CFO suggests the following advice for community focused services (i.e transport/community halls/oil buying scheme/good neighbour schemes)
The government advised on Monday 16th that:
Anyone with a fever or persistent cough should stay at home for seven days if they live alone or 14 days if they live with others. Anyone who lives with someone displaying coronavirus symptoms should also stay at home for 14 days. People who have to isolate themselvesshould ask others for help
- Everyone should stop non-essential contact with others. This is particularly important for people over 70, those with underlying health conditions and pregnant women
- People should work from home where they can
- People should avoid places like pubs, clubs and theatres. This applies especially to those in London which is “a few weeks ahead” of the rest of the UK
- People should stop all unnecessary travel
- By the weekend, those with the most serious health conditions should be largely shielded from social contact for 12 weeks
Volunteer Car Schemes
In light of this, we suggest volunteer car schemes should consider postponing their service. This is advice only and is not mandatory, but we sense we will be entering lock-down soon, which means at best all we can offer is to keep an eye on our neighbours.
Community Halls
It seems sensible to stop activities in community buildings. Some activities are essential like lunch clubs but they contain people in the highly vulnerable category and so unfortunately we think they should stop (volunteers running these activities may have already stopped them).
Community Oil Buying Scheme
Oil suppliers are seeing a large increase in the orders and delivery times are extending. The heating oil price however, remains reasonably low at around 39ppl. We would suggest that if you are in the at-risk category that you order a minimum quantity of 500 litres as soon as you can fit it into your tank.
Red Arrow Good Neighbour Service
We run our own Good Neighbour scheme service in Oxford City and have volunteers who are happy to visit, get shopping etc. for those in self isolation. If you know of anyone in Oxford City who needs help, please contact us by email [email protected]
Age UK Oxfordshire have a new telephone support service for older people in Oxfordshire: 01865 411822. They offer a weekly call to see how you are and also problem-solving if you are facing problems.
For further guidance go to the Gov.uk website: