Parish Council Parish Office Benetfeld Road Binfield RG42 4EW

Tel No: 01344 454602 Email: [email protected] Website: www.binfieldparishcouncil.gov.uk Office Hours: 8.45am – 1.00pm (Monday to Friday)

Clerk: Ally Wickham Deputy Clerk: Amanda Sculley Admin: Kirsty Sizeland Amenity: Purveen Hira/Janet Steel

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update – 1 March 2021

Useful Information Please find an update from Binfield Parish Council on impact to Parish Council Want to quickly obtain the latest COVID-19 statistics for service provision due to Coronavirus (COVID-19): Forest? Check out the new Public Health dashboard for

Parks & Open Spaces real time and accurate data.

➢ Parks and Play areas remain open* https://www.berkshirepublichealth.co.uk/

➢ The Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) located at Foxley Fields is CLOSED. National Restrictions in from 5 January 2021 ➢ The Red Rose Allotments remain open* You must stay at home. This is the single most important ➢ The Parish Warden continues to check action we can all take to protect the NHS and save lives. open spaces, play areas, and litter. ➢ The tennis courts (Binfield Tennis You must not leave your home unless necessary. Association) located at Foxley Fields are

CLOSED. Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household or bubble . Services https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/ ➢ The Parish Council building remains closed, including meeting rooms. Involve – Making a difference locally ➢ Contact the Parish Council via email, Involve are local support organisation for voluntary, telephone (leave a message so we can community and faith groups in and the contact you), post and our website – Wokingham Borough. Find out what Involve are doing to www.binfieldparishcouncil.gov.uk help charities and community groups. ➢ Parish Council and Committee meetings https://involve.community/ are running virtually. Check the Parish Council website for details. The Ark Trust Community Response ➢ The Foxes’ Den community café is closed. If you can volunteer or you, or someone you know, needs ➢ Foodbank donations should be taken support please contact The Ark Trust Community Response: directly to the Kerith Community Church. https://www.theark.org.uk/covid-19-community-response Please check their opening times. ➢ Garden waste bags can be supplied by doorstep delivery by calling/emailing.

*Social distancing rules must be adhered to and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/

Bracknell Forest Council: Coronavirus (COVID-19) information and support

Bracknell Forest Council have specific Coronavirus Information and Support web pages that include the following:

Recent and upcoming changes at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Roadmap out of lockdown

A 4-step plan to ease lockdown in England has been announced.

From 8 March

Pupils return to face-to-face education in school and further education in England. Pupils in Wales and Scotland returned on 22 February. Wraparound childcare, such as after-school clubs, can reopen to enable parents to work, attend education, access medical care or attend a support group.

Outdoor recreation, such as a picnic, is allowed. This can be on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble.

Indoor visits to care homes start again for a single named visitor.

Read the current rules and the changes happening from 8 March.

Pupils to return to school in Bracknell Forest

Following the Government’s announcement on Monday 22 February all Bracknell Forest schools will return to face- to-face learning the week beginning 8 March.

Wrap around childcare, such as after-school clubs can also reopen to enable parents to work, attend education, access medical care, or attend a support group.

School attendance will be mandatory for all pupils, with secondary schools and colleges able to do a phased return over the week of 8 March to in order to finalise testing arrangements for pupils.

Secondary school pupils will need to be tested and receive a negative result before they can return to the classroom. Once the initial tests have been done at school, twice weekly home testing will be available.

In order to keep their peers and teachers safe, the council is urging all secondary school pupils and parents to ensure these tests are done regularly from home. Rapid testing will also be available for all school staff.

It is recommended that in secondary schools face coverings should be worn in classrooms or during activities unless social distancing can be maintained. This does not apply when taking part in exercise or strenuous activity, for example PE lessons.

Cllr Gareth Barnard, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Learning, said: “Throughout the pandemic our schools have worked tirelessly to provide a safe learning environment for all pupils, staying open during lockdown to ensure vulnerable children and children of critical workers can remain at school.

“Our school leaders are delighted to welcome all pupils back in March and work is already taking place to prepare for this.

“Risk assessments are being revised and timetables are being organised to give our children the easiest return to school in the safest way possible.

“I’d like to emphasise that attendance to school from the week commencing 8 March is mandatory unless your child or someone in the same household receives a positive COVID-19 test or they are contact traced and asked to self-isolate.

“For pupils’ emotional, social and academic education it is really important that they return to the classroom in March, but should you have any concerns please contact your child’s school in the first instance.

“We look forward to welcoming our children back to all settings, for what we hope will be a prosperous Spring/Summer term.”

Schools will communicate return dates and details on testing directly with parents, please check your child’s school website for more information.

Read the latest guidance on returning to school on the gov.uk website.

Shielding extended

An additional 1.7 million people in England, which includes a number of Bracknell Forest residents, have been added to the shielding list in the fight against COVID-19. This is in addition to the news that the shielding period is being extended to 31 March 2021.

Those in this new expanded shielding group will receive letters informing them about this in the coming days. They will also be advised about what support is available to them, including assistance with shopping and the collection of prescriptions.

This means that over 800,000 adults will now be prioritised to receive a vaccine as part of the current vaccination cohorts.

Further information about the expansion to COVID-19 shielding list is available on our website.

COVID-19 vaccine

‘There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines affect fertility’

Local medical experts in fertility and women’s health have recorded a short film to provide clarity and reassurance around the safety of the COVID-19 vaccination.

Dr Lalitha Iyer and Dr Fatima Husain, who are both senior clinicians, are providing advice and reassurance via the newly released video. (What you need to know about COVID 19 vaccine and pregnancy - YouTube)

Dr Iyer is the executive medical director of NHS Frimley Collaborative of Clinical Commissioning Groups, a local GP and leads on women’s health. She said: “People may be worried about having the vaccine when invited because they’ve either come across misinformation or they’re not aware of the facts when it comes to vaccinating certain people and groups. This includes pregnant women and those planning on starting a family whether that’s soon or in the future.

“I’d like to reassure people that there is no evidence that the vaccines affect fertility. Rumours that they do are speculative and not backed by any official data.” More information can be found on the Bracknell Forest Council website

Rapid testing in Bracknell Forest

A new rapid testing site is due to open on 22 February at New Priestwood Community Centre. This is in addition to the sites operating at Sandhurst Memorial Hall, Pavilion, Bracknell, Brownlow Hall, and the Morgan Centre, . The testing is for people who have to leave home for work, volunteering or a crucial activity such as caring for a vulnerable person or providing childcare as part of a childcare support bubble. One in three people with COVID-19 have no symptoms so could be spreading the virus to others without knowing it. Appointments can be booked via the Rapid Testing page on the Bracknell Forest Council website or by phoning 01344 352000. In order to manage the capacity at these sites, we urge eligible people to book an appointment for their testing. If you arrive without a pre-booked appointment, you may be asked to wait at a safe distance until there is availability. Testing will be done twice a week with a three to four-day gap between tests. If residents believe they are eligible for rapid testing they can visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk for information on how to book an appointment.

Have you got COVID-19 symptoms?

If you have COVID-19 symptoms you must get tested. The new walk-through COVID-19 testing facility at Bracknell Leisure Centre, is available for tests. The centre is open 8am - 8pm seven days a week.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms you must self-isolate immediately (alongside your household) and apply for a test.

You can apply for a test online or by calling 119.

The main COVID-19 symptoms are: • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature) • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual) • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal Self-isolating means you do not leave home for any reason other than to get a test. You must not leave home to get food or to exercise.

Latest data

The latest COVID-19 data from Berkshire Public Health is available on the COVID-19 Dashboard. This includes weekly reports with more in-depth data including a map of cases by area in Bracknell Forest.