Weekly Update 18/9/2020

New rules for social gatherings 

We have produced a quick guide to the new rules that came into force this week. 

http://bit.ly/Indoor_OutdoorGathering

The ‘Rule of 6’ is national law that came into effect on Monday 14th September; the ban on visits inside people’s homes and gardens applies to people living in Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull. It came into effect on Tuesday 15th. If you live in any of these 3 areas, you are not allowed to go into other people’s homes anywhere in the country as well as being banned from having visitors in your home.  You can travel to other places to meet with family and friends, but you must not go into their homes or gardens.  This is to prevent the virus being transmitted to other areas.  

There are exemptions which are listed in our quick guide – important exemptions are: 

• Informal/family carers providing care to vulnerable family or friends  

• Workers providing voluntary or charitable services 

• Childcare provided by registered childminders

• Home tutors giving lessons to pupils if online teaching is not practical

• Entering a person’s home for work for example plumbers, electricians 

Community organisations are allowed to run activities as long as 

• Risk assessments have been carried out

• Measures to prevent transmission are in place especially hand sanitising facilities, social distancing and ventilation

There is no limit on the number of people who can attend activities in a community centre although social distancing measures may reduce the number. People must stay within their own household groups or support bubbles inside community settings and keep 2 metres or 1 metre+ between groups.  

Community organisations are required by law to keep a register of all visitors + contact details for 21 days. This information must be given to the NHS Test & Trace Service if anyone attending the centre subsequently tests positive for Covid-19.

Restaurants, bars and pubs are still open for business – no new restrictions were imposed. 

Care homes in Birmingham remain closed to visitors. 

The restrictions on social gatherings will be reviewed weekly and will be tightened up or relaxed in line with the ‘R’ number – the rate of transmission.

At a briefing on 15.9.2020, Birmingham Director of Public Health Dr Justin Varney gave the following advice: 

• Covid-19 tests need to be done within 5 days* of first displaying symptoms to be reliable

* within 4 days if using a postal test

• The NHS test is free but only available to people displaying symptoms. (People who need tests in order to travel must pay for private tests)

• Antibody tests are unreliable and therefore a waste of money

• Visors are not effective in preventing transmission as they do not block droplets from being sprayed

Dr Varney said that we are unlikely to have a vaccine before Christmas. When a vaccine is developed, it will take at least 6 months to roll out across the country. 

We will be updating our Test & Trace poster next week. The key message is that you should only get a test if you have any of the Covid-19 symptoms: 

• new persistent dry cough

• fever 

• loss of taste or smell 

BHealthy – Covid resources 

Birmingham City Council has produced a set of resources to help citizens manage physical and mental health during the pandemic. The resource kit includes a health checker, action planner and series of online webinars: http://bit.ly/BHealthyResources

Date for your diary: we will be running an online workshop on Wednesday 30th September when we will take people through the BHealthy health checker and action planner.  The workshop will be conducted in Cantonese, and is open to all Birmingham residents. Details will be released next week. 

Covid Recovery Tool

The NHS has produced a Covid Recovery Tool http://bit.ly/NHSCvidRecovery

It includes information for people who have experienced Covid-19, as well as their family and friends who will be supporting them through their recovery. 

Scams & Fake News Stories 

West Midlands Police are warning citizens about a new test & trace scam: 

每周疫情快讯2020 年9月18日

社交聚会的新规则

针对本周生效的新规定，我们已经制作了快速指南，请点击以下链接：

http://bit.ly/Indoor_OutdoorGathering 

“6人制规定”是国家法规，于9月14日星期一生效；该禁令明确居住在伯明翰Birmingham，Sandwell ， Solihull地区的民众，不可以访问他人的家和花园，禁令已于星期二15日开始实施。如果您居住在这三个地区中的任何一个地区，则不得进入英国境内其他人的居所或花园，并且禁止在您家中接待访客。您可以前往其他地方与家人和朋友见面，但绝不可以进入他们的居所或花园，这些限制措施是为了防止新冠病毒传播到其他区域。

快速指南中列出一些可以豁免的特殊情况 包括：

• 非注册的照料者或者家庭照料者为弱势家庭或朋友提供照料服务
• 做义工或提供慈善服务的人员
• 已注册的托儿服务，为他人提供儿童照料服务
• 由于在线教学无法实现，家庭教师来家中向学生授课
• 需要进入人家中提供服务的工作，例如水管工，电工

社区机构可以开展社区活动，但必须

• 进行了风险评估
• 采取了预防病毒传播的具体措施，特别是洗手设施，社交隔离和通风

社区中心参加活动的人数虽然没有限制， 但是社交隔离措施将会减少参加活动的人数。 在活动中，人们必须留在自己所在的家庭或社交泡泡之内，来自不同家庭或社交泡泡之间需保持2米或至少1米以上的社交距离。

法律要求社区机构必须记录所有来访者的信息和联系方式，记录的信息需要保存21天。如果参加社区活动的任何人之后检测新冠病毒为阳性，社区的来访记录中的来访者的信息需要提供给NHS测试与追踪的部门。

餐馆，酒吧和酒馆仍可以继续照常营业 –  暂无新的限制措施

伯明翰的疗养院继续禁止访客探访

社交聚会的限制措施将每周进行审核，并将根据“ R”数值（传播指数）相应调整

在2020年9 月15日的简报中，伯明翰公共卫生部门的总监Justin Varney博士提供了以下建议：

• 为了确保可靠性，新冠病毒的测试需要在新冠症状出现后的5天内完成*

* 如果使用邮政测试，请在4天内完成

• NHS测试是免费的，但仅适用于出现症状的人（个人因需要外出旅行的原因做测试，则需自费支付检测费用）
• 新冠抗体测试不可靠，不建议浪费您的金钱
• 遮面板不能有效阻止新冠病毒的传播，因为它们不能有效阻挡病毒滴液喷射

Varney博士说，我们不太可能在圣诞节前接种疫苗。疫苗成功研制上市后，至少需要6个月的时间，才能在全英国范围内陆续接种。

我们将在下周更新“测试与追踪”的单张。关键信息是，当您仅在出现任何新冠症状时才应进行测试：

• 持续性干咳
• 发热
• 味觉或嗅觉丧失

保持健康BHealthy- 抗击疫情资源 

伯明翰市政府提供了一系列资源来帮助市民在疫情期间管理自己的身心健康。该资源工具包包括健康检查对照表，行动计划表和一系列在线网络研讨会：http://bit.ly/BHealthyResources

请记录以下的日期：我们将在9月30日（星期三）举办在线研讨会，届时我们将带大家详细了解健康检查对照表和行动计划表。研讨会将以粤语进行，向所有伯明翰居民开放，详细信息将在下周发布。

有关新冠患者康复的网站信息

NHS已制作了有关新冠患者康复的资源网站http://bit.ly/NHSCvidRecovery

内容包括新冠的患者是如何经历康复的过程，以及他们的家人和朋友在整个过程中给予他们的帮助。

诈骗和假新闻

 West Midlands警察局警告市民有关新的新冠测试和追踪诈骗：

我们发现有人借疫情诈骗公众，通过打电话，谎称他们来自NHS追踪服务。

在电话中“他们会继续告诉您，与您接触过的人中，有人新冠病毒测试为阳性，他们已经与患者保持联系，但他们不会告诉您患者的姓名，并称该患者需要自我隔离7天，其后的72小时内再做测试”。

“然后，他们要求您提供最佳的邮寄地址，以便把自我检测小包寄送给您，并一次性收取50英镑的费用包括告知您检测结果，然后他们会询问您的银行信息。请千万不要通过电话分享您个人的银行信息。新冠检测和告知检测结果全部都是免费的。”

请转告您身边的其他人谨防此类诈骗