Things to do this May half term
For more ideas of things to do, head to Visit Isle of Wight’s website.
Enjoy the good weather, but stay safe by the water
Islanders heading to the coast this half term and over the summer months are being urged to take care and respect the water.
Coastal areas provide a great opportunity to enjoy fresh air and open space but they can be an unpredictable and dangerous environment, particularly during early summer when air temperatures start warming up but water temperatures remain dangerously cold, increasing the risk of cold water shock.
Claire Hughes, director of HM Coastguard, said: “We’re asking everyone to follow a few simple safety tips, so the trip is memorable for all the right reasons.
“Before setting out, take a minute to check the weather, tides and winds to help avoid getting caught out.
“Leave inflatables at home as they are designed for the pool, not open water, where the wind and current can very quickly take you out to sea and into danger.
“Recreational watersports such as paddleboarding are now incredibly popular and we’d encourage everyone to make it a fun rather than frightening experience.
“It pays to prepare and taking a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch when you set out for a paddle will mean you can call for help if needed.
“If you or someone else is in trouble, always call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
Not everyone who finds themselves in trouble in the water, expected to even get wet though.
‘In a normal year, nationally around 140 people lose their lives accidentally at the coast and we know that more than half of those never intended to be in the water,’ added Gareth Morrison, the RNLI’s head of water safety.
‘If you find yourself in trouble in cold water, your natural reaction can be to panic and thrash around, which increases the chances of breathing in water and drowning.
“The best thing to do is to float on your back and wait for the effects of cold water shock to pass until you can control your breathing. You can then plan your next move to reach safety.”
Enjoy yourself and keep the Island safe
Our actions make a big difference. Now more than ever, we need to protect each other and the Island by keeping risks low.
- If you’re going out, keep a safe distance from people who aren’t friends and family.
- Wear a face covering when required or where social distancing is difficult.
- Meet outside where possible. Stick to six people or two households when meeting indoors and let fresh air in.
- Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.
- If you’re going out to eat or drink, every person in your group must leave their details. Using the NHS COVID-19 app is the easiest way to do this.
- When you are invited to by the NHS book your COVID-19 vaccination.
- Protect yourself and others, break the chains of transmission. Get regular COVID-19 rapid response tests.
- If you get symptoms, self-isolate immediately and book a test.
- When required, self-isolate.
Webinar for venues and organisers hosting small events
Join our webinar and Q&A session, on Thursday 10 June from 3pm to 4.30pm, for venues and organisers hosting events as part of their business activities.
This webinar is specifically for people and venues holding events where:
- People are likely to congregate in one area for the duration of the event.
- People are likely to enter or leave the venue in large numbers at a similar time.
This is a joint information session with Hampshire Constabulary. The webinar will look at COVID-19 regulations in addition to general information.
Latest Island COVID-19 and vaccine statistics
These are the latest published vaccination and COVID-19 stats for the Isle of Wight, from NHS England and Public Health England, respectively.
Cases are expected to fluctuate as we come out of lockdown and the government’s programme of rapid response testing for people without symptoms is rolled out.
You can read the full report here: https://www.iow.gov.uk/covid19_data
The COVID-19 statistics for the Isle of Wight, published by Public Health England on 31 May 2021 at 4pm including data up to 30 May 2021.
The vaccination statistics for the Isle of Wight, published by NHS England on 27 May 2021 including data up to 23 May 2021.
The graphic shows:
- 96,463 – The number of island residents who have received their first dose of the vaccine.
- 67,490 – The number of island residents who have received their second dose of the vaccine.
- 6,859 – The number of confirmed cases to date of Island residents who have received a positive COVID-19 test result since March 2020. This is based on the residential address of the person tested rather than where they are registered with a GP.
- 19 – The number of positive cases in the seven-day period.
- 13.4 – Weekly cases per 100,000. This is the number of Island residents who have received a positive COVID-19 test result in the seven-day period, divided by the total population of the Island.
Mental health is a key priority for the Island
We would like to hear your views and experiences about accessing mental health and wellbeing support.
If you have a few minutes to share your thoughts, please complete our survey.
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