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Author: ParishClerk

Somerset latest Covid 19 figures and guidance

Somerset’s seven-day infection rate has decreased from last week’s rate of 49.3 and now stands at 38.8 new cases per 100,000 (11th March 2021).

In the latest week, approximately 55,000 tests were carried out across the county and there have been 218 new confirmed cases.
The link below shows the Somerset Dashboard which tracks our local epidemic from the start in March, to the current time:
https://www.somerset.gov.uk/covid-19-dashboard/

Workplaces: All businesses in England are now able to sign up to the Government’s free Covid-19 workplace testing programme, including those with fewer than 50 employees (this was previously restricted to 50 or more employees).
Businesses can register to order tests if the business is registered in England and its employees cannot work from home. Businesses must register on or before 31 March 2021 to get the forms they will need to order free lateral flow tests to test employees in the workplace here. Guidance for employers running testing programmes can be found here.
We continue to see outbreaks occurring as people socialise in and around the workplace (where people cannot work from home) and unfortunately, are still seeing a number of outbreaks in the food sector. We are continuing to provide these settings with Public Health advice, support and guidance on prevention measures.

However, it is not just the food sector where transmission is occurring between colleagues. While we may be conscious of the need to socially distance, wear a mask etc when at work in formal settings, it is easy to relax and forget these measures in the company of colleagues in a staff room and inadvertently pass on the virus to them. We have produced a number of graphics showing this scenario that have been shared with businesses and will be re-shared on our social media channels in the coming weeks, to reinforce the importance of keeping up infection control measures even in informal settings such as lunch breaks.

Some common factors being seen across settings that are experiencing outbreaks include people car-sharing. Please help us to spread the message that currently, car sharing is not permitted with anyone from outside your household or support bubble unless your journey is undertaken for an exempt reason such as work. Where it is essential to car share, you can reduce the risk of transmission by:

• sharing the transport with the same people each time
• minimising the group size at any one time
• opening windows for ventilation
• travelling side by side or behind other people, rather than facing them, where seating arrangements allow
• facing away from each other
• considering seating arrangements to maximise distance between people in the vehicle
• cleaning your car between journeys using standard cleaning products – make sure you clean door handles and other areas that people may touch
• asking the driver and passengers to wear a face covering

For more information on car sharing visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-passengers#car-sharing

Please don’t feed the Ponies

Quantock Farmers ask ‘Please do not feed the ponies’

Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic there has been an increase in people feeding the ponies on the open hilltops of the Quantocks.  These ponies thrive on the grasses, heathers and plants on the hilltops and do not need extra food.

Some horses have special dietary considerations and can be intolerant to foods such as carrots and apples and cannot have too much sugar.  Giving them “sweets and treats” can result in stomach ulcers, which are very painful, and colic which can kill them.  Many fruit and vegetables may seem like “healthy” or “normal” horse treats, but they are not suitable for many horses including the ponies which graze the Quantocks.

As many of these ponies roam wild over the open hills people are unable to know how many “treats” they have been fed and people are making the mistake of saying “just one won’t hurt”.  A further issue of feeding the ponies is that they associate people and cars with food. They become more tolerant and will actively approach people and cars which increases the risk of people being bitten or kicked or the ponies being injured by vehicle collisions.

Ranger Andy Stevenson said, “Although they are beautiful to look at, the ponies are pretty wild and certainly not pets so keeping a little distance from them and appreciating them from a far is the best for everybody’s wellbeing”.

Ponies on the Quantock Hills:

  • Quantock Common is a large block, over 1,800Ha, of unenclosed heath and woodland on the hilltops of the Quantock Hills. It is a special habitat and is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Quantock Common is managed by the active Commoners (local farmers who have rights of Common), landowners and the AONB Service. Part of the required management is grazing by sheep, ponies and cattle. This mix of grazing promotes the different heathland species such as heathers and bilberry.
  • The majority of ponies that graze the unenclosed hilltops of Quantock Common are owned by farmers / landowners who have rights of common to graze animals on the common.
  • The farmers / landowners are known as ‘Commoners’ as they are exercising their rights of common. They regularly inspect the ponies and any issues reported to the AONB Service are passed onto the relevant farmer / landowner to rectify.
  • If people see a pony they believe is in distress or hurt they can report it to the AONB Service, who will ensure it is communicated to the most appropriate farmer / landowner.
  • Other locations also have grazing stock such as Lydeard Hill and Cothelstone Hill. These are not commons and the ponies that graze these hills are owned by the landowners.

 

Roadworks Church Road/High Street/ Tower Hill Stogursey

Road Closure, STogursey 4th March to 10th March. Telephone Barden Networks 01454281627 for information

A reminder that Tower Hill, High Street and Church Road are due to be closed to traffic during the 0930- 1530 every day save for the weekend between March 4th and March 10th 2021 by Barden Networks to enable fibre broadband upgrade works, which were first notified by this post –

https://stogursey-online.uk/notices/roadworks-church-hill-high-street-tower-hill-stogursey-daytime-3rd-to-9th-march-2021

All enquires should be directed to the contractors – Barden Networks  – Telephone 01454281627 or their traffic management contractors on site during the works.

Sarah Chard Barden Network Engineering
01454 281627 – Ext 292 or option 7

 sarah.chard@bardennetwork.com

Call for people aged 70 and over to contact NHS for Covid jab

People aged 70 and over who have not yet been vaccinated against Covid and who would like to be are today being asked to contact the NHS to arrange a jab.

Until now the NHS has asked people to wait until they are contacted to help ensure that those who are most vulnerable are protected first – and that remains the case for most people.

However, to ensure absolutely everyone is offered the vaccine, people aged 70 and over can now contact the NHS so they can be vaccinated by the middle of this month.

The easiest way to arrange a vaccination is through the national booking service which can be accessed at www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination.

Anyone unable to book online can call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm seven days a week.

If a suitable and convenient slot is not available people can also call their GP practice.

Access to Vaccination Sites

As part of Somerset County Council’s support of the wider Covid-19 vaccination programme, consideration has been given to assisting access to vaccination appointments. As a result, the following measures have been implemented, with effect from 1st February 2021:

 Concessionary Fares

  • The 09.30am start time for the acceptance of Concessionary bus passes on all local bus services in Somerset has been temporarily removed. Bus operators have all been contacted and have made the necessary changes to ticket machines, so no pass holder will be charged a fare if they travel before 09.30 am. This is a temporary measure and will be reviewed as the vaccination programme continues to roll out. Once this dispensation is no longer required then the restrictions will be reinstated.
  • For Community Transport and Slinky Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) Services where Concessionary Bus Pass holders do not get free travel but instead have to pay half fares, operators of these services across Somerset have agreed that if someone makes a booking, and when asked the journey purpose they state they are attending a Covid-19 vaccination they will be offered free travel. All passengers are asked the purpose of their journey at the point of booking, so this should be able to ensure that those being vaccinated benefit from free travel.

Additional Bus Service

Bath & West Showground – a half hourly service operated by First West of England from 08:00 to 20:00 from Wells Bus Station via Shepton Mallet terminating at the showground has been implemented temporarily. This will operate seven days a week providing connections to/from other bus services at both Wells Bus Station and Shepton Mallet Cenotaph (bus interchange). Concessionary pass holders will have free travel and fare payers will pay normal fares. The operator will claim back costs for this additional service through the Covid Bus Services Support Grant (CBSSG) scheme, so there will be no cost to SCC.

Two key pieces of information for passengers travelling are:

  • Passengers must take their appointment letters with them.
  • Passengers should aim to use the timetabled journey which arrives at the Bath & West Showground as close to their appointment time as possible to avoid waiting time on site.

We are working closely with the NHS and partners to consider the need for a shuttle service to the Racecourse. At this time the site management do not believe there is sufficient demand for a shuttle service and there are other vaccination site options in Taunton for those without transport. We continue to keep this under review.

If anyone needs help to access an appointment, they should call the Coronavirus helpline on 0300 790 6275. Lines are open from 8am to 6pm, seven days a week.

Covid 19 Car Sharing Advice

One in three people don’t have any symptoms of coronavirus, and it can easily spread in the small enclosed space of a vehicle. So avoid car sharing with those outside your household or support bubble. Think twice before getting a lift to work with colleagues or taking a friend or relative grocery shopping or to a medical appointment, unless they are part of your household or support bubble.

If you have to car share, please follow these simple steps to reduce the risk of spreading the virus:

😷 Everyone should wear face coverings

↔️       Sit as far apart as possible

‍♀️        Share with the same small group of people each time

💨 Open windows for ventilation

           Wash or sanitise your hands before and after your journey

           Clean the car between journeys, paying attention to touch points such as door handles.

Hinkley Point Connection Project – Winter Update