Is your journey absolutely necessary? Please celebrate at home this Bank Holiday weekend (07 May)
The public are being reminded to stay at home this weekend to help further prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Simon Bryant, Director of Public Health for Hampshire County Council, and spokesperson for the HIOW LRF said:
“The overwhelming majority of local residents continue to observe the stay at home message, but as time goes by we are seeing a small, but increasing number, travelling unnecessarily and going out when they don’t need to.
“We know this is hard, and that people are fed up and yearn to go out to spend time with friends and loves ones, but with people still becoming seriously ill and dying from the virus, and with no effective treatment available yet, now is not the time to push the boundaries.”
“This bank holiday weekend, please celebrate VE Day at home with your immediate household, and virtually with friends and family – if we all keep going, we can get back to what, or who, we love sooner.”
Government guidance asks that we stay at home to save lives. This means:
- Only going outside for food or health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
- If you go out, staying two metres (6 feet) away from other people at all times
- Washing your hands as soon as you get home
- Not meeting others, even family or friends
Further information is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others
URGENT requirement to support health providers with PPE (15 April)
Health providers are in urgent need of fluid repellent coveralls (Tyvek suits or similar), as there is a national shortage of barrier gowns.
These are essential to protect staff working in intensive care units.
If your agency has anything that may help support health agencies, please email the Logistics Cell on COVIDDonations@hantsfire.gov.uk
LRF UPDATE: Help for vulnerable residents (25 March)
Thank you to the many people who have volunteered their help to support our county’s vulnerable residents.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service is working closely with local authority partners, as well as the community and voluntary sector across the county, to ensure we are able to provide help to those who most need it during the coming weeks.
We are working hard to ensure offers of support are co-ordinated, and will respond to offers of assistance we have had.
We urge all residents to heed the Prime Minister’s statement on 23 March to observe strict social distancing, limit going out from our homes unless for essential activities, to keep ourselves, our families and loved ones, and our communities safe.
National support
The government has identified a group of people who are extremely vulnerable because of their medical needs.
If you are in this group, you will have received a text or letter confirming this.
This means that if you do not have friends, family or neighbours who can provide support, you can register for help at www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable to access what you need.
This includes help with food, shopping deliveries, additional care and medication services.
Local Support
If you do not have friends, family or neighbours who can provide support, a range of services is being organised by local partners working together.
What to do next
If you are a Hampshire resident and need additional help with practical support or more specific needs, details of who to contact and how this will be arranged will be published here by 27 March.
In the meantime, for urgent practical support requirements, please get in touch with your local Council for Voluntary Service – www.hampshirecvs.org.uk
We want to do everything we can to help those who need it during what will be a very challenging period for us all.
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STATEMENT FROM CHIEF CONSTABLE OLIVIA PINKNEY,CHAIR OF THE LOCAL RESILIENCE FORUM (20/03/20):
“As part of our regular review of the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Local Resilience Forum (HIOW LRF) has now declared the Coronavirus outbreak a major incident.
“We have already been providing a multi-agency response for a number of weeks and the declaration of a major incident simply means we move to the next phase of our well-rehearsed plans.
“This ensures all partners, which includes all the emergency services, can use joint working arrangements to effectively manage, and where possible minimise, the impact of the virus on our population during these unprecedented times.
“The HIOW LRF comprises the public sector partners in Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight.”