 The positive trend continues this week as the number of cases of COVID-19 in Southampton continues to fall. However admissions to our University Hospital Southampton Intensive Care Unit remain higher than average.
The picture is improving but we have to stick with it. Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives.
You must self-isolate when you have symptoms, test positive or if you are contacted by the NHS COVID-19 app or NHS Test and Trace. This is essential to keep these numbers down and protect our family and residents. Financial assistance is available to you if you need to self-isolate.
See our full dashboard for Weekly COVID-19 Updates.
Targeted Covid-19 testing in SO15 5
 As you may be aware, in partnership with Public Health England (PHE) and NHS Test and Trace, we are doing some ‘surge’ testing among residents in the SO15 5 area following a confirmed case of the COVID-19 variant first discovered in South Africa. The testing programme will include all residents aged 16 or over in the SO15 5 postcode area this week.
At this stage, we do not think there is a specific public health risk to people in the SO15 5 area and the objective of the testing is to help PHE understand more about the variant and any possible community transmission that is not linked to international travel. It is important to note that there is currently no evidence that this variant causes more severe illness, or that the regulated vaccines will not provide protection against it.
If you live in SO15 5 and did not receive a letter about home-testing on Wednesday 17 February, and have not been tested, we are asking you to visit the mobile testing unit at Atherley Bowling Club on Hill Lane which is open for a final day tomorrow (Saturday) from 9.30–17.30.
This testing site is only for people who live in SO15 5 and do not have COVID-19 symptoms. If you have COVID-19 symptoms you should not take part in this programme. Instead, you should book a test in the usual way at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus, via to NHS COVID-19 app, or by calling 119.
If you live in SO15 5 and are shielding or would prefer not to leave your home, then you should not attend the mobile testing unit. If you travel to SO15 5 for example to work or as part of a support or childcare bubble, you do not need to take part in this programme.
More information and answers to your questions are on our website.
Targeted testing: your questions answered
 Many of you have been in touch with questions about the surge testing currently underway in SO15 5. In this week's weekly video, Cllr Christopher Hammond, Leader of Southampton City Council, has answered some of the most commonly asked queries. You can watch the video by clicking here.
More information about the surge testing is also on our website.
Vaccine advice for over 65s
 The NHS is currently offering the COVID-19 vaccine to people most at risk from coronavirus.
Across Southampton our residents will be invited in one of the following ways to have a vaccination:
- Using a local GP service
- Using local hospital services
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At a vaccination centre: Southampton’s vaccination centre is located in Oakley Road, Millbrook. If a person lives within 30 to 45 minutes of a vaccination centre, and hasn’t already been vaccinated, they may receive a letter asking them to book an appointment at a vaccination centre through the national booking service online at www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination. If they can’t access the NHS website they can call 119 free. If a person would prefer to be vaccinated by their local GP practice or vaccination centre, as explained in the letter, they can wait to be contacted by their GP or try the website again later as sites are being added as they become available.
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At a local pharmacy: NHS England is also arranging for some local pharmacies to provide the vaccination on an appointment basis.
At the moment the vaccine is being given to:
- people aged 65 and over
- people who are at high risk from coronavirus (clinically extremely vulnerable)
- people who are at moderate risk from coronavirus (clinically vulnerable)
- people who live or work in care homes
- health and social care workers
If you are in one of these categories, you can book appointments at a larger vaccination centre or a pharmacy that provides COVID-19 vaccinations. Click here to book your COVID-19 vaccination appointments
The vaccine will be offered more widely as soon as possible and the NHS will contact you when it is the right time. You can also find out more about why you are being asked to wait.
Visit the NHS Southampton City CCG website to find out more.
Have you or someone you know been advised to shield?
 More people have been advised to follow shielding guidance, after new technology has been introduced to help clinicians identify a new group of people who may be at high risk from COVID-19. This is based upon risk factors or health issues which when combined, indicates a higher risk of becoming seriously unwell from Coronavirus.
People identified through the risk assessment will be sent a letter from NHS England explaining the details and will be invited to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible if they haven’t had the jab already. Southampton City Council will also be contacting the additional residents who are now in the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable group, signposting to the wide range of support available in the city.
Don’t forget that our dedicated COVID-19 resident helpline, 023 8083 4800, is open Monday-Friday (8.30am-5pm) for practical support and information or you can contact us via webchat or complete the online form.
Read the full story about the support available and find more information about how to get help on our website.
COVID-19 vaccines for unpaid and family carers
 Do you know someone who is an unpaid or family carer? Unpaid and family carers aged 16+ are on one of the priority lists for an early COVID-19 vaccination and vaccines for this group have already begun.
Many unpaid or family carers do not recognise their caring role. Please encourage any family members, neighbours or colleagues you think might have caring responsibilities to register with Carers in Southampton as an unpaid or family carer to be in line to receive the vaccine, even if they are already registered with Carers in Southampton. They must be registered with a Southampton GP Practice.
They will need to tell Carers in Southampton they are a carer by completing a form here: www.carersinsouthampton.co.uk/covid19vaccine or by calling Freephone 0800 776 5217 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm) but please be aware that the phone lines are extremely busy.
For more information about the vaccine and FAQs, visit the NHS Southampton City CCG website.
Get the facts about vaccines
 Muhammad Ali Tanveer is the Imam at Medina Mosque in Southampton. He has volunteered at the Oakley Road vaccination centre recently. In this short video, he addresses facts about the COVID-19 vaccine.
If you have questions about the COVID-19 Vaccine, check out these FAQs from the NHS.
If you would like to volunteer on the vaccine programme at Oakley Road with Solent NHS Trust, please contact them: vaccine.volunteers@solent.nhs.uk
We want your views on the COVID-19 vaccination
 Now that the COVID-19 vaccination program is up and running, we would like to know a little more about how feel about the vaccinations and any worries or concerns you may have. This feedback will be really helpful to us. This short survey should only take 5 minutes to complete. The closing date is Sunday 28 February. Complete the online survey.
Please share this with other Southampton residents, we are keen to hear from as many people as possible. You can also help run through the survey with someone else. Simply click ‘on behalf of someone’ when you start the survey and it will tell you what to do.
Council Leader and Chancellor of the Exchequer praise the work of the Solent Apprenticeship Hub
 Leader of the Council, Councillor Christopher Hammond, has joined the Chancellor of the Exchequer, The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak, to pay tribute to the hard work of the Solent Apprenticeship Hub. The praise was given during a networking event organised by the Hub for large levy paying employers across the region, which took place on Friday 12 February as part of National Apprenticeship Week.
During their introductory speeches Councillor Hammond spoke of how ‘our economic recovery needs to put our residents first and be at the heart of what we do’, while the Chancellor recognised ‘ the determination that all apprentices, employers and training providers have shown over the last year to overcome the many challenges of COVID-19.’
Read the full story on our website.
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