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Dear John,
Over the past week, Harrow has seen 1842 cases of coronavirus. The below table shows Harrow’s current ranking among London boroughs. The current case rate locally stands at 733.4 cases
per population of 100,000. There is evidence that the lockdown has been working but given the serious rise in the number of COVID cases in Harrow and across London over the past month, I continue to be worried about the
NHS locally.
Last Friday, many will have seen the truly astonishing Newsnight segment from our hospital, Northwick Park. Once again, Northwick Park is at the centre of this epidemic – the segment can be watched here. The hospital’s Infectious
Disease Lead says roughly 75% of the hospital is now taken up with Covid patients. He says people have died (and are dying) because "we've lost control of this disease." Saying further, if numbers rise further: "We will
run out of beds. We will not be able to cope." Our NHS staff are doing an incredible job in unprecedented circumstances but this is not sustainable; with 1000 in 100,000 people with Covid in Harrow - we must continue
to play our part in order to stop the spread and prevent our NHS from being overwhelmed further. Everything you are doing is making a difference and is supporting the NHS to save lives.
Earlier this month, the Mayor declared a “major incident” in London, as hospitals face a critical threat – indeed, while we are seeing a decline in weekly cases, all of London’s healthcare and response agencies remain under
intense pressure. The declaration of a major incident enables these organisations to work even more closely to help keep London safe. The NHS would still like to inform patients that General Practice remains open - please
visit 111 online, or by calling and please call your GP if you have any serious concerns for your physical or mental health.
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Nationally, the U.K. recorded its highest total number of deaths for yesterday, another 1820 lives tragically lost. With thousands of grieving family members each day, my thoughts continue to be with the loved ones of those
who have died, and with those who have contracted the virus. I can only begin to imagine the sense of fear and loss families must be feeling.
While the weekly clapping has stopped, as a community, we are immensely grateful to all of our NHS staff, social care workers and all of our key workers that continue to keep us safe and keep our local services going. With
the national vaccination programme, there continues to be some light at the end of this long tunnel. A huge thank you to the GPs, doctors, nurses, administrators, many volunteers and everyone in between helping to roll
this out.
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I was delighted to pay another visit to the new vaccination centre at the ground of the mighty Rayners Lane FC last Friday. I must pay tribute to this brilliant partnership of local GPs, practitioners and volunteers
for their continued efforts. Despite a great location and many excellent hands-on volunteers and practitioners, I am disappointed that Tithe Farm is not consistently being used to full capacity.
As a result of the direction of supplies across London, GPs insist it could be operating 7 days a week instead of the current 5 days. I have now raised this with the Minister for Vaccine Deployment, Nadhim Zahawi, to ensure
a greater vaccine supply is delivered to this Hub and ensure it can operate at full capacity. So far, Harrow has seen a good delivery of vaccinations over other London boroughs, and this week, with the launch of two big
sites in Byron Hall and Wembley Park, I am optimistic that we will see good progress on the high-priority groups. I will continue to be in contact with our local NHS and watch this closely. If you are able to offer any
time to volunteer as a PCN at Tithe Farm, please get in contact with [email protected] for an application form. A huge thank you to everyone contributing their time to get vaccines rolled
out.
If you're in the first priority groups for a vaccine (and haven't yet been vaccinated), you should soon receive a letter inviting you to book a vaccination appointment through the national booking system: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/?fbclid=IwAR2gIusZqeknSF71WgxJBGukLa63CEoUZsa5iPivexkP1PgJMXuWmTk0IFc
The letter invites you to log onto the national booking system or call a national number to book your appointment at a centre within 45 minutes of your home address. The letter will include a unique booking code and individual
NHS ID number to support the booking – you must have these to book your appointment. Please note: You will not be able to book an appointment until you receive your invite letter, which will be sent when it’s your turn
for a vaccination. If you have already booked an appointment with your GP, please ignore the letter. More information: https://www.nwlondonccgs.nhs.uk/coronavirus/nhs-covid-19-vaccination-programme/large-vaccination-site-locations?fbclid=IwAR2zhxnuPl7kVjE9FIzAvBt7De3ss2WF0qohtOOvX3lah0LjdfnhZeJp7hE
I hope readers continue to stay safe, socially distance and regularly check in on loved ones. Again, people are being urged to remain vigilant for any symptoms of Covid-19 If you're feeling unwell with any of the symptoms of Covid, a new continuous cough, high temperature, or a loss of or change to taste or smell, it's vital that you get tested. To
book a test visit nhs.uk/coronavirus or
call 119. The response to Coronavirus is being directed by Government centrally working with Public Health England, the Government’s advice is available here. Government assistance specifically
for businesses is available here
.
A reminder that if you need to get in touch about the issues covered here – or anything else – please contact my office on 0207 219 4243 or e-mail me at [email protected]. Please
bear with us, as we have received five times our regular casework correspondence in recent months.
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Fraudsters have attempted to cash in on misfortune many times during the pandemic. In the latest scam there have been reports of people (often vulnerable) being contacted with a request for payment or card details in order
to secure a vaccination or to receive a Covid-relief pay-out. A reminder that GOV and HMRC never send notifications of a tax rebate or ask you to disclose personal or payment information by text message. The phishing
websites that retrieve data from vulnerable people are looking more and more professional, please be on the alert and share in your circles.
You can report any suspicious calls, texts, or e-mails you receive from HMRC here: https://www.gov.uk/.../contact/reporting-fraudulent-emails
Please feel free to get in contact with my office if you are concerned about the veracity of any messages you receive.
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The renewed lockdown measures will have created anxiety and stress for many. Don't be afraid to reach out for help if you are worried about your mental health: Samaritans: 116 123, CALM: 0800 58 58 58, Young Minds:0800 018 2138, The Mix (under 25s): 0808 808 4994, Harrow Council also encourage calling the Coronavirus Hotline: 0208 901 2698
Coronavirus Hotline
The council continues to operate a hotline telephone number during weekends in order to provide support to those in need of assistance in Harrow - if you are in need of support due to Covid please give the hotline a call - 0208 901 2698
Support for Domestic Abuse Victims
From last week, anyone that is experiencing domestic abuse can now go into a Boots or an independent chemist and seek help. If they say the codeword ‘ANI’ (pronounced Annie), they’ll be taken to a private
room and asked if they want to call 999 or a domestic abuse helpline. ANI stands for Action Needed Immediately.
📞National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247
📞Respect helpline for male victims of abuse 0808 8010327
Assistance with Home Learning
There is no doubt the ongoing coronavirus situation has brought great disruption to children's education. With the majority of children now schooling from home, myself and colleagues in the Labour Party are pushing
for urgent action to be taken by Govt Ministers to address the digital divide:
Labour is calling on the Government to urgently deliver:
👩🏾💻Devices to every child that needs one
👨🏼💻Internet access for every child who needs it
👨🏾💻The removal of data charges for educational websites
👨💻Technical support for schools
👨🏾💻Guaranteed contact time with teachers
I continue to be contacted by many parents impacted by the digital divide and I am pushing for the Government to roll out its continued supply of laptops and tablets to children across the country. At this time, schools
are also working to distribute laptops and tablets from a number of sources.
The Department for Education is working with mobile phone providers including EE, Three, Tesco Mobile, Smarty, Sky Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Vodafone are providing free extra data for disadvantaged families to
help with home learning. This will allow pupils to use this data as a hotspot from their phone to devices such as laptops or tablets to enable them to continue their education if they do not have access to reliable
Wi-Fi.
Schools will be able to identify those children in need of free data and request mobile data increases if they meet the following criteria:
• No fixed broadband at home
• Unable to afford additional data for their devices
• Experiencing disruption to their face-to-face education
More information here: https://get-help-with-tech.education.gov.uk/about-increasing-mobile-data
Firm Foundation
Due to COVID - FirmFoundation have suspended drop-in facilities. If you are homeless and rough sleeping, you can call Streetlink on 0300 5000 914. Ring Harrow Council on 020 8424 1093 – you can also contact FirmFoundation
through the Contact Us page on their website or call the office on 02084265515.
Fresh Horizons CND
The Fresh Horizons CND charity based in Wembley has supported accommodation available for the single homeless in Harrow during the ongoing coronavirus restrictions. If you or someone you know is in need of supported
accommodation, Fresh Horizons can be contacted by telephone at 0300 321 4702 or via email at [email protected]
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Support for children and young people
Harrow Council, Harrow CCG, and Young Harrow Foundation have put together a joint document signposting residents to a collection of some
of the most helpful and trusted sources of information and guidance for children and young people’s wellbeing.
For young people (high school and college age), the document ‘looking after ourselves’ can be found here – covering how to stay healthy, stay
connected and learn new skills during this time.
Support and online resources for the family
Harrow Council have collected a range of online resources
for all members of the family to keep entertained while libraries are closed. You will be able to find resource to help with homework, eBooks, newspapers and magazines
and keeping yourself healthy and motivated.
Counselling services and mental health support
• 5 Steps to Mental Wellbeing
- A fantastic primer on stress, anxiety and depression from the NHS. Evidence suggests there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help
you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.
· Relate Family Mediation
- a service fully geared up to supporting families through the crisis. Tel: 0300 0032324 or email i[email protected].
· DAWN
- provide a counselling service to the local community of Harrow and its neighbouring boroughs. Tel: 020 8427 6796 or email: [email protected]
· Need To Talk
- offering 1 to 1 counselling supporting their clients or any client by telephone or webcam. Tel: call/ text on 07427548559 or email [email protected]
· Ignite Trust
- During these challenging and uncertain times, Ignite Trust is working hard to ensure they continue to provide support to the boroughs most vulnerable and at-risk young people. Email [email protected].
·
Every Mind Matters - Expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing.
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1 in 3 people with Covid do not display any symptoms & mobile units across Harrow have already identified hundreds of people who did not know they were Covid positive
Book a free rapid test at St Ann’s Shopping Centre, Cambridge Rd Car Park, Harrow Arts Centre, Harrow Civic Centre, or Shree Swaminarayan Temple Stanmore, open 7 days a week.
Book a test: https://www.harrow.gov.uk/test
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Last Monday, 11th January, instead of the large gathering in a school hall, I joined Rooks Heath College to play host to our first Virtual Careers Fair – one that pupils from across Harrow were able to tune in to as
many Harrow locals stepped up to discuss their career paths. The event featured keynote speeches from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, local entrepreneur Alex Mitchell, as well as Headteacher Miriam Manderson. Rooks
Heath school will continue hosting the Virtual Fair on its website for the remainder of the month, so please make use of this incredibly useful resource - https://www.rooksheath.harrow.sch.uk/page/?title=Careers+Fair&pid=604
The Careers Fair is the only event in Harrow’s calendar where local state schools have the opportunity to engage with a number of companies, from Heathrow Airport to Headstone Manor Museum, to Thames Water, Thompson’s Solicitors, and many more. This year, soft skills,
college and work experience support played a role alongside the CV and Cover letter workshop virtually delivered by Google. In order to help students to examine the
careers of the future, Rooks Heath also explored future trends in the job market across a number of sectors.
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Harrow Foodbank continues to highlight the impact of in-work poverty and the number of ways that people find themselves at a crisis point. Donations are accepted in collection bins after checkout at all major supermarkets.
The Foodbank continue to emphasise the majority of its users are in work, but many are in need of emergency food provisions. If you can, please consider providing a monetary donation to the food bank, they have acquired
a van and plan to make deliveries to vulnerable residents across the borough in 2021 - send an email to [email protected] or visit Harrow.foodbank.org.uk for
more.
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London's Community Kitchen
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(based at The Bridge, next to Harrow Leisure Centre) run a Free Surplus Food Market open to everyone every Friday from 3-5PM. At the height of the pandemic, this operation has served over 10,000 people across Harrow and London. Please consider donating or getting involved in any way that you can with this incredible Harrow-wide response to the coronavirus pandemic:
https://www.londonscommunitykitchen.com/home-1
If you’re ever in need of their support, the Community Kitchen want to help - they won’t ask you for any details, or anything in return, just turn up and they will provide you with food.
Volunteer:
The Community Kitchen would love any support to keep their operation running as effectively as possible. Please get in touch with Vivette Morrow: [email protected]
and once you have had a Covid test, she will help set you up as a volunteer!
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Harrow born Veer Gudhka, aged 4, has been searching for a matching stem cell donor for over a year now. It is often very difficult for people of Asian origin to find their match. Veer's parents have been appealing to people
of all backgrounds, but especially Asians, to step forward and join the global stem cell register. All it takes to do so is a simple cheek swab test in your own home! If you are found to be a match, donation itself is
usually as simple as giving blood. So, we urge you to register today to help Veer and countless others who are in desperate need of a match and to potentially give them a second lease of life.
Order your free swab kit today: https://www.linktr.ee/helpveernow
The HelpVeerNow campaign has managed to inspire over 9000 people to register and one of these 9000 people in India has actually gone on to donate his stem cells and save someone else’s life! This is why every registration
really does count, so please keep encouraging others to register as stem cell donors too
You can download an interactive PDF for sharing across your WhatsApp and Email networks. Please download today and get sharing: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JF80bN1KlK03CPbcn4B_C3oxhGvjRNO9/view
Follow @helpveernow across Facebook and Instagram.
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I appreciate that whilst this outbreak of Covid-19 is currently dominating a lot of our thoughts, other concerns and problems do not disappear. However, to help reduce the spread of infection, I am asking members of the
public who need to contact my office to do so by phone or email rather than in person and further, I will continue to hold surgery appointments exclusively by telephone and Zoom video conferencing. This is a temporary
measure and a sensible precaution to protect vulnerable people. Please be assured we continue to offer a full service of advice and support to members of the public who need it.
My office can be contacted on [email protected] or by telephone on 0207 219 4243 (Monday-Friday). Please bear with us, as we have received five times our regular casework correspondence in recent months.
Stay safe,
Gareth
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