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GOOD AFTERNOON and welcome to my regular South West Surrey update No. 108. I am writing this from the Royal Surrey A & E ([link removed]) where your local MP ended up after slipping on an icy Hambledon road on my early morning run . Thanks to the brilliant staff who I am sure have much more serious matters to attend to. As of today, we have a total of 3,985,161 positive cases of COVID-19 with 114,851 confirmed deaths in the UK. There have been 5,506 confirmed cases in Waverley and sadly 228 confirmed deaths, with an estimated 356 active cases in Waverley. All data is accurate as of 11am this morning.

SITUATION UPDATE Preliminary data indicates that the UK vaccination programme is working effectively, with the Case Fatality Rate for over 80s ↓30% since early January. The number of COVID-19 positive cases are continuing to fall across the country although there are still 850,000 people with the virus according to the ONS. If you haven’t done so already, I would strongly encourage you to download the NHS COVID-19 app. Doubters should click here ([link removed]) to watch an Oxford epidemiologist explain the importance of the technology in ‘preventing 600,000 coronavirus cases.’ As of 6 January 2021, the app has been downloaded 21,258,726 times – that’s 62% of over-16s with a compatible smartphone in England and Wales. In other news, yesterday the World Health Organisation (WHO) backed the Oxford vaccine
([link removed]) , confirming it can be given to adults of all ages. The WHO’s SAGE has also supported the UK’s strategy, recommending that the two doses should be given eight to 12 weeks apart for the best immune response. Victory!

TRAVEL UPDATE At the moment all passengers entering the UK must present a negative COVID-19 test result and quarantine for 10 days on arrival. From 15^th February, the government is introducing tougher measures ([link removed]) , including enhanced testing, fixed penalty notices, and potentially imprisonment (but surely not 10 years). If you are arriving from a country on the travel ban list, you’ll be required to buy a quarantine package and isolate in an approved hotel. Welcome home...

VACCINE STATS As of yesterday 13,058,298 people in total have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the UK – that’s one in four British adults. Astonishingly, we are now averaging 2.5 million doses a week. The PM has confirmed that everyone in priority cohorts 1-9 will be reached by April. Locally, the vaccination programme is also going very well – Farnham Hospital have not wasted a single dose. The local Surrey stats will be included in my next e-mail but just to clarify, Surrey Heartlands covers all of South West Surrey except Farnham - not all of Surrey as stated on Monday. Apologies for that.

MEN ARE 1.7 TIMES more likely to die from COVID-19 than woman according to a recent study. This mortality bias is seen in most countries. Additionally, men are more likely to be hospitalised with the disease. Click here ([link removed]) to read more about sexism in immunology. Looks like man flu is real after all.

The key number to remember for anyone with pandemic-related difficulties remains 0300 200 1008 the Surrey Helpline run by Surrey County Council (Mon-Fri 9 am to 5 pm).

WHAT’S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER?

2,000 PEOPLE with learning disabilities/autism are currently in 96 locked inpatient units across the country despite repeated attempts to find more humane community care. Italy has taken the radical step of banning all new admissions to public mental hospitals and has moved to a more community-based system of mental health care. At this week’s Health Select Committee we discussed whether we should do the same for people with learning disabilities and/or autism. You can watch the powerful responses from Julie Newcombe (Rightful Lives) and Dan Scorer (Mencap) here ([link removed]) . We also heard from autism activist, Alexis Quinn ([link removed]) , reflecting on her time being sectioned in a mental health unit, a practice we must surely end.

VARIANT STRATEGY On Tuesday I asked the Health Secretary about the importance of bringing down new cases if we are to reduce the risk of a vaccine-busting variant. Click here ([link removed]) to view our exchange about the government’s strategy to tackle new mutations which is now the key issue.

COUNCILS VS CORONA The government is continuing to support local councils throughout the pandemic. To date, £8bn+ has been allocated to assist with expenditure pressures, including £156m for Surrey. Importantly, over half of this funding has not been ringfenced, meaning local councils have flexibility as to how to spend the additional money.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH WEST SURREY?

LOCKDOWN POETRY The Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale are organising a Lockdown Poetry Festival ([link removed]) . The event is open to both adults and children and you have until 26th February to send in your amateur/masterpieces. This reminds me of a William Shakespeare from Warwickshire who was the second person to get the Pfizer jab back in December. They will have to find a William Wordsworth or T.S. Eliot for the next new vaccine otherwise the land of the world’s greatest literature will be disappointed.

5,000 DAFFODILS Thank you to the group behind Farnham Connects for delivering 5,000 daffodils ([link removed]) to our local healthcare workers in Farnham. The group, led by Gavin Stride, received support from volunteers, Castle Street Flowers and Em Space Design. What a lovely idea.

LOCAL HEROES Today’s South West Surrey Hero is the Lions Club of Farnham. The Club has been serving the community in multiple ways ([link removed]) , from marshaling COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites to providing IT equipment for school children, and creating food parcels for those in need. Congratulations to Lion President Sally Ross, Secretary Howard Lee and to all the Lion members!

See my list of local groups working to support vulnerable residents here ([link removed]) .

THE ECONOMY AND JOBS

NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA is set to become the first woman and the first African to lead the Word Trade Organisation ([link removed]) (WTO) following approval from President Joe Biden’s administration. She beat my good friend Liam Fox to the job, but she has an undeniably excellent CV, twice serving as Nigerian finance minister. I wish her all the best in winning the argument for free trade which we sorely need to do.

SWS BOUNCEBACK featured small business: Apothecary 27, an award-winning health and wellness store based in Haslemere. You can find the shop online ([link removed]) or pay them a visit at 71-73 Wey Hill, Surrey GU27 1HN.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

MARS MISSION Congratulations to the United Arab Emirates on their first mission to Mars ([link removed]) – they are only the fifth country to ever reach the planet. Their Hope spacecraft will investigate the Martian climate.

AND FINALLY for absolutely no reason whatsoever, here’s a newly published map ([link removed]) of the world’s one billion sheep. Spoiler: looks like President Baaa-den (sorry) has a sheep problem…

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Promoted by Sean Donovan-Smith on behalf of Jeremy Hunt MP and South West Surrey Conservatives, all at 2 Royal Parade, Tilford Road, Hindhead, Surrey GU26 6TD.

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