Harriett Baldwin's Westminster Diary - The Malvern Observer

Harriett Baldwin's Westminster Diary

Malvern Editorial 11th Jul, 2020   0

WEST Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin writes for the Observer….

READERS will know that there have been very few new cases of Covid-19 in our county this month and that the Acute Hospital Intensive Care Unit is now empty.

I get regular briefings from the hard-working teams at local councils and the local resilience forum as well as the public health and national health service management teams. The ‘test and trace’ system is up and running and anyone who needs a test can get one locally, quickly and efficiently. There are also stockpiles of PPE.  These are all crucial steps as people go back to work and unlock the economy.

Schools have been working throughout and are now looking forward to welcoming back all their pupils in September.




Those who have been shielded can now relax their confinement, as the Office for National Statistics shows that about 1 person in every 2,200 is testing positive for Covid-19.

Non-essential shops and hospitality are now back open and I’ve talking to retailers in Malvern, Tenbury and Pershore about how they have adapted to welcome customers back through their doors. They’ve all made enormous efforts to re-open in a way that is safe for you.  I’ve also been out seeing how local pubs and restaurants have adapted their businesses and are ready to welcome you back. These are very challenging times for them, but our local businesses now really need your support and your custom.


The virus hasn’t gone away completely, though, and we all need to keep washing our hands, wear masks on public transport and stay at home if we get symptoms.  Testing capacity is now at very high levels.  Many have asked specifically about regular testing for NHS and social care staff.  The advice of the Chief Medical Officer means that priority is given to NHS staff with symptoms, regular testing of asymptomatic staff in situations where there is an incident or outbreak, and regular surveillance testing across staff.  Staff working with patients on wards, for example, will benefit from regular testing far more than NHS staff working in offices.

Thanks to your amazing efforts, life is beginning to return to a new normal and as ever, please don’t hesitate to contact your local MP if you need advice or help.

 

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