I’m writing to you with my latest update on the response to the
Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic in
Harrow. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌


[Message from Gareth Thomas MP]

Dear John,

I’m writing to you with my latest update on the response to the
Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic in Harrow. I have recently been
inundated with many queries and concerns. Neighbours have asked me
where they can donate food and ways to provide support. I hope that
the below e-mail can provide a useful guide to these questions and
more. This situation is evolving, and we are seeing a variety of
strategies being used by different governments around the world as
they work to mitigate and deal with the effects of this pandemic. The
most up to date advice from the UK Government is regularly
available here
[[link removed]].

As the Covid-19 crisis continues I will continue to provide regular
e-mail updates and, as always, if you ever need to get in touch about
the issues covered here – or anything else – please contact my
office on 0207 219 4243 or e-mail me at
[email protected]. Be sure to share this message with
friends, family, neighbours and local businesses in order to
strengthen our collective response to COVID-19 in Harrow.

KEEPING SAFE

People of all ages can catch the Coronavirus, and all can help in
preventing its spread.

THE GOVERNMENT ADVICE IS:

• People experiencing a new continuous cough or a temperature above
37.8° should stay at home for fourteen days from when their symptoms
started

• Anyone living with someone with a new continuous cough or a
temperature above 37.8° should also stay at home for fourteen days
from when symptoms started

• Please do not visit GPs and other NHS facilities if you want
advice on Coronavirus, if you think you may have Coronavirus, please
contact the NHS online or phone 111
[[link removed]]. 

• People should avoid "non-essential" travel and contact with
others, in London this advice is likely to adjust over the weekend 

THE GOVERNMENT HAS ADVISED WE EACH TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS:

• Ensure personal hygiene, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds
as regularly as possible, especially after sneezing, coughing or
blowing your nose

• Stay away from others if experiencing the symptoms mentioned
above, new continuous cough or high temperature

• Avoid social gatherings, and social spaces like pubs, theatres and
restaurants

• Those with increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus
(COVID-19) should be particularly stringent in following social
distancing measures.
[[link removed]]
Look after the most vulnerable and elderly friends, family members and
neighbours, ensuring non-face to face contact is maintained and
support is provided in a safe and appropriate way.

HELP TO GET THROUGH THE PANDEMIC 

The Covid-19 pandemic also has huge implications for the UK’s
economy and has the potential to negatively impact the personal
finances of many. I understand that over the next week the government
is to introduce emergency legislation to extend Statutory Sick Pay and
measures to support self-employed people, including in the
gig-economy, to receive welfare payments for periods of
self-isolation.

For those that are in employment, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO STATUTORY SICK
PAY FROM DAY ONE, if you need to take time off work due to becoming
unwell from coronavirus, you'll be entitled to your usual sick leave
and sick pay.

For those not in employment or who have recently been made redundant,
it’s vital to know your rights and get a plan in place - this could
include sorting your finances and making a debt audit, and making sure
you’re receiving all the help you’re entitled to – Money Saving
Expert have compiled a helpful Redundancy Help
[[link removed]] guide as
well as a vital Benefits Checker
[[link removed]] to see
what you may be entitled to.

For additional guidance on sick pay, mortgages, rental help, energy
top-ups, event cancellation – THIS USEFUL GUIDE
[[link removed]]
is being regularly updated by Money Saving Expert.

GUIDANCE FOR BUSINESS IS AVAILABLE HERE
[[link removed]]
[[link removed]]and
HMRC have set up a help line specifically for the self-employed and
businesses that are struggling at this time - 0300 456 3565

The following local organisations are continuing to operate in Harrow:

1.    HARROW CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU: Operating both phone and
email. The telephone times have been extended and extra lines made
available. Advisors are working from home

 

2.    HARROW LAW CENTRE: No face to face appointments. Reduced
telephone contact due to not having the ability to forward calls to
external numbers. 020 8427 9477

 

3.    STEPCHANGE: Have opened a separate page for those struggling
with/worrying about their finances relating to Covid-19 -
[link removed]
[[link removed]]

  

HELPING LOCAL PEOPLE

VOLUNTARY ACTION HARROW, YOUNG HARROW FOUNDATION and HARROW COMMUNITY
ACTION are working with Harrow Council to help coordinate a Harrow
wide response to the Coronavirus outbreak – a database is being
compiled of people who are willing to volunteer during the Coronavirus
Outbreak. Voluntary Action Harrow will use this to inform you of other
organisations looking for volunteers. Please sign up here:
[link removed]
[[link removed]]

A COVID-19 COMMUNITY SUPPORT FACEBOOK group has been set-up,
coordinating action within WhatsApp groups for every ward in Harrow
– you are welcome to join the Facebook group here
[[link removed]]
and if you are not a Facebook member but would like to join your
ward’s WhatsApp group – e-mail [email protected] with your
postcode and the coordinators will add you to the correct group.

HARROW CORONAVIRUS COMMUNITY FUND

Harrow Giving has set up a fund to support front line organisations
that are working with the affected communities. Initially this may be
to help with food distribution or to ensure organisations have the
capacity and resources to support their most vulnerable clients.

[link removed]
[[link removed] ]  
[[link removed] ] 

Harrow Giving is a local charity that funds small local projects to
make a positive difference to the lives of Harrow residents. Harrow
Giving is a trading name of Harrow Community Action (registered
charity no. 1167770) and is administered by Voluntary Action Harrow
Co-operative.

 

HARROW CARERS

Harrow Carers are seeking volunteers to help unpaid carers care for
vulnerable people in Harrow, they will need:

- Drivers to distribute urgent food & supplies

- Care workers to help care for the vulnerable

- Befrienders to telephone and support unpaid carers

- People to teach carers how to use digital platforms in order to stay
in touch with loved ones

Contact [email protected] or call 020 8868 5224 if you can
assist Harrow Carers in any way

ST MARY’S CHURCH - If you are in need of support or company – a
visit (where possible), a telephone call, help with shopping etc. St.
Mary’s would like you to get in contact. You can do this in a
variety of ways via the Church Office. The Office is open on Tuesdays
and Thursdays 9am – 2pm but the messages will be checked daily.

Email: [email protected], Tel: 020 8423 4014 (answerphone:
leave your contact details)

HARROW COUNCIL

Harrow Council has formed a Coronavirus Response Group of Senior
Officers to ensure the continuity of critical services; that
vulnerable residents who are most susceptible to Coronavirus are
looked after and at potential measures to support residents who may
face severe hardship by the possible financial shocks (i.e. loss of
wages) caused by Coronavirus. You can find out the information from
Harrow Council on their response to Covid-19  here
[[link removed]] 
[[link removed]]and
I would also suggest following Harrow Council on twitter for latest
updates here [[link removed]] . Headstone Manor,
Harrow Arts Centre and all Harrow libraries have all now closed until
further notice. Leader of the Council, Graham Henson issued a
statement
[[link removed]]
on the council’s plans and preparations this week and Cllr Adam
Swersky has outlined the council’s current plan here
[[link removed]].

HELP FROM ME 

I appreciate that whilst this outbreak of Covid-19 is currently
dominating a lot of our thoughts, other concerns and problems do not
disappear. However, to help reduce the spread of infection, I am
asking members of the public who need to contact my office to do so by
phone or email rather than in person and further, I will now be
holding surgery appointments exclusively by telephone and Zoom video
conferencing. This is a temporary measure and a sensible precaution to
protect vulnerable people. Please be assured we continue to offer a
full service of advice and support to members of the public who need
it.

As always, my office can be contacted
on [email protected] or by telephone on 0207 219 4243
(Monday-Friday).

Best wishes,

GARETH

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Sent by email from the Labour Party, promoted by Keith Ferry on behalf
of Gareth Thomas, both at 132-134 Blenheim Road, Harrow, HA2 7AA
Website: www.labour.org.uk to join or renew call 0345 092 2299.

                                             
             

The Labour Party, 105 Victoria St Westminster, London, SW1E 6QT, United Kingdom
[link removed]