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Friday 9 October 2020
 Local knowledge and intelligence is playing a vital role across the country to help the NHS Test and Trace system and today Havering Council has announced the part it is playing in tracking and supporting those with COVID-19 symptoms or infection.
One in every five people contacted by NHS Test and Trace do not respond to calls but they must self-isolate and not doing so if they have tested positive is an offence punishable by a sizeable fine. We have to beat this disease and the news this week that three times as many people have died from COVID-19 than from flu and pneumonia in England and Wales this year underscores why that is vital.
We all need to do our bit to stop the spread. Staying in isolation is one of the ways we do this. That’s why our Havering Helps funding will provide support for people who cannot work from home or work as normal due to self-isolation. See the article below for more details. If you haven't already done so, please do download the NHS COVID-19 app as that will give you a layer of protection and advice to carry around with you wherever you go.
I urge people to respond if they are contacted by NHS Test and Trace or our own team and not to think that they can carry on with their normal lives. Cases are steadily rising in London, although thankfully we are no longer in the top three of the list of London boroughs with the highest infection rates according to the latest figures. I think that is down to many Havering residents doing their bit to minimise the spread of this awful coronavirus.
If we don’t do something now we may have a miserable Christmas and not be able to see our loved ones. We need to hold out until a vaccination is widely available. Until then, residents should do everything they can to remain safe and not put themselves in harm’s way. Wear a face covering, wash your hands, keep your distance and keep to the rule of six - even in your own home.
Some people, I know, are tired of hearing about COVID-19. But it’s better to be sick of hearing about it than to be sick with it.
My thoughts this weekend are with the families of more than 40 people who are currently ill with COVID-19 in our local BHRUT hospitals.
See our website on how you can do your bit to keep us all safe.
Cllr Damian White
Leader, Havering Council
Havering Council’s enforcement and public protection teams are working to help keep businesses and residents COVID-19 secure.
Officers have been patrolling town centres and high streets across the borough, with a focus on checking and supporting high-risk businesses such as barbers, hairdressers, pubs, bars and restaurants.
They look to see that they are following the rules to protect both the customers and themselves. This includes making sure businesses such as pubs and restaurants are checking customer details to support the NHS Test and Trace system.
Visits are followed up and they speak to businesses about any difficulties they find themselves up against, in complying with the guidelines.
Advice is then given by the officers on how businesses can comply so that they can remain open and continue to welcome residents and visitors safely on to their premises. See our video.
Over recent months, the teams have carried out 1,551 visits to businesses and followed up over 500 reports from the public on concerns over possible Covid-related breaches.
You can help our work by reporting a COVID-19 related concern over a business.
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 Havering Council has announced details of its local approach to test and trace and a £500 “Havering Helps” package to support residents asked to self-isolate due to COVID-19.
The Council is one of many across the country taking on the task of trying to trace and then contact people in the borough who have tested positive for COVID-19 but have not responded to contact from the national test and trace service to ensure they are self-isolating.
The Council will now take on the role of reaching these people via phone, email or text message. If they still do not respond, then Council staff will visit their last known address to speak to them directly.
Residents being contacted by Havering Council should see the telephone numbers 0203 9281402 or 01708 434343 come up when contacted. Nobody the Council contacts will be asked for any new personal data or information such as bank details.
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.
Testing is available at weekends as well as weekdays.
There are local COVID-19 test centres 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 location 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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If you are a parent please be aware of a form of cannabis-infused sweets that are becoming increasingly popular amongst young people.
Nerds Rope Bites look like sweets but contain tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC, an active ingredient in cannabis.
The cannabis edibles are easily available to purchase online, and to many parents, carers and education professionals will appear harmless at first glance because of their similarity to commonly available sweets.
The WizeUp service is available to support young people in Havering with questions and concerns about drugs or alcohol.
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The flu virus kills thousands in an average year, but this is anything but an average year and the Government is encouraging all eligible people to get vaccinated against flu.
This year the flu vaccine will be offered to people aged 50 to 64 in addition to those over 65 because this is the age that hospitalisations from COVID-19 start to increase.
Ask your pharmacist or GP if you’re eligible for a free flu vaccine.
For most children, the flu vaccine is not usually an injection, just a quick and easy nasal spray. Children aged 2 and 3 receive the vaccine through their GP and those aged 4-11 years old receive it in school.
If you have a child who is of the eligible age, make sure you sign the consent form allowing them to have the flu vaccine at school.
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In August Havering Council published modifications to its local Plan for consultation.
The consultation period for this document and the modifications that it relates to has been extended to 5 November 2020. This has been agreed by the Planning Inspector.
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 As part of Black History Month an online talk about tracing family history has been organised by Havering Library Service.
The talk on Wednesday 21 October at 12.15pm will give you insights into how to overcome brick walls you may encounter by developing an understanding of how records and the way they are organised have evolved down the generations.
Paul Crooks will talk about his journey to find his family history as a case study and share his ten top tips along the way.
Paul pioneered research into African Caribbean genealogy being the first to trace his family history from London, going back six generations, to ancestors captured off the West African coast and enslaved on a sugar plantation in Jamaica.
There is no charge to join the talk. Send an email with your name and brief contact details if you wish to join the event.
Tomorrow (Saturday 10 October) is Mental Health Day.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for many residents and businesses across our borough but we have also seen many examples of people doing their bit, coming together to support and protect one another.
Havering Council is working with local mental health charities and partners to connect people to support networks and phone lines that can help you if you are experiencing anxiety, trauma, or bereavement and crisis.
Havering Mind has a team of counsellors who can help you deal with the anxiety and loss, grief and distress you or someone you know may be experiencing because of COVID-19.
They can offer online or telephone counselling, whichever is best for you.
This free service is available seven days a week from 9am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 1pm at weekends.
Tapestry has a befriending phone line available 9am to 5pm on weekdays and 10am to 4pm at weekends. It's for anyone in the borough feeling isolated and lonely and wanting to speak to a friendly person.
There are many other organisations in Havering that offer befriending services and there is a list of them on our Doing My Bit page on our website.
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Do your bit for those around you.
If you witness or know anyone who is experiencing hate crime due, for example, to the fact they are exempt from wearing a face covering due to health conditions, or to any aspect of their personal identity contact Stop Hate UK.
They have a 24-hour help line in Havering and their experienced helpline team are on hand all day, every day to provide support to people affected by any hate crime.
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London City Airport 's £75,000 Community Fund is now open for applications for its next tranche of funding.
If you are a charity or a not-for-profit organisation delivering a project or programme for your local community, you may be eligible to apply for a grant of between £300 and £3,000.
Havering is one of the 13 eligible boroughs where groups can apply for this funding.
Applications are now open.
The deadline for this round is 5pm on Friday 30 October. Successful bids will be announced in early February 2021.
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Do you love your local landscape?
The Land of the Fanns is seeking a new Chair with skills and experience to lead the Land of the Fanns Landscape Partnership Scheme Board into the final 18 months of delivery. Havering Council is one of those partners.
This is a voluntary position.
The project team is located at Thames Chase Forest Centre, Upminster, and they work across East London and South West Essex.
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On Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October, there will be no service between Earl's Court and Upminster on the District line.
Use alternative Tube, local or replacement bus services. Rail replacement buses DL6, DL7 and DL8 will run.
When using public transport please try to travel during the quiet times. Many local stations have different quiet times, so check how busy any station is on the TfL network at any time or day.
Transport for London (TfL) has this week warned the small minority of people breaking the law by failing to wear a face covering on public transport that they must wear one or face a hefty fine.
Since 15 June, it has been mandatory for customers to wear a face covering and the vast majority of people on London’s transport network who are not exempt are protecting others by correctly wearing a face covering, with more than 90 per cent compliance at the busiest times of the day.
TfL’s enforcement officers, alongside police officers from the Metropolitan Police Service and British Transport Police are carrying out enforcement operations on the transport network every day at locations across the capital and so far around 400 fines have been issued by TfL officers to those refusing to comply.
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