Dear John,

Harrow enters Tier 3 this morning. Given the serious rise in the number of COVID cases in Harrow and across London, it is clear the move into Tier 3 is sensible. We know that when cases start to rise quickly, acting early will prevent greater impact on NHS capacity, and prevent more restrictions down the line. The reality is that more contact is leading to more cases, with about 1 in 3 people across London are transmitting the virus without realising. In the last week, Harrow has seen 771 cases of COVID, a rise in 210+ cases from the week before. Harrow’s latest case rate is 253 cases per 100,000, while nationally, the rate is 181. 

It is also very clear that there must now be more support for sectors in our economy being hardest hit; to protect jobs and to stop further people being pushed into hardship, particularly in the hospitality and self-employed sectors. The Government must also urgently cover the full cost of Statutory Sick Pay for workers that have to self-isolate. 

Do make sure to observe the new measures and please continue to follow the public health rules:

⛔ No socialising indoors or in gardens, other than with your household or bubble

6️⃣ Rule of six applies outside in public, such as parks and public gardens

🚇 Essential travel only

🍺 Pubs, cafes and restaurants are takeaway and delivery only

And continue to:

🧼 Wash your hands regularly

😷 Wear A Mask

↔️ Keep 2m apart

💻 Work from home if you can

As a community, we are immensely grateful to all of our NHS staff, social care workers and all of our key workers that continue to keep us safe and keep our local services going. It was incredibly positive to see Harrow’s first vaccinations take place this week, a great reminder of the value of our National Health Service and a symbol of light at the end of this tunnel. I have included a key Question & Answer from NHS Public Health England on the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccination process in London care homes below.

I hope readers continue to stay safe, socially distance and regularly check in on loved ones.  Again, people are being urged to remain vigilant for any symptoms of Covid-19 If you're feeling unwell with any of the symptoms of Covid, a new continuous cough, high temperature, or a loss of or change to taste or smell, it's vital that you get tested. To book a test visit nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119. The response to Coronavirus is being directed by Government centrally working with Public Health England, the Government’s advice is available here. Government assistance specifically for businesses  is available here.  

As always, if you need to get in touch about the issues covered here – or anything else – please contact my office on 0207 219 4243 or e-mail me at [email protected]. Please bear with us, as we have received over 5 times our usual weekly amount of correspondence. My team and I are working hard to respond as promptly as possible. Although we have had to cancel face to face surgery appointments, we are now scheduling regular Zoom surgeries and phone calls with Harrow West constituents. 

Covid Mutation

On 14 December, while announcing the move of London and parts of the South East into Tier 3 restriction measures, Health Secretary, Matt Hancock announced that a new strain of coronavirus had been detected, predominantly in the South of England. COVID-19 is caused by a virus, SARS-CoV-2, which like all viruses, may develop mutations while it circulates. In a statement to Parliament, Hancock said that “Initial analysis suggests that this variant is growing faster than the existing variants.” This analysis is yet to be released to the public, although a statement has been released by the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium (COG-UK). Many scientists note that there is not enough publicly-available evidence to conclude that increased prevalence is due to a new strain. Increased rates of spread could instead be due to increased mobility after lockdown, poor crisis management, reduced compliance with social distancing, or indeed many other factors. Evidence to better understand the rapid spread of this new strain should be made public immediately.

Frustration at lack of data released alongside the Government’s statement has been voiced by researchers. Dr Lucy van Dorp, Senior Research Fellow in microbial genomics at the UCL Genetics Institute, stated that “It is frustrating to have claims like this made without the associated evidence presented for scientific assessment, and the variant remains to be officially announced.”

Harrow Council

The council has a webpage covering their own response to the coronavirus pandemic, this is regularly being updated and is available here.  

Vaccine Distribution begins in Harrow

The first set of vaccinations started yesterday at The Hive – GPs are inviting their mobile patients who are aged 80 and over. Vaccination has also started in the hospital for NHS staff who are caring for people with Covid and also those people in need of health care. It is vital that we keep rates down so that the NHS can continue to treat people that need support. The majority of people in priority groups will not begin to see invitations for vaccinations until mid-January.

Book a free test online or call 119

😷 Getting tested at a local testing centre: 🧪

·       South Harrow walk-through testing centre at Brigade Close Car Park, HA2 0LQ (opposite South Harrow Police Station) - open daily 8am to 8pm. No parking available at this site.

·       Harrow Weald, Harrow Weald Recreation Ground, 8am-8pm

·       Mobile Testing Unit, Harrow Civic Centre - Car Park ‘A’, Milton Road, 10:30 – 15:30

·       Mobile testing site (cars only) on selected days, 10.30am to 3.30pm at Northwick Park Hospital (Rear car park).

Tests must be booked in advance. Only book a test if you have symptoms.

Consider becoming a Stem Cell Donor #HelpVeerNow

Harrow born Veer Gudhka, aged 4, has been searching for a matching stem cell donor for over a year now. It is often very difficult for people of Asian origin to find their match. Veer's parents have been appealing to people of all backgrounds, but especially Asians, to step forward and join the global stem cell register. All it takes to do so is a simple cheek swab test in your own home! If you are found to be a match, donation itself is usually as simple as giving blood. So, we urge you to register today to help Veer and countless others who are in desperate need of a match and to potentially give them a second lease of life.

Order your free swab kit today: https://www.linktr.ee/helpveernow

The HelpVeerNow campaign has managed to inspire over 9000 people to register and one of these 9000 people in India has actually gone on to donate his stem cells and save someone else’s life! This is why every registration really does count, so please keep encouraging others to register as stem cell donors too

You can download an interactive PDF for sharing across your WhatsApp and Email networks. Please download today and get sharing: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JF80bN1KlK03CPbcn4B_C3oxhGvjRNO9/view

Follow @helpveernow across Facebook and Instagram.

Small Business Saturday

Last Saturday, December 5th was Small Business Saturday. It was my great pleasure to spotlight so many of Harrow’s excellent small businesses across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter - the full week's list has also  been added to my site.

Shops, pubs and restaurants, manufacturers, hotels and hairdressers, beauty salons and suppliers, breweries and bakeries, and many more small businesses of all kinds are the beating heart of communities across the country and they’ve adapted brilliantly in tough circumstances. 

But small businesses are struggling and facing a serious cash crisis after eight months of difficult trading conditions. Labour is warning that many small businesses that have reopened this week may not make it to Spring because of the Government’s irresponsible choices, as new analysis reveals an estimated 390,000 small businesses are worried they won’t survive the next three months. 

We can all do our bit to stand by small businesses in the months ahead – by shopping where we live, including online, and eating at or ordering in from local restaurants. But we’ve got to stand up for them too to ensure they get the support from the Government they need to support them through this crisis and after that too. 

I’m arranging a Small Business Roundtable for this Friday, 18th December, I want to speak to as many of the businesses that serve my constituency as possible. This would be a useful opportunity to voice your concerns and the challenges you are facing regarding the pandemic, now that we have re-entered another tiered system. I understand this has been an incredibly challenging year and I want to hold an open conversation about furlough, the decline in foot fall, rent and much more. This also serves as an opportunity to see what I can do to represent your voices locally and in Westminster. Please send me an e-mail on [email protected] if you are a small business and would like to attend.

London Care Homes Vaccination FAQ

A letter outlining plans for getting the first vaccine to care home staff can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccinations-and-care-homes- programme-launch

Key questions 

How does the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine work? 

Why should you have the vaccine? 

The NHS is offering all care home staff, other social care staff and healthcare staff the vaccine. Having the vaccine offers immunity, to protect you from COVID-19. The more people that have the vaccine, the more it will help to protect those most vulnerable in our communities such as care home residents. 

The JCVI advice states that the infection rates are higher in residential care home staff, than in those providing domiciliary care of in health care workers. Therefore, care home workers are considered a very high priority for the vaccine. You can find the JCVI report  here.

What are the side effects? 

Most side effects are mild or moderate and go away within a few days of appearing. If side effects such as pain and/or fever are troublesome, they can be treated by medicines for pain and fever such as paracetamol. The common side effects are: pain at injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain and fever. Side effects are listed in the information leaflets: 

Public Health England COVID-19 vaccination patient leaflet

Public Health England COVID-19 vaccine health and social care worker leaflet

Leaflet on what to expect after your COVID-19 vaccinations

Is the vaccine safe? 

The vaccine has been approved as safe by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency). The vaccine has been through 3 phases of clinical trials. In the third phase it was given to more than 21,000 volunteers with no serious safety concerns. As with any medicine, vaccines are highly regulated products. There are checks at every stage in the development and manufacturing process. 

At your vaccine appointment you will speak to a clinician who will check that you are suitable to receive the vaccine and can answers any that questions that you might have. 

Why are care homes and care home staff going first? 

The independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises that the first priorities for any COVID-19 vaccine should be prevention of people dying and the protection of health and social care staff. Older people living in care homes have been affected by COVID-19 more than other groups, therefore the JCVI has recommended that they are the highest priority. 

When is the vaccination programme proposed to start in older people's care homes?

The NHS is preparing to roll out a safe, effective vaccine as soon as one becomes available. We do not have a specific date for vaccination to start in older people’s care homes, 

Are mental health and learning disability homes included? 

The independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has published advice on priority groups for the vaccine, this include residents in care homes for older adults and frontline health and social care workers. The document specifies older adults care homes. 

Coronavirus Christmas Explained by Age UK

The Government recently announced that from the 23rd – 27thDecember everyone will be able to form a ‘Christmas bubble’ with up to two different households. To help older people understand what they can and cannot do over this period, Age UK have produced a webpage which clearly explains the new rules. A reminder that you shouldn't be part of a Christmas bubble if you have symptoms, you must test and self-isolate. This webpage from Age UK includes information on:

Travelling to form a bubble and staying overnight with your bubble

Forming a bubble if you’re extremely clinically vulnerable

Forming a bubble with someone living in a care home

How to avoid catching coronavirus over Christmas

While many older people are delighted to hear that they can spend time with loved ones this Christmas, we know that for others this news will be worrying and they may be feeling anxious. This blog will help older people and their families think through the risks of meeting others for Christmas and what they can do to stay safe over the holiday season.

Harrow Arts & Culture

Intrepid Hill Players Panto (from home)

The intrepid Hill Players of Harrow will not be stopped by a pandemic, and if they can’t host their usual Panto in the Ryan, they’ll do a virtual one… (oh yes, they will)!!

The Players have four free shows as a live stream on the 19th & 20th December. You’re welcome to come along and cheer and jeer from home. Please share among families, family organisations, care groups, etc, who might need some cheering up… 

https://www.hillplayers.co.uk/

Finding Support

Fresh Horizons Homeless Support

The Fresh Horizons CND charity based in Wembley has supported accommodation available for the single homeless in Harrow during the ongoing coronavirus restrictions. If you or someone you know is in need of supported accommodation, Fresh Horizons can be contacted by telephone at 0300 321 4702 or via email at [email protected]

NHS – ‘Help Us, Help You’ 

NHS England and NHS Improvement recently launched the Access phase of the ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign. The campaign encourages the public to contact their GP if they are worried about a symptom that could be cancer, encourage pregnant women to keep appointments and seek advice if they are worried about their baby, encourage those already who are already being treated for a health issue to keep their routine appointments and those experience mental health issues to access NHS services and support.. The NHS has introduced a range of measures to ensure the safety of patients, including COVIDsecure wards, and the ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign will help to reassure patients that they can receive medical care safely. Your NHS is here to see you, safely. Help Us, Help You. 

For cancer: Visit nhs.uk/cancersymptoms  for more information 

For using the NHS during coronavirus: Visit nhs.uk/yourhealthmatters for more information 

For pregnancy advice: Visit nhs.uk/pregnancy-and-coronavirus for more information 

For mental health and talking therapies If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, please do come forward: it’s easy to get help. Ask your GP for a referral to NHS talking therapies, or you can self-refer via  nhs.uk/talk

Support for children and young people

Harrow Council, Harrow CCG, and Young Harrow Foundation have put together a joint document signposting residents to a collection of some of the most helpful and trusted sources of information and guidance for children and young people’s wellbeing.

For young people (high school and college age), the document ‘looking after ourselves’ can be found here – covering how to stay healthy, stay connected and learn new skills during this time.

Support and online resources for the family

Harrow Council have collected a range of online resources  for all members of the family to keep entertained while libraries are closed. You will be able to find resource to help with homework, eBooks, newspapers and magazines and keeping yourself healthy and motivated.

Counselling services and mental health support

•       5 Steps to Mental Wellbeing   - A fantastic primer on stress, anxiety and depression from the NHS. Evidence suggests there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.

·       Relate Family Mediation  - a service fully geared up to supporting families through the crisis. Tel: 0300 0032324 or email i[email protected].

·       DAWN  - provide a counselling service to the local community of Harrow and its neighbouring boroughs. Tel: 020 8427 6796 or email: [email protected]

·       Need To Talk  - offering 1 to 1 counselling supporting their clients or any client by telephone or webcam. Tel: call/ text on 07427548559 or email [email protected]

·       Ignite Trust   - During these challenging and uncertain times, Ignite Trust is working hard to ensure they continue to provide support to the boroughs most vulnerable and at-risk young people. Email [email protected].

·        Every Mind Matters - Expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing.

Coronavirus Hotline

The council continues to operate a hotline telephone number during weekends in order to provide support to those in need of assistance in Harrow - if you are in need of support due to Covid please give the hotline a call - 0208 901 2698

Can you provide support?

London's Community Kitchen (based at The Bridge, next to Harrow Leisure Centre) continue to put Harrow on the map. At the height of the pandemic, this incredible operation served over 10,000 people across Harrow and London and they are continuing to serve over 5,000 people per week. The Community Kitchen is working with Harrow Council and many other community groups to coordinate a Harrow wide response to the Coronavirus outbreak. Please consider donating or getting involved in any way that you can: https://www.londonscommunitykitchen.com/home-1

If you’re ever in need of their support, the Community Kitchen want to help - they wont ask you for any details, or anything in return, just turn up and they will provide you with food. If you would like to get involved with the Community Kitchen - register here: https://www.londonscommunitykitchen.com/get-involved-1  and if you can donate anything, they will make a little go a very long way: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/make-harrow-smile-fundraiser-2020-1

Help from me

I appreciate that whilst this outbreak of Covid-19 is currently dominating a lot of our thoughts, other concerns and problems do not disappear. However, to help reduce the spread of infection, I am asking members of the public who need to contact my office to do so by phone or email rather than in person and further, I will continue to hold surgery appointments exclusively by telephone and Zoom video conferencing. This is a temporary measure and a sensible precaution to protect vulnerable people.  Please be assured we continue to offer a full service of advice and support to members of the public who need it. 

As always, my office can be contacted on [email protected] or by telephone on 0207 219 4243 (Monday-Friday).

Stay safe

Best wishes,

Gareth