All our help and information for 23/11/2020 is now available in a single place on the SCC website https://www.somerset.gov.uk/coronavirus/covid-19-latest-advice/
This page is refreshed through the day so please check in regularly to keep across developments and news.
Public Health dashboard: Detailed Public Health information dashboards are available on our website www.somerset.gov.uk/coronavirus just scroll down to ‘Covid-19 dashboard’. These are updated daily.
Top stories today:
Let the air in to combat the virus
The government is encouraging people to open their windows and keep their homes well ventilated during the winter.
It’s because research has shown that being in a room with fresh air can reduce the risk of infection from coronavirus by over 70 per cent.
As the weather turns colder, we all tend to spend more time indoors, so experts are recommending that you open windows for short, sharp bursts of 10 to 15 minutes regularly throughout the day or leave windows open a small amount continuously. This helps to remove any infected particles lingering in the room.
Airing indoor spaces is particularly important if someone in your household has coronavirus as it can help prevent it spreading to other household members.
It’s also important to do if you have visitors in your home, such as a care worker or tradesperson, or other visitors like friends and family from other households when that’s permitted.
The government has produced a short film to show how coronavirus lingers in the air in spaces with no fresh air, increasing the risk of people breathing in infected particles, and how the risk can be reduced significantly by regularly ventilating enclosed areas.
Are you Proud to Care?
If you, or someone you know, is looking for work visit https://www.proudtocaresomerset.org.uk/ to find regularly updated jobs and opportunities in Somerset’s growing health and social care sector.
For those who may have just left college, recently been made redundant, or are looking for a career change, working in Somerset’s amazing health and social care sector could be the next step in an exciting new career.
There’s good job security as our care sector is growing – with more people needing care than ever before – and care is an interesting, rewarding, and meaningful career choice. Candidates will be working with creative, dedicated, supportive care professionals who have helped Somerset remain in the top 20% in relation to the proportion of good or outstanding care.
For more info, visit: https://bit.ly/p2csomerset or search #ProudToCareSomerset on facebook and twitter.
Homecare workers to be tested weekly for COVID-19
Care workers looking after people in their own homes will be offered weekly coronavirus tests from today (Monday 23 November) the government has announced.
Those working for CQC-registered providers will receive weekly tests to administer at home, which will help identify more asymptomatic cases and protect care users who are more vulnerable to the virus.
Regular testing will give workers peace of mind by picking up on any asymptomatic transmission and protect those they care for.
NHS Test and Trace venues
The Government has updated its guidance on venues that must have a test and trace system in place for customers and staff at their premises once they are allowed to open again. They have added cinemas, concert venues and theatres to the list of venues that must have a system in place and confirmed that indoor sports and leisure centres includes gyms.