Election of Parish & Town Councillors for the South Cambridgeshire parishes and towns: official notice

Government’s timetable for summer and autumn

Below you can see the Government’s timetable for the next couple of months:

• On 19^th July, most legal restrictions will end, removing social distancing and social contact restrictions and enabling remaining businesses to reopen – read what you can and cannot do
• By the end of July, the government will publish an updated Covid-19 outbreak management framework for local areas
• On 16^th August, the rules on self-isolating will change for people who are fully vaccinated and for the under 18s
• In September, the government will undertake a review to assess the country’s preparedness for the autumn and winter; they will consider whether to continue the post-19^th July rules or strengthen the public and business guidance.

Government guidance for Step 4

The Government is promoting the following guidance while the prevalence of the virus remains high:

• whilst the government is no longer instructing people to work from home if they can, the Government is expecting and recommending a gradual return over the summer
• the Government expects and recommends that people wear face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport
• they are encouraging people to spend time outside or to let in fresh air
• they are recommending that people minimise the number, proximity and duration of social contacts
• they are encouraging and supporting businesses and large events to use the NHS COVID Pass in high-risk settings

The Government’s video which outlines this is on Facebook or Twitter.

Local Public Health recommendations for Step 4

• Meeting people outdoors or in well-ventilated places
• Keeping a polite distance from others
• Wearing a face mask in crowded places
• Washing your hands thoroughly and often.

There is messaging via a vlog from Jyoti Atri, Director of Public Health for Cambridgeshire County Council on the County Council’s Facebook or Twitter posts.

Vulnerable people

Whilst the Government is moving away from legal restrictions, Government has published updated guidance on protecting people who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) to Covid-19. The guidance comes into effect on Monday (19^th July). The guidance advises CEV people, as a minimum, to follow the same guidance as everyone else. However, it also notes that CEV people who are at a higher risk of serious illness if they were to catch Covid-19, may wish to think carefully about additional precautions. The Government guidance sets out a number of suggested measures for CEV people to consider, related to socialising, vaccinations, work and travel.

We know that many Clinically Extremely Vulnerable people are anxious about this next step, so it is worth highlighting a key study on immunosuppressed and immunocompromised groups. Public Health England looked at more than a million people in at-risk groups and found that those that are immunosuppressed have significantly better protection from symptomatic infection following the second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Cambourne drop-in vaccination clinic this Sunday – and more locations

A reminder that the drop-in vaccination clinic is happening in Cambourne on Sunday, from 10am to 4pm. There are posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

AstraZeneca and Pfizer will both be available (and offered based on age), and people can attend for their first dose or second dose (second doses only available if people had their first dose on or before 23 May – eight weeks ago).

Information about all other drop-in vaccination clinics is available via Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group’s dedicated webpage, or by following them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Covid-19 community update 

Free community toolkit

South Cambs Community Safety Partnership has created a toolkit to help members of local communities to keep caring for each other as the pressures of the pandemic ease.

The toolkit comprises six packs covering: Combating loneliness and isolation; Reaching your community; Making the local environment safer and greener; Crime prevention in your community; Preventing antisocial behaviour; Tackling road-related concerns.  Details about the toolkit are in a video on Facebook or Twitter, and on the press release online. If members of the community would find it helpful for the village to have access to the resources in the toolkit, the Parish Council will copies. Please let the Parish Clerk know on clerk@shudycamps.org.uk

All adults are eligible for the vaccine

Anyone who is 18 or over can now book their Covid-19 vaccination appointment, and people who are 40 or over are invited to bring forward their second dose appointments (from 12 weeks after their first, to eight weeks after their first). The easiest way to book or manage appointments is via the NHS website.

There are also a number of walk-in clinics being set up in the county over the coming weeks- see the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group’s website

Attached to this update is an NHS letter, which individuals can present to NHS practitioners to ensure they will be able to have the vaccine if they do not have an NHS number, address or GP registration.

Regular twice weekly testing

Check you’re not one of the 1 in 3 people with Covid-19 who doesn’t have symptoms by visiting the County Council’s website for information on twice weekly Lateral Flow Testing:

Family Fund

Residents urgently in need of food or fuel can apply for vouchers worth up to £50 by emailing duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk. who will contact you, assess your needs and give appropriate support.

Child and Family Centres are open

South Cambridgeshire’s Child and Family Centres are open but require pre booking – see attached flyer.

Mental wellbeing

Positive Mental Health
Local charity Illuminate has a range of courses available to help people overcome and manage mental ill health. They offer coaching, training and facilitation techniques and their expertise is specifically in helping people to make positive and sustainable changes in their lives.

Update on Cambridgeshire and Peterborough libraries

Cambridgeshire Libraries further extended its services from Monday 21^st June. For more information, see the libraries page on the County Council’s website.

Bus service changes

Stagecoach East announced changes to some of its Cambridgeshire services and timetables to improve overall reliability, from 20^th June. For more information visit the Stagecoach website.

Children’s summer holiday sports camps

Sports-based holiday camps for children between the ages of 7 and 14 (school year 3 to year 9) restarted in May 2021, and bookings are now being taken for the summer holidays. The cost for one child for one day is £25; if two children book, or if one child attends more than one day, the cost is £21 per child, per day. Each day’s camp runs from 10am to 3:30pm, and children can attend any one or up to all four of the sessions. Both camps are held outdoors and have Covid-secure measures in place. There are four available camps and parents can book now – also see Facebook, Instagram or Twitter posts about this too:

1. Athletics: Monday 26^th July 2021
2. Athletics: Tuesday 27^th July 2021
3. Netball: Wednesday 28^th July 2021
4. Netball: Thursday 29^th July 2021

Covid-19 community update – 17 June 2021

Lateral Flow Tests

With cases on the rise again right across the country, the best way for everyone to protect family, friends, colleagues and other members of the community is to regularly (twice a week) take a Lateral Flow Test. Every asymptomatic positive case picked up by the Lateral Flow Tests means another person with Covid-19 who doesn’t spread the virus to others. You can order tests online to be delivered to your home .

End of lockdown delayed to 19 July

The Government confirmed last week that lockdown restrictions, with some exceptions, will be extended by four weeks, to 19 July. The 30-guest cap for weddings will be lifted, with the maximum number of attendees to be based on the venue capacity (allowing for social distancing).

Vaccination update

The Government also confirmed that vaccination greatly reduces transmission with two doses providing a high degree of protection against serious illness and death. It has brought forward the target of offering vaccines to all adults to 19 July.

1. As of last Friday, anyone over the age of 18 can book a vaccination appointment
2. People over 40 who used the national booking system can reduce the period between their first and second jabs from 12 weeks to 8 weeks. They should first cancel the 12 week appointment, after which they will see the available 8 week appointments to make a new booking.

Safe and Well visits

Colleagues supporting the South Cambs Community Safety Partnership are promoting the opportunity for vulnerable residents to have free Safe and Well visits. You can find out more in a recent update from the Fire Service. The Safe and Well team visit residents’ homes to assess six key elements: fire and safety in the home, falls protection, alcohol use, staying well and warm,crime reduction, smoking and hoarding. To see if you or someone you know are eligible for a free Safe and Well visit complete a short questionnaire or contact 0800 917 9994 and leave a message to receive a call back.

What do adults with learning disabilities need?

Cambridgeshire County Council has launched a survey to find out what adults with a learning disability in Cambridgeshire think is important to help them to live happier, healthier lives and help the County Council plan services and supporting people with a learning disability . Have your say before 30 June 2021.

Covid-19 community update

Joyful June!

Action for Happiness is an non-political, non-religious organisation that brings together people from all walks of life to help them take practical action to try to create more happiness in the world. It has created daily prompts for the month of June – see Joyful June calendar

Promoting regular, rapid testing

About 1 in 3 people with Covid-19 do not have symptoms but can still infect others. Testing twice a week can help stop the virus spreading. Regular rapid testing is a key way to keep ourselves and others safe as restrictions continue to ease. Home testing kits can be posted to you or collected from a number of local pharmacies and other sites.

1. Find out where you can collect home test kits
2. Or order online to be delivered to your home
3. Or order by calling 119

Covid-19 vaccine efficacy

On 22 May, Public Health England (PHE) published a new analysis showing that two doses of the Covid-19 vaccines are highly effective against the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant first identified in India, a level of effectiveness similar to the B.1.1.7 (Alpha/Kent) variant. PHE expects to see even higher levels of effectiveness against hospitalisation and death. The simple message is therefore get vaccinated as soon as you are able to.