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Happy New Year to all our Chinese readers

我们祝你牛年吉祥 - Happy New Year to our Chinese readers. On the Chinese calendar, 2021 is Year 4719, the of the Ox. It is a Xin Chou Year and lasts from 12 Feb 2021 to 31 Jan 2022 on the Gregorian calendar.

Councils playing leading local role in vaccine rollout success

SPORTS Stadiums, places of worship and even a former nightclub are among the venues secured by Councils to help boost Covid19 vaccination efforts, alongside offers of free parking, transport and friendly advice to get people protected as soon as possible. The Government is on course to meet its target to vaccine the 1st 4 priority groups as identified by the JCVI by 15 February 2021.

The success of this unprecedented nationwide rollout has seen Local Authorities across the country playing a fundamental role alongside the NHS in keeping residents informed and able to make their appointments safely and on time. Volunteers including community champions and faith leaders are working alongside Council staff to reach out to vulnerable people and those from black and ethnic minorities, to provide reassurance and answer any questions.

The Local Government Association, which represents Councils across England, said practical offers of help such as free lifts to Vaccination Centres, waiving parking charges, online Q&As and translating information into different languages is making a real impact on encouraging uptake locally, in line with the priority groups.

Councils know their communities best and have also used their own facilities or existing relationships with local landlords to set up new vaccination sites at short notice, such as the Halliwell Jones rugby stadium in Warrington or the former Debenhams store in Folkestone, now known as Folca, while providing directions and managing queues.

In St Albans, the district Council helped the NHS set up a much needed Vaccination Centre at a building which had just been vacated by the former leaseholder, a nightclub. It is in easy reach of a large population.

Councils have also been reaching out to rough sleepers and those who are at risk of homelessness in their areas to ensure they are registered with Local GP's and able to access a vaccination appointment.

People living on the streets are among the most vulnerable in society, lacking access to healthcare and the ability to self-isolate safely, with many also having underlying health conditions.

Cllr James Jamieson, LGA Chairman, said:- "Vaccination is the only certain route out of this Pandemic and the national effort has brought our collective community spirit to the fore. The vaccine roll out has been a huge success so far and Councils are playing a key role in coordinating the rollout on the ground, with their unrivalled knowledge and connections with their communities helping to get the word out about the vaccine, using trusted local leaders to answer residents' questions and dispel any myths. Vaccination Centres have been swiftly set up at short notice while Councils have introduced other helpful measures where possible, such as providing free parking in Council owned car parks and offering lifts to those without their own transport. They will continue to do all they can to make sure everyone can safely and easily receive their vaccination on time."

Housing Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said:- "Councils are playing a vital role in the vaccination programme that has now seen over 13 million people receive their 1st Covid19 Vaccine. From helping set up Vaccination Centres in Sports Centres, places of worship and theatre buildings, to using their local networks to ensure accurate information reaches all members of our communities, Councils have risen to the challenge. Councils are saving lives by ensuring more members of our communities have access to vaccines quickly and safely."

Looking at a wide range of areas the LGA have highlighted these case studies as examples:-

► St Albans City and District Council The Council offered the NHS a building, Batchwood Hall, that it had recently leased to a nightclub as a site for vaccinations in the district. Working with local GP surgeries, the Council cleared the site ready for use in just a weekend. This included performing deep cleans, installing internet connections and clearing cloak rooms / bar areas. Since opening in December, over 12,000 vaccinations have been administered at the site.

► Kirklees Council The Council redeployed staff to help work in Vaccination Centres as well as to provide transport to residents unable to get to their vaccination appointment. Staff from outdoor centres have helped give lifts to vulnerable patients to attend their appointments, as well as using Council vehicles to rescue vaccine shipments stuck in snow and adverse weather.

► Folkestone and Hythe District Council The Council offered the use of Folca; the former Debenhams site in Folkestone; to be used as a Vaccination Centre. With support from the local NHS, the site is now open 7 days a week and has provided thousands of vaccinations a week since it opened. The Local Authority's Civic Centre is also being used as a drive through Vaccination Centre.

► Cambridgeshire and Peterborough City Council The Councils are working together with their partners to tackle vaccine hesitancy within local communities. They have been working with 30 community champions, the interfaith network and the voluntary sector to ensure important messages about the vaccination process reaches a range of different communities, often making use of WhatsApp and Facebook groups. Their Adult Social care teams are also working closely with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group to ensure social care staff on the frontline have access to vaccinations.

► Wyre Council The Council has offered up two local venues, the Thornton Little Theatre and the Poulton Civic Centre for use as Vaccination Centres. The local Theatre had been unable to open for much of the Pandemic and the Council found a new use for the venue to help vaccinate thousands of local residents.

► Southend on Sea Borough Council The Council, along with a number of other Local Authorities across the country, have relaxed parking enforcement or offered free parking in local car parks near to large Vaccination Centres, as well as provide volunteer Marshals to help direct residents.

► Birmingham City Council The Council has recruited 677 COVID community champions so far and 19 organisations to work throughout the City to help dispel myths around the vaccination process and to drive take up of the vaccine. These champions are specifically working through personal and professional networks to disseminate information into local communities. The community champions are supported through weekly briefings and training sessions led by the Council's Public Health Team.

Landmark partnership agreed on employment and skills across Liverpool City Region

A landmark partnership agreement on employment and skills, and public sector workforce development has been reached between the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, LCR Local Authorities and Trade Union partners. Brokered by the TUC, Metro Mayor, Acting Mayor and local leaders, the agreement will see unions and political leaders working together to develop the public sector workforce, promote good practice on learning and development and developing partnerships to deliver good quality employment and skills projects across the City Region. The agreement comes in the week that Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram launched a Fair Employment Charter and is a fitting end to TUC North West's Heart Unions week, celebrating the positive role that unions play in our workplaces and in our communities.

Regional Secretary Lynn Collins said:- "This agreement reflects the good practices that have developed in the City Region where trades unions sit as equal partners at the table, providing a voice for working people. We are delighted the agreement will now allow that partnership to flourish as we build our economy back after COVID. Decent jobs, access to quality training, upskilling and reskilling, and a strong focus on equality, diversity and inclusion are all necessary if we are to create a fair and inclusive City Region. We want to thank the Metro Mayor, Acting Mayor of Liverpool and the Leaders of our Local Authorities for their commitment to partnership working going forward "

Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said:- "I said when I launched my Fair Employment Charter earlier this week that we are committed to making our region the best place in the country for people to work and get on. This partnership shows that we are leading from the front on this, getting round the table with trade unions and delivering learning and development opportunities for staff. We want as many staff as possible to be in well paid, secure jobs that offer them a platform to flourish and grow. The past year might have been an enormously difficult one for all of us, but I know that it is by working together that we will help our region come back stronger, fairer and better than we were before."

Acting Mayor of Liverpool and LCR Portfolio Holder for Education, Employment and Skills, Cllr Wendy Simon, said:- "I'm proud to have worked with the Metro Mayor, City Region Local Authority leaders and trade union partners to deliver this landmark partnership agreement. This is a fitting end to TUC "Heart Unions" week which has seen us celebrate the incredible work of unions in our workplaces and our communities. But it is not enough to simply celebrate the vital role of unions, we must ensure they are true partners in everything we do. As we look towards recovery and building back our economy after COVID, unions and the voices of working people must be at the very heart of that work to deliver good quality jobs, access to the right training and upskilling. This partnership agreement will support us to do just that."

5 point plan to drive Covid rates down before lockdown ends

PUBLIC Health Officials in Liverpool are urging residents to keep following Covid19 restrictions to get infection levels as low as possible before lockdown ends. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to unveil a roadmap towards the lifting of lockdown during the week commencing 22 February 2021, with the possibility that Schools could reopen sometime in March 2021, along with the gradual reintroduction of other freedoms. The reduction in Liverpool's infection rate has slowed over the last week, with analysis showing that men aged 40 to 59 are contracting the virus the most. It is thought they could be unknowingly spreading Covid19 in their workplace or in their household. People are being asked to do 5 things to help cut the spread of the virus to give the city the best chance of getting back to normal as quickly as possible.

They are:-

1) Stay at home as much as possible; if you go out please keep at least two metres away from others at all times and wear a face covering in shops, on public transport and around other people

2) If you have Covid19 or flu like symptoms, book a test online at:- Gov.UK/Get-Coronavirus-Test.

3) If you have to leave the house for work or education, get yourself tested every 5 to 7 days, at a Symptom Free Test Centre or through your employer.

4) Take the Covid19 Vaccine if you are offered it to protect yourself, your loved ones and the rest of the city.

5) If you need help because you are struggling, or because you have to self isolate, visit:- Liverpool.Gov.UK/Coronavirus - help is available

The Director of Public Health, Matthew Ashton, said:- "January 2021 was absolutely horrendous in terms of infection rates and the pressure on the NHS and social care system, and I am hopeful that we have now passed the worst of it. However, although infection rates have reduced a lot, in the last few days in Liverpool they have plateaued and we really need it to get a lot lower if we want to be in a good position when we get out of lockdown. The rollout of the vaccine is going really well, but the reality is that it will take many months for us to immunise a large proportion of the population. In the meantime, we have to continue to do all the things we have been doing such as social distancing, wearing face coverings and getting tested regularly if we are going out to work. We know from some analysis of the data that middle aged men are driving the infection rate in some areas. That is why testing, and self isolating if you test positive, are so important. If we give it a huge push over the next 4 weeks we will be in a much stronger position when the Government decides to start to ease lockdown restrictions and that will give us more of the freedoms that we all crave."

Cabinet member for Public Health, Councillor Paul Brant, said:- "This last year has been difficult for everyone, and we knew it was going to be a tough winter. However, if we can all really make an extra effort in the next few weeks then it will pay dividends in the months ahead while we wait for the impact of the vaccine programme to really kick in. We really do appreciate how tough this is, but the fastest and easiest way out of this, is to slow transmission of the virus as much as we possibly can. Please follow the rules and ask for help if you need it."

Added worry for UK Tourism industry as US finds UK Covid Variant in Riverside County

WORRIES about international travel have again been highlighted, this time with reports that the highly contagious Coronavirus Variant - SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7, that was 1st reported here in the UK has now surfaced in Riverside County, USA. According to Riverside County Health Officials, as this is so transmissible, the areas Health Officials are now worry that its spread could leave to another surge in Southern California. With the LA Times also sa0ing the stra0n has also been detected in:- Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Alameda, San Mateo and Yolo Counties. This is extra bad news for the Tourism Industry not only here, but around the World, as it was hoped that with the vindication programs underway, some form of travel and some international holiday's might be able to happen this year. Sadly, this has added to the complexity of opening up the Travel Industry, and clearly shows, along with the South African Variant and the Brazilian Variant, just how hard it will be, especially if any of the Coronavirus Variants become resistant to any of the vaccinations. For many travel firms, and areas who rely on international tourism, such as our Liverpool City Region, for it's generation of income, this could mean even harder times ahead. Many business leaders and business groups like the FSB are warning that without further financial help over 2021, many tourism businesses and their suppliers would have to close permanently. Already the slow nature of support is having a massive impact on some of the North West Region's most well known hotels and tourist hotspots, along with the many industries that they support. The doomed tourism industry needs Britons to help it survive summer 2021, but with worries world wide, and Brexit issues, without more support to help small firms overcome the financial obstacles, many areas unique tourism and leisure industries will be lost for ever. What are you thoughts? How can we move on, if we can not get a clear road map, but face ever increasing problems in getting support?

Total UK cases Covid19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region

THE total number of UK Coronavirus (Covid19) infections that have been laboratory confirmed, within the UK, has risen by:- 15,144 cases and the total number now stand at:- 4,013,799 that includes tests carried out by commercial partners which are not included in the 4 National totals.

The total number of Covid19 associated UK fatalities added to the total, was sadly reported to be:-758 within 28 days of positive test, according to the Department of Health. The total number of deaths of people who have had a positive test result confirmed by a Public Health or NHS laboratory is:- 116,287, within 28 days of positive test. Deaths with Covid19 on the death certificate:- 121,674.

The number of Covid19 patients currently in UK Hospitals:- 24,352. The current number of Covid19 patients currently in mechanical ventilation beds in UK Hospitals:- 3,036 Daily number of Covid19 patients admitted to UK Hospitals:- 1,908.

In England, there are a total of:- 3,516,998 confirmed cases. North West - total of:- 551,777 confirmed cases.

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within the Liverpool City Region are as follows:-

Area and number of confirmed cases:- Risen by:-

Liverpool City Region

Nation Lockdown

National UK Restrictions

► Liverpool, 45,674 confirmed cases.
176

► Halton, 11,190 confirmed cases.
28

► Knowsley, 16,402 confirmed cases. 47

► Sefton, 22,363 confirmed cases.
66

► St. Helens, 15,582 confirmed cases.
66

► Wirral, 22,956 confirmed cases.

54

Colour Key:- 0 1 to 10 11 to 20 21 to 30 31 to 40 41 to 50 51 to 100 100 to 199 200 & over

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within Local Authorities around the Liverpool City Region, since start of the Pandemic, are as follows:-

► Blackburn with Darwen, 16,582 confirmed cases.

► Blackpool, 8,505 confirmed cases.

► Bolton, 22,951 confirmed cases.

► Bury, 15,485 confirmed cases.

► Cheshire East, 18,859 confirmed cases.

► Cheshire West and Chester, 19,735 confirmed cases.

► Lancashire, 88,913 confirmed cases.

► Manchester, 47,856 confirmed cases.

► Oldham, 20,811 confirmed cases.

► Preston, 12,196 confirmed cases.

► Rochdale, 18,995 confirmed cases.

► Salford, 20,748 confirmed cases.

► Stockport, 18,447 confirmed cases.

► Tameside, 16,033 confirmed cases.

► Trafford, 15,009 confirmed cases.

► Warrington, 16,403 confirmed cases.

► Wigan, 26,086 confirmed cases.

Total UK people who have received vaccination

1st Dose 2nd Dose

14,012,224 530,094

Jab Stats correct as of 11 February 2021

The vaccination programme began on 8 December 2020 with people receiving the vaccine developed by Pfizer / BioNTech, and people began receiving the Oxford University / AstraZeneca vaccine from 4 January 2021. Both vaccines are given as 2 doses, at least 21 days apart, for a full vaccination course.

Daily reported Covid19 deaths are now measured across the UK as deaths that occurred within 28 days of the 1st laboratory confirmed positive Covid19 test. Daily and cumulative numbers of Covid19 patients admitted to Hospital. Data are not updated every day by all 4 nations and the figures are not comparable as Wales include suspected Covid19 patients while the other nations include only confirmed cases.

The latest R number is estimated at:- 0.7 to 1.1, with a daily infection growth rate range of:- -5% to -2%, as of 5 February 2021.

Previous 24hr Data

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