Welcome to this week's COVID-19 update for Southampton
 This week we answer a few of your most frequently asked questions about COVID-19 in Southampton, from the new tiered system of restrictions introduced by Government to alternatives to trick or treating this Halloween. You can watch on YouTube here or read more about all these stories below.
Your local COVID-19 data update
 National alert level:
Under the new national COVID-19 Alert System, our current alert level is ‘medium,’ (Tier 1). This is the lowest of the three tiers announced by Government. This means that there are no new public health measures or restrictions for Southampton, but the current measures remain in place such as the Rule of Six on social gatherings and a 10pm closure time for hospitality venues.
Latest situation:
The latest weekly report on COVID-19 in Southampton shows that the number of cases in the city is again increasing, and that we should do all we can to protect ourselves, our families and others from spreading the infection.
Going forward, we expect COVID-19 cases to continue rising in line with the national trend. However, every resident, employer, employee, and visitor of Southampton can make a difference to how steep the rise in cases is; by complying with the public health measures stated below we can all help to slow the spread of infection and minimise the climb in cases.
You can also play an active role in helping to keep the spread of infection as low as possible by becoming a Southampton COVID-19 champion. Our COVID-19 champions are critical in helping families, friends, colleagues and community members get clear information on how to stay safe and reduce the risk of getting and spreading the infection. Find out more.
Key public health measures:
HANDS - Wash your hands regularly and for 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol.
FACE - Wear a face covering in indoor settings like shops and public transport, where it is required, where social distancing may be difficult, and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
SPACE - Stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or 1 metre where this is not possible with extra precautions in place.
If you have symptoms or a positive test result for coronavirus (COVID-19), it is very important that you self-isolate immediately for 10 days (14 days for those you live with). If you’ve tested positive for COVID-19 and have to self-isolate, you can now apply for financial help.
Visit the NHS website to book a free test, or call NHS 111 for advice: nhs.uk/coronavirus
Research and guidance:
Researchers are still learning more about the long-term effects of COVID-19, including how it affects young people who are infected. The Department of Health and Social Care has released a short film featuring stories of those who have experienced long-term effects.
Read about all the latest changes to guidance that have taken place this week on the UK Government coronavirus web pages: gov.uk/coronavirus
You can see the full dashboard we use to track the virus in Southampton on our website.
We will continue to publish this update every Tuesday on our social media channels. The website and infographics are also updated every Tuesday.
Half-term highlights
 Looking for family activities over half-term? Here’s a few ideas to get you started:
Southampton City Art Gallery has two fantastic new exhibitions and a Where’s Wally? Spooky Museum Search and it’s all free, just book your tickets here.
Shadows and Light, opens tomorrow 24 Oct, featuring photography, painting, drawing, sculpture & installation, it brings together works of art with light as subject matter and forms part of Southampton’s Mayflower 400 programme. Face of Britain curated by Nahem Shoa also recently opened, an outstanding portrait exhibit which asks viewers, What does it mean to be British in 2020?
At SeaCity Museum there is only two weeks left to visit Wampum: Stories from the Shells of Native America, the story of the Wampanoag Native Americans, whom the Mayflower passengers would have met on their arrival to America 400 years ago. You can also discover the fantastic Gateway to the World and Southampton’s Titanic Story exhibitions. Book your tickets here.
Join an online ghost talk from Southampton's most haunted house with Learning Officer, Andy Skinner. Do spirits still haunt the Tudor House and Garden Museum? Andy shares some of his own spooky experiences and discusses whether any of these hauntings could possibly be true. The stories will be delivered in a friendly way, but be prepared for some scary tales. Because of this we recommend a minimum age of 8 years. Join on Thu 29 Oct, from £4.40 each. Book online here.
Stay up to date with the latest news, activities and exhibitions from our Museums and Gallery by joining our Culture Vulture email.
Collaborating with the St Denys community to create an Active Travel Zone
 Work will start in November in St Denys to create an Active Travel Zone, an area where small changes are made to the streets and roads to improve walking and cycling for short journeys. This follows collaboration with residents to develop a plan for addressing their concerns regarding traffic levels, safety and air quality in the area.
Residents of St Denys, and a Year 5 class at St Denys Primary School, were invited to attend a series of co-design workshops, where they worked in groups with a facilitator to identify potential solutions. Nearly 50 residents and 30 children attended, and the most popular and feasible solutions were presented to the community in September for comment and questions. Some modifications have since been made and the scheme will be implemented between November 2020 and late 2021, with the aim of creating a greener, safer and healthier St Denys for everyone.
Find out more about the range of measures that will make up the Active Travel Zone in St Denys on our website.
Southampton residents encouraged to try new ways of celebrating this festive season
 This time of year is usually all about getting together and celebrating. With Halloween and Bonfire night on the horizon, Southampton City Council want to encourage residents to make sure they enjoy these occasions safely as COVID-19 cases in the city continue to rise.
We’ve pulled together some alternative ways on celebrating this season which includes taking part in a neighbourhood Pumpkin Trail for Halloween, or preparing some cosy treats and apple bobbing for bonfire night! You can read more here.
If you still want to get out and about this season, Southampton City Council’s Cultural Services team have a number of in-venue and online activities for all the family to enjoy.
Half-yearly garden waste collection service
Why not save time, and keep your car clean, by signing up to our garden waste collection service? It's also great for the environment - with your garden waste being turned into compost.
You can now sign up to half-yearly subscriptions for collections every fortnight between now and 31 March 2021.
Find out more and sign up.
Hurry - don't miss the deadline for applying for secondary school places
 There is just one week to go before the national deadline to apply for a secondary school place. If your child is currently in year 6 of a primary or junior school, you need to apply for a Year 7 place in a secondary school for September 2021. You should apply before the national deadline of 31st October.
You can make your application online through our website, which also includes additional information to help guide you through the process.
Do please try to apply as soon as possible and make use of all your preferences to get the best chance of securing a school that you are happy with and closest to home.
Trees for Life applications now open
 We’re holding our annual free Trees for Life event on Saturday 28 November, join us and plant a tree to celebrate babies born in Southampton.
Parents, Grandparents and guardians of babies born this year can join our special day and plant a tree to commemorate the birth. Creating a wooded area for everyone to enjoy. In 2019, we celebrated 25 years of the scheme and were joined by over 100 families, planting 200 trees at Green Park, Millbrook. Thousands of native trees have already been planted as part of the council’s commitment to protecting and enhancing our natural environment. Our Green City Plan details our goals to make Southampton greener by increasing the city tree coverage by planting at least 5,000 trees by 2030.
Find out more and register here.
We all know that trees are important to help tackle climate change. They not only create natural habitat for wildlife but they absorb carbon dioxide from our air. Increasing the numbers of trees in our city will benefit us all. Treemendous are encouraging as many of us as possible to plant a tree in our gardens. To find out more, send an email.
Quit for Stoptober... and beyond!
 Now is the best time to quit smoking. Jenni did. She started smoking as a teenager for the same reason that most kids of that age do; because her friends were all smoking but, as Jenni recalls “it got to the stage where I was smoking anywhere between 10 to 15 cigarettes a day”. 13 years later, Jenni finally took the decision to quit.
With one week left in Stoptober, you can still make a go of it and get help to quit today. If you’re already participating, keep going!
Visit the NHS Better Health Stoptober or our local stop smoking page for information and practical advice about quitting. Research has shown that you’re three times more likely to quit smoking with professional support.
Help shape the Southampton Carers Strategy
 Do you, or any of you know, provide unpaid care for a family member or friend?
A carer is anyone who gives their time, unpaid, to look after someone who needs additional support, such as a family member, a friend, or a neighbour. Caring for a family member or friend is a valuable and important contribution, and vital to the delivery of adult social care and health services.
As the local support service for unpaid carers, Carers in Southampton is working in partnership with us, to gather feedback from all carers to help shape the Southampton Carers Strategy 2021-2025. Please share this information with colleagues and friends to encourage any carers among them to join in helping make the plan.
More information here.
Air quality improvements confirmed in Southampton during lockdown
 We have recently reported improvements in air quality during the lockdown period (March - June 2020). As with many cities across the country, the reduction in road traffic has seen lower levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) recorded during this time.
Compared to similar periods in 2019, average NO2 levels across the city reduced by 12%. Total road traffic fell by up to 55% during the same period, the correlation between air pollution and road emissions has been widely promoted. A key theme in the council’s Green City Plan is to deliver clean air, linking in with the existing Clean Air Strategy the priority is to reduce road-based emissions. Road traffic emissions are the most significant contributor to poor air quality in Southampton. The council instructed an independent, third party to review data received from four automatic monitoring stations. The analysis has shown that weather conditions have a significant impact on pollutant concentrations over the short term and despite general trends this explains some of the occasional peaks in pollutant levels experienced.
Find out more.
What does culture mean to you?
 Don’t forget, we are encouraging everyone to get involved with our UK City of Culture bid. We want to learn about how ‘what we do’ shapes ‘who we are’ as a city – what culture means to us.
Let us know what culture means to you and complete our short survey.
Saying thank-you to our foster families
 We are fortunate in Southampton to have an amazing community of Foster Carers. But did you know that the families of foster carers – sons, daughters and others – also play an invaluable role in creating happy and successful foster placements?
We’re celebrating the nationwide Sons and Daughters Month and saying a huge thank-you to all the children who have been part of their family’s fostering journey. This week, our fostering team has been busy sending dozens of cards to these children to thank them for their kindness and generosity. From sharing toys, to even sharing Mum and Dad, they are the unsung heroes of foster care – and we couldn’t be prouder!
If you're thinking about fostering and want to know more, please visit our website.
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