Weekly Update:  28th August 2020

Birmingham avoids lockdown but some restrictions introduced

A rise in Covid-19 cases in some parts of Birmingham led to the Council warning of a possible lockdown or new restrictions. In the end lockdown was avoided and action is mainly greater enforcement of rules affecting businesses, although this will have knock-on effects on citizens.   Even though there had been local spikes, the number of new cases dropped from 30 to 23 in 100,000. Additionally, there have been no new hospital admissions or Covid deaths in Birmingham for 28 days. 

However, people should not be complacent.  The rise in cases was mainly connected to younger people (under 50) as they returned to work and the hospitality sector re-opened.  Although anyone can catch Covid-19, not everyone suffers badly from it.  Younger people who are fit & healthy report symptoms no worse than a very bad cold or flu. However, council leaders are worried that people who are only mildly unwell or asymptomatic may transmit the virus to older people 70+ and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable, putting their lives at risk.

Here’s a reminder of the rules and guidance on gatherings: 

  • No more than two households should meet indoors (including gardens).  

A single adult household may form a support bubble with another household of any size – so a support bubble and one other household can meet indoors. Maximum 30 people. 

  • No more than 6 people from different households or 30 from two households should meet outdoors. 

It is not necessary to wear a face cover outdoors but you should maintain 2 metres distance from people you’re meeting. 

  • If you go to a restaurant or pub, the proprietors should take your name and contact details for tracing close contacts of anyone who tests positive for Covid-19. 

Restaurants and pubs are requested to retain the information for 21 days. You can ask to see their data protection policies to check they comply with the Data Protection Act.

  • If you display any of the main symptoms of Covid-19, you are asked to self-isolate and book a test BookNHSTestOnline or call 119.

If you have a positive result, NHS Test & Trace will contact you to ask you for your recent close contacts so they can be invited to take tests. 

  • Unless you are medically exempt, it is compulsory to wear a face cover (covering your nose and mouth) on all forms of public transport and in certain indoor spaces including shops, banks, building societies, post offices, museums, art galleries, cinemas, libraries and transport hubs.

With effect from 28.8.2020, the fine for refusing to wear a face covering will be increased to start at £100, doubling on non-payment up to a maximum of £3,200

Measures being introduced in Birmingham from Wednesday 26th August – 

  • Restaurants can only take bookings of a maximum of 6 people or two households 
  • Businesses that fail to conduct proper risk assessments or to make their premises ‘Covid-secure’ could be fined and even shut down
  • Weddings and funerals could be prohibited on the basis of maximum event size
  • Other events may take place but with a strict limit of 30
  • The Council could shut down or restrict access to public spaces

Fines for illegal gatherings – NEW

  • Anyone organising an illegal gathering (ie more than 30 people) can be fined up to £10K
  • Anyone attending an illegal gathering may be fined £100 which will double on non-payment up to a maximum of £3,200

The new fines will come into place on Friday 28.8.2020 Fines28-8-20

  • The best ways of reducing transmission are 
  • Maintaining social distance 
  • Frequent thorough handwashing 
  • Good respiratory hygiene

‘Germ Defence’ 

A group of universities developed a toolkit for infection control ‘Germ Defence’ which has been updated to cover Covid-19: https://www.germdefence.org/protectYourself3.html

It helps you identify the potential hazards in your daily life and suggests ways of reducing the risk of transmitting or contracting the virus.  

http://chs.germdefence.org/index.html < for Chinese version of Update

BHealthy campaign

Birmingham Council is rolling out a new ‘BHealthy’ campaign promoting:

  • Healthy eating 
  • Weight loss/management 
  • Physical activity

Obesity has been found to be a risk factor in Covid-19, therefore improving the population’s health will save lives as well as protect the NHS from being overwhelmed. 

We will give more details on the BHealthy campaign over the next few weeks. 

CitySchoolsOpenAgain

The Government expects all schools in England to re-open in September.  

The Government has stated that it will reintroduce fines for parents who fail to send their children to school; however, schools tend to levy fines only as a last resort, when parents/guardians take children out of school for ‘trivial’ reasons. 

Birmingham Council has produced a short video showing how schools are making premises Covid-secure Covid-SecureSchools

Government guidance: EY_schools

FaceCoversForYr7+

The Government has announced that secondary schools can require children to wear face covers in designated areas of the buildings or if they believe circumstances justify it. 

It will be compulsory to wear face coverings in communal areas in secondary schools located in local lockdown areas.  

The World Health Organisation generally advises against children under 6 wearing face covers. For children aged 6-11, it depends on the circumstances; but the WHO advise that children over 12 years should wear them in the same way as adults WHO_Children&Masks

EvictionBanExtended

The ban on evicting tenants who have incurred rent arrears due to the pandemic has been extended by 4 weeks. 

每周疫情快讯:2020年8月28日

伯明翰没有被封城,但将进一步实施一些限制措施

由于在伯明翰一些地区新冠疫情案例的增加导致市政府警告,伯明翰可能会采取封城或有更多新的限制措施。最终伯明翰未被封城,但出台了更多的限制措施,这些限制措施主要会影响商户,从而间接连锁反应影响到市民。最新的统计数字显示,尽管伯明翰一些地区出现了病例激增的状况,但新冠病例每10万人中的感染人数由30例降至23例。另外,伯明翰已经有28天没有新冠患者入住医院,或者新冠死亡的病例。

但是,市民不应该放松警惕。大部分病例上升,主要与年轻人(50岁以下)重返工作岗位者和服务业重新开放有关。 每个人都有感染新冠病毒的风险,但不是每一位感染者的症状都非常严重,身体健康的年轻人报告显示新冠病毒的症状与一次重感冒或流感的症状相当。但是市政府担心,轻微或者无症状感染者可能会将病毒传染给70岁以上的老人,以及有健康状况的高风险人群,以致他们的生命处于危险之中。

在这里,我们再一次提醒政府关于社交聚会的规定和指引:

  • 包括室内和花园,不可以有超过两个家庭在一起的聚集。

一个单身成年人可以和另一个家庭形成一个社交单位,和另一个家庭一起聚会,人数限制在30人以内。

  • 在室外,来自不同家庭聚集的人数不得超过6人,或者来自两个家庭在室外聚集,总人数不得超过30人。

在户外具体时无需带口罩,但与相识的人需要保持两米的社交距离。

  • 如果您去餐厅或酒吧。店主应当记下您的姓名和联系方式,以便追踪新冠病毒测试呈阳性的患者所接触过的人。

餐馆或酒吧允许将您的信息保留21天,您可以要求查看其数据保护的。策略以及检查是否符合数据保护法。

  • 如果您出现新冠病毒的任何主要症状,您需要立即自我隔离并在以下网站上BookNHSTestOnline预定检测或拨打119。

如果您的检测为阳性,NHS负责检测与追踪工作人员将与您联系,询问您最近的密切接触者,以便邀请他们进行新冠病毒的测试。

  • 除非您有医疗豁免,否则必须在各种形式的交通工具,以及在某些室内空间佩戴口罩或面罩(必须遮住鼻子和嘴巴),包括商店,银行,公共建筑,邮局,博物馆,美术馆,电影院,图书馆和公共交通枢纽。

2020828日起,拒绝佩戴口罩或面罩的罚款将提高至100英镑起,对未支付的罚款加倍,最高为3,200英镑

从8月26日星期三开始在伯明翰实施的最新措施

  • 餐馆最多只能预订6人或2户家庭
  • 如果企业或商户未进行适当的风险评估或将其场所设置为“ Covid安全”场所,则可能被罚款甚至关闭
  • 超过人数上限的婚礼和葬礼将被禁止
  • 其他聚集活动人数必须严格限制在30人以内
  • 市政府可以关闭或限制进入某些公共场所。

针对非法聚会罚款的最新规定

  • 组织非法集会的任何人(即30人以上)可被处以最高1万英镑的罚款。
  • 参加非法集会的任何人都可能被罚款100英镑,如果不付款,则将加倍,最高为3200英镑。

新的罚款将于2020年8月28日星期五正式生效Fines28-8-20

  • 减少病毒传播的最佳方法是
    • 保持社交距离
    • 经常彻底洗手
    • 良好的呼吸卫生

“抵御病毒” 

为了减少的病毒传播,几所大学开发了一款“抵御病毒”的工具资讯包,该资讯包已更新,以涵盖新冠病毒的各个方面:https://www.germdefence.org/protectYourself3.html

它可以帮助您确定日常生活中的潜在危害,并提出降低病毒传播或感染风险的方法。

更新的中文版本 http://chs.germdefence.org/index.html 

保持健康BHealthy 市民参与活动

伯明翰市政府正在发起一个名为 “保持健康”的市民参与活动,以促进:

  • 健康饮食
  • 减肥/体重管理
  • 体育运动

肥胖已被发现是新冠病毒致病的危险因素之一,因此,改善人们的健康状况将可以挽救生命,并保护NHS医疗机构超负荷。

在接下来的几周内,我们将跟进和发布更多有关“保持健康”活动的详细信息。 

学校重新开放

政府希望英格兰的所有学校在9月重新开放。

政府表示,将对未送子女上学的父母重新实行罚款;但是,学校只会在不得已的情况下才会征收罚款,针对父母/监护人出于“不重要”的原因将孩子带出学校时。

伯明翰市政府制作了一个简短的视频,展示学校采取的相关措施,视频链接Covid-SecureSchools  政府网站信息:EY_schools

7年级以上学生佩戴口罩

政府已宣布,中学可以要求学生在建筑物的指定区域或在认为适当的情况下佩戴口罩或面罩。

在已经封城的地区,中学学校的公共区域必须佩戴口罩或面罩。

世界卫生组织建议一般不要求6岁以下的儿童戴口罩。对于6至11岁的儿童,取决于具体情况;但世界卫生组织建议12岁以上的儿童应与成人一样佩戴口罩。世卫组织的相关网站:WHO_Children&Masks

驱逐租房客禁令扩展

禁止驱逐因新冠疫情拖欠租金的租户的禁令已延长至四个星期。