Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Information for Greenwich Residents - 30.03.21

  Wed 31 Mar 2021

  Sent on behalf of:

  Abu Bah - Engagement Lead, Thamesmead Moorings
  Khadijah Ahmed, Engagement Lead, Plumstead and Glyndon
  Spresa Dibrani, Engagement Lead, Charlton
  Rahman Famuditimi – Engagement Lead, Woolwich

  We hope that you’re finding these weekly updates helpful. Some of the information included, around how to stay safe, where to get tested, and the support available, will be similar every week. However, each update will also include a different ‘hot topic’ which will be relevant to the current situation, plus an updated statistic for the local Greenwich area. 
  
  As before, we would really like to encourage you to share the following​ information through:

  1. friends or family who live in your area
  2. local networks
  3. neighbour or community groups you may be members of
  4. with people who you come into regular contact with through your work or local groups

  If you haven’t already, it would be really helpful if you could take a couple of minutes to fill out this survey, which allows us to understand how widely this Community Update is being used, and whether it is reaching everyone it needs to. Click here to access the short survey.

  KEY MESSAGES 30/03/2021

  PAST 7 DAYS: 113 confirmed new cases of coronavirus in Greenwich	Cases have slightly increased, so with the first step of restrictions easing, we need to be extra careful and follow the social distancing guidelines to make sure this number doesn’t continue to increase.
  2 people are in hospital right now in Greenwich because of coronavirus.	This is a very low number, which is great. To keep this low, please follow social distancing guidelines, and get your vaccine when offered. The vaccine greatly reduces the risk of getting seriously ill with coronavirus.

   

  Yesterday was the first day where some restrictions were eased. We can now meet in groups of 6 outside only, outdoor sports such as golf and tennis are allowed again, and parent child groups will be allowed to meet outdoors (up to 15 parents).

   

  It has never been more important to take every measure we can to fight the virus. Everyone needs to continue to follow the guidelines: Wear a mask. Make space. Wash your hands. Meet in the Fresh Air.

   

  You can read all the details on the official website here: www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do.

   

  Restrictions easing this week – remember Hands, Face, Space, Fresh Air

  
  We can now meet up with 5 other people not in our household, but outdoors only – for example in a park or garden.
  
  Outdoor sport and leisure facilities are now open such as golf courses and tennis courts, and parent and child groups are allowed to meet outdoors (up to 15 parents).
  
  REMEMBER – Hands, Face, Space & Fresh Air
  This is exciting for many of us, but we must still remember to follow the social distancing guidelines when meeting up with others outside.
  
  1 in 3 people have coronavirus but don’t show any symptoms. We’re much safer in the fresh air because coronavirus particles are blown away. So meet others outside and keep a safe distance. Let’s take this next step safely.
  
  It’s also easy to forget social distancing guidelines if you’ve had your vaccine. Even if you have had your vaccine, it’s important to remember that although it protects you from becoming seriously ill with coronavirus, we don’t know whether it stops you from passing on the virus without realising. For this reason, it’s vital to continue to follow the guidelines to protect your family and friends.
  
  We must still all stay 2 metres from people not in our household, continue to regularly wash and sanitise our hands, and wear masks when in enclosed spaces such as public transport or shops.
  
  For more information, visit www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do.

  Massive success for Community Voting Day!

  
  A big thank you to all who took part in our Community Voting Day on Saturday, where residents in Plumstead & Glyndon, Charlton, Woolwich Common and Thamesmead Moorings, voted for the local projects they felt passionate about, as part of government funding for COVID-19 engagement.
  
  A marathon of 4 events took place on the day starting at 9am and finishing at 4pm. It was a very successful day! Community spirit was high, and there was a great sense of coming together as a community.
  
  So a big thank you to all who took part, both attendees and those who gave a presentation. We’ll let you know the full list of winners soon - keep an eye out on these updates!

  Support if you’ve lost someone to coronavirus

  
  Most people experience grief when they lose someone important to them. It affects everyone differently. There's no right or wrong way to feel.

  Changes have been made to several services, including end of life and palliative care, as well as funeral arrangements.

  You may feel that you need some extra help and support during this time. There are local places that can help, such as Greenwich Cruse Bereavement Centre, Greenwich and Bexley Hospice as well as national helplines such as Samaritans and Sudden. 

  Live Well Greenwich has lots of helpful links that can hopefully help you during this difficult time.

  Getting tested for coronavirus

  1 in 3 people have coronavirus without knowing, so to reduce the spread, you can now get tested whether you have symptoms or not. The more people that get tested, the more we can prevent the spread of this virus.

  Rapid test (LFD test)
  If you don’t have symptoms, you can get a rapid test. Anyone can get one of these. If you have to leave your home regularly, it’s recommended you get a rapid test 2-3 times a week. It only takes 5 mins and results are emailed to you in 30 mins. Visit www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/rapidtest to book.

  Test if you have symptoms (PCR test)
  If you have coronavirus symptoms (fever, new continuous cough or a loss of sense of smell or taste), no matter how mild, get a test. These tests can only be taken if you have symptoms and it takes a bit longer for you to get the results – usually a few days.

  Booking is essential. Order a home test kit if you cannot get to a test site. Go to gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test, or call 119.

  Please see below for information on where you can get both types of coronavirus tests in the borough:

  Test centres if you have symptoms	Test centres if you don’t have symptoms
  02 North Greenwich, SE10 – car only	Daniel Defoe Hall, Greenwich Uni, SE10—walk-in
  Charlton Athletic Football Club, SE7 – car only	David Fussey building, Greenwich Uni, Avery Hill, SE9—walk-in
  University of Greenwich, Avery Hill Road, SE9 – foot only	Charlton Athletic Football Club, SE7—walk-in
  Abery St, Plumstead, SE18 – foot only	Waterfront Leisure Centre, Woolwich, SE18—walk-in
  De Vere Devonport House Car Park, SE10 – foot only	Princess Alice Pub, Thamesmead, SE28—walk-in

  Testing is NOT available at the Emergency Department at the hospital or at your GP practice, so please do not attend here trying to get a test. 

  Support if you test positive and have to self-isolate

  No single person or group of people are more likely than others to catch or spread Coronavirus. You or someone close to may have been unwell with Covid or you may well know someone who has. It’s a very infectious illness affecting so many and there is absolutely no shame to anyone testing positive. The most important thing is to make sure you stay as well as you can, if you do get it, and that you don’t pass it on to anyone else.
  
  If your test result is positive, you and your household will need to stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days. This is important to stop the virus spreading and keep your community safe.
  
  This can be stressful and worrying when you need to go to work. If you are unable to claim sick-pay from your employer and are a low income household, a one-off £500 payment may be available from the Government to support you and your family during these 10 days. Find out if you are eligible to apply for this payment or call 0800 470 4831 to talk to a friendly, local advisor from the Live Well Greenwich Community Hub.
   

  Training available

  If you’re interested in helping your community through volunteering, a short training is available to introduce and prepare volunteers for the role of Neighbourhood Champion. This is an opportunity to learn, ask questions, share information and practice.

  For more information, please email victoria.smith@royalgreenwich.gov.uk. 

  If you think it would be helpful to share these messages via WhatsApp or text message, we have a shorter version available for this purpose. If you would like this, please let us know your mobile number and we can share this with you for you to forward on – please email robin.clarke@royalgreenwich.gov.uk directly with this information.

• Testing at home throughout the Easter holidays for schools and colleges

  Thu 25 Mar 2021

  Testing at home throughout the Easter holidays for schools and colleges

  Following the success of the asymptomatic testing programme on the return to school and college, it is vital to keep testing at home throughout the Easter holidays and into the summer term. Please pass on this message to all of your staff, students and parents:

  test twice a week at home from now on (all those who are able to) report results online as positive, negative or void. This information is critical in helping us to understand the prevalence of the virus across the country continue to test twice weekly over the Easter holidays test before returning to school or college for the summer term, either the night before, or morning of, the first day back, to find and isolate any positive cases

  Families and households can also access home test kits for adults.

• Information for Greenwich Residents - 23.03.21

  Tue 23 Mar 2021

  Sent on behalf of:
  
  Abu Bah - Engagement Lead, Thamesmead Moorings
  Khadijah Ahmed, Engagement Lead, Plumstead and Glyndon
  Spresa Dibrani, Engagement Lead, Charlton
  Rahman Famuditimi – Engagement Lead, Woolwich
  
  We hope that you’re finding these weekly updates helpful. Some of the information included, around how to stay safe, where to get tested, and the support available, will be similar every week. However, each update will also include a different ‘hot topic’ which will be relevant to the current situation, plus an updated statistic for the local Greenwich area. 
  
  As before, we would really like to encourage you to share the following​ information through:

  1. friends or family who live in your area
  2. local networks
  3. neighbour or community groups you may be members of
  4. with people who you come into regular contact with through your work or local group.

  If you haven’t already, it would be really helpful if you could take a couple of minutes to fill out this survey, which allows us to understand how widely this Community Update is being used, and whether it is reaching everyone it needs to. Click here to access the short survey.
  
  KEY MESSAGES 23/03/2021

  PAST 7 DAYS: 89 confirmed new cases of coronavirus in Greenwich	Cases are decreasing, but we need to stay safe and make sure this number continues to go down, especially with restrictions gradually easing, by following the guidance explained in this update.
  14 people are in hospital right now in Greenwich because of coronavirus.	This number is going down, but we need it to be zero! To have to go to hospital because of coronavirus means your case is very serious, and puts a strain on our hospitals and everyone who works in them.

   

  Although there is light at the end of the tunnel with the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown, for now, please remember to stay at home as much as possible so restrictions can safely and slowly be lifted.

   

  It has never been more important to take every measure we can to fight the virus. Everyone needs to stay at home, except for essential activities. If you do need to leave home: Wear a mask. Make space. Wash your hands.

   

  You can read all the details about Lockdown on the official website here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home

   

  Join us on Community Voting Day – this Saturday 27th March

  As you may know, we recently asked communities to submit bids for a community project, to tackle the negative effects of the pandemic and develop solutions to receive, understand and share key COVID-19 messages.
  
  If you live in Charlton, Plumstead & Glyndon, Thamesmead Moorings or Woolwich Common, you can now help decide what projects get funding in your community! Join us for our Community Champions online voting day event – simply click on your local area below and it will take you to Eventbrite, where you can register:

  • Click Charlton
  • Click  Plumstead/Glyndon
  • Click Thamesmead Moorings
  • Click Woolwich Common

  We look forward to seeing you there on Saturday!

   

  First restrictions gradually easing on Monday

   

  If all goes well and cases continue to go down, then from Monday 29^th March, we will be able to meet up with 5 other people not in our household, but outdoors only – for example in a park or garden.
  
  Outdoor sport and leisure facilities will open such as golf courses and tennis courts, and parent and child groups will be allowed to meet outdoors (up to 15 parents).
  
  Although this is a positive step in getting back to normal, for it to work, we all need to make sure we continue to follow the guidelines. We must still all stay 2 metres from people not in our household if we do meet up with them, continue to regularly wash and sanitise our hands and wear masks when in enclosed spaces such as public transport or shops.
  
  Protect others if you’ve had your vaccine
  It’s also easy to forget social distancing guidelines if you’ve had your vaccine. Even if you have had your vaccine, it’s important to remember that although it protects you from becoming seriously ill with coronavirus, we don’t know whether it stops you from passing on the virus without realising. For this reason, it’s vital to continue to follow the guidelines to protect your family and friends:

  • stay 2 metres from people not in your household
  • wear a face mask
  • wash your hands carefully and frequently

  
  For more information, visit www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home.

   

  National Day of Reflection (23rd March)

  
  Today marks one year since we all entered the first UK national lockdown on 23^rd March 2020. This year has been one of the most difficult years for many people, but we have managed to get through this together, and our community has become even stronger because of it.
  
  If you’d like to join in with Marie Curie’s National Day of Reflection, you can try one or all of the following:

  -          At 12 noon,  there was a one-minute silence to honour loved ones, friends and colleagues who have died and reflect on the challenges we have overcome. If you missed this, of course take your own time to honour loves ones and reflect.

  -          At 8pm, you can shine a torch or candle from where you are to light up the sky as a beacon of remembrance and hope for a brighter future. Woolwich Town Hall will also be lit in yellow.

  For more information, please visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/get-involved/day-of-reflection.

  Support if you’ve lost someone to coronavirus

  
  Most people experience grief when they lose someone important to them. It affects everyone differently. There's no right or wrong way to feel.

  Changes have been made to several services, including end of life and palliative care, as well as funeral arrangements.

  You may feel that you need some extra help and support during this time. There are local places that can help, such as Greenwich Cruse Bereavement Centre, Greenwich and Bexley Hospice as well as national helplines such as Samaritans and Sudden. 

  Live Well Greenwich has lots of helpful links that can hopefully help you during this difficult time.

  Getting tested for coronavirus

  1 in 3 people have coronavirus without knowing, so to reduce the spread, you can now get tested whether you have symptoms or not. The more people that get tested, the more we can prevent the spread of this virus.
  
  Rapid test (LFD test)
  If you don’t have symptoms, you can get a rapid test. Anyone can get one of these. If you have to leave your home regularly, it’s recommended you get a rapid test 2-3 times a week. It only takes 5 mins and results are emailed to you in 30 mins. Visit www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/rapidtest to book.
  
  Test if you have symptoms (PCR test)
  If you have coronavirus symptoms (fever, new continuous cough or a loss of sense of smell or taste), no matter how mild, get a test. These tests can only be taken if you have symptoms and it takes a bit longer for you to get the results – usually a few days.
  
  Booking is essential. Order a home test kit if you cannot get to a test site. Go to gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test, or call 119.
  
  Please see below for information on where you can get both types of coronavirus tests in the borough:

  Test centres if you have symptoms	Test centres if you don’t have symptoms
  02 North Greenwich, SE10 – car only	Daniel Defoe Hall, Greenwich Uni, SE10—walk-in
  Charlton Athletic Football Club, SE7 – car only	David Fussey building, Greenwich Uni, Avery Hill, SE9—walk-in
  University of Greenwich, Avery Hill Road, SE9 – foot only	Charlton Athletic Football Club, SE7—walk-in
  Abery St, Plumstead, SE18 – foot only	Waterfront Leisure Centre, Woolwich, SE18—walk-in
  De Vere Devonport House Car Park, SE10 – foot only	Princess Alice Pub, Thamesmead, SE28—walk-in

  
  Testing is NOT available at the Emergency Department at the hospital or at your GP practice, so please do not attend here trying to get a test. 

  Support if you test positive and have to self-isolate

  No single person or group of people are more likely than others to catch or spread Coronavirus. You or someone close to may have been unwell with Covid or you may well know someone who has. It’s a very infectious illness affecting so many and there is absolutely no shame to anyone testing positive. The most important thing is to make sure you stay as well as you can, if you do get it, and that you don’t pass it on to anyone else.
  
  If your test result is positive, you and your household will need to stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days. This is important to stop the virus spreading and keep your community safe.
  
  This can be stressful and worrying when you need to go to work. If you are unable to claim sick-pay from your employer and are a low income household, a one-off £500 payment may be available from the Government to support you and your family during these 10 days. Find out if you are eligible to apply for this payment or call 0800 470 4831 to talk to a friendly, local advisor from the Live Well Greenwich Community Hub.
   

  Training available

  If you’re interested in helping your community through volunteering, a short training is available to introduce and prepare volunteers for the role of Neighbourhood Champion. This is an opportunity to learn, ask questions, share information and practice.
  
  For more information, please email victoria.smith@royalgreenwich.gov.uk. 
  
  If you think it would be helpful to share these messages via WhatsApp or text message, we have a shorter version available for this purpose. If you would like this, please let us know your mobile number and we can share this with you for you to forward on – please email robin.clarke@royalgreenwich.gov.uk directly with this information.

• What parents need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges during COVID-19

  Mon 22 Mar 2021

  Please click here to view the latest Government advice on what parents need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges during COVID-19.

   

  Thank you.

• Parent Forum in Thamesmead

  Thu 18 Mar 2021

  Please find below a message from Peabody and Volunteering Matters:

   

  Peabody and Volunteering Matters are jointly working on developing a Parent’s Forum in Thamesmead. 

   

  The Parents Forum is an opportunity for Thamesmead residents to find out about what is happening locally, tell us what really matters to you and how living in Thamesmead can be better for children and families. 

   

  You will meet other parents and there will be a chance to develop ideas, plan projects and activities together as well as help us shape our plans. We hope you can get involved! 
   
  Our first forum will take place on Thursday 25th March, 12.30pm via Zoom. If you wish to attend, please email  christine.carrasco@peabody.org.uk and she will send you the details. 

   

  Thank you.
   

• Information for Greenwich Residents - 17.03.21

  Wed 17 Mar 2021

  Sent on behalf of:

  Abu Bah - Engagement Lead, Thamesmead Moorings

  Khadijah Ahmed, Engagement Lead, Plumstead and Glyndon

  Spresa Dibrani, Engagement Lead, Charlton

  Rahman Famuditimi – Engagement Lead, Woolwich Common

  We hope that you’re finding these weekly updates helpful. Some of the information included, around how to stay safe, where to get tested, and the support available, will be similar every week. However, each update will also include a different ‘hot topic’ which will be relevant to the current situation, plus an updated statistic for the local Greenwich area. 
  
  As before, we would really like to encourage you to share the following​ information through:

  1. friends or family who live in your area
  2. local networks
  3. neighbour or community groups you may be members of
  4. with people who you come into regular contact with through your work or local groups

  If you haven’t already, it would be really helpful if you could take a couple of minutes to fill out this survey, which allows us to understand how widely this Community Update is being used, and whether it is reaching everyone it needs to. Click here to access the short survey.

  KEY MESSAGES 16/03/2021

  PAST 7 DAYS: 95 confirmed new cases of coronavirus in Greenwich	Cases are decreasing, but we need to stay safe and make sure this number continues to go down, by following the guidance explained in this update, especially with schools re-opening.
  25 people are in hospital right now in Greenwich because of coronavirus.	This number is going down, but we need it to be zero! To have to go to hospital because of coronavirus means your case is very serious, and puts a strain on our hospitals and everyone who works in them.

   

  Although there is light at the end of the tunnel with the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown, for now, please remember to stay at home as much as possible so restrictions can safely and slowly be lifted.

   

  It has never been more important to take every measure we can to fight the virus. Everyone needs to stay at home, except for essential activities. If you do need to leave home: Wear a mask. Make space. Wash your hands.

   

  You can read all the details about Lockdown on the official website here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home

   

  Continuing to stay safe from Coronavirus

  
  Although there is light at the end of the tunnel with the Government’s roadmap for coming out of lockdown, Coronavirus has not gone away, so it’s important to continue to follow the guidelines. We will only be able to come out of lockdown if we stay safe and cases continue to fall.
  
  Until 29^th March, we can only meet one person not in our household outside, and must only travel for essential reasons only. Please stay in your local area unless it’s for an essential reason such as work (if you can’t work from home) and medical appointments.
  
  If all goes to plan and cases continue to decrease, then from 29^th March, we will be able to meet up, outside only, with 5 other people. Please remember to still follow social distancing guidelines and stay 2 metres from people not in your household, even when outside.
  
  Even if you have had your vaccine, it’s important to remember that although both doses will reduce your chance of becoming seriously ill with coronavirus, we don’t know whether it stops you from passing on the virus without realising it (although we do expect it to reduce this risk). For this reason, it’s vital to continue to follow the guidelines to protect your family and friends:

  • stay 2 metres from people not in your household
  • wear a face mask
  • wash your hands carefully and frequently

  
  For more information, visit www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home.

  Support if you’ve lost someone to coronavirus

  
  Most people experience grief when they lose someone important to them. It affects everyone differently. There's no right or wrong way to feel.

  Changes have been made to several services, including end of life and palliative care, as well as funeral arrangements.

  You may feel that you need some extra help and support during this time. There are local places that can help, such as Greenwich Cruse Bereavement Centre, Greenwich and Bexley Hospice as well as national helplines such as Samaritans and Sudden. 

  Live Well Greenwich has lots of helpful links that can hopefully help you during this difficult time.

  Getting tested for coronavirus

  1 in 3 people have coronavirus without knowing, so to reduce the spread, you can now get tested whether you have symptoms or not. The more people that get tested, the more we can prevent the spread of this virus.

  Rapid test (LFD test)
  If you don’t have symptoms, you can get a rapid test. Anyone can get one of these. If you have to leave your home regularly, it’s recommended you get a rapid test 2-3 times a week. It only takes 5 mins and results are emailed to you in 30 mins. Visit www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/rapidtest to book.

  Test if you have symptoms (PCR test)
  If you have coronavirus symptoms (fever, new continuous cough or a loss of sense of smell or taste), no matter how mild, get a test. These tests can only be taken if you have symptoms and it takes a bit longer for you to get the results – usually a few days.

  Booking is essential. Order a home test kit if you cannot get to a test site. Go to gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test, or call 119.

  Please see below for information on where you can get both types of coronavirus tests in the borough:

  Test centres if you have symptoms	Test centres if you don’t have symptoms
  02 North Greenwich, SE10 – car only	Daniel Defoe Hall, Greenwich Uni, SE10—walk-in
  Charlton Athletic Football Club, SE7 – car only	David Fussey building, Greenwich Uni, Avery Hill, SE9—walk-in
  University of Greenwich, Avery Hill Road, SE9 – foot only	Charlton Athletic Football Club, SE7—walk-in
  Abery St, Plumstead, SE18 – foot only	Waterfront Leisure Centre, Woolwich, SE18—walk-in
  De Vere Devonport House Car Park, SE10 – foot only	Princess Alice Pub, Thamesmead, SE28—walk-in

  Testing is NOT available at the Emergency Department at the hospital or at your GP practice, so please do not attend here trying to get a test. 

  Support if you test positive and have to self-isolate

  No single person or group of people are more likely than others to catch or spread Coronavirus. You or someone close to may have been unwell with Covid or you may well know someone who has. It’s a very infectious illness affecting so many and there is absolutely no shame to anyone testing positive. The most important thing is to make sure you stay as well as you can, if you do get it, and that you don’t pass it on to anyone else.
  
  If your test result is positive, you and your household will need to stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days. This is important to stop the virus spreading and keep your community safe.
  
  This can be stressful and worrying when you need to go to work. If you are unable to claim sick-pay from your employer and are a low income household, a one-off £500 payment may be available from the Government to support you and your family during these 10 days. Find out if you are eligible to apply for this payment or call 0800 470 4831 to talk to a friendly, local advisor from the Live Well Greenwich Community Hub.
   

  Training available

  If you’re interested in helping your community through volunteering, a short training is available to introduce and prepare volunteers for the role of Neighbourhood Champion. This is an opportunity to learn, ask questions, share information and practice.

  For more information, please email victoria.smith@royalgreenwich.gov.uk. 

  If you think it would be helpful to share these messages via WhatsApp or text message, we have a shorter version available for this purpose. If you would like this, please let us know your mobile number and we can share this with you for you to forward on – please email robin.clarke@royalgreenwich.gov.uk directly with this information.

• Information for Greenwich Residents - 10.03.21

  Wed 10 Mar 2021

  Abu Bah - Engagement Lead, Thamesmead Moorings

  Khadijah Ahmed, Engagement Lead, Plumstead and Glyndon

  Spresa Dibrani, Engagement Lead, Charlton

  Rahman Famuditimi – Engagement Lead, Woolwich

  We hope that you’re finding these weekly updates helpful. Some of the information included, around how to stay safe, where to get tested, and the support available, will be similar every week. However, each update will also include a different ‘hot topic’ which will be relevant to the current situation, plus an updated statistic for the local Greenwich area. 
  
  As before, we would really like to encourage you to share the following​ information through:

  1. friends or family who live in your area
  2. local networks
  3. neighbour or community groups you may be members of
  4. with people who you come into regular contact with through your work or local groups

  If you haven’t already, it would be really helpful if you could take a couple of minutes to fill out this survey, which allows us to understand how widely this Community Update is being used, and whether it is reaching everyone it needs to. Click here to access the short survey.

  KEY MESSAGES 09/03/2021

  PAST 7 DAYS: 100 confirmed new cases of coronavirus in Greenwich	Cases are gradually decreasing, but we’d still like them to be lower. We need to stay safe and make sure this number continues to go down, by following the guidance explained in this update.
  37 people are in hospital right now in Greenwich because of coronavirus.	This number is going down, but we need it to be zero! To have to go to hospital because of coronavirus means your case is very serious, and puts a strain on our hospitals and everyone who works in them.

   

  Although there is light at the end of the tunnel with the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown, for now, please remember to stay at home as much as possible so restrictions can safely and slowly be lifted.

   

  It has never been more important to take every measure we can to fight the virus. Everyone needs to stay at home, except for essential activities. If you do need to leave home: Wear a mask. Make space. Wash your hands.

   

  You can read all the details about Lockdown on the official website here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home

   

  Back to school

  
  For many of us, our children will be returning to school this week. You may be feeling a mix of emotions – relief that home-schooling has come to an end, and that your children can socialise with their peers, but also perhaps anxiety around everyone staying safe from coronavirus.
  
  Schools are doing all they can to keep students, staff and family members safe, including social distancing measures and the introduction of wearing face coverings inside school buildings.
  
  It is also recommended that all secondary school pupils (year 7 and above), should take part in “asymptomatic testing”. This is a rapid test using lateral flow devices (LFDs) and will help identify people who are infectious but do not have any symptoms. (For more information about the different types of coronavirus tests, please see the section below.)
  
  Those who test positive will self-isolate, helping to reduce the spread of the virus and keep other students safe. Testing remains voluntary but is strongly encouraged.
  
  Consent is needed from parents for children to take part in testing. We understand that there are some concerns around the data collected if you decide to give this consent.
  
  The data that is collected (e.g. name, postcode, NHS number) is used by the school to register the results. The data is passed to the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), so that the student's details can be entered into the test and trace system. The DHSC might also use the data for research into how Covid-19 is spread.
  
  The data is not used for anything that is not related to Covid-19. The school destroys the data after 14 days. The DHSC destroys it after 8 years. If you do still have concerns, please raise these with the school.
  
  For more information about returning to school and coronavirus, please visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus/education-and-childcare.

  Different types of Coronavirus tests

  
  There are 2 main types of test to check if you have coronavirus now:

  • “Polymerase Chain Reaction” tests, also known as PCR tests. You would take a “PCR” test if you have symptoms of coronavirus (fever, new continuous cough or a loss of sense of smell or taste). These tests check for traces of the virus in the sample. They are sent for processing at a lab and results usually take 1-3 days.
  • Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests. You would take a “LFD” test if you don’t have symptoms. 1 in 3 people don’t have symptoms, so these tests are important to identify people who don’t show symptoms, and help to stop the spread of coronavirus. They detect proteins called ‘antigens’ produced by the virus. Results are given 30 minutes after taking the test.

  Please see below for more information about testing.

  Support if you’ve lost someone to coronavirus

  
  Most people experience grief when they lose someone important to them. It affects everyone differently. There's no right or wrong way to feel.

  Changes have been made to several services, including end of life and palliative care, as well as funeral arrangements.

  You may feel that you need some extra help and support during this time. There are local places that can help, such as Greenwich Cruse Bereavement Centre, Greenwich and Bexley Hospice as well as national helplines such as Samaritans and Sudden. 

  Live Well Greenwich has lots of helpful links that can hopefully help you during this difficult time.

  Getting tested for coronavirus

  1 in 3 people have coronavirus without knowing, so to reduce the spread, you can now get tested whether you have symptoms or not. The more people that get tested, the more we can prevent the spread of this virus.

  Rapid test (LFD test)
  If you don’t have symptoms, you can get a rapid test. Anyone can get one of these. If you have to leave your home regularly, it’s recommended you get a rapid test 2-3 times a week. It only takes 5 mins and results are emailed to you in 30 mins. Visit www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/rapidtest to book.

  Test if you have symptoms (PCR test)
  If you have coronavirus symptoms (fever, new continuous cough or a loss of sense of smell or taste), no matter how mild, get a test. These tests can only be taken if you have symptoms and it takes a bit longer for you to get the results – usually a few days.

  Booking is essential. Order a home test kit if you cannot get to a test site. Go to gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test, or call 119.

  Please see below for information on where you can get both types of coronavirus tests in the borough:

  Test centres if you have symptoms	Test centres if you don’t have symptoms
  02 North Greenwich, SE10 – car only	Daniel Defoe Hall, Greenwich Uni, SE10—walk-in
  Charlton Athletic Football Club, SE7 – car only	David Fussey building, Greenwich Uni, Avery Hill, SE9—walk-in
  University of Greenwich, Avery Hill Road, SE9 – foot only	Charlton Athletic Football Club, SE7—walk-in
  Abery St, Plumstead, SE18 – foot only	Waterfront Leisure Centre, Woolwich, SE18—walk-in
  De Vere Devonport House Car Park, SE10 – foot only	Princess Alice Pub, Thamesmead, SE28—walk-in

  Testing is NOT available at the Emergency Department at the hospital or at your GP practice, so please do not attend here trying to get a test. 

  Support if you test positive and have to self-isolate

  No single person or group of people are more likely than others to catch or spread Coronavirus. You or someone close to may have been unwell with Covid or you may well know someone who has. It’s a very infectious illness affecting so many and there is absolutely no shame to anyone testing positive. The most important thing is to make sure you stay as well as you can, if you do get it, and that you don’t pass it on to anyone else.
  
  If your test result is positive, you and your household will need to stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days. This is important to stop the virus spreading and keep your community safe.
  
  This can be stressful and worrying when you need to go to work. If you are unable to claim sick-pay from your employer and are a low income household, a one-off £500 payment may be available from the Government to support you and your family during these 10 days. Find out if you are eligible to apply for this payment or call 0800 470 4831 to talk to a friendly, local advisor from the Live Well Greenwich Community Hub.
   

  Training available

  If you’re interested in helping your community through volunteering, a short training is available to introduce and prepare volunteers for the role of Neighbourhood Champion. This is an opportunity to learn, ask questions, share information and practice.

  For more information, please email victoria.smith@royalgreenwich.gov.uk. 

  If you think it would be helpful to share these messages via WhatsApp or text message, we have a shorter version available for this purpose. If you would like this, please let us know your mobile number and we can share this with you for you to forward on – please email robin.clarke@royalgreenwich.gov.uk directly with this information.

• COVID-19 Home Testing Kits for Families

  Tue 09 Mar 2021

  These collection testing kits are now for all households.  Primary, childcare, support bubbles, and college parents/ carers as well as secondary. 

   

  at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/all-households-with-children-of-school-aged-to-get-rapid-covid-19-tests-per-person-per-week

   

  Under the new system, all households with primary and secondary school and college age children, and childcare and support bubbles, are encouraged to start regular twice-weekly testing from March 8. As with student testing, this is encouraged but not mandatory.   
  
  A PCR test will be required for positive lateral flow tests which are taken at home, either through at home PCR testing or at a local PCR testing site. 

   

  Secondary pupils will receive LFT home kits from their schools.

  All Staff will receive home kits from their schools.

  There is no need to test primary children in school at this stage. 

  Collection tests are for parents/ carers, other household members to use. They are not for primary aged or younger children.

   

  Home testing kits can be collected from the four sites below from 1.30pm–8pm from Friday 5 March onwards. Please note that you cannot collect testing kits from these sites in the mornings.

   

  • 221 Erith Road, Bexleyheath DA7 6HZ
  • Felixstowe Road car park, Abbey Wood SE2 9RZ
  • The Vine Christian Community Church, Axminster Crescent, Welling DA16 1HF
  • Westwood Car Park, Welling DA16 3QS

   

  You can find out more about these sites at www.bexley.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/services-status/local-covid-testing-centre”.

   

  More information will follow for arrangements after 15 March 2021. PH advise us that this is a 16 week programme at this time.

   

  Home testing instructions translated into multiple languages

  The DfE has shared this link which provides self-test instructions in 11 other languages, and a short video. 

• TfL Travel Advice

  Fri 05 Mar 2021

  Helping students, parents/carers and staff plan safe, sustainable journeys to and from school this spring  

  As all children and young people will now return to their classrooms for the spring term, as part of the Government’s roadmap for leaving lockdown, we remain committed to doing our part to help them travel to school and college safely on our network.   

   

  School services

  From 8 March, TfL are planning to run bus services in a similar way to how they did during the autumn term. This means:  

    

  • Extra services on some routes, with some adjustments to services that ran last year to reflect demand  
  • Up to half of buses on certain higher-frequency routes signed as 'school services' (generally between 07:30 and 09:00 and 14:30 and 16:30)  
  • A full service on our existing school day-only routes (routes generally numbered 600-699)    

    

  These arrangements are planned to be in place until at least the end of the current term and TfL will confirm arrangements for after Easter in due course.   

    

  Schoolchildren travelling without adults should travel on the school services where possible, to help provide space for other customers on regular services. Customers who are not schoolchildren but who need to travel at school travel times (including school staff) are strongly encouraged to use regular services.  

    

  The full details of planned additional services and routes operating with buses signed as a ‘school service’ will be available shortly at: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/bus-changes.   

    

  Both TfL and the Council will continually review how our local network is operating to ensure our approach is working and meeting demand as best as possible. Please check the TfL  dedicated webpage regularly for the latest information on school travel.  

   

    

  Safe travel across the public transport network   

  TfL are continuing to take a range of measures to ensure that the public transport network is clean and safe – including an enhanced cleaning regime. They will ask everyone travelling to continue following their  safer travel guidance to protect themselves and others. It is compulsory for everyone aged 11 and over to wear a face covering over their nose and mouth throughout any public transport journey unless exempt. Bus windows should remain open to ensure a good supply of fresh air, even in cold weather.  

    

  If a child aged 11 to 17 isn’t wearing a face covering without an exemption or reasonable explanation, TfL officers may arrange for a warning letter to be sent to their parent or guardian. Further non-compliance could lead to the suspension of their concessionary travel.   

   

  The Broadway and Market Place are likely to be particularly busy during the school travel peaks. Their operational teams will be deployed to these areas to provide assistance and they would appreciate your support in working with them in and around these areas to ensure their safer travel guidance is followed.

   

• Travelling to School Safely

  Fri 05 Mar 2021

  Travelling to school safely

  Please see below the latest Government advice on travelling to school:

   

  if you live a short distance from your school or college, walk, cycle or scoot to and from school wherever it is possible and safe to do so avoid sharing a car with anyone outside of your household or support bubble if you are using public transport to get to school or college, plan ahead and allow more time for your journey when you are travelling by public or dedicated school transport, don’t forget to: wear a face covering (unless you are exempt, including if you are aged 11 and under). It is important  you wear them for the entirety of your journey, including inside a bus or train station social distance where possible wash or sanitise your hands regularly be considerate to fellow passengers and staff.

  Further information can be found in our guidance on transport to school and other places of education.