Date: 6 April 2020
This contains only the new content we added today. For the full report, click on 'SitRep' at the top of this page.
We, Oxfordshire Virus Action Group, are looking for help with social media. Know anyone who can help us produce Facebook and Twitter content? We have a plan of where we are going as a group that misses an important puzzle piece: someone or someones who can spend 30 - 60 mins / day a few days a week help us improve on our social media presence. Please let us know at oxfordvirusactiongroup@gmail.com if this may be you, your friend, or your friend's cat, and let's have a chat.
We are also looking for help researching the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on particularly vulnerable groups, e.g. victims of domestic violence and abuse, refugees/migrants, recipients of Universal Credit, the homeless, and others. Please get in touch with us at oxfordvirusactiongroup@gmail.com if you could help. For a model, see our section on prisons below.
South Oxfordshire District Council
South Oxfordshire District Council have put together a guide for businesses and individuals facing financial hardship due to the crisis: http://www.southoxon.gov.uk/news/2020/2020-04/support-people-struggling-financially-due-coronavirus-pandemic
Health The NHS has launched a status checker tool to allow it to better coordinate the response to crisis. If you have or think you have symptoms of COVID-19, please access the tool here: https://www.nhs.uk/coronavirus-status-checker Children's health: The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/) is concerned that sick children are not being seen by health professionals early enough because of the COVID-19 pandemic (because parents are worried about their children becoming infected with COVID-19 in healthcare settings, or do not want to "bother" NHS staff). If your child is very unwell, contact your GP or call NHS 111. If you are very worried, go to A&E.
Statistics: Covid-19 county case tracker provides visualisations of data for all English counties and Scottish and Welsh health boards.See https://covid19cct.shinyapps.io/covid19cct/
Dental Care
The latest guidance on dental treatment can be found at https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/omd/. Patients with urgent needs will be offered advice and prescriptions over the phone by their usual practices. If you are a routine patient of the Community Dental Service, please call 01865 904060. If you are not registered with any practice, call NHS 111.
Supermarkets Sainsbury's
Is asking families only to send one adult per family to shop. From yesterday it has started to remove some limits on the number of certain non-essential products. There are no limits on Easter eggs.
Aldi
Key workers in the NHS, Police and Fire Service will take priority ahead of queues into stores on showing a valid ID at all times. This is in addition to early access on a Sunday (see above).
ASDA
Has created a 'Volunteer Shopping Card', a cashless and secure way for those who are self-isolating, older or medically vulnerable, to allow others to shop for them. See Link
Scam
Testing scam: There are individuals on social media claiming to be selling Covid-19 home testing kits. This is a scam. If you see posts offering these tests, report them to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Yellow Card Scheme at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/
Mutual Aid Groups
Oxford Covid-19 Mutual Aid Sign up for emails with information, updates, and requests for help at http://eepurl.com/gYQew5
Food/free food services For anyone struggling with the cost of shopping at the moment, assistance is available from community larders offering free food in Oxford as follows:
Rose Hill Community Centre - Tuesday 2-4pm.
Blackbird Leys Community Centre - Wednesday 2:30 - 5pm.
Ark-T, Cowley - Tuesday 11-2pm & Thursday 11-2pm.
Barton Neighbourhood Centre - Tuesday 2:30-4:30pm.
If you need help delivering items from Community Larders, Oxford Covid 19 Mutual Aid will help you. Just fill in this form: https://tinyurl.com/r5y8hem.
Homelessness
The Porch day centre is offering a food take away service seven days a week even though its other activities have been suspended. People can collect food from 139 Magdalen Road between 12pm and 2pm seven days a week.
The Oxford Homelessness Project is distributing food parcels on Mondays 12am-1pm at Manzil Way. If you can offer packed takeaway food, please let them know at 07888659924
Domestic Violence
The County Council have released a more comprehensive guide for victims of domestic abuse during the outbreak:Link
Older people
Generation Games are providing low impact exercise videos for older people stuck at home: https://www.generationgames.org.uk/
King Lear Prizes have launched an art competition for over 70s who are self-isolating: https://www.kinglearprizes.org.uk/
Mental health support: Oxfordshire Therapy and Self-Development is offering a free online support group for people of colour, which they intend as "a safe and respectful place to discuss issues concerning any struggles to do with the Coronavirus. This may have exacerbated the injustices faced in normal day to day life. This group will provide a safe and welcoming space to be with others who may also feel anxious and powerless". See https://www.otscentre.co.uk/ for how to join.
Loneliness: For residents of Wolvercote and Wytham: The Wolvercote and Wytham Friendly Line is now open, 7 days a week, 10am-4pm, for anyone who is feeling low or in need of company - whether self-isolating or not. Call for a chat on 01865 570235.
Volunteer / Work
Oxford University is running a study to find out how common the virus is in Oxfordshire. Participants will not be told if they have the virus, but it will help organisations to coordinate responses to the outbreak. Sign up here: https://oxford.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-in-the-uk-community
Call for volunteers: Oxford Tenants' Union is looking for volunteers with experience in law and housing needs and support to help with upholding tenants' rights during the Covid-19 crises and assessing new legislation. Please email oxtenantsunion@gmail.com or go to @oxtenantsunion on Facebook or Twitter.
Donations for scrubs: the Dorcas Dress Project is sewing scrubs for the John Radcliffe Hospital.The project now has enough dressmakers but still needs donations to pay for materials - demand for scrubs is now outstripping available funds. Please donate at https://www.dorcasdressproject.org/sponsor-scrubs. You can sponsor a set for £25. NHS staff can also get in touch directly to request scrubs.See https://www.dorcasdressproject.org/sponsor-scrubsor emaildorcasdressproject@gmail.comfor more information.
Positive news:
The Black Boy, a pub and restaurant in Headington forced to close because of the coronavirus lockdown has re-opened its doors as a community shop and takeaway – and is making free deliveries to customers. Link
Isolation Creations: Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, challenges public to get creative on lockdown. Link
Events:
The Council has compiled listings of cultural events that can be accessed online: https://www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20304/culture_events_and_creative
