Haringey coronavirus (COVID-19) updates

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4 June

Active at Home Booklet – for older adults | Travel update – watch your speed

Active at Home Booklet – for older adults

Public Health England has launched a new ‘Active at Home’ booklet for older adults (PDF, 3.5MB) to help older adults keep active at home during the outbreak – many of whom are isolating.

A drop in physical activity levels can lead to physical deconditioning, which increases the risk of falls, loss of physical capacity and increased need for care during the coronavirus crisis.

The booklet includes a wide range of exercises for different abilities, such as chair exercise, stretching and aerobic activity, and also includes tips for looking after your health. It has been created with experts from a range partners, including Age UK, the Centre for Ageing Better and the Chartered Society for Physiotherapy.

To find out more, please visit the PHE Campaign Resource Centre on GOV.UK (external link) or contact physicalactivity@phe.gov.uk

Travel update – watch your speed

We are seeing more and more people travelling on roads and using public transport as lockdown measures begin to relax and people return to work.

If you are travelling on roads, please be mindful of your speed. Breaking the speed limit is dangerous at any time. Speeding during this time of national emergency could put additional strain on our vital NHS service and emergency services.

If you must travel or are unable to work from home, please consider active travel, such as walking and cycling, where possible. If you must use public transport, consider staggering your journey start and end time - the current peak times are between 05.45-08.15am and 4-5.30pm.

The government’s message continues to be that we must all be patient and continue to stay at home where possible, social distance and avoid unnecessary travel, in order to stop a second wave of the virus spreading.

Read the government’s safer travel guidance for passengers (external link).

3 June

Active travel to aid social distancing | Washing your hands | Beware of bogus callers

Active travel to aid social distancing

Additional pavement widening, new plans for temporary cycle routes, and the creation of low traffic neighbourhoods, are all part of Haringey Council’s funding bids to Transport for London to aid social distancing.

Work around widening ‘pavement pinch-points’ was initially rolled out on 1 May in response to the growing need for adequate social distancing in the borough’s busier hotspots, including in town centres. The first two phases of the work saw nearly 20 sites widened and the removal of some on-street parking.

The council is now bidding for funding to support similar permanent and non-permanent measures and is also keen to support local businesses to re-open by enabling safe social distancing for residents visiting them and providing space for them to effectively trade and operate.

Read the full story.

Washing your hands

It is vital that we all continue to wash our hands regularly, for at least 20 seconds to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

You should wash your hands after going outside, and if your hands are not clean, you should not touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

Handwashing should be done thoroughly, with soap and water. When soap and water are not available, an alcohol-based hand sanitiser can be used.

See the NHS guidelines on how to wash your hands thoroughly (external link).

Beware of bogus callers

We’ve received reports that some Haringey residents have been visited at home by people falsely claiming to be Connected Communities staff, who say they've been sent to check on residents' wellbeing.

Please be aware that our Connected Communities team do not knock on doors randomly. If you receive a visit from anyone claiming to be from the council, please be wary and ask for ID. If you believe you have received a bogus visit then please contact the police.

If you are vulnerable, require assistance or if you know someone else who does, please see our Connected Communities pages or call our Connected Communities line on 020 8489 4431. The line is open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6.30pm.

2 June

Guidance on shielding | Changes to furlough and self-employment schemes | Residents warned over face masks and counterfeit hand sanitisers

Guidance on shielding

Social distancing guidelines have been relaxed by the government for those who are part of the shielded group, including clinically extremely vulnerable people and those with special needs.

Advice is that those in the shielded group should continue to take precautions and stay at home as much as possible. However, those shielding can now go outside with members of their household, while continuing to follow social distancing guidelines. Those who live alone can meet outside with one other person from another household. Ideally, this should be the same person each time. If you do go out, please take extra care to minimise contact with others by keeping 2 metres apart.

From advice on handwashing to how to register for support, there is more information on shielding available on GOV.UK (external link).

There is also a range of support available for residents in Haringey.

Changes to furlough and self-employment schemes

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

From 1 July 2020 the furlough scheme will allow employers to decide the right arrangements for them and their furloughed staff, meaning furloughed staff could return on a part-time basis, while still being able to claim CJRS for their normal hours not worked.

From August HMRC will not reimburse any pension or national insurance costs. From September employers will start being required to pay a proportion of furloughed workers' wages (10%) and this proportion will increase in October (to 20%).

Self-Employment Income Support Scheme Extended

The Chancellor announced on 31 May 2020 that the self-employment income support scheme will be extended. Applications will open in August. The second final grant will be paid out in a single instalment covering three months’ worth of average monthly profits, capped at £6,570 in total.

Visit our dedicated business support webpage for updates and guidance.

Residents warned over face masks and counterfeit hand sanitisers

Residents are being warned to look out for sub-standard face masks and counterfeit hand sanitisers as criminals look to capitalise on the COVID-19 outbreak.

As we enter week three of the London Trading Standards COVID-19 campaign, teams have already stopped 6.5million sub-standard face masks and 8,000 counterfeit hand sanitisers coming through Heathrow Airport since the pandemic started.

The majority of masks seized had been labelled with false claims or fake safety certificates and 2.25million did not comply with legal safety standards.

Fake hand sanitisers, branded Andrex and Comfort, have also been discovered as they had identical packaging and labelling and the same batch code on the entire consignment.

To report concerns about fake products or false claims made about products, contact Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice consumer service helpline on 0808 223 1133 or via their chat service online on the Citizens Advice website (external link).

1 June

Updated lockdown guidance | Resuming parking enforcement

Updated lockdown guidance

Last week the government announced a number of updates to begin to ease some lockdown rules.

The guidance remains to stay at home as much as possible, and to stay 2m apart from others.

However, from today:

Up to six people from different households can now meet outdoors (external link), including in gardens, provided social distancing guidelines are followed
Extremely vulnerable people who have been “shielding” are able to go outside with members of their household (external link), while continuing to follow social distancing guidelines. Those who live alone can meet outside with one other person from another household
Nurseries and other early years settings can begin to reopen, and primary schools can begin reopen for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6, when they feel confident to do so. In Haringey, it is expected that our schools will reopen to different year groups at different stages in June. These re-openings will be purposely slow and considered, only building to a wider opening when schools are confident to do so and it is safe and right for our children and families. Your child’s school will be in touch with you to let you know when they intend to re-open and the steps they have put in place to ensure social distancing guidance and safety measures can be followed. Read more about plans in Haringey
Outdoor markets and car showrooms will be able to reopen once they have completed a risk assessment, in consultation with trade union representatives or workers, and are confident they are managing the risks

Resuming parking enforcement

In light of the pandemic, the council has not yet resumed full enforcement of parking bays or controlled parking zones in Haringey.

Currently, the council is still only enforcing prohibited parking in town centres or at other locations where there has been a report of dangerous parking.

Plans to reintroduce parking enforcement will be announced and are expected to commence towards mid-late June.

We will give residents adequate notice to purchase parking permits and will ensure that arrangements are made to support critical workers. Warning notices will also be placed on cars that will require a permit before penalty charge notices are issued.

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Page last updated:

4 June 2020

Haringey coronavirus (COVID-19) updates

4 June