 Download the new NHS COVID-19 app now
The NHS has released a new app to help reduce the spread of Covid-19, and help us all protect each other.
The free app is part of the NHS Test and Trace service and will be used, alongside traditional contact tracing, to notify you if you have come into contact with someone who tests positive for Covid-19. The app will allow you to report symptoms, order a test and check in to venues by scanning a QR code.
We are urging residents to download the app to help keep Tower Hamlets safe. It is a vital tool in the national fight against the virus. Businesses must support the app by downloading a poster to be displayed at their entrance.
Remember, the app helps the NHS track the virus, not individuals. Any data shared with the app is held on your phone. Nobody, including the government, will know who or where you are, or have been. You can delete the app and all data at any time.
 Let us know if you need help
Our dedicated support line is still open to support residents who may need to self-isolate because of Covid-19. Self-isolation means you stay home at all times. We can arrange deliveries of food and medication, use our network of volunteers for other tasks like shopping, help you maintain social connections, provide advice on finances or help anyone worried about debt.
Remember, you must self-isolate if you either:
- test positive for Covid-19
- live in the same household as someone who has tested positive for Covid-19
- experience symptoms of Covid-19 and are in the process of booking a test
- are contacted by NHS Test and Trace and informed that you have been in recent close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19
- or if you arrive in England from a country that requires self isolation.
Breaking self-isolation is illegal. We are here to support residents and keep Tower Hamlets safe.
 Become a Covid-19 community champion
Cases of the virus are rising in the borough. We're calling on residents to sign up to become Covid-19 community champions to help everyone stay informed and in tune with the latest advice.
Residents who sign up to become champions will receive regular, up to date advice and information on Covid-19, in their preferred format. Champions then share information with their families, friends and their wider communities, helping them make sense of it.
 Celebrating Black History Month
Over the summer, we asked budding photographers to send in images that they thought best represented Black History Month – and we're received excellent submissions!
We'll be celebrating from 1 October by exhibiting more than 50 of the submitted images as part of Photo - Open, a vivid virtual photography exhibition. It will feature diverse subjects including portraits, demonstrations, the current pandemic, women at work, carnivals, musicians, dancers and more.
Throughout the month, our Idea Stores and Local History Library and Archives will also be hosting talks and presentations. On top of that, we're supporting a variety of virtual or socially distanced events organised by arts and voluntary groups in the borough. These include cinema, performances, cookery discussions and workshops.
 It's Recycle Week!
Recycle Week is a celebration of recycling and a campaign to encourage people up and down the country to do the right thing with their waste. It's organised by The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) charity and this year's theme is 'Together - We Recycle'.
We want Recycle Week 2020 to recognise the sacrifices that key workers and residents have made to keep recycling going and create positive change throughout the borough during this tough time.
As part of the campaign we have been running a series of recycling messages on our social media channels using #RecycleWeek – get involved by sending us images of your recycling efforts during the week!
 Read Our East End and tell us your thoughts
The latest issue of Our East End, the council's quarterly publication, is out now!
It's packed full of great stories that celebrate our borough, including a piece on Bow-born Dizzee Rascal and a unique mix of news, features, walks, events, history and much more. There's also important Covid-19 advice to help keep Tower Hamlets safe.
We are proud of our local area and hope you, our readers are too, and continue to enjoy getting Our East End on your doorstep every few months. We're committed to reviewing and improving the publication where we can, so this edition features a reader survey. We'd love to hear from you, and there's a £100 voucher up for grabs too!
Call for drivers to turn engines off
We're taking part in a new London-wide campaign encouraging businesses to tackle air pollution caused by idling engines.
We have joined forces with 29 other London authorities and City of London Corporation in a bid to cut dangerous vehicle emissions as part of the Idling Action Project. The #EnginesOff campaign asks businesses to pledge that their drivers and other employees will not leave their engines on when parked. As well as asking businesses to take part, our own drivers have taken the pledge and received extra training on pollution reduction.
Tackling vehicle emissions is more important than ever. Emerging evidence shows that air pollution is linked to poor recovery and a higher infection rate of Covid-19 due to pollution causing damage to the lungs.
 Carers' Festival goes online this Saturday
A reminder that the annual Carers' Festival run by London ADASS (Association of Directors of Adult Social Services) will be moving online this year. It will take place this Saturday 26 September from 1pm - 6pm to celebrate the role of unpaid carers. There will be a wide range of activities on offer including music from a live steel band, virtual singalongs, Zumba, meditation and a book recital.
The festival was set up last year following feedback from carer representatives across London and is an opportunity to celebrate and showcase carers and the incredible role they take on.
The event will be hosted on Zoom with a main room/stage and breakout rooms so that people can choose which activities to take part in. There is something for everyone!
Attendance is free but please make sure you register ahead of time.
 Protect against the flu
Flu is a serious condition that kills thousands and hospitalises thousands more in England each year. The flu vaccination is the best protection for you and those around you, which is why it is offered for free for those most at risk.
Adults at high risk from flu are also most at risk from Covid-19. The free vaccine is more important than ever – to help protect the nation from a double threat this winter.
If you’re eligible for a free flu vaccine, please contact your GP or pharmacist if you haven’t already heard from them.
If your child is at school and aged 4 - 11, make sure you sign and return the consent form.
 Reopening the door to the borough’s special history
We're delighted to let you know that our Local History Library and Archives will reopen from Tuesday 29 September, by appointment only. The team is really looking forward to opening the building to visitors and supporting their research and study needs once more.
If you haven’t already, check out the Local History Library and Archives website for access to lots of fascinating history facts and resources, details of special exhibitions and to play your part in creating a unique record of the borough during the pandemic.
 Join our virtual children’s choir
Vocal cords at the ready! The Tower Hamlets Virtual Children’s Choir, run by Tower Hamlets Arts and Music Education Service, is starting on Monday 5 October with free online sessions for 7 - 11 year olds who live or attend school in Tower Hamlets. It's free and includes fun singing warm-ups, singing games and learning new songs.
Participants will need a quiet space at home, a computer, iPad or smart phone, internet connection and a parent or carer's email address to download Zoom. Parents or carers will also need to complete a safeguarding consent form.
 Remember – follow the rule of six
To prevent the spread of Covid-19, the government has updated its rules. It is illegal for more than six people from different households to meet indoors or outdoors in any social setting (with minimal exceptions).
Anyone caught breaking the rules may face a fine that has doubled from £100 to £200 for any first time offender.
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