COVID 19 – Upper Clatford, Anna Valley and Red Rice

Summary: what you can and cannot do from 29 March:

• you can meet outdoors either in a group of 6 (from any number of households), or in a group of any size from up to 2 households (a household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible)
• you can take part in formally organised outdoor sports with any number of people (outdoor sports venues and facilities will be able to reopen)
• childcare and supervised activities are allowed outdoors for all children
• formally organised parent and child groups can take place outdoors for up to 15 attendees. Children under 5 will not be counted in this number

Keeping yourself and others safe

You should stay 2 metres apart from anyone who is not in your household or support bubble where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings) if you cannot stay 2 metres apart.

You should follow the guidance on how to stop the spread of coronavirus at all times, including if you have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

You should follow this guidance in full to limit the transmission of COVID-19. It is underpinned by law.

Face coverings

You must wear a face covering in many indoor settings, such as shops and places of worship, and on public transport, unless you are exempt. This is the law. Read guidance on face coverings.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, you could be at higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, you are no longer advised to shield. However, you should continue to follow the guidance for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable and are advised to take additional precautions to protect yourself. It is important that you continue to keep the number of social interactions that you have low and try to limit the amount of time you spend in settings where you are unable to maintain social distancing.

If you have been vaccinated against COVID-19

To help protect yourself and your friends, family, and community you should continue to follow all of the guidance on this page even if you’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The vaccines have been shown to reduce the likelihood of severe illness in most people. Like all medicines, no vaccine is completely effective, so those who have received the vaccine should continue to take recommended precautions to avoid infection.

We do not know by how much the vaccine stops COVID-19 from spreading. Even if you have been vaccinated, you could still spread COVID-19 to others.

Meeting family and friends indoors

You must not meet indoors with anybody you do not live with, unless they are part of your support bubble (if you are eligible), or another legal exemption applies.

Meeting friends and family outdoors (rule of 6)

You can meet up outdoors with friends and family you do not live with, either:

• in a group of up to 6 from any number of households (children of all ages count towards the limit of 6)
• in a group of any size from up to two households (each household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible)

If you’re in a support bubble

If you are eligible to form a support bubble, you and your support bubble count as one household towards the limit of 2 households when meeting others outdoors. This means, for example, that you and your support bubble can meet with another household, even if the group is more than 6 people.

Where you can meet

You can meet in a group of 6 or a larger group of any size from up to 2 households (including their support bubbles) outdoors. This includes private outdoor spaces, such as gardens, and other outdoor public places and venues that remain open. These include the following:

• parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, forests
• public and botanical gardens
• the grounds of a heritage site
• outdoor sculpture parks
• allotments
• public playgrounds
• outdoor sports venues and facilities

If you need to enter through a house to get to a garden or other outside space and there is no alternative access, you should wear a face covering, wash or sanitise your hands when entering, and then go straight to the outside space. If you need to use the bathroom, wash your hands thoroughly and go back outside immediately. You should maintain social distancing from anyone who is not in your household or support bubble.

When you can meet with more people or meet indoors

Gatherings above the limit of 6 people or 2 households, or gatherings indoors, can only take place if they are permitted by an exception. These exceptions are listed on this page.

Where a group includes someone covered by an exception (for example, someone who is working or volunteering), they are not generally counted as part of the gatherings limit. This means, for example, a tradesperson can go into a household without breaking the limit if they are there for work, and the officiant at a wedding would not count towards the limit.

Support and childcare bubbles

You have to meet certain eligibility rules to form a support or childcare bubble. This means not everyone will be able to form a bubble. See the separate guidance on support bubbles and childcare bubbles.

You can only use a childcare bubble for childcare. You cannot use a childcare bubble to mix with another household for any other reason. This means you cannot use a childcare bubble to meet socially with another household.

Going to work

You should continue to work from home where you can.

If you cannot work from home you should continue to travel to your workplace. This includes, but is not limited to, people who work in:

• critical national infrastructure
• construction
• manufacturing
• childcare or education
• essential public services
• essential retail, such as supermarkets and pharmacies

You do not need to be classed as a critical worker to go to work if you cannot work from home.

Employers and employees should discuss their working arrangements, and employers should take every possible step to facilitate their employees working from home, including providing suitable IT and equipment to enable remote working. Where people cannot work from home, employers should take steps to make their workplaces COVID-19 secure and help employees avoid busy times and routes on public transport. Extra consideration should be given to those people at higher risk.

COVID-secure guidelines are available for sectors across the economy to substantially reduce the risk of transmission.

See guidance for reopening businesses and venues

Meeting others for work

You can gather in larger groups or meet indoors where it is necessary for your work. This does not include social gatherings.

Working in other people’s homes

Where it is reasonably necessary for you to work in other people’s homes you can continue to do so, for example if you’re a:

• nanny
• cleaner
• tradesperson
• social care worker providing support to children and families

You must follow the guidance on working in other people’s homes.

Where a work meeting does not need to take place in a private home or garden, it should not.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable or live with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable

If you have been identified as being clinically extremely vulnerable you should continue to work from home where possible. If you cannot work from home, you should go to work. Your employer is required to take steps to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace and should be able to explain to you the measures they have put in place to keep you safe at work. Some employers may introduce regular testing of employees as part of these measures. You may also want to consider how you get to and from work, for example, if it is possible to avoid using public transport during rush hour.

If you live with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable then you can continue to attend work if you are unable to work from home.

You should follow the guidance on how to stop the spread of coronavirus, including what to do to reduce your risk of catching or passing on the virus at home.

If you are worried about going in to work or you cannot work

There is guidance if you need to self-isolate or cannot attend work due to coronavirus and what to do if you’re employed and cannot work.

Citizens Advice has advice if you’re worried about working, including what to do if you think your workplace is not safe, or if you live with someone vulnerable.

Support is available if you cannot work, for example if you need to care for someone or you have less work.

There is further advice for employers and employees from ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service).

Going to school or college

School pupils and students in further education should attend school and college.

All schools, colleges and other further education settings are open for face-to-face teaching during term time. It remains very important for children and young people to attend, to support their wellbeing and education and to help working parents and guardians.

Clinically extremely vulnerable pupils and students should attend school or college.

There is further guidance on what parents need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges during COVID-19.

The following people in England will have access to regular rapid lateral flow testing now schools and colleges are open to all students:

• secondary school pupils and college students
• primary and secondary school staff and college staff
• households, childcare and support bubbles of primary and secondary-age pupils and college students
• households, childcare and support bubbles of primary and secondary school and college staff

See the guidance on rapid lateral flow testing for households and bubbles of school pupils and staff

Universities and higher education

Students in university and other higher education settings undertaking practical and practice based courses who require specialist equipment and facilities can attend in-person teaching and learning where reasonably necessary. Providers should not ask students to return if their course can reasonably be continued online.

All other students should continue to learn remotely. They should remain at their current accommodation until they return to in-person teaching.

Students who have returned to higher education settings, including university, should not move back and forward between their permanent home and student home during term time, unless they meet one of the exemptions.

Higher education students who have moved to university accommodation and returned to face-to-face learning will be able to return to a non-term residence before 29 April 2021, if they wish to. This will allow university students to return to a family or other address for the holidays. However, in order to minimise the risk of transmission, students should remain in their term time accommodation where possible, especially those students who returned to campus from 8 March. Students should take a test before they travel.

There is guidance for universities and students starting and returning to higher education in the spring term.

Students should follow the guidance on how to stop the spread of coronavirus at all times.

Childcare

Children over 5 can use registered childcare, childminders, wraparound care and other supervised children’s activities indoors where it is reasonably necessary to enable parents or carers to:

• work
• seek work
• attend education
• seek medical care or attend a support group

Vulnerable children can attend these settings regardless of circumstance as can those eligible for Free School Meals so that they can attend those that are part of the Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) running over the Easter holidays.

Children under 5 can continue to access childcare in all circumstances.

All children can now access outdoor supervised activities for children regardless of need.

Parent and child groups are permitted outdoors, with restrictions on numbers attending. See the parent and child groups section of this guidance.

There are several ways that parents and carers can continue to access childcare:

• early years settings (including nurseries and childminders) are open
• parents are able to form a childcare bubble with one other household for the purposes of informal childcare, where the child is under 14. This must not be used to enable socialising between adults
• some households will also be able to benefit from being in a support bubble, including all those with a child under the age of one
• nannies will be able to continue to provide services, including in the home

Meeting others for childcare

People can continue to gather indoors or in larger groups outdoors where this is reasonably necessary:

• for education, registered childcare, and supervised activities for children, see further information on education and childcare
• for arrangements where children do not live in the same household as both their parents or guardians
• to allow contact between birth parents and children in care, as well as between siblings in care
• for prospective adopting parents to meet a child or children who may be placed with them
• to place or facilitate the placing of a child or children in the care of another by social services

Parent and child groups

The rules on whether you can meet indoors depend on the main purpose of the meeting.

Parent and child groups

Parent and child groups can take place outdoors if they are for the benefit of children aged under 5 and organised by a business, charity or public body. This includes groups that are primarily focused on social and developmental activities (such as art classes).

Parent and child groups can only take place in outdoor spaces, and must not take place in private gardens or homes, or in venues that are otherwise required to close.

Parent and child groups must be limited to no more than 15 attendees. Children under five and anyone working as part of the group are not counted in this number.

Support groups which provide support functions for parents, carers, or their children

Support groups which provide support functions for parents, carers, or their children, such as breastfeeding, postnatal, and baby and toddler groups which have to be delivered in person may continue to meet indoors, but must follow the same rules as other support groups. See the support groups section of this guidance.

Providing care or assistance

People can continue to gather in larger groups or meet indoors where this is reasonably necessary:

• to visit people in your support bubble (if you are legally permitted to form one)
• to provide informal childcare for children under 14 as part of a childcare bubble (for example, to enable parents to work, not to enable socialising between adults)
• to provide emergency assistance
• to attend a support group of up to 15 participants, the limit of 15 does not include children under 5 who are accompanying a parent or guardian
• for respite care where that care is being provided to a vulnerable person or a disabled person, or is a short break in respect of a looked-after child
• to provide care or assistance for disabled or vulnerable people, including shopping for essential items and accessing services on their behalf

You can also provide care or assistance for disabled or vulnerable people inside someone’s home, where necessary. However, you must only meet indoors or in a larger group where it is reasonably necessary to provide care or assistance. This means you cannot meet socially indoors with someone who is vulnerable unless they are in your household or support bubble, or another exemption applies.

You should follow the guidance on how to stop the spread of coronavirus at all times. There is further guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family.

Support groups

Support groups that have to be delivered in person can continue with up to 15 participants where formally organised to provide mutual aid, therapy or any other form of support. Support groups must be organised by a business, charity or public body and must not take place in a private home. All participants should maintain social distancing. Examples of support groups include those that provide support to:

• victims of crime (including domestic abuse)
• those with, or recovering from, addictions (including alcohol, narcotics or other substance addictions) or addictive patterns of behaviour
• those with, or caring for persons with, any long-term illness or terminal condition or who are vulnerable (including those with a mental health condition)
• those facing issues related to their sexuality or identity (including those living as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender)
• those who have suffered bereavement
• vulnerable young people (including to enable them to meet youth workers)
• disabled people and their carers

Some parent and child groups may also take place indoors. See the parent and child groups section of this guidance.

The limit of 15 does not include children under 5 who are accompanying a parent or guardian. Where a group includes someone covered by an exception (for example, someone who is working or volunteering), they are not generally counted as part of the gatherings limit. This means, for example, a tradesperson can go into a household without breaching the limit, if they are there for work, and the officiant at a wedding would not count towards the limit.

Exercise, sport and physical activity

You can exercise outdoors in a group of 6 or a larger group of any size from up to 2 households (including their support bubbles, if eligible).

You can also take part in formally organised outdoor sports or licensed physical activity with any number of people. This must be organised by a business, charity or public body and the organiser must take the required precautions, including the completion of a risk assessment. You should avoid contact in training and, for some sports, avoid contact in all activities. Read the guidance on what avoiding contact means for your sport.

Outdoor sport and leisure facilities may open. Indoor gyms and other sports facilities, including changing rooms, will remain closed.

You must not meet indoors for sport, except for:

• disability sport
• sports as part of the curriculum in education
• supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s (including those who were under 18 on 31 August 2020), this should be limited to 15 participants

You should follow the guidance:

• on recreational team sport
• on outdoor sport and recreation in England
• for providers of grassroots sports and gym and leisure facilities

Elite sportspeople

Elite sportspeople (or those on an official elite sports pathway) can meet in larger groups or meet indoors to compete and train. They can be joined by their coaches if necessary, or their parents and guardians if they’re under 18.

Funerals and linked commemorative events

Funerals are allowed with limits on attendance, and must only take place in COVID-secure venues or in public outdoor places. The venue manager or event organiser must take the required precautions, including the completion of a risk assessment.

Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 30 people and may take place indoors. Linked religious, belief-based or commemorative events, such as wakes, stone settings and ash scatterings can also continue with up to 6 people in attendance.

Anyone working is not counted in these limits. Social distancing should be maintained between people who do not live together or share a support bubble.

There is guidance for arranging or attending a funeral during the coronavirus pandemic.

Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies and receptions

Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies must only take place with up to 6 people. Anyone working is not counted in this limit. Social distancing should be maintained between people who do not live together or share a support bubble.

Wedding or civil partnership ceremonies can take place in licensed venues that are not expressly required to close under the COVID-19 regulations, in some venues that are only partially closed, and in venues that are permitted to open for the purposes of providing unrestricted services. Indoor hospitality venues must remain closed. There is guidance for small marriages and civil partnerships.

Any wedding reception or civil partnership celebration following the event must adhere to social contact limits. This means you cannot socialise indoors with anyone you do not live with, unless they are part of your support bubble. However, small gatherings can take place outdoors in a group of six, or 2 households (a household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible).

Places of worship

You can attend places of worship for a service. When a service is taking place indoors you must not mingle with anyone outside of your household or support bubble. You should maintain social distancing at all times, staying 2 metres apart from anyone who is not in your household or support bubble.

When a service is taking place outdoors, you must not mingle in groups larger than 6, except for groups from up to 2 households (a household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible). You should maintain strict social distancing from other groups and households at all times.

You should follow the national guidance on the safe use of places of worship.

Volunteering and charitable services

You can gather above the limit of 6 people or 2 households, or gather indoors, where this is reasonably necessary in order to provide voluntary or charitable services.

You should follow the guidance on how to help safely.

For full details of current lockdown rules, please go to:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do#march-whats-changed

 

 

COVID 19 cases in our Parish

The current COVID 19 cases within our parish has risen over the last week but is still below the current national average (580 cases per 100,000 people).

For week ending 4th January for the area covering Clatford, Chilbolton and Barton Stacey, there were 21 new cases (up from 9). This is equivalent to 345 cases per 100,000 people (up from 170). Andover South had 24 cases equivalent to 297 per 100,000 people.

The best way to keep the incidence and risk low is to stick to the guidance.

For continuous updates, please see https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/interactive-map.

Stay Safe by:

Following the guidance

Keeping 2m apart

Washing Hands regularly

Wearing a mask in public spaces

 

We remain prepared

The Community Action Group will remain in place with volunteers ready to reactivate their support as and when required.

If you need any help or would like to register as a colunteer, please see instructions below

Hampshire Country Council guidance

see: Hampshire County Council issues COVID alert Medium advice for most vulnerable residents | Hampshire County Council

COVID Testing Sites across Hampshire

see: https://www.hants.gov.uk/socialcareandhealth/coronavirus/test-and-trace  

How to register to be a volunteer responder or for support from others in the Parish

If you would like to register as a responder or for support, please do one of the following:

• To submit your details click the COVID link.  This online form ensures we get all the information we need to register you as someone needing support or wishing to volunteer to be a responder, in the most accurate and efficient way.
• Send a short e-mail to [email protected] with your:
  • name,
  • street address, including Post Code,
  • telephone number.
  • please state whether you want support or to volunteer to help someone else.  If you are currently self-isolating please indicate this on the email
• If you have registered but find you have to self-isolate, please send an email to [email protected] so we can update the data base.
• Telephone a member of the Parish Council by calling one of numbers below. Please do this between 6:00pm and 8:30pm in the evening when Parish Council members are more likely to be available.

This is a fast developing situation and we would ask all residents who have registered to help or be supported to keep an eye on this page as we will use this as a means of communicating with you all. 

Please also sign up for News and Events, so that if we want to update everybody, we can do this via the web.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL PERSONAL DATA COLLECTED IS ONLY TO BE USED IN IMPLEMENTING THE COVID 19 RESPONSE WITHIN UPPER CLATFORD. 

Facebook Page

Julia Shah is also running a Facebook page, specifically for residents of Upper Clatford and Anna Valley.  To follow, please go to: https://www.facebook.com/The-Upper-Clatford-Anna-Valley-Red-Rice-Village-Page-190060668315653/

Test and Trace Self Isolation Support Payments

TVBC have asked us to advertise the following:

From 28 September 2020, individuals will be entitled to a Test and Trace Support Payment of £500 if they:

1. Have been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, either because they have tested positive for coronavirus or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive.
2. Live within the Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) area
3. Are employed or self-employed
4. Are unable to work from home and will lose income as a result
5. Are currently receiving one of the following benefits: Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, income-based Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and/or Pension Credit.

The Council will also be able to make a discretionary £500 lump sum payment in exceptional circumstances to an individual who meets the main qualifying criteria for the Test and Trace Support Payment (i.e. they are a low-income worker who is unable to work because they are self-isolating) but is not in receipt of qualifying benefits and could suffer financial hardship as a result of not being able to work, providing they have a minimum income of £80 per week

For the purposes of this scheme a low income is defined as less than:

• £384.62 per week (£20,000 a year) joint income if you’re in a couple
• £384.62 per week (£20,000 a year) if you’re a single parent and your children live with you
• £257.69 per week (£13,400 a year) if you’re a single adult

This payment is designed to support people on low incomes, if they will lose income as a result of self-isolating, and to encourage them to get tested if they have symptoms. This is important to help stop the transmission of COVID-19 and avoid further economic and societal restrictions.

The scheme will last until 31 January 2021.

These payments are available from 28 September 2020. Someone told to self-isolate on or after 28 September (but before the scheme is operational in TVBC) will be able to make a backdated claim for payment.

TO CLAIM PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK:

https://www.testvalley.gov.uk/benefitsandcounciltax/test-trace-support-payment-covid-19

Food availability and supplies

Your Parish Council has collated a list of local food providers who are willing and able to supply produce to local residents.

Please note that where a delivery service is listed as available, it is subject to availability. Local volunteers are on standby to assist with delivery to anybody registered as vulnerable or in need of assistance.

As a local initiative we can help our local suppliers support us by using them where possible. If receiving a call from any provider, be particularly careful to establish that it’s a genuine call before divulging any payment details.

This will be updated as needed. Please contact [email protected] if you can provide a service that prioritises the most needy in our community.

And of course, if you have not yet registered, either to help or for help, please click the COVID link to submit your details.

Pharmacy Collections

We are aware that prescription collections are a common task for volunteers and sought feedback in the previous newsletter to assist in developing an improved collection and delivery system.  Increasing numbers of residents are now asking for prescription collections.  Several pharmacies in Andover are now trialling a delivery service by volunteers from Andover direct to vulnerable residents at their homes, and this may be expanded to other pharmacies in the future during the lockdown period.  This is in its early stage and customers will be advised if they are in scope.  We will remain aligned to the trial and provide updates when received.

Clatford Store and Post Office offer a free and convenient service through Stockbridge Pharmacy (01264 810 624) so that prescrptions can be issued by them and collected from the Clatford Store or delivered direct to your home. This is set up by completing the Form attached below and dropping it into Clatford Store or Stockbridge Pharmacy.