Friday 19 March 2021
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
 VIDEO: Rotherham Community Champions (click image to play in YouTube)
Be a Rotherham Community Champion!
There are lots of simple ways you can be - and probably already are - a Community Champion, including:
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Wearing a face covering in public spaces, public transport and in shops
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Socially distancing when you’re in public
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Not mixing with people outside your household or support bubble
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Washing your hands regularly
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Getting tested when you have symptoms
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Using the NHS Test and Trace App
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Picking up shopping for your neighbour who is shielding
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Video calling your friends and family rather than meeting them in person
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Working from home where you can
- Getting your vaccine when being offered it
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Supporting your children’s learning from home
100,000 Rotherham residents now vaccinated
More than 100,000 Rotherham residents have now received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine - a major milestone in the battle against the virus.
NHS Rotherham CCG only started the roll-out of the vaccine in December but have now vaccinated around half the adult population of the borough.
All the local vaccination sites are continuing to work their way through all the Rotherham registered patients within groups 1 to 9 of the national high priority categories.
Following the Government’s announcement this week regarding vaccine supply there will be a reduced supply of vaccine during April for first doses. But efforts are continuing to vaccinate all those aged 50 years of age and over by the middle of April.
If you are aged 50 and over and registered with a Rotherham GP practices (excluding Swallownest, Thurcroft, Dinnington and Kiveton Park practices) you can book an appointment for your first vaccination in Rotherham. Please send your forename, surname, date of birth, GP practice and postcode to roccg.vaccinebooking@nhs.net . If you are eligible for the vaccine, the booking team will contact you to arrange a suitable appointment.
If you registered at Swallownest, Thurcroft, Dinnington and Kiveton Park send your forename, surname, date of birth, GP practice and postcode to Roccg.rvspcn.covidqueries@nhs.net to arrange an appointment.
Second doses
All those people expecting their second dose of the vaccine will still get it at 11 to 12 weeks after the first dose. You will be contacted (via letter or phone call) with details of your appointment date and time. Please be patient. If you were vaccinated at one of our Rotherham vaccination sites, it will take place at the same location. Please do not contact the email address above to book a second dose.
If you received your first dose at the hospital hub, a care home or in your own home you will be contacted separately to arrange an appointment for the second dose 11 to 12 weeks after your first dose.
After your vaccination
After your COVID-19 vaccination please remember you still need to:
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Continue to maintain social distancing
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Wear a mask
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Wash your hands carefully and frequently
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Follow the current COVID-19 rules and guidance.
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Rotherham Hospital - no Covid patients in intensive care
For the first time in many months, there were no Covid patients in intensive care at Rotherham Hospital this morning, it was confirmed today.
Further to the hospital's update on Wednesday this week when two patients were in ICU, it was confirmed at today's meeting of the Local Outbreak Engagement Board that there none, as of this morning.
And the overall numbers of people with covid in hospital is continuing to steadily reduce.
This Wednesday, 17 March, there were 35 inpatients in Rotherham Hospital who have tested positive for Covid, a reduction from 42 at the same time last week.
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Steady fall in local Covid infection rate
The number of new Covid cases in Rotherham is continuing to fall at a steady rate, but infections still remains very high compared with other parts of the country.
The number of infections recorded for the latest seven day period (7-13 March) was 354, down from 400 for the previous week. This means that the infection rate stands at 133.4 cases per 100,000 population, down from 150.7 per 100,000 for the previous seven days.
The infection rate for people aged 60 years and over was 67.4 cases per 100,000 for the same period.
More data about Covid cases in your local area are available here.
Regular testing is helping to stop the virus spreading
Schools, children, parents and many work places in Rotherham have been doing a fantastic job in helping to reduce the spread of the virus by doing regular testing.
So far more than 140,000 lateral flow tests have been done in Rotherham since the beginning of January.
The twice-weekly tests have helped to identify a number of people who were carrying the virus without symptoms. By alerting them, it means they can self-isolate to stop passing it on to others.
The tests are particularly beneficial to those who regularly work or travel in closer contact with other people and who can protect those around them by identifying an infection they might not have known they had, and then self-isolating to help reduce the spread.
If you are the parent or guardian of a student in school or college you can collect free home covid tests from our testing sites at:
- Herringthorpe Stadium
- Maltby Leisure Centre
- Dinnington Community Centre
They are open for collection from 1.30-7pm all weekend.
These tests are for people who have no current symptoms of Covid. If you DO have Covid symptoms you should self-isolate and book a test immediately.
More information about the home test kits for parents is available from the Government website.
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Employers can help stop spread of Covid in the workplace
Workplaces have until 31 March to sign up for the Government's employer-led rapid testing scheme.
The scheme entitles businesses to receive free rapid flow tests which they can give to staff members without symptoms who cannot work from home.
Employers can find out more about the scheme and register here.
Businesses are also being encouraged to introduce Covid-safe features to make sure their workers, customers, and visitors are kept as safe as possible at all times.
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Financial support to help workers self-isolate
The Test and Trace Payment Scheme has now been extended to 30 June 2021. This means that people who are at risk of losing income because they need to self-isolate due to COVID-19 can apply for financial support through either the national or local scheme.
All you need to do is check that you are eligible and apply using our online form. Rotherham Council is providing support to many local people who are not eligible for the national payments, through a local scheme.
To be eligible for support, you must:
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have been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, either because they have tested positive for coronavirus or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive.
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have started a period of self-isolation on or after the 25 January 2021.
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be employed or self-employed or are unable to work from home and will lose income as a result.
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Roadmap to reduced restrictions in Rotherham
There will be a further relaxation of the Coronvirus restrictions on 29 March.
Until then it is vital that you stick to the current guidelines.
The main changes from 29 March include:
- The end of the stay at home instruction, but travel must still be kept to a minimum
- Two households or up to 6 people can meet outdoors, including in private gardens
- Organised outdoor sports (children and adults) and all outdoor children's activities can resume
Click here to view the graphic for further details.
Over the next few months, the Government is using four key measures while it begins to implement its Road Map out of lockdown restrictions. These include:
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the vaccine deployment programme continues successfully
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evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated
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infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS
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our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern
It is in everyone's interests to follow the guidelines in place at any one time, as this well increase the chances of the target date for the next stage of reduced restrictions being met.
During our weekly updates, we will give you information around these four points to let you know if Rotherham is on track.
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