Coronavirus – Oxfordshire Community Situation Report #5
Date: 23th March 2020
We are concerned residents who have set up the ‘Oxford Virus Action Group’ on facebook to help people in Oxfordshire cope with the impact of the pandemic. We can be contacted via email on oxfordvirusactiongroup@gmail.com.
The aims of the Oxford Virus Action Group:
a) to pull together and share verified information
b) to learn from you about any gaps - particularly gaps that are affecting more vulnerable groups – that need addressing
c) to see how between us we can address those gaps
We need your contribution. We aim to send out a new situation report daily by 5.00 pm. If there’s anything you think should be included, please send it to us by email to oxfordvirusactiongroup@gmail.com.
We need regular volunteers. If you have 30-60 minutes a day (or some days of the week) to help us fact check some of our information and research information we need for the Situation Report, please get in touch with us at oxfordvirusactiongroup@gmail.com. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Key figures and information
People confirmed sick in Oxfordshire by Public Health England: 52 (23/03/2020).
People self-isolating due to symptoms: unknown
People quarantining due to being in vulnerable group: unknown
Sources of information
Oxford Mail – Local news on Coronavirus at https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/yourtown/oxford/
BBC Oxford – Local and national news including on Coronavirus at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-51851438
NHS Oxford – the latest health advice can be found on their website https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/news/coronavirus-covid-19/
Coronavirus health advice in various languages is available at
Available now: English, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Dari, Farsi, French, Hindi, Kurdish Surani, Malayalam, Mandarin, Pashto, Portuguese, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese
GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL SERVICES Oxford City Council services
City Council and Oxford Hub have created new Locality Response Centres (Link). They aim to address common issues for the vulnerable such as isolation, routine pharmacy services and food services, and to coordinate council and voluntary sector services in each locality. The new Locality Response Centres will begin operating this week, with five teams across the city – North, South, East, West and Central. More details will be announced as the Centres get ready to open.
Government support for extremely vulnerable
If you have a medical condition that makes you extremely vulnerable to coronavirus, the UK government is offering to help. For example, you’ll be able to ask for help getting deliveries of essential supplies like food. If you’re not sure whether your medical condition makes you extremely vulnerable, register anyway. You can register yourself, or on behalf of someone else. Link: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable
Street level support and online groups
The local charity Oxford Hub is coordinating people in Oxford who want to volunteer to support their local community. They have neighbourhood-based volunteer groups across the city. Anyone wanting to volunteer who is healthy and low risk can register their details online at www.oxfordtogether.org. On their website, they also offer regular phone check-ins, practical support, and have information on who can help you in your local area.
Oxford Covid-19 Mutual Aid group The popular Facebook group Oxford Covid-19 Mutual Aid group is offering various forms of support to people in Oxfordshire, including help with food and pharmaceutical deliveries. They have neighbourhood-based WhatsApp volunteer action groups that volunteers can join.
Sign up for support or to volunteer on their facebook page.
Send a tweetable update or some good news here: Link
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oxfordmutualaid Contact Email: Publicity@oxfordmutualaid.org Phone line for support: 07310160595 available 24 hours a day.
We publish daily situation report by 5pm with local information and resources. If you have any information you think should be included in our sitrep, please email us at oxfordvirusactiongroup@gmail.com, or text us at 07384939145. We are also interested in any gaps - particularly gaps that are affecting more vulnerable groups – that need addressing.
Website that connects people living in the same neighborhood to exchange information, offer and receive support.
Oxfordshire All In The charity KEEN have set up a website where they collect information on Coronavirus support groups across the county: www.oxfordshireallin.org. The objective of the website is to collect information on where service is provided in the county (road by road - like an election campaign) and to see which areas in Oxfordshire are not receiving support.
Outside of the city of Oxford, the following local Oxfordshire groups exist:
· Kidlington - Nextdoor group for Kidlington; Kidlington Community Help – 07918 776074 kasa.communityhelp@gmail.com
· Abingdon - Abingdon Coronavirus Community Response Facebook group
· Great Western Park, Didcot - GWP Residents Association www.gwpra.org.uk/covid19support
· Blewbury - Blewbury Good Neighbours FB group. Run by local post master 01235 851777
· Chilton - Chilton Mutual Aid Group FB group
· South & Vale except Abingdon - South Oxfordshire & Vale CIVUD-19 Response FB group
· Eynsham - Eynsham Volunteers- Corona Virus Help FB group
· Combe - Combe People Need FB group
· North Oxfordshire - volunteer driver service to drop off food www.canosn.org.uk/covid-19-cherwell-local-response
· Bicester - Corona Virus Helpers Bicester and Surrounding Villages FB group
· Launton - Help For Self-Isolating Launton Residents FB group
· Yarnton: There is an active Oxford Hub group. They are running through the Yarnton Community Facebook page. Phone contact for requests: 01865 378118.
· Banbury & Cherwell: Local charities Citizens Advice North Oxfordshire and SOFEA are launching a new service to help elderly and vulnerable people get supplies for free during this unusual time. They are looking for volunteer drivers to deliver supplies to people’s doors across Banbury, and eventually across Cherwell. If you have access to a car and are willing to give some of your time to help those who need it more than ever please follow this link: https://tinyurl.com/tra7vf7 Another way to get involved is to donate to the service, a donation of just £3 will help us to ensure we can deliver vital supplies to our elderly and vulnerable community members. You can donate here: https://tinyurl.com/vseeuav
Citizens Advice
You can still contact Citizens Advice per phone at 0300 330 9037, or email at advice@citizensadvicenosn.org.uk They are expecting a high number of calls and waiting times may be long.
Other online communities
Boaters
Dogwalking
· Waggies Dogwalking Service (Oxford-based)
Safeguarding
Resources can be found at https://tinyurl.com/tm5mvuj. Protocols for food deliveries for neighbours and virus safety are also available here: https://tinyurl.com/v9q5v3l.
Thames Valley Police are advising people in need of support to try and only liaise with someone they are familiar with, if necessary to give small amounts of cash for essentials and not to hand over a bank card. If you have been a victim of fraud or cyber-crime, you can report it to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.
FOOD
Food banks
Local food banks have seen a massive fall in donations and are worried about not being able to feed their clients. Oxford Food Bank’s donations last week dropped by half. Link
Professional caterers: Oxford Food Bank can take your leftover food stocks (anything fresh or otherwise). Contact: Emma - admin@oxfordfoodbank.org or 01865 236420
Food services
For a map and database of services providing free or subsidised food within Oxford see https://www.oxford.gov.uk/foodservicesmap?fbclid=IwAR13qgSnEjfyPS8yWNQFg6Cbt2-8YX_XkVr69Je9MDAW5rQ8TLKHnLZGOFM
Botley Community fridge is open Friday 20 March 3:15-4:15; Saturday 21 March 10:30-11:30. Anyone can put food into it, and anyone can take food out. Food parcels for people in need are available. If you are in isolation and need food, contact 07759 135811 or riki@phonecoop.coop and they’ll bring you a food parcel.
Local charity SOFEA are coordinating efforts to supply large numbers of food parcels to the most vulnerable in our local communities. Their aim is to provide emergency food supplies once a week into a central location in each community, from where they can be collected/ distributed as appropriate. Local partners who can help with this are invited to get in touch with Richard Kennell, richard@sofea.uk.com, 01235510774. They are asking for donations to this scheme at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sofeacommunitylarder.
Supermarkets and local shops
Sometimes, independent shops still have stocks of items that you might struggle to find in supermarkets. A google doc with a list of independent Oxford shops and Summertown supermarkets can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/yxyncnmc
Headington
Collonade Store in Gipsy Lane, Headington, is now open 7.30 am - 8.00 pm Monday to Friday, and 10.00 am - 6 pm Saturday and Sunday. You can ring them at 01865 483169 if you are struggling to get something and they can tell you if they have it in stock.
Jericho East West Provisions are offering a home delivery service on weekdays, subject to a minimum order of £10. Orders can be placed by email info@eastwestprovisions.co.uk (this is preferred) or by phone 01865 311288. Call with a list of what is needed; delivery address; phone number; any specific delivery details; day required. They aim to deliver between 1-3pm Mon-Fri. They are happy for people to pick items and process the payment so that they can simply come to the shop and collect. Delivery agents won't come into people's homes to protect their customers. Payment can be by card or cheque. Cash is also accepted if the other alternatives are not suitable.
Sainsbury’s:
· Dedicated shopping slot for NHS and social care staff: Monday to Saturday, 7.30 am to 8.00 am. NHS ID required.
· Dedicated shopping slot for older people, disabled customers and carers: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8-9 am.
· General opening hours: 8 am - 8 pm.
· Customers can only buy three of each grocery item at a time;
· Customers can only buy two of the most popular stockpiled items (for example, toilet paper, soap and long-life milk) at a time;
· Online shoppers who are over 70 years of age or have a disability have priority access to online delivery slots.
· Online shoppers can use an expanded 'click and collect' service
· Sainsbury's Assisted Shopping scheme helps people who are housebound and cannot travel to the shops or those who cannot manage online shopping by allowing them to make shopping orders over the telephone. Orders placed before 6:00pm can even be delivered the next day. People must register via the telephone before they can place telephone orders.For more information about delivery costs and registering for the service, please contact Sainsburys Assisted Shopping directly at 0800 328 1700
Tesco
Tesco is prioritizing older people and the most vulnerable Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9-10 am. It is unclear what they mean by that.
Tesco has put into place restrictions on the number of popular goods customers can buy.
Aldi
Reduced shopping hours. All shops close at 8 pm. Sunday shopping hours are unchanged.
Nappies and paper products, including toilet and kitchen roll, will now be restricted to two items per customer. All other products will remain restricted to four items per customer, with a few exceptions.
Aldi is seeking to hire 9,000 new workers, including 4,000 permanent jobs, to help keep shelves filled during the coronavirus outbreak.
ASDA
Customers can only buy three items for all food items, toiletries, and cleaning products, both online and in shop.
Larger stores have priority slots for NHS workers, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8am to 9am.
Aldi have temporarily reduced their normal opening hours. You can check your local store opening times at https://storelocator.asda.com/
Morrisons
Between 9am and 10am, Monday to Saturday the vulnerable and older people will be given more help in the store.
Between 7am and 8 am, Monday to Saturday, all Morison stores have an hour dedicated to NHS staff.
OCADO have suspended taking new orders because they are overwhelmed.
Waitrose shops have dedicated the first hour of opening as a priority shopping time for older people, the vulnerable and carers.
Restaurants, pubs, gyms are now closed.
Takeaway places that are still open include:
1 La Cucina Italian and Cuttlefish restaurants - St Clement's, Oxford
2 Aldens butchers, which runs Meatmaster - Osney Mead, Oxford
3 iScream gelateria - Covered Market, Oxford
4 The Chester Arms - Cowley
5 Tap Social - North Hinksey
6 Giggling Squid - Oxford
7 Oli's Thai - East Oxford
8 The Black Boy - Headington, Oxford
9 Bonners Oxford fruit and veg supplier - Covered Market, Oxford
10 The Standard - Oxford
11 Aziz Restaurant - Oxford
12 The Market Cellar Door - Covered Market, Oxford
13 Grape Minds - Summertown, Oxford
14 The Black Swan - Cowley
15 The Cherwell Boathouse - Oxford
16 No 1 Ship Street - Oxford
17 Ogglio Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Covered Market, Oxford
18 Comie's Caribbean Grill - Oxford
19 The White Heart of Wytham
20 Nadia's Indian Restaurant - Bicester
21 Shellfish Cow - Wallingford and Henley
22 The Chequers at Burcot
23 Teardrop - Covered Market, Oxford
24 Branca Deli and Takeaway - Oxford
25 The Abingdon Arms - Beckley
26 Atomic Burger - Oxford
27 Crown & Thistle - Abingdon
28 The White Rabbit - Oxford
29 The Red Lion, Old Marston - Oxford
30 Peter Goss Butchers - Bicester
31 The Flowing Well - Sunningwell
32 Clanfield Tavern - Bampton
33 McCoys Kebab - Oxford Pembrooke Square
34 The Eight Bells - Eaton
35 Currydor - Oxford
36 Falafel house - Oxford
37 The Catherine Wheel - Goring
38 Masooms - Goring
39 The Holly Bush - Osney Island, Oxford
40 Mamma Mia Pizzeria - Summertown, Oxford
41 Packhorse Inn - Milton, Abingdon
42 The Red Lion - Deddington
43 Bbuona pizza bar - Oxford Tiffins Tandoori – Kidlington
HEALTH
Latest health advice can be found at the NHS Oxfordshire website: Link
Pharmacies
Ahmey's Pharmacy (150 Oxford Road, Temple Colwey, OX4 2EA) are running delivery services to local residents in Cowley, Rose Hill and BlackBird Leys. They are overwhelmed and very busy and ask that only people call them who really need their services. They close at 7pm, Monday to Saturday. Their phone number is 01865 770121.
Mental health support
Oxfordshire Mind have a page of advice for those who are self-isolating https://www.oxfordshiremind.org.uk/coronavirus-and-your-we…/
Help Hub West Oxford, a group of qualified therapists are offering free 20 minute chats on Skype, FaceTime or on the telephone. They hope to have their website working by some point this week. They can be found on facebook at Link
St Mary and St Nicholas Church, Littlemore (Church of England) are offering pastoral care by email or phone, at vicar@littlemorechurch.org and 01865 748003.
For more tips and resources for Covid-19 anxiety and isolation see here: https://tinyurl.com/rotxwgu
Hospitals
John Radcliffe Hospital has announced a ban on visitors, with very limited exceptions, to 'protect both our patients and our staff who care for them' in the wake of coronavirus.
Sobell House have asked people not to visit the charity office based at the Hospice until further notice.
Hospitals and GP practices across the UK increasingly face shortages of personal protective equipment, placing health workers at greater risk of contracting Covid-19: Link
Sick notes
The NHS is offering a new service where sick patients can get an online sick form after an assessment by a doctor. This service can be accessed here: https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19/ (Click on ‘Start Now’ and answer a few questions).
HELP NEEDED
Academic staff needed
The John Radcliffe hospital is looking for academic staff with molecular biology and ideally PCR/qPCR experience to help deliver increasing numbers of Covid-19 screening tests. This is paid work. Please email susanne.hodgson@spc.ox.ac.uk if you can help.
Communicators needed
to help volunteer groups responding to covid-19 with their communications. Calling people who can build websites, design graphics, write copy, create messaging, plan and strategise, illustrate, animate, make and edit video, and design social media communications that fly. Please email Lucy Warin (lucy@transitionbydesign.org) with a sentence or two about your skills and availability.
EDUCATION
Schools
All schools closed from Friday afternoon onwards. Exceptions for children of key workers, and children who are vulnerable. For a list of key workers see Link. Exams will not take place in May and June.
Some schools that are staying open for key workers are also running food banks and keeping those going for vulnerable families. If you’re interested in donating, please check with your local school.
Union (NASWT) advice for schools available here: https://www.nasuwt.org.uk/…/5d972862-d4f6-44f4-8f34a9044a0a…
Oxford Medical Students Helping Hands: an Oxford network to help coordinate childcare relief by medical students for clinicians during Covid-19
A local group has being set up to help families who rely on free school meals: Link
Childcare support for NHS Workers and other essential employees is being coordinated here: Link
University of Oxford
Overall, the university is operational. All university libraries and museums have been closed until further notice. There are at least seven cases of students who tested positive for the Covid-19 virus. UK undergraduate students and UK taught postgraduates who have homes outside Oxford have been advised to leave the University as soon as possible unless they have a compelling reason to stay.
Postgraduate Research students are encouraged to work from home, or from their University/College accommodation, if it is practical to do so. The university advises international students to make individual choices based on personal circumstances.
The student group ‘Oxford Living Wage Campaign’ are concerned about the health, safety, and economic situation of Oxford University and college employees, particularly low-wage workers. Get in touch with them at oxfordworkerjustice@gmail.com
Oxford Brookes University
As of 17 March, two cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed at Oxford Brookes University. The University and its halls of residence remain open. Due to the continued spread of coronavirus (Covid-19), the University is declaring a number of Reading Weeks from 8.00am Tuesday 17 March to Friday 3 April. There will be no delivery of teaching during these weeks. For more information see: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/alerts/coronavirus/; https://www.brookesunion.org.uk/articles/covid-19-update.
VULNERABLE GROUPS
Homelessness / Vulnerable Housing
Government announced it would introduce emergency legislation to bring in a complete ban on new evictions for three months as part of measures to help protect renters in social and private rented accommodation.
Government has announced £3.2 million emergency support for rough sleepers during coronavirus outbreak https://www.gov.uk/…/3-2-million-emergency-support-for-roug…
Oxford City Council has promised support for renters during coronavirus crisis. See here for more information and follow Cllr Linda Smith, Deputy Leader, Oxford City Council and cabinet lead on Homelessness @LabLinda75
Oxford Tenants Union have published an open letter to Oxford City Council asking for urgent action to be taken to protect Oxford renters. They are also collecting testimonies from Oxford residents concerned about the impact of Coronavirus on their ability to pay rent. https://oxfordtenantsunion.wordpress.com
Prisons and Immigration Detainees
Please send us any information you have for Oxfordshire. A prisoner in HMP Manchester became the first in the UK to test positive for the coronavirus. The inmate is currently being treated in hospital. Failure to protect the most vulnerable inmates in the UK prison system from coronavirus could result in more than 800 avoidable deaths: link.
Older People / Other Vulnerable Groups
Oxfordshire Age UK have set up a new telephone support service for older people in Oxfordshire: 01865 411 288. If you leave your name and phone number, they will call you back.
Daudhar News, 96-100 Horspath Road Cowley have free packs of Dettol Soap and a face mask for older and vulnerable people only. Daudhar News accept donations that will go towards providing more packs.
Universal Credit
For help with claiming Universal Credit, you can contact Citizens Advice at 0800 144 8 444.
OTHERS
Places of worship
Manzil Way and Stanley Road mosques are closed.
Gurdawara on London Road is closed.
Transport
Royal Cars Oxford will be providing online shop collections for over-65's and anyone in self-isolation within the Oxford area. This service if free for all over 65. All other bookings are card only: either prepaid or contactless payments at the end of the journey. To access this service, call them at 01865 777 333 with the store you’ve ordered from; your order number; and your delivery address.
Oxford Bus Company has reduced services. An updated schedule can be found here: https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/covid-19/
Economy
Many self employed and small businesses will be facing huge challenges.
Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership is a focal point for information of support in this area. Information available at https://www.oxfordshirelep.com/business.
Issues concerning business rates are dealt with by the City Council – see https://www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20020/business_rates
Cowley BMW Mini plant has closed for a month from last Friday, March 20th.
Cancelled events
Oxford Pride
May Morning
Cowley Road Carnival
Contributions and comments
Please send us any contributions or comments per email to oxfordvirusactiongroup@gmail.com, ext us at 07384939145. Any contributions received before 2pm will go into that day’s situation report.
We also need regular volunteers. If you have 30-60 minutes a day (or some days of the week) to help us fact check some of our information and research information we need for the Situation Report, please get in touch with us at oxfordvirusactiongroup@gmail.com. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
