campaign this week.
Walking to (and from) school is healthier for children, and helps reduce congestion on the roads and pollution in the air.
S.T.E.A.M Time is an educational and support network that encourages children aged 5 to 16 years of age, especially those from black and ethnic minority communities, to take up learning after the school day finishes or during school holidays.
Originally based in Harold Hill Library, all the S.T.E.A.M Time activities are currently online via Zoom, due to COVID-19 restrictions.
S.T.E.A.M, which stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and maths, sessions can be booked by calling or texting 07594 752 699, or by sending an email.
There is no charge for taking part.
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A group of Havering Colleges’ Engineering students were recently given the opportunity to take part in a week’s virtual work experience with Tideway West – the company delivering the £3.8 billion Thames Tideway Tunnel.
The work placements involved students working remotely from their homes on set projects, taking part in activities and listening to talks by engineering professionals.
At the end of the week they had to design and prepare a presentation (pictured) which was shown live to college tutors and representatives from Tideway, who then chose a winning team.
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Havering Council's Children’s Centres are celebrating Black History Month with a calendar of online events and activities for families to join.
They mark the achievements, history and contributions of black people and the role models that are inspiring the next generation.
They have also joined with the Book Start Trust who have put together a booklist of historical stories from around the world for Black History Month.
There is no charge to join any of the events and you can register for a place by email.
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