UPDATE ON EFFECTS OF COVID-19 ON ROCHDALE TOWN CENTRE 2/11/2020

Rochdale BID want to keep you updated with the latest news, information, and advice during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Beginning on Thursday 5 November the Government has placed England in full national lockdown

The national lockdown begins on Thursday 5 November.
These restrictions will be in place until Wednesday 2 December.

National lockdown restrictions

These restrictions were announced by the Prime Minister on Saturday 31 October. They will be voted on by Parliament on Wednesday 4 November.

You should not leave your home unless it is for one of the permitted reasons.

When you may leave your home

For education
For work if you cannot work from home
For exercise and recreation outdoors in your household, or on your own or with one person from another household
For medical reasons or appointments - continue to use the NHS and attend appointments unless clinicians advise otherwise
To escape injury or harm
To shop for food and essentials
To care for others or as a volunteer
To visit those in your support bubble

Children can still move between homes if their parents are separated.

Businesses and venues

To reduce social contact, the Government has ordered certain businesses and venues to close. These include:

all non-essential retail, including, but not limited to clothing and electronics stores, vehicle showrooms, travel agents, betting shops, auction houses, tailors, car washes, tobacco and vape shops.
indoor and outdoor leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, leisure centres and gyms, sports facilities including swimming pools, golf courses and driving ranges, dance studios, stables and riding centres, soft play facilities, climbing walls and climbing centres, archery and shooting ranges, water and theme parks,
entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, adult gaming centres and arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, concert halls, zoos and other animal attractions, botanical gardens.
personal care facilities such as hair, beauty and nail salons, tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services, non-medical acupuncture, and tanning salons.

Food shops, supermarkets, garden centres and certain other retailers providing essential goods and services can remain open. Essential retail should follow COVID-secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors, and workers.

Non-essential retail can remain open for delivery to customers and click-and-collect.

Playgrounds can remain open.

Hospitality venues like restaurants, bars and pubs must close, but can still provide takeaway and delivery services. However, takeaway of alcohol will not be allowed.

Hotels, hostels, and other accommodation should only open for those who have to travel for work purposes and for a limited number of other exemptions which will be set out in law.

A full list of the business closures will be published and set out in law.

Some venues will be allowed to remain open for specific exempt activities, like childcare and support groups. Support groups that are essential to deliver in person can continue with up to 15 participants where formally organised to provide mutual aid, therapy, or any other form of support. This includes support to victims of crime, people in drug and alcohol recovery, new parents and guardians, people with long-term illnesses, people facing issues relating to their sexuality or gender, and those who have suffered bereavement.

A number of public services will also stay open and you will be able to leave home to visit them. These include:

the NHS and medical services like GPs. We are supporting the NHS to safely carry out urgent and non-urgent services and it is vital anyone who thinks they need any kind of medical care comes forward and seeks help.
Jobcentre Plus sites
Courts
Civil Registrations Offices

Going to work

To help contain the virus, everyone who can work effectively from home must do so. Where people cannot do so (for instance people who work in critical national infrastructure, construction or manufacturing) they should continue to travel to work/attend their workplace. This is essential to keeping the country operating and supporting vital sectors and employers.

Public sector employees working in essential services, including education settings, should continue to go into work . The risk of transmission can be substantially reduced if COVID-secure guidelines are followed closely. Extra consideration should be given to those people at higher risk.

Travel

You should avoid travelling in or out of your local area, and you should look to reduce the number of journeys you make. However you can and should still travel for a number of reasons, including:

travelling to work where this cannot be done from home
travelling to education and for caring responsibilities
hospital GP and other medical appointments or visits where you have had an accident or are concerned about your health
visiting venues that are open, including essential retail
exercise, if you need to make a short journey to do so

Vulnerable people and shielding

If you are clinically vulnerable or over the age of 60 you should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise your contacts with others.

The Government is not asking people to shield again in the same way as last time (we will let you know more about what this means when we have more information).

Furlough scheme

The furlough scheme (Job Retention Scheme) is extended until 2 December.

The Job Support Scheme will not be introduced until after Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ends

Useful Links

COVID-19: what you need to do

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Support for businesses and employers during coronavirus (COVID-19)

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support

General guidance for employees during coronavirus (COVID-19)

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guidance-and-support-for-employees-duringcoronavirus-covid-19

COVID-19: guidance for food businesses on coronavirus

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-foodbusinesses/guidance-for-food-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19