National lockdown: what it means

England is now in a national lockdown. The message is simple: stay at home.

You must stay at home. The single most important action we can all take is to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

You should follow this guidance immediately. The law will be updated to reflect these new rules.

Below is an overview of the government guidance of what is permitted.

Leaving home

You must not leave, or be outside of your home except where necessary. You may leave the home to:

• shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person;
• go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home;
• exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
• meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one;
• seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse);
• attend education or childcare – for those eligible.

Colleges, primary and secondary schools will remain open only for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. All other children will learn remotely until February half term. Early Years settings remain open.

Schools will be in touch directly with parents and carers about how online learning will be undertaken.

Meeting others

You cannot leave your home to meet socially with anyone you do not live with or are not in a support bubble with (if you are legally permitted to form one).

You may exercise on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble.

You should not meet other people you do not live with, or have formed a support bubble with, unless for a permitted reason.

Stay two metres apart from anyone not in your household.

Detailed guidance on the national lockdown is available on the government website.

Latest coronavirus data for the Island

These are the latest published COVID-19 stats for the Isle of Wight, from Public Health England.

You can read the full COVID-19 data report on our website.

The graphic shows the COVID-19 statistics for the Isle of Wight, published by Public Health England on 4 January 2021 including data up to 3 January 2021.

The graphic shows:

• 2,728 – 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.
• 840 – The number of positive cases in the seven-day period.
• 592.5 – 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.

It is vital we all continue to follow the government guidelines during national restrictions: hands, face, space. 

• Wash your hands often and for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser regularly.
• Wear a face-covering where appropriate.
• Keep space from other people; two metres or at least one metre apart.

Islanders urged to “reset” their behaviours

Islanders are being urged to use the latest national lockdown to “review and reset” their behaviours amid soaring cases of coronavirus which threaten to overwhelm local health and care services.

Isle of Wight Council leader, Dave Stewart, called on residents to redouble their efforts and follow the national lockdown rules to stop the spread of the new, more transmissible variant of the virus.

He said: “We must strive to do everything in our power to prevent local services reaching capacity as they have elsewhere. The outcome is in our hands and we must grasp this opportunity to defeat the virus and rebuild our lives.

“Once again, the Island can show its true community spirit by rising to the challenge we face and doing what is required of us. If everyone does what is being asked, we will come through safely.”

The latest lockdown comes as the Island is predicted to record nearly 1,200 new cases in one week bringing the predicted rate of infection close to 850 per 100,000 population – far greater than the current national average of 520 cases per 100,000 population.

The Island figure had stood at just 21 per 100,000 at the start of last month.

Councillor Stewart said: “Perhaps more than ever before, the behaviour of every single one of us will make the difference. By making these big sacrifices, we can give the NHS critical time and space to do what it does best, and to also deliver the vaccination programme.

“National restrictions, while strict, have been shown to bring infection rates down much faster than other courses of action. It gives us all the opportunity to review and reset our behaviours and do the right things for our family and friends.

“I ask everyone to follow the new rules, stay at home, and continue to follow the ‘hands, face, space’ instruction. It’s the only way to keep the Island safe.”

 Listen to Councillor Stewart’s latest COVID-19 update in full.

 Listen to Maggie Oldham, Isle of Wight NHS Trust chief executive, talk about the impact of COVID-19 on local health services.

For more information on Covid-19, visit https://keeptheislandsafe.org/

You are not alone – support for vulnerable Islanders during lockdown

If you, or someone you care for, are clinically extremely vulnerable, you will previously have received a letter from the NHS or from your GP telling you this.

You might also have been advised to shield in the past. If these apply to you, there are some extra precautions that you should take in the new local restrictions.

If you have not already done so, you should register on the National Shielding Support Service at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-shielding-support 

It is a good idea to register even if you do not have any support needs at the moment. You can update your needs if circumstances change. This will allow you to:

• ask for a priority supermarket delivery slot;
• tell the Isle of Wight Council if you need support that you can’t arrange yourself and cannot be provided by friends, family or other support networks;
• make sure your details such as your address are up to date.

To register you will need your NHS number which is at the top of any letter from the NHS or on a prescription form. If you need help to do this, you can contact the Isle of Wight council’s helpline.

The Isle of Wight COVID-19 helpline can help anyone who feels vulnerable, needs help because of lockdown or self-isolation, or who is alone with no local network of friends, family or neighbours and needs support. To get in touch, call (01983) 823 600 or email contact.centre@iow.gov.uk.

You should continue to seek support from the NHS for any existing health conditions. You can access a range of NHS services from home, including ordering repeat prescriptions or contacting your health professional through an online consultation. If you have an urgent medical need, call NHS 111 or, for a medical emergency, dial 999.

You are advised to stay at home as much as possible. You can still remain in your support bubble, but you cannot meet with friends and family you do not live with unless they are part of your support bubble.

This is part of the wider regulations in place on the Isle of Wight. You are strongly advised to work from home because the risk of exposure to the virus in your area may be significantly higher. If you cannot work from home, then you should not attend work. Any carers or visitors who support you with your everyday needs can continue to visit.

To see more guidance for shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable, the government website is at:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

For further information on coronavirus on the Island, visit keeptheislandsafe.org 

Got symptoms? Self-isolate and get a test

COVID-19 symptoms

If you have any of these symptoms, please self-isolate and book a free test straight away:

• A high temperature.
• A new, continuous cough.
• A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.

Book a COVID-19 test

• You can book a test online
• You can book a test via the NHS COVID-19 app on your mobile phone
• You can call 119 to book a test if you can’t get online.

Please do not travel on public transport or travel to the mainland to get a test.

You can book a postal test if you need to.

The Isle of Wight COVID-19 testing centre is at:

• Newclose Cricket Ground, Blackwater Road, Newport PO30 3BE

The testing centre is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 2.30pm. It is closed on Sunday.

When must I self-isolate?

You must stay at home and not leave your home for anything other than to get a test for ten days if:

• you have symptoms of COVID-19;
• you have had a test and are awaiting your COVID-19 test results;
• you have been told by NHS Test and Trace that you’ve been in contact with a person with COVID-19;
• someone you live with or someone in your support bubble has tested positive for COVID-19;
• you are returning from a country that is not on the government’s travel corridor list.

COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)