11/4/20
Dear Buckfastleigh Residents,
Thank-you for your continued support for the measures to reduce the spread of Corona Virus COVID19 through our community and beyond during this incredibly difficult time. Thank-you to the medical staff who are working flat out to keep people safe, to the care home staff and carers who are so carefully looking after vulnerable older people and thanks to everyone who is keeping things going during this crisis – school teachers, delivery drivers, shop keepers, bus drivers – all of you. And thanks to all the volunteers who have come forward in this hour of need and are working hard to look after all our neighbours.
I am extremely sad to say that we have had at least one death in our community due to the virus. I am informed that there are likely to be at least 30 people who are suffering from the infection in this community, though without any local testing it is impossible to know for sure. There are inevitably a number more who are infected without knowing it.
So it is vitally important more now than ever that we observe the recommended precautions to the very best of our ability. We have to act on the assumption that we may carry the virus (you can have it mildly or be infectious before any symptoms are apparent) and therefore may spread it inadvertently – and that everyone else around us might be carrying it too.
This means that in order to stop and slow the spread of this disease, it is crucial that we are all extremely careful to:
- Keep Social Distancing – Except for those in your own household, keep your distance from people to a minimum of 2 metres (a car’s length) wherever possible…
- Wash Our Hands (for at least 20 seconds) – before touching anything that others might touch and after touching anything anyone else might have touched (avoid touching your face until you have washed them)…
- Stay at Home whenever possible – Unless you have to travel to work, the advice is to only leave your home for a brief period of exercise and one shopping trip each day. If you can get by with less, that’s better. Please don’t drive anywhere unless you have to – the police and emergency services cannot cope with people on the roads during this crisis – they have the power to stop and fine you if you are making unnecessary trips.
- Socially Isolate if you have any symptoms of the disease – high temperature/fever, dry cough and breathing difficulty being the most common symptoms (and go here or ring 111) – or if you are at high risk.
If you need support – food or medicines, advice or just someone to talk to – call the Helpline on 01364 255 819. We have a great team of volunteers who are working hard to help everyone who is struggling during this emergency.
Please, please follow these guidelines as closely as you are able to – your actions right now can literally save your friend’s and neighbour’s lives…
…and please let’s try and remain patient and be thoughtful with each other during this stressful time – we may not be able to do much together but we can still be friendly to our neighbours and give each other a smile…
Stay Safe – Save Lives
Thank-you,
Cllr. Andy Stokes, Chair of Buckfastleigh Town Council and Mayor