Requests, Offers and Updates posted in our Facebook group
- Stroud District Council ask us to keep each other safe: Do the right thing – protect your community and keep Stroud District safe. They say, “Although some elements of the lockdown are easing, the threat posed by this deadly virus remains very real,” said Stroud District Council Leader Doina Cornell. “Most people have observed all the guidelines and rules, and communities have come together so well to make sure our most vulnerable residents are protected. “As the leaders of all four main political groups at SDC, we are united in thanking everyone who has done the right thing and continues to do so – but now we are at a key point. Although we can now get out more, we still need to do as much as we can to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.”
- In a statement backed by all political parties on Stroud District Council, Leader Doina Cornell urged everyone to follow the new Government guidelines:
- ✔️Stay at home as much as possible
- ✔️Work from home if you can
- ✔️Limit contact with other people
- ✔️Keep your distance if you go out (2 metres apart where possible)
- ✔️Wash your hands regularly
- ✔️Do not leave home if you or anyone in your household has symptoms.
- ❌Changes have been introduced but we still cannot visit friends and family inside their homes. Also we cannot stay away overnight except for a limited set of circumstances, nor use outdoor gyms or playgrounds; nor gather outdoors in a group of more than six (excluding members of your own household).” More great info in this post!
- A new regional COVID-19 testing centre is set to open at Hempsted Meadow, Gloucester from 5 June – anyone who has symptoms should book a test straightaway.
- Wonton Area Mutual Aid group shared that while it may feel like things are getting back to “normal”, for some in our community, things are still far from “normal”. “Huge numbers of people have been affected financially by this crisis. If you are one of them, and would like some support, order one of our WAMA Food boxes by midday tomorrow and we’ll deliver it on Friday afternoon. We’ll keep your information completely confidential.”
- Gregory Dance shared a clear animated chart showing that covid-19 kills at a rate of 4 to 1 against influenza.
- Amplify stroud shared an interview – Ben Norris spoke to the founders of Stroud Lockdown Radio to hear about how they’re keeping the community connected in isolation. This is the first post in the Amplify Vibes series, where we take a break from political discussion to look at Stroud’s rich culture of music and arts.
- Jennie Smith of Stroud Green Party shared that “Stroud Greens next #CloudCafe will look at the International Response to #COVIDー19 & how different countries are tackling the pandemic around the world – Non-members welcome! The event will start at 7.30pm, attendees can join from 7.15pm”
- We’d really like more moderators and admins for our Facebook group and website. Current moderators can help you understand your role and support you in working with the technology. Please get in touch: stroudcommunitycoronaresponse@gmail.com.
- We now have 4,328 members! Please invite your friends to grow this community. And please do introduce yourself and let us know anything you’d like to see in the group related to coronavirus and how we can work together to get through the pandemic and its impacts.
- Please take a look at the Group Purpose and Guidelines if you haven’t read them recently.
Summary of key local, national and international news
We are now providing our main summary of local, national and international statistical data on a weekly basis rather than daily
Local
- NHS Gloucestershire CCG has a new Covid-19 website “providing information to help you stay safe during this challenging time, guide you through some of the changes to the way local health services are being provided and keep you up to date on the latest local news and information.”
- “There have been no further coronavirus cases or deaths recorded in Gloucestershire over the past 24 hours, according to figures released by Public Health England today (June 4).”
- In fact, there have now been no coronavirus deaths for a week in Gloucestershire hospitals – for the first time since March.
- “Deaths in Tewkesbury were more than twice as high as normal at the height of the coronavirus outbreak. A total of 166 deaths were registered in Tewkesbury in April – 2.5 times higher than the five year average for the month of 67 registered deaths.”
- In Stroud district, there were 185 deaths in April 2020 compared to 103 for the same period on average over the past five years. That means the number of deaths was 80% higher this year.
National
- “Face coverings will be required on public transport to reduce the risk of a second outbreak of coronavirus. Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, said today that all passengers using trains, trams, ferries, aircraft and buses in England would be required to cover their mouth and nose from June 15.” (The Times)
- “The NHS coronavirus test-and-trace system designed to prevent a second deadly wave is not expected to work at full speed until September or October… Tony Prestedge, the chief operating officer of the NHS scheme, admitted in a webinar to staff that the programme would be “imperfect” at launch, adding that he hoped it would be operational at a world-class level within three to four months.” (Guardian exclusive)
- The Independent provides some interesting answers to the question “How many tests are being carried out across the UK?”
- “The government removed a key section from Public Health England’s review of the relative risk of covid-19 to specific groups, HSJ has discovered.” (Health Services Journal)
- “A minister has rejected claims “systemic injustice” is the reason ethnic minorities are more likely to die from coronavirus in England.” (BBC News)
International
- “Sweden has taken the ignominious title of the country with the world’s highest death rate from Covid-19. The title, which was was briefly held by the UK late last month, comes after Swedish officials decided to ignore the lockdown advice of countless health experts and kept the country largely open during the pandemic. The number of deaths per capita in Sweden is now more than four-times that of its Nordic neighbours.”
- “At least 11 countries have reimposed restrictions amid fears of coronavirus second wave. Nations including Japan, China, South Korea and Germany forced to bring back localised quarantines or widespread shutdowns” (The Telegraph)
- “Scientists are resuming COVID-19 trials of the now world-famous drug hydroxychloroquine, as confusion continues to reign about the anti-malarial… The World Health Organization, which had last week paused trials when The Lancet study showed the drug was tied to an increased risk of death in hospitalized patients, said on Wednesday it was ready to resume trials.”
- For a full international roundup, see the Reuters Coronavirus page, or The Guardian’s “summary of the biggest developments in the global coronavirus outbreak”. For updates on confirmed cases, and deaths, we recommend the Financial Times’ “Coronavirus tracked: the latest figures as countries fight to contain the pandemic” webpage – which is updated daily.
Notes
Please remember we have a (growing) list of resources to support your emotional and mental health during this time on our website. The following numbers may be useful:
- Samaritans: 116 123
- Domestic Violence Hotline: 0808 2000 247
- Mind: 0300 123 3393
- Age UK: 0800 169 6565
- Childline: 0800 1111.
Thanks to everyone who helped create this update through our Facebook group. If you submit posts, we will often decline posting them to the discussion directly and instead hold them till the single daily summary – to try to reduce the number of posts in the feed and make it easier for people to follow the information. Please continue to submit posts to admins for this purpose with the appropriate flag: one of REQUEST / OFFER / UPDATE / QUESTION / COMMENTARY.