Community Connectors Newsletter

With COVID infections continuing to rise, the NHS has launched a new campaign to highlight the pressure hospitals and health providers are facing.
The key message is the new COVID variant is spreading fast and one in three people don’t even know they have it. Therefore, the best way to protect the NHS is to stay at home. If you have to go out, remember to wash your hands, cover your face and make space for others.
Kent and Medway Covid-19 vaccine programme

The NHS is rolling out Covid-19 vaccination across Kent and Medway. Over 90% of the county’s 200 GP practices are now covered by vaccine services and plans are being finalised for the remaining few areas.
View details of vaccine services across Kent and Medway.
Local GP services have been inundated with queries about the vaccine. We understand you be may keen to know when you’ll be invited for your jab. You will be contacted directly when the vaccine is available for you. Please help us keep GP phones free by only calling about the vaccine if you have received an invitation.
To help the NHS provide useful information residents who are considering having the Covid-19 vaccine, the NHS Kent and Medway CCG would like your views on whether you intend to have the vaccine and if there are any specific questions you have about it.
Take part in the survey.
The survey will close on Monday.

Kent ramps up asymptomatic testing

Rapid-result Coronavirus testing for people who don’t have symptoms is being rolled out across Kent this week.
The testing will find people who don’t currently have symptoms, who may be unknowingly spreading the virus. The sites are part of a rolling programme to help reduce the rates of transmission in Kent.
Nineteen test centres are being provided across Kent, including in Sevenoaks and Swanley and close to the District in Tunbridge Wells, Dartford and Gravesend.
All testing sites will be open daily from 9am to 7pm Monday, starting on Thursday 7 January.
Anyone who lives or works in Kent can book a test. Once all 14 sites are open, there will be capacity for over 13,000 tests across Kent each day.

You can book a test online.

Befriending services available

During this difficult time, there are many services available for those who are in isolation to help combat loneliness.

• The NHS have a ‘Click in and chat’ volunteer befriending service that operates on weekdays. They also have a ‘Click plus’ service where
• a volunteer will call someone three times a week for ten weeks.
• AgeUK also have a telephone friendship service that older people can sign up to for a chat with a volunteer.
• Young People who are suffering from isolation can get help at Young Minds

Supporting business through COVID

Throughout the COVID pandemic, we’ve been doing our best to support local businesses through these very tough times.
Right now, we are making funding available for businesses that had to close or lost income because of the recent Tier 3 or Tier 4 restrictions, funding for certain pubs and funding for businesses closed during second lockdown (5 November to 2 December 2020).
Additional funding will also be available for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses affected by the current lockdown once details are available from the Government.
You can view the last business support grants at www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/lockdownsupport