Friday 27th 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

Reduce the Risk in Rotherham

Infections falling but pressure on NHS remains acute

We are continuing to see a fall in the Covid-19 infection rates across Rotherham, but the number of people being treated in hospital remains very high, double that of the first wave. Sadly, in the last week, 18 more people in Rotherham died from Covid-19. The 7-day all-age positive case rate (up to 21st Nov) was 247.9 cases per 100,000 population, with 616 people in Rotherham testing positive for Covid-19. Last week the rate was 374.9 cases per 100,000, with 952 people testing positive. The fall in infections through November (see the graph above) shows that the hard work and sacrifices being made by local people and businesses is making a difference. As we move towards Christmas, it is vitally important that we continue to reduce the risk, keep ourselves safe and drive the rate down as low as we can. Stick to the guidelines and continue to do the basics well: Social distance whenever possible Wash your hands often Get tested if you have symptoms Wear a face covering Don’t mix households Detailed local data about Covid-19 rates is available and updated daily on the Government Covid-19 data website.

Click on the photograph to view Beth’s Covid video story

Beth’s Christmas wish to see Nan and Gramps

11 year-old Beth started this year with so much to look forward to.

Lots of birthday celebrations, halloween and bonfire parties and a dream holiday to the USA were all on the Rotherham youngster’s 2020 to-do list.

But with the arrival of the pandemic, most of those plans were left in tatters. Now all that remains on Beth’s wishlist is ‘Christmas with Nan and Gramps’, which she desperately hopes can go ahead. Beth is appealing to everyone in Rotherham to help her fulfil her dream of Christmas with her grandparents by sticking to the restrictions and keeping infection rates going down.

Beth’s story is the latest in our series of short videos about how Covid-19 has impacted the lives of local people in different ways. Click the link to view.

Last week we shared Julie Adamson’s heartbreaking story of losing her mother-in-law to Covid-19, being unable to visit her daughter who lives in supported accomodation and her ruined 50th birthday celebrations.

Click image to go to our Covid Business Support Grants page for details of all financial support currently available

New grants for supply chain businesses hit by Covid

Applications are now open for a fund of up to £6 million to support businesses in South Yorkshire hit hard because they supply companies forced to close by the national lockdown, or affected by tier two and three restrictions.

This latest round of grant support is targeted at businesses that rely largely on the hospitality, accommodation, leisure and entertainment sectors for business-to-business trade, and which have therefore suffered a significant loss income due to COVID restrictions.

This could be companies which supply events such as conferences, trade shows, exhibitions, weddings, banqueting, arts facilities or festivals, travel companies and holiday planners, transport providers and other specialist trades and services.

Payments under the Supply Chain Support Scheme will be based on the rateable value of the business, or rental value for those businesses not registered for business rates.

The funding available for these one-off grants is strictly limited, and businesses must submit their application via the Rotherham Council website (see ‘Supply Chain’ section) by Thursday 17 December 2020.

Businesses will need to supply detailed information and evidence to show how their business has been affected.

Details of all the grant support available for businesses is available at www.rotherham.gov.uk/covid-business-grants

Other funding for businesses directly impacted by the restrictions is also still available from the same website.

Council Leader, Cllr Chris Read released a video message yesterday about the new tier 3 restrictions starting on 2nd December, in which confirmed further support for more businesses would be made available in the near future.

He said: “The Council will be looking over the coming days what we can do to support small and micro enterprises. We will be talking to the Government to see if we can access more financial support to cover businesses over this period, because it is clear that without adding to their initial £30 million for South Yorkshire our businesses will be further disadvantaged.

Plea to mourners to respect the rules

Rotherham Council is appealing to mourners to respect the restrictions in place during burials after some reports of large numbers of people gathering at some services.

All funeral services can be attended by a maximum of 30 mourners so that social distancing can be maintained at all time.

Losing a loved one is difficult and we know it is even harder if you are prevented from paying your respects as you’d normally do, but large gatherings and a failure to socially distance places mourners, their families and the wider public at risk of infection.

The Council has a duty to protect the wider population and may have to ask the Police to intervene if large gatherings of people refuse to respect the restrictions there for everyone’s protection.

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.

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