The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) is reminding people that winter illnesses continue to circulate at high levels and that following simple steps can help protect children, minimise the spread of illness in education and childcare settings and protect everyone.

The UKHSA reportsthat flu and Covid-19 are currently circulating at high levels and this is likely to continue to increase in the coming weeks. High numbers of scarlet fever, which is caused by group A streptococcus, also continue to be reported.

The UKHSA highlights the importance of minimising the spread of infection in schools and other education and childcare settings as much as possible. If a child is unwell and has a fever, they should stay home from school or nursery until they feel better and the fever has gone.

It also recommended that adults should try to stay home when unwell and if people do have to go out, they are encouraged to wear a face covering. If people are unwell, they are advised not to visit healthcare settings or vulnerable people if possible.
Flu vaccination is still available for all eligible groups and is the best protection against the virus. There has been good uptake in older age groups but vaccination among young children remains low.

Eligible children include:
• those aged two and three on 31 August 2022
• all primary school-aged children
• some secondary school-aged children.

More information about getting children vaccinated against flu can be found on NHS.UK.

Do you know any parish councils, voluntary or community groups working to help local residents with the cost of living?

Two sets of Local Communities Fund grants are still available,  so please spread the word!

The first grant is aimed at groups helping those who are struggling to afford  nutritious food, to help boost health and well-being.

The second is for groups that need a financial helping hand  towards their own rising energy costs.

Eligible groups can apply for up to £5,000 from either/both grant funds before Sunday 29 January 2023.

Vaccines are safe and provide the best protection against flu and Covid-19. There is still time to get your Covid-19 booster and flu vaccinations to help protect you and the people you care for.

It is really important to get your booster and a flu vaccination because vaccine efficiency gradually decreases over time. New flu strains circulate each year and Covid-19 is still here, with around 1 in 20 people estimated to have had Covid-19 in the week after Christmas.

Everyone aged over 50 is currently eligible for a free flu vaccine and Covid-19 booster through the NHS, as are people in clinical risk groups because of conditions like diabetes, heart disease or asthma. Health and social care workers are also eligible.

Pregnant women at any stage in their pregnancy are also eligible for both vaccines and are encouraged to take up the offer to protect themselves and their babies.

Children are also eligible for a free flu vaccination – either in school or for younger children aged 2 & 3 (on 31 August 2022), at their GP.

It’s also still not too late to take up the offer of a first or second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine if you have not yet received them.

Find more information about flu vaccinations and the COVID-19 boosters including who’s eligible, how to book an appointment and why they’re important on the NHS website.

Last month, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) launched a new online reporting system for members of the public to report dead wild birds, as part of the Government response to the ongoing avian influenza (bird flu) outbreak.

This follows an increasing number of calls to the Defra helpline, with an anticipated increase over the winter months.

The online system will be available 24/7 – making it simpler and quicker for people to report dead birds, and supporting Defra’s disease control response, by allowing reports to be collected in real-time. However, the Defra helpline 03459 33 55 77 will remain in place, and the new system will not change the way dead birds are collected – with Defra continuing to collect some birds to test for disease, while disposal continues to be the responsibility of land owners/managers, including local authorities for public spaces.

More information can be found on the Defra website.