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20 November 2020
 The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Plymouth has continued to rise this week but there are early signs that the rate of the increase is starting to slow down.
There have been 529 cases in Plymouth over the last seven days, compared to 509 the previous week.
The rate of cases today is 201.8 per 100,000 people compared to 194 per 100,000 at the end of last week.
The cases are still occurring across our community and affecting all ages and areas of the city.
The total number of cases is now 3,680 and sadly there have been more than 100 deaths.
The number of new cases occurring over the next few weeks will help determine what measures may need to be in place if the national lockdown restrictions are lifted on 2 December.
Every action counts when it comes to stopping the virus spreading and keeping the number of cases down – washing hands, wearing a face covering and making space are vital.
As we spend more time indoors at this time of year, letting fresh air into enclosed spaces throughout the day also helps reduce the spread of the virus, as this video shows.
It is also important to self-isolate and get tested as soon as you show symptoms. There is currently plenty of capacity at Plymouth’s three test centres.
You can check the latest figures on our position in Plymouth web page.
Making sure everyone follows the restrictions
We have a responsibility to ensure people are complying with the national lockdown measures.
We are grateful to the vast majority of businesses, who have been following the guidelines.
Our public protection team has visited more than 1,500 more premises to carry out checks and make sure they know what to do.
It has also been dealing with a number of complaints and enquiries about compliance and has been investigating all of them.
Our enforcement policy is always to educate first – no one has been fined unless it was clear that they were aware of and understood the regulations but were choosing not to follow them.
We have also now served six prohibition notices, four fixed penalty notices and been in touch with over 100 businesses to advise them of their obligations.
Businesses apply for restrictions grants
We have been busy this week processing applications for grants from Plymouth businesses that have been forced to close due to the national COVID-19 restrictions.
The Government’s Local Restrictions Support Grant scheme is available to support businesses that have been legally required to close and occupy a rateable property. The grants that eligible businesses can claim are dependent on their rateable value.
 An historic moment took place in our very own Forder Valley this week, with the UK's first urban release of a beaver.
A 20kg male Eurasian beaver from Scotland was released into a specially designed enclosure near Poole Farm.
It’s all part of the Green Minds project, a Council initiative to 're-wild' urban parks, gardens and verges and encourage more people to enjoy the health benefits our green spaces provide.
Beavers engineer their surroundings by felling trees, damming sections of river and creating a network of canals. They create wetland habitats that are great for birds, fish and invertebrates and help ‘slow the flow’ of water during and after rainfall.
They also help to improve water quality and quantity and store carbon in a really efficient way to help combat the climate emergency.
The beaver’s behaviour and actions will now be monitored in the hope he will help reduce flooding further downstream and create habitats for wildlife in the Bircham Valley area.
While our beaver is busy exploring his new 3.5 hectare enclosure, which covers 600 metres of river in the wooded valley, we’ll working to bring a female in and hopefully start a beaver family.
We’re asking people to share their views on potential improvements to Manadon Roundabout.
It’s one of the busiest junctions on our road network, with over 60,000 journeys passing through each day (including more than 30 buses every hour) and it’s on a key route to Derriford Hospital. There’s also a school close by.
The roundabout sees significant congestion at peak times, with traffic often queuing back onto the A38. With the predicted growth of the city and the need to support additional housing, we have to investigate ways to improve our transport infrastructure.
Our aims are to improve road safety, reduce congestion, improve air quality and upgrade walking and cycling links to encourage sustainable transport.
We want to hear from everyone who uses the roundabout – motorists, neighbouring residents, pedestrians and cyclists. Our initial consultation is taking place online and will run until Monday 4 January 2021.
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University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is looking for volunteers to help with a study to test one of the leading potential COVID-19 vaccines.
The study, co-funded by the Government’s Vaccine Taskforce, is recruiting 6,000 volunteers in the UK, with at least 500 people needed to take part at Derriford Hospital.
It will test the safety and effectiveness of a new two-dose regimen for vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson, which is now in its Phase 3 trials.
Dr Claire Bethune, Consultant Immunologist at the Trust, said: “It’s likely that we will need a range of treatments to prevent COVID-19: some may work better for different scenarios. Trials like this are key in unlocking these potentials.
“This is a great opportunity for the people of Plymouth to contribute to the global effort against COVID-19.”
Volunteers are needed from a variety of age groups and backgrounds. For more information about the study and signing up see the trust’s website.
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We work with childcare providers to offer a range of support, including free places for eligible families.
If your child is aged between three and four you are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare a week with an Ofsted registered provider. This could be at a nursery or with an accredited child minder.
Families with a two-year-old, who earn less than £16,190, could get up to 15 hours of free childcare per week at a day nursery or pre-school, with a childminder or in some schools’ nursery classes.
It’s really important children continue to access their normal childcare so that they can gain the learning and wellbeing benefits of early education.
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Useful links
Book a test for COVID-19
NHS coronavirus (COVID-19) website
Plymouth City Council's COVID-19 website
Check your bin day
Plymouth news
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