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Welcome to the first enewsletter exclusively for COVID-19 Community Champions. Welcome aboard. It's great to have you as part of our Kent and Medway team of community contacts. Together, we have one mission: To help support our communities this autumn and winter in staying well.
Coronavirus hasn’t gone away – by working together we can prevent more cases and keep Kent and Medway safe. By encouraging everyone to protect each other and follow the latest rules, we will get through this.
Every fortnight, we will send you a newsletter with up to date statistics, information and updates that we think are most important at this time. Champions will also be welcome to attend fortnightly online meetings, with some of our COVID-19 system leaders to discuss these updates and we are keen to hear what questions you are being asked by your community, so we can provide you with some suggested answers.
The first online meeting will be scheduled Wednesday 21st October at 1pm and will be hosted by the Kent and Medway Public Health teams. All champions will be sent a Teams calendar invite, and we look forward to meeting everyone that can make it. We will change the time and date of each meeting, to give as many champions as possible the opportunity to dial in.
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- Update your community (including workplaces) with the latest information
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- Promote positive lifestyle, including healthy eating and physical activity
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- Talk to those groups most at risk (including older residents and BAME communities) to help them stay safe
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Kent and Medway: Medium risk
Following the latest government guidance, there are now three COVID-19 alert levels introduced across England to help in keeping the virus under control.
Kent and Medway are currently at alert level 1: Medium risk.
This means that there is no change to the current restrictions that we’re following.
The six steps to engagement success
We've all heard of the Rule of 6 but that's just one of the messages to highlight as part of the current guidelines that we must follow.
Please remember these six steps to help in the fight against COVID-19. We need your help in liaising with local community groups, businesses and local residents to help spread key safety messages. These are as follows:
- Don’t socialise in large groups: You put your family, friends and your community at risk of contracting the virus
- Social distance from anyone not in your household
- Follow the ‘Rule of 6’ when seeing friends and family
- Wash your hands regularly (a thorough wash = 20 seconds)
- Wear face coverings in shops, shopping centres, public transport and when you visit council buildings
- If you have a coronavirus symptom (a new cough, high temperature or a loss of taste and smell), stay at home and book a test online at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119
We need your help: Encourage your community to download the new NHS Test and Trace app
The app is available to download for free on Google Play and the App Store. It will allow you to report symptoms, order a coronavirus test and check in to venues by scanning a QR code. Download the app today.
Businesses should display QR code posters. By using the app, you can then scan the code on the poster when you arrive at the venue to ensure your details are recorded.
All hospitality and leisure businesses along with close-contact businesses (including hairdressers and nail parlours) are required by law to support NHS Test and Trace by ensures customer data is collected.
The new app will help the NHS trace individuals that may have coronavirus and to also understand if the virus is spreading in a particular area, so that we can respond quickly.
More details @ https://covid19.nhs.uk/
 Medway Council is encouraging residents on lower incomes, who have been told to self-isolate, to find out more about the Test and Trace Support Payment.
The Test and Trace Support Payment will help residents during their self-isolation period if they have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive.
Residents who were told to isolate after 28 September, and meet the qualifying criteria, will be able to apply for a payment of £500 while they are in self-isolation and are unable to work.
Check more details on how to apply
We have a range of COVID-19 safety posters available on the resources centre. This week we have added:
- Posters for the ten most commonly spoken languages across Kent and Medway
- Poster on downloading the NHS Test and Trace app
- Social media graphics around Hands>Face>Space
For Kent assets click here
For Medway assets click here
Promoting a healthy lifestyle: Key services
We have a range of health and wellbeing services across the county. Visit our ABM page (for Medway) or KCC (for Kent) for full details.
Earlier this month, we saw this excellent blog on why self-isolation is still vitally important to stop COVID-19 from spreading in our community, particularly to people who could become very sick if they catch the virus. It gives very clear guidance on when people should self isolate, for how long, what support is available during when self-isolating and how its different to social distancing. It's only short but very helpful, so give it a read
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For COVID-19 Community Champions in Medway, email: abmchampions@medway.gov.uk
For COVID-19 Community Champions in Kent, email: phworkforcedevelopment@kent.gov.uk
Check our webpage for more details on your role
For the latest on coronavirus in Medway
For the latest on coronavirus across Kent
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