Useful Resources

1 APRIL 2022

The Government has now ended the general provision of free tests.  All testing sites in Cornwall have closed and infrastructure will be removed over the coming weeks.

Some people – including those living and working in health and care settings – will still have access to free tests, but most will have the option of purchasing them. See the GOV.UK website.

Cases remain incredibly high in Cornwall and residents and visitors should continue to:

  • Follow hands, face, space, fresh air guidance.
  • If you have symptoms of COVID or winter illness, test positive for COVID or have a temperature, stay at home for five days if you can.
  • After the five days, continue to avoid spending time with people who may be vulnerable to the virus. If you can, don’t go to work if you are ill.
  • Avoid as much contact with other people as possible if you are a close contact of someone who has COVID-19.
  • If you leave home, take a face covering and avoid spending time in crowded places or meeting vulnerable people.
  • Get vaccinated. Vaccines reduce the risk of serious illness and help stop the spread of COVID

The government has set out next steps for living with COVID and the full guidance can be found here.

 

ANNOUNCED 21 FEBRURARY 2022

The prime minister announced that the government will be removing remaining domestic restrictions in England. The government guidance can be found here, including the plan for living with COVID-19.  From 24 February 2022, people will not be legally required to self-isolate if they test positive for COVID-19. The advice in the guidance is to stay at home if you can and avoid contact with other people. In order to decrease the risk of catching and passing on COVID-19, the government advice is:

  • Get vaccinated and get your booster dose
  • Consider wearing a face covering in most indoor public places and on public transport
  • Wash your hands regularly and cover coughs and sneezes
  • Let fresh air in if you meet indoors. Meeting outdoors is safer

 

ANNOUNCED 8 DECEMBER 2021 

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the move to Plan B in England.

  • Move to Plan B confirmed as Omicron spreads across UK, with early analysis suggesting cases could be doubling at a rate of as little as 2.5 to 3 days
  • Face masks to become compulsory in most public indoor venues, other than hospitality
  • NHS Covid Pass to be mandatory in specific settings, using a negative test or full vaccination via the NHS Covid Pass
  • Vaccines and testing remain our best lines of defence
  • People asked to work from home if they can

For further information on plan B please visit https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

FROM 30 NOVEMBER 2021

Temporary measures have been put in place to respond to the Omicron variant to slow its arrival and spread. The Government has put in place the following temporary measures:

  • International arrivals from non-red list countries who are fully vaccinated will need to isolate at home and take a PCR test on or before day 2 following your arrival. You are only permitted to leave isolation if this test result is negative. If your test result is positive, you will need to isolate for 10 days. This is the law.
  • Face coverings are a legal requirement in shops and on public transport. This is the law.
  • Those who have come into contact with an individual who may have been infected with the Omicron variant will need to self-isolate. This will apply even if you are fully-vaccinated or aged 18 or under. This is the law.

These temporary measures will be reviewed in 3 weeks’ time.

Further information can be found on https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do

FROM 27 AUGUST 2021

Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have been designated an ‘Enhanced Response Area’ (ERA) to help tackle the current rise in Covid-19 cases.

It means that additional resources will be made available by the government to help reinforce Cornwall Council’s efforts to stop the spread of the virus and keep residents safe.

To book or order a PCR test visit www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test To find out where you can pick up Lateral Flow Tests visit https://maps.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/ or to order them to be delivered to your home visit www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests
For more on vaccinations and where to get your jabs visit www.kernowccg.nhs.uk
For more information on the pandemic in Cornwall visit www.cornwall.gov.uk/coronavirus and for national guidance visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus

FROM 21 JUNE

The final easing of lockdown restrictions has been delayed. There are still a few restrictions that will be lifted on 21 June, including:

  • Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies can be attended by more than 30 people, but numbers will instead be determined by a venue’s social distancing capacity.
  • Care home residents will no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days when they return from visits outside, except for high risk trips such as an overnight hospital trip.
  • Out-of-school groups, such as Brownies, Scouts and Duke of Edinburgh, will be able to have overnight trips in groups of 30 children.

You can see the latest on coronavirus restrictions on the GOV.UK website

Self-Isolating? Cornwall Council has put together a free information pack for anyone who has questions about self-isolating. The pack explains what you need to do, what support is available, and if and how you may be entitled to apply for financial support. Download a self-isolation information pack.

FROM 17 MAY

The next step in the government’s roadmap out of lockdown takes effect from Monday 17 May.  Let’s keep going in the right direction.   In summary the new changes mean:

  • You can meet indoors in a group of up to 6 people or a group of any size from 2 households
  • You can meet outside in a group of up to 30 people
  • Work from home if you can and travel safely
  • If you have symptoms get a test and stay at home

Click this link to view more detailed guidance on the new rules from Cornwall Council.  Cornwall Council also offer more general help, information and advice relating to coronavirus – including business, financial and mental health support, testing and vaccinations and local COVID-19 data which can be viewed by clicking on this link.

For a summary of the rules at each step of the roadmap you can visit the Government’s Roadmap out of Lockdown page.

FROM 12 APRIL

The next step in the government’s roadmap out of lockdown takes effect from Monday 12 April.  Please stick to the rules to keep Cornwall’s cases low.  We don’t want to take a backwards step.  Click on this link to find out what you can and can’t do today.   You can also download a poster about the rule changes from the 12 April by clicking here.  To  learn more about how being outdoors limits the spread of the virus, check out the Government campaign video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AW8R6-BYVo

 

ROADMAP OUT OF LOCKDOWN

The ‘COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021’ provides a roadmap out of the current lockdown in England and sets out how the government will continue to protect and support citizens across the UK.  You can download the document by clicking on this link.  For versions in different formats, please visit the .gov website by clicking on this link.

NATIONAL LOCKDOWN

You must stay at home. This is the single most important action we can all take to protect the NHS and save lives. You must not leave your home unless necessary.  Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household or bubble.  For more information about what you can and cannot do click here.

CLINICIAL SHIELDERS: For information on what to do if you are clinically shielded and for answers to frequently asked questions click here.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT:  For additional support including help getting food, financial support and business support  visit the Cornwall Council site for information here.

REPORTING CONCERNS RELATING TO CORONAVIRUS RULE BREACHES: You can report the following possible breach of Coronavirus rules to the police;

  • someone not following the lockdown rules
  • a business
  • a fraud or scam
  • face coverings not being worn

To report a a possible breach of lockdown rules click here

To report a concern about a business breaking opening rules to Cornwall Council, please check the national lockdown rules about businesses before raising a concern.  The full guidance can be found on the .gov.uk website  

Contact Cornwall Council here if you wish to proceed with raising your concern.

SCAM ALERT:  There have been reports of a new scam where a person receives a text message telling people they are eligible to apply for a vaccine. A link to a fake NHS website and form which asks for name, address, date of birth, proof of address and bank details to prove identity. This is a scam.

The NHS will never ask for people’s banking information.  For more information about this type of scam you can view or download this leaflet: https://cfa.nhs.uk/…/COVID-19_SMS_and_Text_Message…

If you think you have been a victim of this type of scam please report to Action Fraud on: 0300 123 2040 or visit: www.actionfraud.police.uk

Please also note genuine text messages from the UK Government will only come from UK_Gov You will only ever be directed to GOV.UK/coronavirus.

COVID VACCINATIONS IN CORNWALL: The vaccination programme is coordinated nationally by the NHS. Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust opened the first vaccination clinics on 9 December, with the first GP surgeries beginning vaccinations on 15 December.

Priorities groups for vaccination are based on advice from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) at a national level and individuals will be contacted when it is their turn to receive the vaccine. They should not contact their GP, local hospital or other local NHS services.

This is a hugely positive step forward and we encourage everyone to have their vaccination when it’s their turn. To keep on protecting each other, we still all need to continue to wash hands, wear face coverings, maintain distance and also comply with Test and Trace requirements

The Government has published its UK COVID-19 vaccines delivery plan, which focuses on ensuring supply, establishing prioritisation, expanding where vaccinations can take place, and recruiting and training a vaccination workforce.

NATIONAL WEBSITES

GOV.UK Please visit this site to find out more about the UK’s government response to Covid-19 (coronavirus) and to view specific guidance materials including official advice about what you can and cannot do. 

NHS Coronavirus Advice can be viewed for official medical guidance.

NHS Every Mind Matters is a section of the NHS website together with Every Mind Matters and offers tips and advice for your mental health, including simple steps to help you take care of your mental health with clear NHS Advice.

Citizens Advice are still continuing to offer services to the public despite closing their offices and outreach operationations in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly during the Covid19 restrictions.  To contact the citizens advice you can can click above for useful, up-todate information on a wide range of subjects or you can:

Text ADVICE to 78866 or for debt issues, text DEBT to 78866 and they’ll call you back within 48 hours (excluding bank holidays and weekends).

Call them on 03444-111444 Mondays to Fridays between 10am and 4pm.

FOR THE MACMILLAN CANCER ADVICE SERVICE: Thee office in The Cove at the Royal Cornwall Hospital is closed during the coronavirus out-break but advisers are still working. Please email macmillan@citizensadvicecornwall.org.uk or call 01872-672090. Callers will be asked to leave a message, and can expect a call back within 24 hours (excluding weekends).

PLEASE NOTE: All phone calls are charged at your normal rate.

National Trading Standards UK is warning people to remain vigilant following a rise in coronavirus-related scams that seek to benefit from the public’s concern and uncertainty over COVID-19. Members of the public should ignore scam products such as supplements and anti-virus kits that falsely claim to cure or prevent COVID-19.  Their website offers more information on what to look out for and how to report a scam.  You can also find more information and report scams to Action Fraud.   

 

LOCAL WEBSITES:

Cornwall Council are regularly updating their website with information on COVID 19 and has links to the very latest updates from Public Health England and advice from the NHS. The site also provides information on how Cornwall Council are supporting residents and businesses.  They have also released a Covd-19 Community Toolkit filled with useful information you can see below.

Covid-19 Community Toolkit

For Business Recovery resources and advice and guidance visit Cornwall Council’s Business Regulatory Support.

Volunteer Cornwall is working with partner organisations to co-ordinate the response in Cornwall. Alongside the Voluntary Sector Forum, the two organisations will be taking a lead on delivering food, medicines and care to those shielded in the community or those who are asked to self isolate for other concerns. It is expected that as the virus spreads through the county more volunteers and resources will be required and it is vital that everything is co-ordinated through a single network.

Proud To Care and people who need care and support in Cornwall are calling on everyone who can, to urgently step up and apply for a role in Cornwall’s care sector. If you can help then please apply via the website as soon as possible. The call for more carers comes as Cornwall faces an unprecedented demand for care and support during the Coronavirus emergency. There are plenty of opportunities for this to become a permanent role for individuals in the future.

Cornwall Link connects individuals, families, carers, volunteers, and healthcare professionals with services and social activities in their area. The idea behind the platform is to reduce social isolation through these connections, encouraging people to join in community-led activities on-line. A support site has been developed by Age UK Cornwall and Made Open Communications that will be focused to provide a community portal and support system to connect people during the coronavirus pandemic. For those without access to the internet, information from the site is also available via the Inclusion Matters Helpline on 01872 266383 during business hours.

Safer Cornwall is a partnership of public, voluntary, community and private organisations who come together to do all that they can to make Cornwall’s communities safer.

Domestic abuse and sexual violence doesn’t stop during lockdown. Please watch and share this video from Safer Cornwall. Five minutes of your time could help someone experiencing domestic abuse or sexual violence to access the safety and support they desperately need.

There’s more support for those living with domestic abuse during the COVID-19 outbreak on the Safer Cornwall website and the Safer Futures website. You can also ring Safer Futures on 0300 777 4777 or Cornwall Refuge Trust’s 24Hr Helpline on 01872 225629.

If you or someone you know is at immediate risk of harm, please call the police now on 999

OTHER RESOURCES

Volunteer Cornwall’s North Cornwall families: www.facebook.com/NorthCornwallFamiliesCDW/

Is a site run by the North Cornwall Families Community Development Worker promoting voluntary and community sector groups and events that are supporting children, young people and their families in the area.

Inclusion Matters: https://www.facebook.com/inclusionmatterscornwall

This service has been commissioned by Cornwall Council.  Inclusion Matters is a partnership project between Age UK Cornwall, Disability Cornwall, Inclusion Cornwall, Digital Inclusion and Cornwall Rural Community Charity [CRCC], who leads this service.  In addition, we work with Cornwall Health Care Trust [NHS] to support hospital patient discharge across the county. They offer a free service through Cornwall Link to connect communities to each other.  This can be access here:  https://cornwall-link.co.uk/

OK Rehab:https://www.okrehab.org/

At OK Rehab, their aim is to help individuals break free from the shackles of addiction and find a treatment that’s ideally suited to their needs. This treatment is applicable for drug addiction, alcoholism and process/behavioural addictions.