DAILY EMERGENCY COVID-19 NEWS
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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 last updated on 16 April 2020 - Easter

Local company pledges bikes for Merseyside's NHS Heroes

A local organisation focused on getting people involved in cycling has pledged to provide more than 100 of its hire bikes to NHS staff across Merseyside Hospitals, as a means of supporting the current fight against COVID-19. Social enterprise, HYPE Merseyside, will be delivering 100 bikes to frontline NHS workers over the next month, after their initial offer to staff from Arrowe Park Hospital was met by an overwhelming response. 60 applications for the 1st 100 bikes were received in just 48 hours from NHS employees living within 5 miles of the Hospital.

The main reasons cited for wanting access to one of the donated bikes were to save money by not having to take taxis when public transport wasn't available, to save time and allow them to spend more time with their family (rather than waiting at bus stops and train stations) and to improve their own health and general fitness.

HYPE is now inviting other NHS workers from Merseyside to apply for a bike and has launched a Crowdfunding campaign to raise ₤20,000 to help it deliver even more bikes to members of the 50,000+ NHS staff community across the Region.

The bike donations will allow recipients to travel for free and avoid having to use public transport while travelling to work during the pandemic. It is also hoped that the campaign will encourage frontline workers and the wider community to use cycling as a way of staying fit and healthy.

All money raised from the Crowdfunding campaign will be spent on buying more bikes and repairing those donated by the public, ready to be provided to brave NHS workers across Merseyside.

Matthew Houghton, Chief Executive at HYPE Merseyside, said:- "We believe that the NHS staff working tirelessly across the region in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak are true heroes, the real'pride of Merseyside' and we wanted to find a way to show our appreciation and help them during this crisis. Providing 100 bikes from our existing fleet was an immediate and obvious way that we could help. However, it quickly became clear that the demand was far greater than our initial supply. With the help of the people of Merseyside, we can use our network and expertise to go even further and source more bikes, providing more frontline workers with free, healthy and safe transport."

Julie Barnes, Lead Commissioner for Transport and Technology at Wirral Council, said:- "The innovative scheme, launched by HYPE, is helping our amazing NHS staff on the frontline during this uncertain time, including those at Arrowe Park, Wirral. It is important that we all look after one another during the ongoing COVID-19 situation and I am delighted that a sustainable, healthy and free option is being made available for those who need to travel for work. I'd like to encourage all our NHS workers to take this opportunity and apply for 1 of these bikes and thank them as they continue to help us to fight this virus."

Janelle Holmes, Chief Executive at Wirral University Teaching Hospital, said:- "This is a great initiative that offers an extra option for staff to travel to work at such an important time. Health and wellbeing of staff is a priority and this offers an additional benefit of exercise. The support the Trust has had from the community during the COVID-19 outbreak has been fantastic and I would like to say a very big thank you."

Members of the public can support HYPE Merseyside's campaign by either making a donation via the Crowdfunding page or contacting them directly to donate any unwanted bikes that they may have. The organisation will be collecting unwanted bikes from homes across the region throughout April and May 2020. Matthew added:- "We want bikes that are too big, too small, rusty or those that you simply don't have space for anymore. Our team will be happy you collect them, repair them and give them a new lease of life before handing them over to one of our local NHS heroes."

Established in 2007 to deliver workshops for teenagers in deprived wards during the summer holidays, HYPE Merseyside's cycling and development plan now focuses on getting more people, more active, more often through cycling. It also aims to make cycling cheaper, safer, more accessible and a natural choice for transport.

The company's sustainable plan is to provide more bikes to NHS staff within the next 6 months from its refurbished and recycled stock. Each recipient will retain the donated bike until the end of the year, after which they will be absorbed back into HYPE Merseyside's fleet of hire bikes, for use in its community activities. Any additional money raised beyond the organisation's crowdfunder target will be donated to NHS Charitable trusts.

If you are an NHS worker in Merseyside and would like to apply for a bike, please complete HYPE's online form:- SurveyMonkey.Co.UK/R/NHSbikes.

To donate to HYPE Merseyside's Crowdfunding campaign, visit:- CrowdFunder.Co.UK/Bikes-For-NHS.

Care for those who care for us, says MP after rise in abuse of Pharmacy staff

A Merseyside MP has appealed to the public to:- "care for those who care for us" after a sharp rise in aggressive and abusive behaviour in Pharmacies. Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson said he was shocked to hear of aggressive and in some cases violent behaviour by members of the public towards Pharmacy Teams. The MP said community Pharmacies were on the "front line" of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic across Sefton and that teams were working incredibly hard to maintain the high standards of care that patients and communities expect.

Mr Esterson said:- "In these extremely challenging times we need to care for those who care for us, and this includes Pharmacists and their staff. Chemists are a public service on the front line of the fight against COVID-19. With the right support Pharmacies can continue to serve our communities and provide the medicines we need."

Pharmacy Teams are a critical part of the NHS and in the past weeks they have seen demand for Over The Counter (OTC) medicines, other products, advice and reassurance soar. Pharmacy Teams are under intense pressure, working on the front line of the health service often without any protection for their own health.

The Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC) is asking patients and members of the public to:-

► Avoid Pharmacies if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19:- If you have a dry, persistent cough, fever or shortness of breath, please avoid entering your local Pharmacies as you would any other healthcare setting.

► Be patient:- All Pharmacies are under immense pressure and working around the clock to ensure that you get what you need.

► Order medicines as normal:- There is no need to stockpile medicines. Ordering extra prescriptions and buying more over the counter medicines than you need will contribute to disruption to the medicines supply chain, which is otherwise robust.

Pharmacies will remain open wherever possible, but you may see that some are now having to reduce the hours during which they can admit members of the public. This is to ensure that Pharmacy teams can carry out tasks such as preparing medicines and restocking shelves so that these vital services can continue safely. Most Pharmacies can be contacted by phone and email, and many have their own websites and social media channels; please use these methods to contact your Pharmacies if you are displaying the symptoms of COVID-19.

The chair of Sefton LPC Lisa Manning said:- "Community Pharmacy teams are a really important part of the NHS, and like all other NHS workers they are under immense pressure at the moment. We are today asking patients and members to the public to take some very simple steps to help protect these teams so that Pharmacies can continue to carry out their critical roles and ensure that everyone continues to get the medicines, help and support they need, when they need it."

Some small businesses are unable to claim the Covid-19 Cash Grants due to loophole

SMALL businesses in Liverpool who occupy serviced office space have missed out on ₤35m worth of cash grants which at ₤10,000 per business could have been a lifesaver for many.  "Put simply, if you don't have a business rates account with Liverpool City Council you get nothing", explains office expert Jonathan Ratcliffe from Offices.Co.UK.

The loophole means that if you occupy an office in 1 of the 70 serviced office centres within Liverpool, where rates are included (bundled into the serviced package) you are not eligible for the support...  "We think this could affect around 6% of small businesses in Liverpool, many who are struggling to continue, and it would be an absolute lifesaver." explains Ratcliffe

Grants are awarded based on Rateable Value; a quick fix in unprecedented times which means that if your office had a RV of less than ₤15,000 you got a ₤10,000 cash grant to see you through...  "We are in no way criticising Chancellor Rishi Sunak, absolutely not, he's had to make some complex decisions in a very short time period, it's just that businesses in flexible workspaces are missing this lifeline cash through no fault of their own." adds Jonathan Ratcliffe

Offices.co.uk is asking Chancellor Rishi Sunak for the following adjustments to the Small Business Grant Funding scheme for Liverpool businesses... Recognise all Serviced Office and Co-working tenants as:- "small businesses with a Rateable Value (RV) of ₤15,000 and under."

Make available cash grants of ₤10,000 for these tenants immediately pay this grant before the 30 April 2020...   "It's a real travesty that just because the rates are paid centrally by the provider that small innocent businesses in Liverpool are missing out on key cash at exactly the time they need it; this month. 30 April 2020 is when many small businesses will reach breaking point without help", concluded Jonathan Ratcliffe from Offices.Co.UK.

UK Fire Service to assist NHS with Covid-19 work

FOLLOWING the unprecedented Agreement reached on 26 March 2020, between the:- Fire Service National Employers, National Fire Chiefs Council and Fire Brigades Union, it has been agreed to add a further three areas of work to reflect the scale of the national crisis and the urgency of the response required. Firefighters will be able to assist in:-

► Taking samples for Covid-19 antigen testing,

► Drive Ambulance Transport not on blue lights (excluding known Covid-19 patients) to outpatient appointments or to receive urgent care.

► Provide driving Instruction by FRS driver trainers to deliver training for non Service personnel to drive Ambulances (not on blue lights)

Firefighters will also continue responding to core emergencies, such as fires and road traffic collisions, but under the agreement can now provide additional services specifically related to Covid-19. This adds to the areas of additional work already agreed through this joint process:-

► Ambulance Service assistance:- Ambulance Driving and Patient/Ambulance personnel support, limited to current competence (Not additional FRS First or Co-Responding)

► Vulnerable persons – delivery of essential items.

► Covid-19 – Mass casualty (Movement of bodies)

► Face Fitting for masks to be used by frontline NHS and clinical care staff working with Covid-19 patients.

► Delivery of PPE and other medical supplies to NHS and care facilities.

The 3 organisations will continue to meet weekly, or more frequently if required, to discuss any additional requests for assistance made by Local Resilience Forums and Strategic Coordination Groups.

Cllr Nick Chard, Chair of the National Employers, said:- "We will continue to work at pace to bring an extra resource to the battle against the impact of Covid-19, working collaboratively with the FBU and NFCC for the benefit of local people. Fire and Rescue has always played its role in meeting immense challenges and this crisis is no exception. We have stepped up our assistance to support our over stretched public sector colleagues, especially ambulance services, with our can do attitude and sense of community spirit and will continue to do so."

Coronavirus Update - roadworks in Liverpool

PLEASE remember that if you have to travel essential roadworks are still being carried out in line with UK Government guidelines on safe working and social distancing. This work is continuing in order to maintain key routes critical to the movement of goods and people, including emergency services and key workers. All non-essential roadworks have been suspended.

The North Liverpool Key Corridor (NLKC) to upgrade the A565 between Sefton and Liverpool, has meant that the A565 (Derby Road / Great Howard Street section) between Paisley Street to Bankhall Street has been temporarily closed to facilitate the work.

Other areas within Liverpool that have major works taking place are as follows:-

► Ba Street, L3...  BBUSL gas main renewal works between New Quay and the new entrance to William Jessop Way have resulted in a road closure until 19 April 2020.

► Brownlow Hill, L3...  LCC/Graham Construction highway improvement works have resulted in a temporary eastbound one-way system from Clarence Street to Mount Pleasant until 30 April 2020.

► Clarence Street/Russell Street, L3...  LCC/Graham Construction highway improvement works have resulted in a northbound one-way system until 12 April 2020.

► Mount Pleasant, L3...  BBUSL gas main renewal works between Brownlow Hill and Benson Street have resulted in 2-way temporary signals until 19 April 2020.

► New Quay/Strand Street, L3...  BBUSL gas main renewal works between St Nicholas Place and Water Street have resulted in lane restrictions 19 April 2020.

► Princes Road/Princes Avenue, L8...  Princes Road is closed from the roundabout to Upper Parliament Street from Wednesday 15 April until 29 April 2020.

► Tithebarn Street, L2...  LCC/Graham Construction highway improvement works between Pall Mall and Vauxhall Road have resulted in lane restrictions 30 April 2020.

► Upper Parliament Street, L8...  LCC/King Construction highway improvement works have resulted in lane restrictions until 30 April 2020.

► Victoria Street, L2... Liverpool City Council/Graham Construction highway improvement works have resulted in lane restrictions until 30 April 2020.

► Waterloo Road/Regent Road, L5... Liverpool City Council/King Construction highway improvement works have resulted in lane restrictions until 31 August 2020.

► West Derby Street, L7...  Laing O'Rourke redevelopment of the Royal Liverpool University Hospital has resulted in lane restrictions and a temporary one-way system from Crown Street to Low Hill until February 2021. Until 18 April 2020, the junction of West Derby Street/Crown Street will be operated under temporary signals.

We can confirm that Liverpool City Council's supervisory team is monitoring contractors to ensure social distancing is being observed at these locations.