Sharing these newsletters
To share this newsletter on social media sites such as Facebook, please visit our COVID-19 Community Champions website www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/covid-champions where you will find links to this update and previous ones at the bottom of the page. Just copy and paste the link.
Read the MK COVID-19 Champions code of conduct here.
COVID-19 snapshot
 Click here to see and print the full COVID-19 snapshot from 25 Nov.
Ask public health
Do you have a question about COVID-19?
Send us your query to covidchampions@milton-keynes.gov.uk and we’ll put the most popular questions to our Deputy Director of Public Health in Milton Keynes Dr Oliver Mytton.
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Is your work-place COVID-19 safe?
Are you being allowed to self-isolate when you should?
If not please let us know in confidence.
Email covidconcern@milton-keynes.gov.uk.
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New Christmas guidance
When following these new rules, we must each continue to take personal responsibility to limit the spread of the virus and protect our loved ones, particularly if they are vulnerable. For many of us this will mean that it isn’t possible to celebrate Christmas in the way we normally would.
The rules on forming and using a Christmas bubble will be the law. We must follow them to minimise the spread of infection.
The Christmas bubbles are in addition to the Tier 2 rules which will remain in place.
Read the Christmas guidance here.
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The Winter Plan - MK in Tier 2
Tier 2 – High Alert
Milton Keynes will be in Tier 2 – High Alert when the current lock-down ends on Wednesday 2nd December.
Decisions on which area goes into which tier are primarily based on 5 factors:
- Case detection rates in all age groups
- Case detection rates in the over-60s
- The rate at which cases are rising or falling
- Positivity rate (the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of tests taken)
- Pressure on the NHS, including current and projected occupancy
The government will reassess which areas are in which tier every fortnight.
We need to continue to be extremely vigilant to avoid moving into Tier 3.
The guidance is:
 Click here to view or download the full PDF. The government have published The COVID-19 Winter Plan which you can read here.
Long Covid clinics
This condition, which is thought to affect more than 60,000 people in the UK, can cause continuing fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness and pain.
One in ten people who get COVID-19 are still unable to shake off the side effects eight weeks after infection.
These new clinics will bring together doctors, nurses, therapists and other NHS staff to physical and psychological assessments of those experiencing enduring symptoms.
Ten sites have been earmarked for the Midlands, seven in the North East, six in the East of England, South West and South East respectively, five in London and three in the North West. We will let you know as soon as we have information about the local provision for the Milton Keynes area. Read more here.
Long Covid experience
One of our Champions, Caroline Wright, has shared her story:
"Our family contracted Covid at the beginning of April, we were being very careful but we have no way of knowing how we caught it. It could have been as simple as bringing the bins in and the teenagers not washing their hands or going to the local shop and touching an item.
At the same time, we were also doing shopping for vulnerable people as part of the local community, as well as working long hours as there was so much to do with implementing Covid funding and year end. So it could have been anything.
Initially I got it worst with a racking cough and flu like symptoms, my husband, daughter and one teenage son suffered flu like symptoms. These two teenagers recovered after two weeks. We had to call the ambulance service out a few times for me as I had chest pains (it was like a python squeezing your chest) and I could not breathe. MKUH were great and my temperature came down - I was so cold that I did not realise that I had a high temperature." Read more here.
Flu vaccination
Flu can cause severe illness, especially for people with underlying health conditions which is why it is important for people in at risk groups to get vaccinated. GP practices and Pharmacies are continuing to run flu clinics during the current national lockdown and patients should continue to attend clinics when invited.
The flu vaccination will not protect against coronavirus however those at higher risk from coronavirus, are also at higher risk of developing complications from flu.
Those eligible for a free flu vaccine are:
- Aged 65 and over (including those who’ll be 65 by 31 March 2021)
- have certain health conditions such as Diabetes, Heart Problems, Liver Disease and Kidney Disease
- are pregnant
- are in a long-stay residential care
- receive a carer’s allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick
- live with someone who’s at high risk from coronavirus (on the NHS shielded patient list)
- frontline health or social care workers
Dr Sanhita Chakrabarti the Clinical Lead and Lead for the Flu Programme for Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Groups commented:
“The flu vaccine is safe and effective. It will prevent serious health complications associated with the flu and can save lives. Anyone who is invited by their GP to have the free flu jab should not think twice about having it. Your GP and local pharmacy will still be open during lockdown to provide flu vaccinations to both adults and children.”
Leaflets are available in various languages here.
Candlelight 4Covid
An evening of remembrance for those we have lost to COVID-19 is being planned for Spring 2021.
It is being organised by one of our COVID-19 Champions, Debbie Lewis, who is the creator of covid19Families, a support group for Covid bereaved families and individuals and part of a larger network of 25 regions with currently over 900 members nationally.
Debbie says, “The Candlelight 4Covid event in March will take place at the MK rose in Campbell Park where there will be a candlelight parade.
We want as many places as possible to light up with a yellow glow and for those in the public eye to support the bereaved and to attend the event.
I'm appealing for help through the GoFund me page gf.me/u/y69db3 to pay for the licence, risk assessments and Covid safe practices. We also need help to publicise the event. Basically, we are asking anyone and everyone to help.”
You can find out more through the organisation’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/735054503986858/?ref=share.
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Useful links
We are in a national lockdown until Wednesday 2nd December. There is a Government poster with more information, you can view and share it here.
See the latest Government guidance here gov.uk/coronavirus.
Find COVID-19 Information from the NHS: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
To print and share this, please click "view it as a web page" at the top of this bulletin. This will take you to a web page with the option to print this off at the top.
To share this newsletter on social media sites such as Facebook, please visit our COVID-19 Community Champions website www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/covid-champions where you will find links to this update and previous ones at the bottom of the page. Just copy and paste the link.
Your Feedback
Have you found this email useful?
Let us know how we can improve: CovidChampions@Milton-Keynes.gov.uk
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