DAILY EMERGENCY COVID-19 NEWS
... Important Daily Notices ...

AS This page is to place quick update important notices that are being sent to us from Government and other organisations over the Coronavirus Emergency affecting our country (UK)...   Please remember that the information changes quickly, so always check to see what time and when the last post was made.  We will update as and when we can....  Users of our Formby Reporter's Free Email Service will get most updates 1st and then they will be added on here as soon as we can...  If you have any updates to send in or any views on the posts on here, please email us to:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.

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This page is updated on 7 April 2020

"A 'Get out clause' essential for home movers trapped by Coronavirus" says Napthens

LIVERPOOL based regional law firm Napthens is calling for special conditions to be included on house move contracts which are trapped by the Coronavirus pandemic. With the latest Government advice to avoid moving house while the stay at home measures are in place, it leaves thousands of home moves in limbo until the restrictions are lifted. Simon Ainsworth, partner at Napthens, said:- "1 way of keeping deals alive during the period is to insert a 1 off Coronavirus special clause in sale contracts. The clause would allow parties to exchange contracts while maintaining social distancing advice yet enabling either party to delay completion because of factors caused by Covid-19, he said. This could include circumstances such as lenders being unable to release funds, removal firms not being available, clients self isolating or being diagnosed with the virus or being unable to have signed and witnessed documents in place. Similarly, a 'get out clause' allowing people to walk away from the sale without incurring substantial penalties would need to be included should the social distancing advice still be in place in a few months. The purpose of a Coronavirus special condition in sale contracts would be to ensure house moves can be put on pause and completed quickly once the advice is lifted. Equally, should it last for an extended period of time, or a persons circumstances change as a result of the virus, a get out clause would allow them to walk away without being seriously penalised. The conveyancing team at Napthens is keen to work closely with estate agents to ensure deals are still done where they can be, even if completions need to be delayed. However, their overriding aim is to ensure clients follow the Governments guidance and stay safe during the crisis; using special clauses like this can help achieve both. Thankfully the Government is allowing the purchase of vacant properties to proceed and we are able to buy and sell investment properties already occupied by tenants as nobody is physically moving in that case."

Bongo's Bingo announces 6 free shows for NHS staff and emergency workers

BONGO'S Bingo are very proud to announce 6 special free shows taking place later in the year exclusively for NHS staff and emergency workers. 1 free show will take place locally at Content in Liverpool, and also around the UK at The Grand in London, The Albert Hall in Manchester, SWG3 in Glasgow, Athena in Leicester and Boiler Shop in Newcastle. Dates will be confirmed later on and how to apply for tickets will be announced on Bongo's Bingo's social media.

The crisis has shown just how important the NHS and all emergency workers are. Joshua Burke, Bongo's Bingo's co-founder, explains:- "I think pretty much everyone now has been affected in some way or another by this terrible situation. I also think now that everyone is realising what an incredible job the NHS and emergency workers are doing for us all, putting their lives on the line each day. If we can help them even a little bit then it's giving something back to these amazing women and men, and the free shows are a thank you from us for all of their efforts. My parents were both NHS nurses, so this is something very close to my heart."

Bongo's Bingo's free to play online shows on streaming platform:- Twitch.TV; have been a huge success. Over 1 million people have streamed the shows over the 1st 2 weeks with thousands of pounds donated to the NHS. Twitch has already seen over 250k hours of streamed shows for anyone wanting some familiar Bongo's Bingo escapism and mayhem. The streams are every Tuesday and Saturday each week.

Call for Airbnb owners to act responsibly

OWNERS of Airbnb and other rental properties in Liverpool are being urged not to host bookings from visitors and tourists during the Coronavirus pandemic.  The council's Environmental Health Team has received a number of complaints about homes and apartments still being rented out, despite advice from Health Officials for people not to travel unless it is absolutely necessary, and Government guidance that short term lets should be closed.

Cabinet member for public health, Councillor Paul Brant, said:- "Liverpool is 1 of the most popular tourist destinations in the country and it is absolutely heart breaking that we are not able to welcome visitors at this time. However, the health and wellbeing of our residents is absolutely paramount and the simple fact is that we are in the middle of a pandemic which has already led to the death of dozens of people in our City, as well as hundreds of confirmed cases so far. We need the home rental sector to follow the lead of our hotels in acting responsibly and making sure that they cancel bookings for the foreseeable future. The more united we are in obeying the restrictions, the quicker we will reach the peak of infections and the sooner we can get to a position where life can begin to return to normal. This is not about targeting key workers who are staying in temporary accommodation to carry out a valuable role in keeping vital public services going, such as the NHS. It is about unnecessary travel which flouts the very clear guidelines from the Government's health experts just puts the lives of innocent people at risk and will prolong the current challenges for even longer and may need lead to even tougher restrictions on our lives."

There are around 300 properties listed for rent in Liverpool in on the Airbnb website at the moment. The Council is to write to the listed Airbnb and other rental providers urging them to make their advertisements very clear that the UK is subject to restrictions which discourages non-essential travel and makes going out for sightseeing and other gatherings unlawful.  Any complaints about properties persistently used as short term lets where there is no valid reason for travel will be referred to the appropriate authorities.  Stays booked on Airbnb before 14 March 2020 for check in dates up until 31 May 2020 are covered by an:- 'extenuating circumstances' policy with a variety of cancellation and refund options, and hosts can cancel without charge or impact on their Superhost status. More information is available at AirBnB.Co.UK.

New helpline goes live to support people's mental health

LOCAL NHS Trust, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP), has launched a new mental health helpline for residents of Cheshire West, Cheshire East and Wirral.  Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it is open to people of all ages including children and young people who need urgent mental health support. The helpline is part of the NHS Long Term Plan to improve access to mental health support. Originally due to go live next year, it has been fast tracked to be available to support local people during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Suzanne Edwards, Acting Director of Operations, said:- "I am delighted that we now have a dedicated local helpline for people with concerns about their mental health. The dedicated phone number:- 0300 303 3972 should now be everyone's first port of call for urgent mental health help in Cheshire and Wirral. It is operated by local NHS staff who can connect people experiencing mental health issues with the best local support. Launching a new service in such a short space of time, under the current circumstances, is testament to our very dedicated staff and I would like to say a big thank you to all involved. Having joined the team on one of their first shifts this weekend, I know they are already making a really positive difference to local people by helping those that need specialist support in a timely, person centred way."

What to do if you need urgent mental health help:-

► Please call:- 0300 303 3972 and our dedicated local NHS staff will support you to access the help you need.

► The helpline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is open to people of all ages; including children and young people.

► The helpline is now the 1st port of call for mental health help; it is operated by people in your local area who will know how best to support you. If you call NHS111 you may have to wait longer for help and will be re-directed to this local service; so call:- 0300 303 3972.

► Please note, A&E and 999 are not the best places to get help for the majority of mental health problems; call:- 0300 303 3972 to be directed to the best local service to support you.

► You should still call:- 999 or go to A&E if you have an immediate, life threatening emergency requiring mental or physical health assistance.

► For non-urgent help and general wellbeing advice, the CWP website contains information and links to resources to support people with anxiety, low mood, and worries relating to the current Covid-19 pandemic:- CWP.NHS.UK.

► For children and young people there is also a dedicated website:- MyMind.Org.UK.

North West Ambulance Service - Children

THE North West Ambulance Service has said that:- "There have been big changes in our lives because of Coronavirus and this is difficult for everyone, but in particular children who may not understand why they must stay at home. Check out the Children's Commissioner website for some really handy resources for younger people. They help explain the situation to them as well as helpful tips and ideas to keep youngsters entertained whilst they're staying at home."

Care worker loses husband, is diagnosed with Covid-19 and is sacked by 'trigger happy' managers

UNISON is urging Merseyside care company 365 Support to rethink its decision to sack a care worker for missing a disciplinary meeting while she awaited a Covid-19 diagnosis. The employee; who had worked for 365 Support, in Southport, for 5 years; suffered further devastation when, on the day she was sacked, her husband died of a heart attack soon after hearing she'd contracted the virus. Her attempts to appeal against her dismissal have been blocked by 365 Support managers, who want to postpone the hearing because of the pandemic, her union said. The delay means she and her family will have no income from the time of her sacking in March until the crisis is over. The unnecessary financial pressure will only add to the excruciating grief and fear the family is feeling, says UNISON. UNISON is asking 365 Support to pay the worker until the hearing takes place.

UNISON Sefton branch secretary Glen Williams said:- "While the country claps for our carers, heartless company bosses have chosen to sack a care worker without even giving her a chance to defend herself. To add insult to injury, 365 Support is now trying to postpone the appeal because of COVID-19, leaving her and her family with no income. Trigger happy bosses have jumped the gun and made a terrible situation even worse."

UNISON North West regional manager Kevin Lucas said:- "This is a desperate case that's made worse by the shocking way 365 Support has behaved. Sadly, this callous disregard for staff is commonplace in the social care sector. Care workers are on the front line of the fight against this pandemic and are rightly cherished for the work they do. Yet a care employee was sacked on the worst day of her life without a chance to defend herself, that's plainly wrong."

We have contacted 365 Support for a comment.     ---    (UPDATE - 8 April 2020)
You can read comment from 365 Support by clicking on here now!

Covid-19 support for employers

THE UK Government has announced an extensive package of financial measures, including the Job Retention Scheme, a Statutory Sick Pay rebate package for small and medium enterprises, and deferred VAT and Income Tax payments.

If you have fewer than 250 employees, you will be able to reclaim Statutory Sick Pay for employees unable to work because they are sick with Coronavirus. This refund will be for up to 2 weeks per employee.

If you employ people, you are urged to use your discretion about what evidence, if any, you ask for when making decisions about sick pay. If evidence is required, employees can get an Isolation Note from NHS 111 online https://111.nhs.uk/ if they have symptoms, or if they live with someone that has symptoms.

You can get help to find the right support, advice and information to help with the impact of Coronavirus (Covid-19) on your business by visiting:- BusinessSupport.Gov.UK and also:- Gov.UK.

For those businesses that find themselves needing to increase their workforce as a result of the outbreak, such as those in:- social care, food logistics, preparation and retail, remember to post vacancies on Find a Job.

MP backs new Labour leader to "support and challenge" through virus crisis

SEFTON Central MP Bill Esterson says new Labour leader Keir Starmer is the right person to lead the party and effectively challenge the Government through the coronavirus crisis. Mr Esterson had backed the front runner Starmer, who won the Labour leadership contest on Saturday with 56.2% of 1st round votes. Rebecca Long Bailey and Lisa Nandy received 27% and 16% of the votes respectively after running "positive campaigns" said Bill Esterson MP.

Mr Esterson added:- "I backed Keir Starmer for leader so was obviously delighted to see him announced as winner after a long process. It is now time for the party to come together to provide the opposition this country needs in this time of great challenge. Keir is the right person at this time to effectively support; but also challenge where needed; the Government as we all play our part in tackling the current health crisis. Keirs message of unity won over members up and down the country; we need to ensure that we model that through the whole of the Labour Party now. It is clear that Labour comes out of this contest stronger, with Rebecca and Lisa running really positive campaigns. The election result in December was devastating for Labour and we cannot repeat it. That's why Keirs campaign was all about focusing the Party on winning elections. Only then can we change peoples lives. We need to restore peoples trust in the Labour Party as a force for good; a crucial part of that is tackling antisemitism. Nobody could have predicted ending in these circumstances; and regardless of the result, our thoughts are with all those affected by Coronavirus, and our brilliant NHS. The Labour Partys number one priority right now is working with the Government to help the country get through this."

Following the new leaders appearance on:- The Andrew Marr show on Sunday, Mr Esterson tweeted:- "Fantastic interview by the Leader of @UKLabour @Keir_Starmer on @AndrewMarr9 A clear plan, calm, reassuring and constructive on #COVID19 without point scoring. 10 out of 10!"

After reports of the Prime Minister being admitted to hospital with Coronavirus on Sunday, and his pregnant partner Carrie Symonds suffering symptoms, the MP tweeted:- "Get well soon @BorisJohnson and Carrie Symonds. The fact the Prime Minister and his partner are this ill is a reminder of just how dangerous this virus is. Please everyone take this seriously."

To see the results in the leadership and deputy leadership contest, click  here.

Keir was backed by 374 local constituency Labour Party groups; and 88 MPs.