National lockdown - please stay safe, stay at home

On Monday evening, the Prime Minister announced a new national lockdown in response to the high rise in the cases of Covid-19 across the UK. This means major restrictions on all of our lives, and a switch back to the “stay at home” requirement that was in place last spring. This is an even more challenging time than the first wave of Covid-19, with more cases of the virus and more people in hospital, we are therefore being asked to stay at home.

The new restrictions allow people to leave home only to:

·         Go to work if you absolutely cannot work from home

·         Exercise once a day in your local area

·         Seek medical care or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse)

·         Care for vulnerable people or to provide or seek childcare

·         And for a small number of other exemptions listed at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Primary and secondary schools have switched to remote learning apart from for vulnerable children and the children of key workers and this is in place until at least February half-term.

Please continue to follow the public health advice:

Wear a mask, stay at least 2 metres distance from anyone not in your household and wash your hands regularly.

If you have symptoms, please follow the NHS advice and get a test. The council has also now rolled out testing for those without symptoms in sites across Lambeth – you can find out more here.

Stay safe, stay at home and together we will get through the coming months

Useful contacts:

You can access support for yourself or a vulnerable person, whether on mental health, finances, employment or support for young people on the council website: https://beta.lambeth.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19

The Lambeth Larder website has an extensive directory of organisations and local community groups which can offer help, support & advice: www.lambethlarder.org

If you need to contact the council regarding services, Lambeth residents can contact the main contact centre on 020 7926 1000. If a face to face appointment is essential it can be arranged via 020 7926 9094, or by emailing lambethcustomerservices@lambeth.gov.uk

If someone you know requires urgent support please see the council’s Coronavirus (Covid-19) get urgent help for you or someone you know webpage.

The NHS is still open. All residents are urged to continue to access the NHS services that they may need including urgent and emergency services. You can access NHS services via the NHS App or www.nhs.uk/health-at-home.