What's happening behind the scenes in Devon during the national lockdown?
As the second national lockdown continues, we've been looking at what's taking place behind the scenes in Devon.
Last updated 6th Nov 2020
In the Devon County Council area the huge operation to support those previously shielding is getting back up and running.
The council has 34,000 - or roughly 5 per cent of the population - who it willl need to offer support to.
It's being given £8 per head to support things like the local track and trace effort - with councils also expecting money to support businesses.
Councils, local charities and community groups worked hard to ensure that those who needed support, received help during the last national lockdown – including food deliveries, shopping and lifts to medical appointments.
Since then more vulnerable people have been identified.
With the latest lockdown, the ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ have been written to by government again this week, and councils have put in place a support programme for those that need additional help to comply with new lockdown guidance.
Priority supermarket slots are available to speed up deliveries for people who otherwise would not be able to go to the shops to buy food over the next few weeks, as Government-provided food parcels, given to around 7,000 clinically extremely vulnerable people in Devon last time, do not feature in the national support package this time.
The government letter also asks recipients to let them know if they need any specific additional support in order for them to follow the national lockdown guidance for the duration of the lockdown.
Those without family support networks can contact NHS Volunteer Responders, or any of the community groups set up across Devon offering support to local residents, or District Councils, which can signpost to support to help them over the latest lockdown period.
The Director of Public Health Devon, Dr Virginia Pearson, has also written this week to those in Devon identified as being especially vulnerable. In her letter, she says: "Being identified as clinically extremely vulnerable does not mean that you are more likely to catch coronavirus.
"It just means that given your health and condition, the impact of it would be potentially more serious for you, were you to catch it.
"It’s all the more reason for you to be extra careful right now.
“We’d like people to use their existing family networks for support in the first instance, but there is a range of help available to those who do not have that network around them.
For more details of the support available by Devon County Council click here