Sussex Together!
ESCC Leader, Cllr Keith Glazier, is among the leaders of public services in Sussex who have signed an open letter to the people of the county, urging them to stay at home in the warm weather. Here's that message:
To our local communities,
As another warm weekend approaches, we need your help. Please, stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.
Across Sussex, all of our organisations are working hard to keep you safe and well and make sure you get the essential services you need. We are your NHS, your care providers, your councils, your police, fire and ambulance services, working together with the military, private and voluntary services to protect you and prevent deaths in our county from Covid-19.
Our staff are working hard to prevent the spread of the virus. Our nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals are working around the clock to save lives.
Our key workers are putting themselves forward every day to ensure people can be cared for, children educated and looked after, and communities given access to the things they need.
We thank you for all that you are doing to support us.The most important thing you can do is to continue following the social distancing rules. Thank you for helping to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in Sussex.
Together, we will get through this.
Stay home, protect the NHS, save lives.
There's also a campaign video which will be publicised through social media and other channels by all the SRF partners. It features frontline workers in Sussex urging people to stay at home:
Sussex Together - Stay At Home video
More mental health support in Sussex
People across Sussex struggling with their mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak are being offered additional telephone and crisis support to help them cope. Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has expanded the Sussex Mental Healthline - 0300 5000 101 - to provide a 24/7 service to people needing urgent help with their mental health. As well as crisis support it will provide psychological support to people who have general concerns about their mental health.
Registered clinicians are at the other end of the freephone number to provide help, support and advice to anyone who needs it, at any time of the day or night, regardless of their age or where they live in the county.
Testing extended to teachers and social workers
Teachers and social workers are among those who are now eligible for testing after the Govt expanded the testing scheme. Supermarket staff are also among those who will now be able to get an appointment for themselves and their families if they display symptoms. Those appointments will be at one of the 31 testing centres now in place across the country. Four of those are in Sussex - in Bexhill, at Brighton's Amex Stadium, at Gatwick Airport, and Bognor. The Govt says mobile units staffed by military personnel will also be able to visit places of work and care homes.
PPE appeal - thanks
Huge thanks has been paid to members of the public, businesses and volunteers who have supported Sussex keyworkers in accessing essential personal protective equipment (PPE) to tackle Covid-19.
The Sussex Resilience Forum (SRF) is responsible for coordinating the response to Covid-19 alongside emergency services, local authorities, health and other agencies. It is sourcing supplies of PPE and providing an essential link to central Government, monitoring remaining stocks in Sussex for colleagues such as care and social workers, firefighters and volunteers, until additional national supplies are in place.
Following a county-wide appeal, members of the public and businesses have come forward with their spare items which are not being used during lockdown. A network of volunteers has provided vital support by collecting essential PPE from sites across Sussex, before these items are checked and redistributed for use.
There are almost 3,500 care settings in Sussex and the SRF has co-ordinated the distribution of over 250,000 items of PPE so far this month, with more deliveries due imminently.
The appeal continues, however. Details of what is needed can be found here:Sussex Resilience Forum and anyone who thinks they can help should email: sussexresilienceforum@sussex.pnn.police.uk.”
The latest health situation in East Sussex
The latest published figures show there are now 479 cases of coronavirus in East Sussex confirmed by Public Health England. Initial testing was mainly confined to those symptomatic in hospitals, but the figures will now begin to reflect positive cases resulting from swab testing of key workers.
On 22 April 23,560 tests were carried out in the UK, bringing the total to 583,496. The Govt's target is 100,000 a day.
Across the UK there are now 138,078 confirmed cases of the virus and sadly 18,738 people have died. There are 2,826 confirmed cases in Kent, 2,176 in Surrey, 943 in West Sussex, 334 in Brighton & Hove.
ESCC help and advice webpage
A reminder that there is now a web page on the East Sussex Council Council website that brings together a range of information and advice regarding the coronavirus.
