This Newsletter has been produced by the Petersfield COVID-19 Network. It is intended to help and inform Petersfield residents, especially those who are unable to leave their homes because of Government restrictions.
If you know someone who would like to receive the paper version of this newsletter, please ask them to contact Romsey Mill via phone or via post: Romsey Mill Centre, Hemingford Road, Cambridge CB1 3BZ (you do not need a stamp if you add “FREEPOST CB1067”) or call 07933 671101.
Romsey Mill can also offer assistance by putting you in contact with volunteers, who can help collecting shopping and medication.
If you have information which would be of benefit to other residents in Petersfield please contact Romsey Mill with details and we will consider using it in future newsletters.
For all residents experiencing other Covid related issues (e.g. needing help while they isolate, or experiencing financial hardship support) speak to a member of the customer services team at Cambridge City Council. Telephone 01223 458780 or contact Simon.Aslett@cambridge.gov.uk or complete an online help request form here https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/coronavirus
Latest infection statistics in Cambridge
Public Health England data indicate there were 163 new cases of Covid-19 in Cambridge for the week, 13th – 20th November. This is a decrease of 55% on the new cases reported in the previous week.
Return of the Tiers
Cambridge along with the rest of the East of England has been placed in Tier 2. This will be reviewed on Dec 16th.
After Dec 2nd, the following rules will apply:
- You can’t socialise with other households indoors
- You can meet in a group of up to six outside – including in a garden, or a public place
- Shops, gyms and personal care services (such as hairdressing) can reopen (if Covid-secure)
- Pubs and bars can only open if they serve substantial meals. Alcohol can be served with that meal
- Sports can resume with up to 2,000 spectators, or 50% capacity (whichever is smaller)
- Collective worship, weddings and outdoor sports can resume (with restrictions)
- Non-essential foreign travel allowed, subject to quarantine rules
New Rules for Christmas
At Christmas, coronavirus restrictions will be eased to allow people to mix with a slightly wider circle of family and friends.
Between 23 and 27 December, three households in a “Christmas bubble” can mix indoors and stay overnight. Bubbles will be allowed to meet each other in each other’s homes, at a place of worship or in an outdoor public space, or garden
The bubbles will be fixed, so you will not be able to mix with two households on Christmas Day and two different ones on Boxing Day. Households in your Christmas bubble can’t bubble with anyone else.
There will be no limit to the number of people who can join a bubble, although the guidance says it should be “as small as possible”.
If you have formed a support bubble with another household, that counts as one household, so you can join with two other households in a Christmas bubble.
People who are self-isolating should not join a Christmas bubble. If someone tests positive, or develops coronavirus symptoms up to 48 hours after the Christmas bubble last met, everyone will have to self-isolate.
For households with people who are clinically vulnerable or extremely so, the Government is urging caution and asking people not to take unnecessary risks in exposing relatives, who may become very ill if they catch the disease.
Vaccine Development
Following positive results from vaccines produced by Pfizer/BioNtech and Moderna there was also good news from the producers of the vaccine at Oxford University and AstraZeneca. Positive high-level results from an interim analysis of clinical trials of the Oxford Vaccine in the UK and Brazil showed the vaccine was highly effective in preventing COVID-19 and no hospitalisations or severe cases of the disease were reported in participants receiving the vaccine.
One dosing regimen showed that the vaccine protected 90% of participants when the vaccine was given as a half dose, followed by a full dose at least one month apart. Test results will be refined when more data is available.
The Oxford vaccine is easier to store and distribute than the others as it does not require very cold temperatures. It is also cheaper at £3 a dose.
Mill Road Bridge Consultation
Don’t forget to let the County Council know your views on the temporary closure of the bridge (except for buses, cyclists and pedestrians) by completing the survey on the Consult Cambs website or by emailing policy.andregulation@cambridgeshire.gov.uk. The survey closes on the 24th December.