MyWestminster - Coronavirus Daily Update

Sat Apr 25 18:40:15 BST 2020

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** Issue 36, 25th April 2020
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We know that these are unsettling times for everyone. We are providing daily updates to ensure that you’re connected to what we are doing to support our community and businesses. You can opt-out at any time by clicking here (https://westminster.us1.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=a50c8b0dd980669ef713b4cca&id=bd2a0fcc47&e=[UNIQID]&c=dc5d254fb5&utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651) .
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Covid19Tracker/?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651

The coronavirus outbreak has significantly impacted the lives of people within Westminster and throughout the UK. To make sure that we are doing everything we can to support local residents and businesses, we would appreciate your time to answer this brief online survey (https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Covid19Tracker/?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651) .

Your feedback will help us to understand your needs and concerns during this time and inform council decisions. The survey will take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.

** Latest Government update
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This afternoon, Home Secretary Priti Patel, along with Lynne Owens, Director-General of the National Crime Agency and Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director for NHS England, has updated the UK on measures relating to combatting criminal actions during the coronavirus outbreak:
* Criminals will “not be allowed to take advantage of these unprecedented times”. Car crimes, burglaries and shoplifting have all fallen compared to the same period last year.
* Since its launch, there have been 98 million online impressions of the You Are Not Alone campaign on domestic violence.
* Dangerous driving has been observed with a minority of drivers “using roads as personal racetracks”. Speeds of 151mph have been recorded on the M1 motorway, while a car driving at 134mph in a 40mph zone was recorded within London.
* The National Cybersecurity Centre, working with the Metropolitan Police, have taken down more than 2,000 online scams relating to coronavirus, including fake shops and phishing scams, and those selling fake testing kits and PPE.
* British Transport Police have made 70 arrests of people suspected of involvement in county lines drug dealing and with the Met, have seized 20 kilos of cocaine and £500,000.
* The public have been urged to exercise caution online by following these simple steps:
+ Protect your children with a range of materials designed to help explain how to be safe online without scaring them – thinkuknow.co.uk (https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651)
+ Stay safe online. A new CYBER Aware campaign (https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberaware?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651) sets out six tips on protecting yourself online – e.g. using safer passwords that contain three random words, regularly updating your devices and turning on back ups.
+ Look after your money. Fraudsters are targeting members of the public by phone, text and email, peddling fake testing kits and prescription drugs. Be vigilant of scams, and be even more cautious than usual if you are contacted by unknown phone numbers or emails. Do not open any emails or attachments that you think are suspicious. Neither the police nor banks will ever ask you to withdraw money or transfer money to different account.

NHS: Professor Powis has highlighted that it is still vital that the NHS is contacted for non-coronavirus conditions that require urgent attention. Symptoms such as sudden facial weakness that could be a stroke, chest pains that could be a heart attack or sick children that are not improving are just some examples of reasons to contact 111 (either online or by phone), your GP or, in emergency cases, 999. Fast diagnosis and treatment is crucial in cases such as these and the NHS is still there for you.

** Latest from Westminster City Council
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfDJRJE3LwA&utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651

CITY LIONS: Over the Easter half-term, our young Westminster residents kept busy at home producing some superb creations as part of our City Lions Challenges. For the final challenge, youngsters were tasked with creating a stop-motion animation by drawing their own characters or using items from around their home. The fantastic winning entry, 14-year-old Izzy’s ‘How to make the most of quarantine!’, can be viewed here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfDJRJE3LwA&utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651) .

If your child wants to get creative, the City Lions Challenges are back weekly from Friday 1 May. Each Friday at 4pm, the City Lions team will be setting a challenge to keep your child entertained for just under a week – with a £25 voucher to be won for each challenge! Sign up here (http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/city-lions-weekly-challenges-registration-102979516506?aff=mywestminster&utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651) .
Surgical Scrubs Bags

Surgical Scrubs Bags

FOR THE LOVE OF SCRUBS: Pupils at George Eliot Primary School and Robinsfield Infant School have been very busy this past week sewing bags to hold surgical scrubs or uniforms for those on the front line. The hand-made creations will be a huge help to NHS staff who will be able to use the bags to avoid contamination when they get home. The children from the schools decorated the bags (pictured above) with love hearts and painted pictures of rainbows, ready to be donated to the Facebook campaign group ‘For the Love of Scrubs’. Naomi Lever, joint head teacher of both schools, said: “These unprecedented times provide an opportunity for children to further their understanding of community and civic duty. I am very proud of our children and my colleagues.”

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION FUND: In response to the coronavirus outbreak, The City of Westminster Charitable Trust has launched a new COVID-19 grant scheme as part of the Community Contribution Fund. Now in its third year, the Community Contribution Fund was created to give Westminster residents in the top council tax bands the opportunity to give more to their local community, on a voluntary basis.

The new grant has been set up to help frontline voluntary and community organisations that provide vital services that support the most vulnerable in Westminster. Up to £15,000 is available for projects that:
* support people who find themselves sleeping rough on Westminster’s streets
* help young people achieve their full potential
* help lonely people feel less isolated

Activities could include volunteer recruitment, transport for those in need, befriending services, community hubs, equipment or other measures that make community support more accessible or allow it to be delivered safely.

Click here for more information and details on how to apply (http://www.westminster.gov.uk/coronavirus-grant?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651) .

VOLUNTARY SECTOR FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES: The Council has also compiled a list of other funding opportunities and grants programmes designed to provide financial help to local voluntary and community sector groups that are responding to, or have been affected by, the coronavirus outbreak. Our website contains a list of more than a dozen current schemes that can be accessed – from Sport England to Tesco to the Antonio Carluccio Foundation. Click here to see the full list (http://www.westminster.gov.uk/funding-coronavirus-support-organisations?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651) .

We hope you like our new message that has been cut into the grass at Paddington Recreation Ground.

USING OUR PARKS AND GREEN SPACES THIS WEEKEND: Staying active is vital to everyone’s physical and mental wellbeing, and London’s parks and green spaces are crucial. To ensure they stay open for everyone to use, you must follow the Government’s rules to stop the spread of coronavirus. This means one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household. When doing this, you should be minimising time spent outside of the home and ensuring you are two metres apart from anyone outside of your household. For further advice, please see the government website (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-guidance-on-access-to-green-spaces?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=566755ee29-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-566755ee29-40040851&utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651) .

** Public health advice
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As of Saturday 25 April, a total of 148,377 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the United Kingdom. Of those hospitalised, 20,319 have sadly died.

There are 573 confirmed cases in Westminster.

Currently, the number of confirmed cases does not reflect the likely number of individuals who have contracted coronavirus. This is because community testing is no longer being undertaken.
Click here for the latest NHS info (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651)

** Do not leave your home if you have coronavirus symptoms
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Do not leave your home if you have either:
* a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
* a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

To protect others, do not go to places such as a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Stay at home.
If you are concerned then contact NHS 111 online (https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651)

To those following the rules that keep ourselves, our loved ones and key workers safe, thank you. Please continue to stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives.

If you need help or you know of anyone who needs help as a result of COVID-19, please send us the details (https://www.westminster.gov.uk/ask-help?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651) https://www.westminster.gov.uk/ask-helpor?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651 phone us on 020 7641 1222. Westminster Connects is available from 8am to 10pm seven days per week.

If you are concerned about an adult who you think requires social care and support or you have a safeguarding concern, phone 020 7641 1444 or 020 7641 1175 or email: adultsocialcare at westminster.gov.uk (mailto:adultsocialcare at westminster.gov.uk)

If you are concerned about a child and you have a safeguarding concern, phone: 0207 641 4000 or email AccesstoChildrensServices at westminster.gov.uk (mailto:AccesstoChildrensServices at westminster.gov.uk)
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/coronavirus-advice-residents?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651

https://www.westminster.gov.uk/coronavirus-advice-businesses?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651

https://www.westminster.gov.uk/coronavirus-how-you-can-help?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651

https://www.westminster.gov.uk/coronavirus-advice-vulnerable-residents?utm_source=Combined+VFM+and+MyWestminster+List&utm_campaign=8001daec79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_22_10_27_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bd2a0fcc47-8001daec79-40059651

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