Upcoming announcements
We are expecting significant announcements from Central Government around 'Living with Covid' next week. We have no further details other than those publicly available at the moment, but we will include updates in next week's newsletter.
 New Covid vaccine site at Wokingham Library
We’re excited to announce that a new walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre is opening at the Wokingham Library, to help make access to the vaccine easier for residents.
It was due to open on Friday (18 February), however because of the severe weather warning Oxford Health has made the decision to close all mass vaccination centres and pop up clinics tomorrow, including this one.
We will post any further updates on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Here’s what you need to know about this new vaccine centre:
- The site will open from 2pm to 7pm on Fridays (apart from 18 February) and 11am to 4.45pm on Saturdays and Sundays, with nearby parking at Denmark Street Car Park and across the town
- First, second, and booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine are available to all eligible people over the age of 12, including pregnant women
- People can be vaccinated regardless of whether they have proof of address, a GP or NHS number, or indefinite leave to remain in the UK – simply turn up with no appointment necessary
A review of the site will take place after six weeks, so we’re encouraging residents to make good use of the facility. The best way to tackle Covid is increased vaccination and we encourage everyone who is eligible to come forward for it.
If you tested positive in December and were unable to get your booster, it’s now time to come forward for it (28 days from when you tested positive). Parents, carers and guardians are also encouraged to bring children and young people over the age of 12 to this new site over half term (for 12–15-year-olds this must be 12 weeks from the date of their positive PCR test if they were recently infected).
 Help is here if you are struggling with your mental health
According to a study by mental health charity MIND, 1 in 3 adults and young people said their mental health has got much worse since March 2020, when the pandemic started.
It has been a turbulent couple of years full of many ups and downs. With restrictions now continuing to ease, we recognise that people may be feeling nervous. It’s important to go at your own pace and keep talking and connecting with people; whether that’s your loved ones, or dedicated health professionals. Please also be conscious of people in the community who may be anxious.
Support is available in the borough – whether that’s through the One Front Door, Wokingham Wellbeing Service, Wokingham Recovery College, or other local and national helplines. You can find out more by visiting the emotional and mental health page on our website.
 A message to parents and carers
Thank you for supporting our schools this half term. Our work together as a community helps everyone stay safe and well.
Let’s keep up this good work – while things will be changing in the future, they aren’t just yet. Have a read of our latest leaflet (PDF document), which covers:
- Tips if you’re travelling abroad this half term
- Other guidance on staying safe when out and about
- Information on the Covid-19 vaccine and our new site at Wokingham Library (see article above)
You may have seen in the news that following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), all children in England aged 5-11 will be offered a Pfizer vaccine from April. The rollout will be non-urgent, with an emphasis on parental choice.
We will update as and when we have more information on how this will be delivered.
 Covid-19 business grants available
To help support businesses that continue to be impacted by Covid-19 restrictions and the spread of the Omicron variant, we have been awarded an additional amount of funding to distribute to businesses in two different grants. These are:
-
Additional Restrictions Grant – a one-off discretionary payment of £1,000, made by Thursday 31 March 2022. The money is being given on a first-come-first-served basis
-
Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant – one-off grants of £2,677, £4,000 or £6,000 depending on the rateable value of trading premises - applications must be made by 18 March
You will need to submit evidence to demonstrate loss of demand and income and provide other information – please see the full details and information on how to apply on our website.
Please note, we aim to process applications within ten working days. If your application is approved, your grant payment will be paid into your account within a further five working days. If you have any questions, please email NNDRGrants@wokingham.gov.uk.
 Useful links
Dedicated Covid-19 pages on our website
Latest stats for Wokingham Borough via the Covid-19 Dashboard
How Covid-19 is affecting our services
|
