Health

After the recent introduction by the Government of new, Tier 3 restrictions across the Liverpool City Region, Sefton Council is contacting the Borough’s residents who are considered clinically extremely vulnerable to remind them where they can find advice.

Text messages have already been sent to 17,000 of the 22,000 or so Sefton residents who fall into the clinically extremely vulnerable category for whom the Council has a mobile phone number. Now the Council is using various methods to contact the remaining 5,000, including a direct mailshot.

Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing Cllr Ian Moncur said: “People who are clinically extremely vulnerable are likely to be those who have specific health conditions, certain cancers or who are organ transplant recipients and who were told previously to shield because they were at a high were risk from COVID-19.

“This is probably still the case for those people, which is why we want to get in touch with them and tell them where they can find support if they need it.”

The Government’s basic advice for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable is that they should stay at home as much as possible, work from home where possible and avoid all but essential travel. They are also being told to reduce shopping trips significantly, to use online delivery services or ask other people in their household, support bubble or volunteers to collect food and medicines.

Clinically extremely vulnerable people should, the Government’s advice says, still try to go outside for exercise, and can still go to school and to work if they cannot work from home.

Cllr Moncur continued: “There is information and a set of Frequently Asked Questions on our website at www.sefton.gov.uk/covidfaqs. However, we realise not everyone has access to the Internet and online information which is why we are exploring a range of methods, including printed flyers or letters to get the message out.

“What we want to tell people is that if are clinically extremely vulnerable and need support, they should contact the Council’s Call Centre on 0345 140 0845.

“Contact centre staff will assess people’s needs and will be able to arrange support ranging from supermarket slots to assisted shopping, befriending and medicine deliveries.”

Cllr Moncur added: “I would also ask anyone who knows a Sefton resident who they suspect might fall into the clinically extremely vulnerable category and who might struggle to get information or support to contact them and give them the Call Centre’s 0345 140 0845 number.

“Or they can contact the Call Centre themselves and provide us with people’s details if they have concerns about them.”

You can find the the Government’s information for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable here. 

Once again, Sefton has been hosting Mobile coronavirus testing units across the Borough through October.

This month  has seen Mobile Units visiting Aintree Race Course for the first time.

Walk-through test centres, opposite Bootle Town Hall and at Southport Town Hall, are also open from 8am to 8pm.

Anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms of a high temperature, persistent cough or loss of taste or smell– should get a test.

To get a test, people need to have make an appointment first at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119.

Remaining October dates and Mobile Test Unit locations 

Thursday 29^th Southport Park & Ride

Friday 30^th Southport Park & Ride

Saturday 31^st Maghull

* Walk-through test centres, opposite Bootle Town Hall and at Southport Town Hall, will be open from 8am to 8pm on Saturday 24th.

The days and sites may change if Mobile Units are required in other Merseyside locations.

Mobile Testing Units , which are supported by Sefton Council, NHS Southport and Formby CCG and NHS South Sefton CCG, have visited locations across the Borough on most days throughout July, August and September.

Find out the latest advice from Margaret Jones, Sefton’s Director of Public Health.

On Monday 12th October the Prime Minister announced new restrictions for Sefton and the rest of the Liverpool City Region, which have now come into effect.

Exact details of some of the new restrictions are still being clarified but the FAQs on the Sefton Council website have been updated to explain how residents and businesses will be affected.

You can find the updated FAQs here.

With Sefton and the rest of Liverpool City Region having been placed at the Tier 3, Very High COVID alert level, new guidance has been issued for people who are considered clinically extremely vulnerable. These are people who have specific health conditions, certain cancers or who are organ transplant recipients.

These people, who are likely previously to have been shielding, are being advised to stay at home as much as possible, to work from home and to avoid all but essential travel. They are also being told to reduce shopping trips significantly, to use online delivery services or ask other people in their household, support bubble or volunteers to collect food and medicines.

However, clinically extremely vulnerable people should still try to go outside for exercise, and can still go to school and to work if they cannot work from home.

Anyone who is clinically extremely vulnerable and who needs support to follow the guidance should contact the Council’s Call Centre on 0345 140 0845.

People can also find out more about the restrictions from the Sefton Council website.