Day 17 of Lockdown
Day 17 of Lockdown and apparently the curve is beginning to flatten but, we aren’t out of the woods yet. Hence our slightly macabre focal image today.
With a sunny ‘holiday weekend’ ahead we really can’t take a holiday from the lockdown although please do go outside your house this evening at 8 pm to clap for those who are supporting our society right now.
There is also one update from ECC and some, possibly slightly worrying, news from the Essex Resilience Forum. We will finish with some lightening of the mood looking at some things that have got better.
Vulnerable Adults
ECC has introduced a new service to help vulnerable adults stay physically and mentally active during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Stay Connected service is being funded by the county council and is being delivered through Essex-based Sport For Confidence. Sport for Confidence works with vulnerable adults, providing activity-based programmes in leisure centres throughout the county.
Following the Government’s closure of all leisure facilities until further notice due to the COVID-19 outbreak, all venue sessions have been temporarily suspended.
Going Virtual
The organisation is now bringing together occupational therapists and sports coaches to deliver telephone sessions for people with learning disabilities, autism, mental health issues, dementia, physical impairment and other complex health needs. Users will receive a highly personalised home workout video.
The Sport For Confidence team comprises eight occupational therapists, five sports coaches, a trained behaviour advisor and a skills expert. The new contract will support all the existing users of the service plus individuals self-isolating in Supported Living accommodation. Learning disability and autism social work teams and Supported Living providers are making referrals. Updates to the service and other services for people with a learning disability or autism during the COVID-19 outbreak will be shared on the Meaningful Lives Facebook page.
Essex Resilience Forum
The Essex Resilience Forum, on which we first reported on 27th March, has issued its’ weekly update. The points reported on by their Strategic Coordinating Group underline why we need to keep taking the lockdown seriously. Among other points, this group are working matters ranging from “Excess Death Planning” (!) to “Waste Disposal”. Their key updates this week were on the following:
PPE
At 21:20, 6 April, we took delivery of just five palettes of the 17 we are expecting from MHCLG. These were instantly unpacked and distributed to the three hubs across Essex – Witham, Southend and Thurrock. The health specific FFP3 masks were sent directly to the acute hospitals across Essex.
PPE still remains a huge issue, nationally and for Essex. For context the stock we have received is around a day supply and the entire expected delivery is around 3 days’ supply. We continue to request this from the MHCLG, whilst looking locally through Police and Fire Procurement routes to source additional PPE.
ECC has previously issued an appeal for PPE aimed at business large & small who might be able to help.
Community Hospital Beds
Following a request from Karen Wesson, NHS, for some assistance through the SCG to move beds to create care provision at Braintree and Brentwood Community Hospitals, the ERF has secured the assistance of 13 Essex County Fire and Rescue staff who have volunteered their time as well as securing the services of a Witham based logistics company, SIMARCO, through Denise Rossiter at the Essex Chambers Of Commerce, to complete this task over the weekend to support a deep clean move in 200 hospital beds.
That’s Enough Tough Stuff – Some things that have got better:
Air pollution is falling over the world
The less we travel, fly and drive the more air pollution levels drop. And with large chunks of humanity now stuck at home, our planet is getting a bit of a breather.
You can see the stars more clearly
Less air pollution means fabulous stargazing — no trips to remote spots required. Which is just as well, considering that we can’t actually travel anywhere at the moment.
People are getting very, very creative
Being cooped up at home all day sure brings out our creative side. With plenty of time to spare and kids and adults to entertain, arts and crafts are enjoying a massive revival.
Life is slowing down
Being stuck at home all day sure makes life slow down, and we mean this in the most positive way. With no running around to do, we can sit back and do all the things we always wanted to get to but never had the chance.
Nature is returning to the spaces we have evacuated
Social media has been ablaze in recent weeks with amazing images of nature reclaiming its rightful place in the world in the absence of human intervention.
History and art are free for all
The Met, the British Museum and the Israel Museum are some of the world’s finest museums. And now they’re also completely free – just check out their websites for virtual tours that provide hours of fun and engagement for the whole family.
People are coming together to help each other
It’s during difficult times that humanity really shows its better sides, and this coronavirus crisis is no different. Kind deeds are happening across the world.
Silence is the new normal
Have you noticed? In cities, towns and villages all over the world, things have got really quiet. There are no planes, no cars, sometimes no buses or public transport, and definitely no rush hour. There’s also very few people on the street, and no cafes or restaurants buzzing with life. The impact of all this is a new sense of quiet, even in the busiest cities – that constant hum of noise has just disappeared.