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News  »  Pandemic Update 21st March 2020



   Pandemic Update 21st March 2020    21 March, 2020

Pandemic Update
21st March 2020
 

Community groups are springing up across the country.  In the Baldons and Nuneham a core group of villagers are leading on this. 

  • They include John Clark, Phil Collins, Dawn McGiveron, Jonny Langstaff-Ellis, Phil Gardner, Sonja van Djik, Alison Porter, Chris Lake, Jackie Lake and Sara Riley. 
  • Please feel free to offer your advice or time to this effort or join us.  If you want to experience building, designing and operating a social enterprise at speed, this is it and now is the time! 
  • Given the number of university students and so on around we would be delighted to hear from them.  If they are not on this email circular, parents please encourage over 18s to sign up.

Covid19 developments move rapidly.  It was less than a week ago that we sent out our first email and in that time there have been further dramatic changes globally and nationally affecting us all.   We are moving on at pace with our efforts to set up community support.     Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help so far – it’s been an amazing response. 
Some key thoughts to update you:

  • Contact.  You should all have received a contact list and further information through the door yesterday.  You can download a copy of that leaflet by clicking here.  It describes how we are setting up a database to contact people and create a volunteer network.  As mentioned in the leaflet we are establishing a telephone tree to check on those isolating and ensure that food, medicine and any other needs are being met.  If isolating, you can expect a telephone call in the next few days as this starts to move into operation.
  • Data.  Good information is critical to our efforts. We need to know how best to contact people (email, phone, other); we need to know who is isolating and who not.  
    • If you haven’t already, please answer our survey at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HFJHN8N which asks for contact details, whether or not you are isolating, whether you are elderly or vulnerable, if you can help and so forth.  
    • We don’t need to know details of any conditions you may have, just that you are in a vulnerable category.
    • Of course, there may be some people who do not wish to reveal all this information, which is fine. 
    • Also, if you have recently moved into isolation with suspected virus, please let us know as soon as possible.  Please give us the date when you went into isolation.
  • Food
  • Members of the Baldons Garden Club are organising to help us produce more home grown veg, should we need it in the coming months.  You can find how to set up a plot, get hold of seedlings and so forth here.  This effort is being led by Lizie and Diana whose details are in the attachment.  
  • Similarly, Darren and Ali are leading on eggs and chickens.  If you have laying chickens and want to help supply eggs, or you want to get some eggs, further information will be forthcoming in the next few days.
  • Church.  Community activities such as going to church are obviously restricted.  There is a letter from the vicar at the bottom of this email describing arrangements for Mothering Sunday.
  • The pub issued a takeaway menu earlier in the week, which may change as we better understand people’s needs at this time.         
  • They are also talking about having a shop to offer various goods locally and thereby reduce potential chains of infection. 
  • If you have any suggestions about take away menu items or shop items, that would be useful. More news on this will appear in coming days.
  • Pub.  The pub is having a tough time.  Normal pub activity is on hold. 
  • Activities.  With social distancing these are difficult.  However, the running club still happens and we are exploring a variety of other “socially distant” opportunities such as online quizzes, 2m apart exercise on the green and so on.  Equally, opportunities for children.  All of this will be within the bounds of current guidance on what is safe and practicable.  If you have thoughts, please contact us, otherwise, watch this space.
  • Fast moving.  As mentioned above, things are moving fast.  We are trying to set up systems and processes as quickly as we can to help people.  There may be teething issues doing this and we would ask you to bear with us.  We will adapt and change how things are done as we learn what is needed and ways of working. Equally, if you have any good ideas, thoughts on stuff we might have missed or could do better or would like someone to get in touch then please do not hesitate reply to this email.

Finally, things will get better.  Summer is on the way.  It will be easier to get out and about.  We will learn how to deal with social distancing and the weird new world we live in.  Technology will improve and allow us to know who has the virus, who has had the virus and hopefully how to vaccinate against the virus.  In the meantime, helping each other is the way forward.
 
Baldons and Nuneham Community Action Group

 

 

Some Advice:

 

 

 There are a few simple things we can do to help each other:

  1. Follow all the government advice on hand washing and self-isolation to minimize cross infection, and keep up to date with it.
  2. if you have symptoms, stay at home for 7 days.  If you live with other people, they should stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person got symptoms, but tell your neighbours as well as family and friends.  Ring NHS 111 if your symptoms don’t improve or worsen.
  3. If someone lives alone it is important to make contact daily both to avoid feelings of loneliness and isolation but also to offer help with any problems. This could be important for them.
  4.  If you are alone try and keep a few days’ supply of food in the house, soups or ready meals.
  5. If you need help with shopping, prescriptions or medicines etc., ask someone or use the village website or Facebook Baldons community page.

 

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