Skip to main content

DS Risk Warning: Health

By



Hello all,

We hope the storm hasn't caused you too many problems.

Today's news is that the Government has now announced that Coronavirus is a "serious and imminent threat" to public health.

This will, no doubt, increase the numbers of you being questioned about what you are doing. As previously advised you might reply along the lines of the usual best practice of Catch It, Bin IT, Kill It including all that best practice on hand washing, cleaning common use surfaces, etc. All this alongside keeping a close eye the government's advice on compulsory and voluntary quarantine.

The report goes on to say:

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced new measures in England to fight the spread of the virus.

These include additional powers to keep individuals in "supported isolation for their own safety", the Department of Health said.

There have been more than 40,000 cases of the virus globally, mostly in China, with four so far in the UK.

The total number of deaths in China is now 908 - but the number of newly-infected people per day has stabilised.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "We are strengthening our regulations so we can keep individuals in supported isolation for their own safety and if public health professionals consider they may be at risk of spreading the virus to other members of the public.

"This measure will rightly make it easier for health professionals to help keep people safe across the country."

Arrowe Park Hospital, on the Wirral, and Kents Hill Park, in Milton Keynes, have been designated as "isolation" facilities in the UK.

A visit to the Government web site includes this update too:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public  

Based on the World Health Organization’s declaration that this is a public health emergency of international concern, the UK Chief Medical Officers have raised the risk to the public from low to moderate. This permits the government to plan for all eventualities. The risk to individuals remains low.

Based on the scientific advice of SAGE the UK Chief Medical Officers are advising anyone who has travelled to the UK from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the last 14 days and is experiencing cough or fever or shortness of breath, to stay indoors and call NHS 111, even if symptoms are mild.

These areas have been identified because of the volume of air travel from affected areas, understanding of other travel routes and number of reported cases. This list will be kept under review. Our advice for travellers from Wuhan and Hubei Province remains unchanged.

****

We'll keep an eye on this developing situation and update you as necessary.

Bill

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Delegated Services Risk Warning; Heat

By
  Thu 19 Jun, 25    Repeated below is the AMBER warning Heat health alert for information and action. Apart from: 1. having robust policy in place on sunscreen/shade/protective clothing and hats/ventilation/breaks and hydration, and 2. thinking carefully about those with medical conditions  we are advising sports days need to be held early morning in such conditions, or postponed. Heat health alert updated for the South West The amber heat health alert is in effect from 12PM on 19/06/2025 until 9AM on 23/06/2025 across the South West . The amber alert has a matrix score of 12. This means: Significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including: a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. There may also be impacts on younger age groups likely increased demand on all health and social care services internal temperatures in care settings (hospitals and care homes) may exce...
Post a Comment
Read more

DS Risk Warning: Health - Cornavirus/Covid 19

By
Priority Wed, 26 Feb, 20 Hello all, Looking at how things are progressing and supporting you with your many enquiries can we suggest, if you haven't done so already, a communication to your community and staff? The content would be to reassure that you are following the national and local advice. You could then copy and paste the advice from yesterday that includes the list of Category 1 and Category 2 locations and the list of Italian lock down villages. If you can you can go on to say nobody has returned from lock down areas anywhere in the world. Some have returned from areas where the advice is clear on being vigilant in case symptoms appear. If that were to be the case they will then follow the self isolate advice, etc. it would be sensible to recognise that the situation is very dynamic and could already be changing as you send your communication. You will update them on your position if anything material changes, but they can also keep up to date ...
Post a Comment
Read more

DS Risk Warning: Weather: AMBER heat health alert updated for the South West

By
Hello all, The above Agency has just increased the warning to Amber. The details are below. We have had a number of calls on sports days. It is one of those 'no wins' like snow. Some have been able to move things to first thing, otherwise they've been sensibly postponed or even cancelled. There's some enquiries too on DofE expeditions, which in the circumstances will need careful review and potential postponing. If you have any other queries, do get in touch and we'll do our best to advise. DS Heat health alert updated for the South West The amber heat health alert is in effect from 12PM on 11/07/2025 until 9AM on 14/07/2025 across the South West. The amber alert has a matrix score of 12. This means: Significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including: a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. There may also be impacts on younger age groups likely inc...
Post a Comment
Read more