Friday 13th 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

Covid business support grants available now

Businesses in Rotherham affected by the current national and previous Tier 2 and Tier 3 local Covid-19 restrictions can now apply for financial support. Support is available for businesses which were forced to close and is available for those that both pay business rates and those who don’t, provided they have fixed costs of over £1,500 per year. For full details, visit the Council’s website: www.rotherham.gov.uk/covid-business-grants

New Covid-19 testing site to open in Dinnington

A new Covid-19 testing site is to open in Dinnington from Saturday 14th November. Located in the Dinnington Resource Centre car park, the new walk-through test site (pictured left) was lifted into place today. The site offers a more accessible location for residents in and around Dinnington and means they do not need to travel as far to the other test sites in the borough, including the Forge Island testing site in Rotherham town centre. Appointments for the Dinnington test site will be available by calling 119 or going to the NHS booking site from Saturday 14 November – if you cannot see any appointments available, try again later as new appointments are being added. Watch our video to find out more about what to expect when going to a test centre

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Welcome infection rate fall – but still a long way to go

Rotherham’s weekly Covid-19 infection rate has fallen substantially for the first time in many weeks – a sign that the current national lockdown and previous local restrictions are starting to have an impact on transmission of the virus.

The 7-day Covid-19 infection rate for this week is 430.7 cases per 100,000 people (covering the week up to 7^th November), which is down from 527.1 per 100,000 for the previous seven days.

In total, 1,063 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Rotherham, down from 1,361 cases during the previous week.

Only by all of us taking care to follow advice, will the rate continue to fall.

We can all play our part to reduce the risk of Covid infections spreading in Rotherham and protecting the NHS by carefully sticking to the guidelines, including:

• staying home wherever possible
• keeping two metres apart
• regularly washing hands
• wearing a face covering
• getting tested if we have symptoms

Click here for further information about the national restrictions

Click here to find out more about what the national restrictions mean in Rotherham and where you can get support

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Reduce the risk – wear a face covering

Wearing a face covering is a way we can all protect each other from spreading the Covid-19 virus when we are in public indoor places like shops and all locations where social distancing is more difficult.

Jacqui Pollinton, who works in the treatment of peoplewith respiratory illness for Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust explains why wearing a mask is important in this short Facebook video.

Please watch and share.

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Covid-19 – when to keep the kids off school

With so many rules around when parents should and shouldn’t keep children off school during the pandemic it can sometimes be confusing.

Rotherham Council has produced a new easy-to-follow guide to school absence for you to download.

This guide covers common scenarios that you and your child might encounter in schools, youth groups, madrasas and other educational settings, such as what everyone in the household needs to do if your child tests positive and advice if returning from foreign travel.

Download the Covid-19 Absence Guide for Parents / Carers here.

Strict limit of 30 mourners allowed at funerals

Losing a loved one is difficult and we know it is even harder if you are prevented from paying your respects, but to reduce the risk of Covid-19 spreading further and potentially putting others at risk, it is vital that everyone respects the rules around attendance at funerals.

All funeral services can be attended by a maximum of 30 mourners.

During these difficult times, families are being asked to work closely with funeral directors to use all of the times being offered for services, allowing families to continue to be able to grieve for their loved ones in the way that they wish.

We know how difficult it can be to not attend a loved one’s service. This may be because a person is shielding, displaying symptoms of COVID-19, or the maximum 30 persons has been reached.

To enable as many people as possible to be part of the service, a live recording (webcast) of the service is being offered for crematorium services, which you can request through your funeral director.

If you wish to live stream a burial service at a churchyard or cemetery, please speak with the venue where the burial is taking place for more information.

Safety measures at funerals

All mourners are asked to wear a face covering and adhere to two metre social distancing throughout by those not in the same household or support bubble.

Full funeral guidance is available from the Government’s website.

Click the image to download the National Lockdown restrictions guide

Guide to national lockdown restrictions

New Covid-19 national lockdown restrictionscame into force on 5th November across the whole of England.

Rotherham Council has an easy-to-follow pictoral guide to the restrictions available to download now.

Download a PDF copy here, suitable for home printing.

Download a JPEG copy here, suitable for sharing on social media posts.

New plan to improve services for children in Rotherham with special educational needs

Rotherham Council is considering proposals which should improve the education and life chances for hundreds of local children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Councillors are expected to agree plans within the next two weeks to buy part of the former Dinnington College Campus, which would be transformed into a new and innovative school to specialise in providing education for children and young people with social, emotional and mental health difficulties. In the last 18 months, nearly 300 children have been assessed as needing this kind of support in the borough but currently there is a shortage of specialist provision locally. The plans would also see Newman Upper School – part of Rotherham’s oldest special school – move to the Dinnington Campus, allowing the long overdue high-specification rebuild of existing, dated buildings on the Newman site. Further information about the plans is available on the Council website.