WHAT WE CAN DO TO PROTECT EACH OTHER IN PENYFFORDD
If you follow the news or social media, you will hear stories from across the UK and around the World and the news is frightening.
The government advice is current very clear (you can read the detail on gov.uk here): If anyone in your household has a high temperature or a new and continuous cough, even if the symptoms are mild, you must all stay at home for at least 2 weeks.
Don’t go to your GP or hospital, go to NHS.UK and follow the advice. If you can’t get online, only then should you call NHS 111.
If you are part of the more vulnerable group, over 70 or with pre-existing conditions, you need to isolate now. A link to a full list of conditions is at the end of this post.
We live in a very social village. Our pubs are now closed and that is for a good reason. The virus spreads most often in small groups who spend time together - if you have a house party, family gatherings, friends around to visit - you are exposing yourself and everyone involved to significant risk. Most importantly, because you can be infectious for days with no symptoms, you could very easily infect a number of others and they do the same and so on - that is how it is spreading so quickly.
We all have a responsibility to protect each other.
If you have any doubt about your symptoms, then everyone is your home must self-isolate - that means do not have any contact directly with anyone outside your home. If you need something, it is not OK to nip out for a few minutes to the Spar or petrol station - you would be endangering the whole community. Instead, ask for help.
In Penyffordd, there is an enthusiastic group of volunteers who are prepared to help people who are isolating or sick. If you need food or medicine, just ask. There is a Facebook group "Penyffordd Support COVID 2019” or you can email myself: alan.wight@penyfforddcouncil.org or our Clerk Sarah clerk@penyfforddcouncil.org and we will pass on what you need.
Please don’t go out.
IF YOU FEEL PERFECTLY HEALTHY, REMEMBER THAT EVERY ONE OF US MUST KEEP A DISTANCE FROM EVERYONE ELSE.
We also have a responsibility if we are not isolating.
The advice is 2 metres (6 feet) separation from other people, at all times.
If you touch anything when you are out, whether you are working or shopping - buttons, cash, pin-machines, shopping baskets, petrol pumps, packaging, door handles - then do not touch your face, eyes, nose, mouth - until you have washed your hands with soap or sanitiser.
This is vitally important. If you have to go to a shop for food, keep your distance from other people, leave a big gap when you queue - 2 metres is the width of a car - you should be no nearer than that.
A good piece of advice is to treat your home as a safe place - the very first thing you do every time you arrive home is wash your hands, then you know that everything you touch inside your home is safe.
At the moment, the general advice remains, stay at home if you can, stay clear of people when you are out. Don’t go into shops or anywhere where people are gathering unless you absolutely have to and then keep your distance, don’t touch your face and wash your hands often.
It is OK to go for a walk and get fresh air, as long as you have no symptoms. However, you need to keep a distance from other people, so the advice is to stay away from popular places - like Loggerheads or Snowdon.
We also need to support our local businesses and trades through this time, it will be very tough on them, even taking into account the government support - all while remaining safe.
We all have our part to play to keep our community safe and look after each other. It is not inevitable that large numbers of residents will be directly affected, it is within our power to reduce the impact.
The final thing to say is thank you to our residents who are key workers - in the NHS, in food retail, in Council roles - we are extremely grateful for the efforts you are making.
It is up to all of us to do our bit in return, to try and keep you and everyone else safe.
Government STAY-AT-HOME Guidance
Current advice is for those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) in these groups to isolate fully (stay at home) for 12 weeks:
This group includes those who are:
aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)
under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds):
chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
being seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above)
those who are pregnant
Note: there are some clinical conditions which put people at even higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. For now, you should self isolate as outlined below.
People falling into this group are those who may be at particular risk due to complex health problems such as:
people who have received an organ transplant and remain on ongoing immunosuppression medication
people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radiotherapy
people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia who are at any stage of treatment
people with severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma (requiring hospital admissions or courses of steroid tablets)
people with severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis)