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.
Latest infection statistics in Cambridge
Infection rates show a further fall in Cambridge. Admissions to hospital are levelling off and now deaths are falling too. Public Health England data indicate there were 186 new cases of Covid-19 in Cambridge, for the week Jan 28th – Feb 2nd. This is a 41% reduction from the previous week in Cambridge. Sadly, there have been 4 deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test in Cambridge in the same period. 4 people tested positive in Petersfield in the 7 days up to Jan 29th.
Vaccination Roll Out
As of Feb 2nd, over 10m people in the UK had received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccination and almost 500,000 have received their second dose. There is some evidence that people who have received the vaccine are much less likely to spread the virus. This has yet to be confirmed and it is important to continue to follow lockdown advice in the meantime to prevent further transmission.
Tips for taking care of your mental wellbeing
These are some ideas to help take care of your mental wellbeing during the coronavirus pandemic, including during the winter. These tips may work for different people at different times. Only try what you feel comfortable with. And try not to put too much pressure on yourself if anything doesn’t feel possible right now.
Find ways to connect with others and share experiences
If you can’t meet up with people or groups you’d like to see in person, make plans to video chat instead. You can also arrange phone calls or send instant messages or texts. If you’re worried that you might run out of things to talk about, make a plan with someone to watch a TV show, live music or theatre together. Or you could take part in a quiz, or read a book separately and then discuss it with each other when you speak.
Adapt your routine for winter
Trying out a new winter routine might help give you a sense of change if you’re struggling with how long the pandemic is continuing. For example, you could spend time cooking and trying some new winter recipes, or learning a new skill.
Get as much natural light and nature as you can
If you are able to spend time outside in winter, such as in a garden or on a walk, you could plan to do this during daylight hours. If the weather is cold, try to make your time outside as comfortable as possible by wearing warm clothes. It may also help to bring a warm drink with you in a flask, or have a hot drink after your time outdoors to warm yourself up.
Look after your physical health
Build physical activity into your daily routine, if possible. There are options for most ages and abilities. This includes things you can try indoors, if you’re spending lots of time at home. For example: cleaning your home , dancing to music, going up and down stairs, seated exercises, online exercise workouts that you can follow, sitting less – if you notice you’ve been sitting down for an hour, just getting up or changing position can help.
Take care with news and information
Stay connected with current events if you find it helpful, but take care with where you find your news and health information. Try to use trusted sources to find reliable updates. Mind has a list of useful sites at https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/