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Wednesday 11 November 2020 (COVID-19 update #138)
 Unfortunately the COVID-19 infection rate in Havering is still climbing.
Please continue to do your bit to reduce the risk of you or your loved ones, friends, neighbours, or work colleagues, becoming part of those worrying statistics.
If you must self-isolate, are unable to work from home, are losing income, and claiming qualifying benefits or working tax credit, you are eligible for the £500 Test and Trace Support Payment.
There's more information on that payment and all the help available on our website.
We now have a glimmer of hope with a potential vaccine on the way, but until the country returns to a new normal, we are here to support those who need it most.
Contrary to many news reports yesterday, I am pleased to say that Havering will be one of the boroughs to soon begin offering rapid "lateral flow" COVID-19 testing for people who are asymptomatic, or not showing any signs of having the coronavirus infection. More on that in the coming days.
We decided earlier this week to postpone this month's Full Council Meeting until December. This followed consultation with the leaders of all the political groups represented on the Council who agreed with the decision, taken in light of the new national restrictions and the impact this has on Council services.
By delaying this meeting we have freed up Council staff to concentrate on other pressing matters supporting our residents during these difficult times.
This month's Cabinet meeting has also been rescheduled to take place on Wednesday 25 November.
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
Over the next few days every home in Havering will receive a booklet from Havering Council with information on what the national restrictions, that came into force last week, mean for you.
The 12 page, A5 sized, booklet (pictured) is full of information on services provided by Havering Council and the help that is available from a range of voluntary organisations, and the NHS.
It has been produced to ensure that those residents who don't already receive this email newsletter are kept informed and up-to-date.
It also includes details of changed collection dates for waste and recycling over the Christmas and New Year holiday period. It's therefore worth keeping hold of this booklet to refer to, come December.
If, for whatever reason, you don't receive a copy of this booklet you can always view it online.
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If you have symptoms of COVID-19 please continue to request a test in the usual way.
There is significant testing capacity available at our local sites. If you do have symptoms you should book a test online.
Our local COVID-19 test centres are in Romford, South Hornchurch and Harold Hill.
If you, or someone in your household, comes into contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19, or you have symptoms of coronavirus, you must self-isolate immediately.
If you have tested positive, the isolation period is 10 days from when the symptoms first started.
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 Don't forget that if you, or someone you know, has concerns around care, or lack of access to food and medicine during the current national restrictions, call Havering Council’s free helpline: 0800 368 5201.
It's open weekdays between 9am and 5pm and also available for emergencies at the weekend between 11am and 4pm.
Every Wednesday Havering Council publishes a report on coronavirus in the borough on its website.
687 cases of COVID-19 were reported in the last week, 185 more cases than the previous week.
This equates to an incidence rate of 265 new cases per 100,000 population which is higher than the London (150/100,000) and England (239/100,000) averages.
The report also includes information on hospital admissions and deaths, which, sadly, were the highest seen since 10 May.
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If you need additional orange sacks for your recycling waste they remain available to be picked up from libraries.
During this time of national restrictions libraries in Havering are not open for normal browsing of books, but you may return items you currently have on loan.
Please wear a face covering, unless you have an age, health or disability reason for not wearing one, if you do visit our libraries.
Appointments at libraries to use computers can also be arranged if it is for essential tasks such as applying for jobs or paying urgent bills.
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 We wish a Happy Diwali to all of our residents celebrating the festival this week.
Diwali is the five-day festival of lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world.
It begins tomorrow, Thursday, 12 November, with the main day of celebrations taking place on Saturday, 14 November.
If you are celebrating this festival please remember that national lockdown rules apply.
As difficult as it may be, please remember the hands, face, space rules when meeting any other person outside your home.
This Friday (13 November) is your last chance to apply for financial support for children eligible for free school meals during last month's half-term holiday.
Eligible parents can apply for £15 per week, per child, to pay for food via the online application form on our website.
Once the application has been made and processed, the money will be paid into your bank account.
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Transport for London (TfL) has launched a new collaboration with cycling retailer Halfords to encourage Londoners to safely and securely lock up their bikes, and reduce the risk of theft.
Everyone who completes TfL’s free online Cycle Skills course will receive 15 per cent off Halfords’ own brand locks – making good quality deterrents more affordable – as well as lights and helmets.
Despite fewer journeys being made across London overall, cycling is up by 20 per cent, and Halfords has reported a 60 per cent year-on-year increase in sales of new bikes since the start of the coronavirus pandemic as record numbers of Londoners take up cycling.
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Please don't be concerned if you see smoke and the emergency services at Thomas England House, Waterloo Estate, near the Brewery Shopping Centre in Romford, today, or this Friday, 13 November.
Havering Council is supporting the London Fire Brigade with a series of fire evacuation training exercises.
These exercises will continue over the coming weeks.
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Symptoms such as diarrhoea, feeling bloated or discomfort in the tummy area for three weeks or more could be signs of abdominal cancer.
If you have any of these tummy troubles speak to your GP.
While it’s probably nothing serious, any of these symptoms could be an indication of something that needs treatment. If it is cancer, finding it early makes it more treatable and could save your life.
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We are aware of a scam phishing email sent to members of the public, targeting those eligible for the Government's extended business support grants provided during the coronavirus pandemic.
The email claims to be from ‘HMRC Government Gateway’, with an email address of ‘UK Government’ admin@asyst.co.id.
It aims to con businesses into completing the application form for the Government support but instead provides the fraudsters with all the information required to make a successful application in their name.
If you are aware of any similar phishing email please report it to: report@phishing.gov.uk.
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The Romford Business Improvement District (BID) has compiled a list of shops and businesses in the RM1 postcode area that are open during this period of national restrictions.
Some are fully open and some are offering ‘click and collect’. Please check stores' individual websites and guidance on how to purchase through ‘click and collect’, takeaway and delivery.
Do stay safe and observe the distancing rules and wear a face covering when visiting any of these shops.
If you have a business that is open, in some capacity, during this second lockdown and is not featured on the list, then you can email your details to promote@romfordbid.co.uk
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If you're visiting, or taking exercise, in any of our beautiful parks please make sure you stay safe - particularly if you have children using play areas. See the guidance below.
The Emergency Department (ED) at Queen's Hospital in Romford has a new entrance.
To keep everyone safe as they deal with the ongoing pandemic, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS has moved the entrance to the ED.
ED patients now enter through the main atrium, where a split queueing system has been introduced to keep them separate from outpatients and visitors from the moment they arrive.
Outpatients and visitors will continue to go through thermal scanners, while urgent and emergency care patients have a dedicated route on the opposite side and will go into new streaming pods, where they are directed to the care they need.
New signage makes it clear where the new entrance is located, and the patient drop-off point is now located between the multi-storey car park and front of the hospital.
- To keep everyone as up-to-date as possible, BHRUT is now publishing COVID-19 related data on their website every Thursday. This information is based on a snapshot in time, taken every Wednesday.
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 This week is Flood Action Week.
Don’t assume that flooding will never affect you, even if you don't live in the parts of our borough like Rainham and Collier Row where flooding has occurred in recent years.
Climate change is already causing more frequent, intense flooding, and sea levels to rise, so we all need to know what to do, should the worst happen.
The good news is that there are some simple things you can do to prepare for flooding. Knowing what to do in a flood could help keep you and your family safe, and save you thousands of pounds in damages and disruption.
The Havering Voice competition is online for 2020 and entries are now open.
This is a vocal competition split into four categories:
- 11 years and under
- 12-17 years
- Adult – 18 years and over
- Duos and groups (adhering strictly to the current COVID-19 guidelines).
The judges will be looking for vocal and musical talent and stage performance.
Winners will be notified the week commencing 30 November. Each category winner will feature in a live interview with TIME 107.5FM, their song will also be played on-air, and the winning videos will be shared across all of our media channels and publications.
The closing date for entries is 29 November.
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