Wednesday 4 November 2020
Residents Bulletin
Due to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19), we are providing regular email updates to let you know about the latest information we have on local and national measures to contain the virus, any changes to local services and support that’s available.
If you do not wish to receive these updates please click on “unsubscribe” at the bottom of the page.
Further information is available from www.rotherham.gov.uk/coronavirus
You will have heard that new National Lockdown restrictions are being brought in to help control the threat of COVID-19.
The new restrictions will come into effect at one minute past midnight tonight(00.01amThursday 5th November) and will remain in place until Wednesday 2nd December when they will be reviewed.
COVID-19 case numbers are rising rapidly across the whole of the UK and in other countries and it is important that we act now to control the spread of the virus.
To help protect the NHS and save lives we are being asked to reduce our day-to-day contact with other people which will help reduce the spread of infection.
From tonight you must:
- stay at home, including working from home where possible, unless you are attending school, college or university, attending medical appointments, or other essential activities. Unlike earlier this year there are no limits on the time you can spend exercising, and you can do this with one other person as long as you are socially distanced.
- Continue to ensure that you are two metres apart from anyone not in your household or support bubble as far as possible. With some limited exceptions, you should not visit other people inside their homes or gardens. Exceptions include people in your household support bubble, or visits for work purposes.
At the same time non-essential retail, hospitality and leisure businesses are being closed.
Detailed information on the new lockdown restrictions can be found on theGovernment Website.
The number of cases of COVOD-19 is rising in Rotherham. This graph shows 1,383 new cases in the 7 days to 29 October.
Changes to Council services
During the National Lockdown the Council will be working to operate most services as usual. However, restrictions will mean that some Council services will be operating differently or may need to temporarily close until the lockdown is reviewed by the Government on 2 December.
Services that will be closed include:
- Museums
- Libraries – although call and collect service will continue
- Water sports, golf and cycle centres at Rother Valley Country Park
- Leisure centres
- East Herringthorpe crematorium building except for when funerals are taking place
- Wedding ceremonies and civil partnerships
Services that will remain open include:
- Household Waste Recycling Centres
- Housing repairs and maintenance
- Parks
- Rotherham Markets – limited hours for essential goods only
- Schools, colleges and early years settings
- Council-owned cemeteries
- Listening Ear bereavement service
Full details of changes to Council services can be found on the Council website here.
Where to find help and support – the Rotherham Community Hub
If you, or someone you know of, are living alone, vulnerable and have no one else to help with basic tasks, then the Rotherham Community Hub is here to help.
Unlike the first Lockdown, people over 60 are not being advised to shield. Instead, the Government is writing to people who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) informing them to limit their contact with people, not go out to work and to avoid shopping and busy places. If you receive this letter and you need help you can get support from the Rotherham Community Hub.
The Rotherham Community Hub includes Rotherham Council, Voluntary Action Rotherham and other community partners. It also includes Rotherham Heroes which is a borough-wide volunteer programme to help vulnerable people across Rotherham during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
When you contact the Community Hub, we will find out what your needs are and put you in contact with a community group or a Rotherham Hero who can help.
We are continuing to work alongside Rotherham’s voluntary, community and faith groups who are already providing an outstanding service to people in need within our communities.
The help given by our Rotherham Heroes volunteers is precious and so we can only provide it to those most in need for the most essential help – please do not ask for help with anything you could do for yourself or is not essential at this time.
Our volunteers can help with:
- Essential shopping
- tackling loneliness and isolation by being a friendly voice on the other end of the phone
- prescription collection – picking up your medicines from the chemist
- dog walking – taking your dog out once a day
- advice and signposting to support services – putting you in touch with the correct information
- delivery of emergency food parcels (if you are eligible)
To ask for help please complete the form or call us on 01709 807319.
Playing our part to protect our NHS in Rotherham
The number of people in Rotherham Hospital with COVID-19 is almost double what it was on the worst day of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Chief Executive of The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust has released a message explaining how people can help staff at Rotherham Hospital cope with the Coronavirus pandemic.
Please remember it is important that you attend hospital appointments unless you are told differently by your GP or specialist. You should also contact your GP or call 111 if you have any worrying symptoms of any other illness that is not COVID related.
You can view the message on the Council website here.
First Covid business closure support grants now live
Pubs, soft play centres, bookies and other businesses in Rotherham which were required to close as a result of the new Covid-19 Alert Level Very High (Tier 3) restrictions can now claim financial support through Rotherham Council.
Between £1,334 and £3,000 per month in Local Restrictions Support Grant funding is available to businesses. The amount businesses receive is based on their rateable value.
We are working hard to ensure that businesses affected by the latest restrictions will be able to access the available financial support as soon as possible. Please keep an eye on our website and these bulletins for further information.
Read more
Age UK Rotherham
The Council is working with Age UK Rotherham to provide help and support for older people during the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.
As we move into the next period of lockdown in England, older people may feel worried about the new restrictions and the impact of the pandemic on their lives, health and well-being.
Age UK Rotherham will continue with its usual services (although sometimes a bit differently to normal) along with two new services for the autumn and winter months.
- Information and Advice Service – a free and confidential information and advice service for all older people, their families and carers in Rotherham. This is currently a telephone-based service due to Coronavirus. Call the Advice Line on 01709 835 214 (option 2) between 9.00am to 4.00pm Mondayto Friday.
More information about these services is on the Age UK Rotherham website.
You can watch our video about the support available to help you keep active and healthy over the winter here.
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