News

From the Shropshire Council website:

During the 7-day period from 1-7 January in Shropshire:

• 1,457 new cases reported
• This was an increase of 687 cases compared to the previous week
• The seven-day infection rate for Shropshire was 450.9 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 of the population.
• For the West Midlands it was 599 per 100,000
• For England it was 610.8 per 100,000
• 10,228 COVID-19 tests were undertaken in Shropshire
• There were 20 COVID-19-related deaths in Shropshire hospitals
• 86 hospital beds at the Royal Shrewsbury & Princess Royal Hospitals were occupied by COVID-19 patients
• 498 cases relate to people under the age of 30
• 148 cases relate to people aged 70+
• During the last week 30% of cases were in the Shrewsbury & Atcham area
• 42% were in north Shropshire
• 28% were in south Shropshire

Testing for precautionary symptoms

If you have any of following less common symptoms, we are asking you to consider getting tested as a precaution:

• Shortness of breath
• Headaches
• Aches and pains
• Feeling very tired for no good reason
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Sometimes ‘tummy ache’ in children.

There are a number of testing sites across Shropshire which can be booked online at www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or by calling 119. People can use the option of “my council has asked me to book a test” if they have the other symptoms.

People across Shropshire who have symptoms such as headaches, fatigue or sore throats are being urged to book a COVID-19 test.

Shropshire Council has increased its testing capacity as the county looks to strengthen its response to the sharp rise in cases.

Currently, anyone in Shropshire who has one of the main symptoms – a high temperature, new cough or loss of taste or smell – must self-isolate immediately and book a test.

But with more people testing positive, who may who have other symptoms, Shropshire Council is now encouraging anyone to consider getting tested as a precaution if they have any of the following symptoms:

• Shortness of breath
• Headaches
• Aches and pains
• Feeling very tired for no good reason
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Sometimes ‘tummy ache’ in children.

People with any of these less common COVID-19 symptoms can carry on going to work if they are well enough to do so, and only need to self-isolate if the test comes back positive.

There are a number of testing sites across Shropshire which can be booked online at www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or by calling 119. People can use the option of “my council has asked me to book a test” if they have the other symptoms.

Further information

For local advice and support during the pandemic (especially if you are self-isolating or shielding), call Shropshire Council’s COVID-19 Helpline on 0345 678 9028 (lines open on the weekend on Saturday from 9am-4pm and Sunday 9am-12pm) or visit our website at www.shropshire.gov.uk/coronavirus.

News from Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP)

Local organisations have joined forces to call on local people across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin to be a part of history by giving the gift of their time to help in the county’s fight against coronavirus and COVID-19.

Shropshire Rural Communities Charity (Shropshire RCC), Shropshire Youth Association (SYA) and Shropshire Council are working with the county’s health and care organisations to lead a volunteer recruitment campaign to support local rapid testing and vaccination services.

Testing and vaccination are the country’s best hope of a return to more normal life.

#BeAPartOfHistory

The people of Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin can help by signing up to one of the available roles, including vaccination marshals, car parking marshals, results recorders and reception assistants.

In Shropshire, volunteers are needed to help with the county’s rapid testing programme.

Everyone who registers their interest to volunteer will be risk assessed and before starting their role will receive the appropriate training and induction.

To sign up, people can visit the Shropshire RCC website at www.shropshire-rcc.org.uk/covid19volunteers.

Partners involved include Shropshire Rural Communities Charity, Shropshire Youth Association, Shropshire Council, Telford & Wrekin Council, NHS Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust.

This volunteer recruitment campaign is part of the local campaign #BeAPartOfHistory which is also looking to recruit current and retired healthcare professionals, but also non-clinical staff in a range of administrative, reception and other front-of-house roles to support the vaccine rollout.