Coronavirus (COVID-19) – letter to residents from Leader of Shropshire Council
Dear Shropshire resident
There is little doubt that when reading this you will be aware of COVID-19, commonly referred to as Coronavirus. I am issuing this communication to stress that as a local authority we are prepared for situations like this; our public health and emergency response teams help co-ordinate the many services we have supporting residents and businesses, working alongside other local, regional and national colleagues to ensure our efforts align.
The Government has announced that we are moving out of the ‘contain’ phase and into ‘delay’, in response to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The UK Chief Medical Officers have now raised the risk to the UK from moderate to high.
As you may be aware, Shropshire has received its third case of COVID –19. It is likely that we will get more cases, and we want to reassure you that Shropshire Council is working with health colleagues to do everything we can to stop the virus spreading and ensure the people of Shropshire are protected.
As a council we have specialists trained to deal with issues like COVID-19 and plans are in place that have been built on years of knowledge and experience. That said, it goes without saying that this situation is unprecedented: please know our teams mobilised many weeks ago as the threat emerged to ensure we respond to the Government’s requests, alongside our local needs.
You may have already heard of the new ‘Stay at Home’ guidance announced by Prime Minister on Thursday 12 March 2020.
Please do follow these new guidelines here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-people-with-confirmed-or-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection
Good hygiene is the best prevention and there are some simple steps you can take to protect you and your family by washing your hands regularly and thoroughly and if you cough, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. Do keep looking at the current NHS advice here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Please also follow the updated travel guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus.
We have also added links on our own website to helpful sites, and more will be added as they become available. You can find the main page here:
https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/coronavirus/
It is unquestionably a challenging time for everyone in the country, so we simply urge you to follow the guidance given and remain current, as the instruction is changing frequently to manage the situation.
Please do what you can to remain safe in the coming weeks and months. Our teams are equipped to work from anywhere, and we are prepared to support residents and businesses to the best of our ability throughout this crisis. Please follow the guidance and know that we are here to support you.
Kind regards
Councillor Peter Nutting, Leader of Shropshire Council
