Residents encouraged to get COVID booster jabs when asked


Residents encouraged to get COVID booster jabs when asked	View in browser

Update from Steve Maddern, Director of Public Health

From today (Friday 24 September) invitations for COVID-19 booster vaccines have been sent out by the NHS across Swindon to all those currently eligible for a third dose.

This is priority groups 1-9 who received the vaccination in Phase 1 of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, including people over 50, health and social care workers, care home residents and people aged between 16 and 64 with an underlying health condition.

The invitations, which will arrive in the form of a nationally-circulated letter or a text from a local GP practice, will encourage people to book their appointments through the National Booking Service. Using the service will allow people to choose to have their vaccine at the site most convenient to them, which in some cases may be different from where their first two jabs were given.

We know that many people are keen to keep their COVID-19 immunity topped up, and this is fantastic to see, but the NHS do ask that those expecting a booster vaccine wait to be contacted, as invitations will only be sent six months after the date of a person’s last vaccination, with those who had their vaccines early being called up first.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, make sure you arrange to take a PCR test as soon as possible. This still applies even if you have received one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Latest COVID-19 case rate data

From 14 September to 20 September, there were 688 new COVID-19 cases in Swindon, up from 534 the previous week.

As of today (24 September), the COVID-19 case rate in Swindon is 309 per 100k, up from 240 last week. The South West average is 239 per 100k, while the England average is 285 per 100k.

Latest vaccine update

A further 230 residents have had their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, bringing the total number of people aged 18 and over vaccinated with the first dose to 163,293 (85.2%).

A total of 3,576 residents have had their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, bringing the total number of Swindon residents aged 18 and over who are fully vaccinated to 153,730 (80.2%).

Vaccine walk-in clinic

There will be an AstraZeneca walk-in vaccine clinic at Sanford House (Sanford Street, SN1 1HE) on Tuesday (28 Sept) from 3pm-7pm.

The clinic will only be open to those aged over 18 who require a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. There is no need to book.

Find out more about future vaccine clinics on our website

What can you do about rising energy prices?

There's been lots in the news recently about rising energy prices.

Taking steps at home to use energy efficiently and keep the warmth in can help reduce both your bills and carbon footprint.

Our homes make up more than 21% of the UK’s total carbon emissions - around 75% of which comes from our heating systems.

Make sure you're on the best tariff for your needs.
Just turning down your thermostat by one degree could cut your bills by £80/yr.
Get free and impartial energy saving advice from Simple Energy Advice.
Access fuel debt advice if you are struggling to pay your energy bills by phoning Warm and Safe Wiltshire on their free helpline 0800 038 5722 or by visiting their website.
Use this postcode checker to access personalised information on the energy efficiency of your home and any grants that might be available to you.
Monitor your energy usage in real-time by upgrading to a smart meter.

To find out what else you and your family can do, check the Be the Change website.

Step it up this #RecycleWeek

It’s national Recycle Week and we’ve enlisted the help of local resident Lisa Mitchell to share her top tips to make recycling easy. Lisa is the founder of the Facebook group Highworth Recycling, a community initiative set-up to help people dispose of their hard-to-recycle waste.

Check out the Council's recycling page for a comprehensive list of what can be collected at kerbside
Stick a list somewhere obvious (e.g. your fridge door) so everyone in your household is aware of what can be recycled
Find out what else you can recycle in your local area: any charity schemes or local TerraCycle initiatives
Think about the packaging your chosen shopping is coming in, try to buy recyclable alternatives where possible
Talk to friends and see what they are recycling over and above the standard council collections. Word of mouth is great for sharing information and ideas

Waste creation and disposal is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Reduce your impact on the environment by wasting less and recycling more.

Are you ready for Stoptober?

If you’re a smoker, quitting smoking is one of the best things you will ever do for your health. You’ll likely have heard that many times before, but it’s true. The sooner you quit, the sooner you'll notice changes to your body, your health and your wallet.

This year is the tenth anniversary of the NHS Stoptober campaign, which has already helped over two million people make a quit attempt. Evidence shows that if you can quit for 28 days, you’re five times more likely to quit for good, so by quitting this October, you’ll be far more likely to stop smoking permanently.

Many people try to quit smoking with willpower alone, but it's much easier with the right help. There are lots of support options available, so try a combination that works for you:

Visit the NHS website to find out more about the different support services available
Take a look at our website for the details of local smoking support services (you’re three times more likely to quit using local services)
Download the NHS Quit Smoking app to track your progress and get daily support.

Quitting isn’t easy, but with the right support you could quit for good this Stoptober.

Let’s play Beat the Street

Beat the Street is now in full swing since starting last week in Swindon. The aim of the game is to earn as many points as possible for you and your team by walking, running, cycling, scooting or roller skating between Beat Boxes across the town.

Schools will be continuing to hand out activity packs and fobs to children aged 11 and under next week. All other players can play with a Beat the Street card which can be collected from one of the distribution points located across Swindon.

Once you have your card or your child has their fob, make sure you register it online to begin playing.

Have your say on greener transport options in Swindon

There’s only a few days left to have your say on the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan and the draft Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Strategy.

The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan sets out a proposal to improve a number of cycling and walking routes across Swindon over the next ten years. You can read the plan and share your thoughts here.

The Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Strategy looks at different options to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points in Swindon to make it easier for people to make the switch to greener transport in the years ahead. You can read the plan and share your thoughts here.

Both consultations close on Monday (27 September) so get your views in quick.

Be the Change: Swindon schools are leading the way

Lethbridge Primary School in Old Town are top in class when it comes to their eco credentials. The school is Eco Schools green flag accredited and has a cohort of student eco warriors from each year group who work hard to ensure the school is being environmentally friendly.

Helen Rowlatt, Eco Lead at Lethbridge Primary School, had this to say:

“We have held our green flag for several years now, but as a school we have definitely become more eco-friendly and more proactive in ensuring that we do as much as we can.

“The eco warriors have been given more responsibilities for ensuring that we maintain high standards in regards to things like recycling, energy efficiency and litter picking, whilst also initiating new projects.

“It is up to everyone to do as much as they can and it is important to instil this view whilst children are young.

Lethbridge Primary School are playing their part to tackle climate change, you can play your part too. Find out how on the Be the Change webpages.

Ready to have your say in upcoming elections?

Every year we send a canvass form to all residential properties in the town to check who’s eligible to register to vote. If you haven’t already, you’ll soon receive a letter or email from us. Please read it carefully and follow the instructions. Wherever possible, you should respond either online or by telephone. If you have responded by phone or email, then you do not need to send a physical copy to us.

To find out more about the annual canvass and read our FAQs, visit our website.

Have your say on Swindon's Local Plan

You now have extra time to share your views on the Swindon Borough Local Plan, which sets out where development, including housing and employment land, is needed in Swindon, until the year 2036. We want to make sure as many residents as possible have the opportunity to comment on the Local Plan, so the consultation period has now been extended and will close at 5pm on 7 October 2021.

You can find out how to read and share your views on the plan on our website.

HemingwayDesign to create a place brand for Heritage Action Zone

Swindon’s Railway Village has long been the source of pride for many people in Swindon. It was built to house employees at the Great Western Railway Works who, in turn, built nationally significant buildings such as the Health Hydro, often described as the forerunner of the NHS.

In order to promote the town’s heritage, we have appointed design partners HemingwayDesign and CTConsults to identify and promote the true character of the Heritage Action Zone that remains rooted in the history and stories of the area.

Over the next 18 months, HemingwayDesign, CTConsults, the Council and key partners will work together on the place brand project.

The goal is to define a set of shared values, common goals and a ‘personality’ for the area to explain what the Heritage Action Zone stands for and how it will help promote Swindon as an attractive place to live, work, visit and invest in.