1. Residents
  2. Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  3. Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Latest government guidance - Living with Covid Plan

On 21 February, the Prime Minister set out the next steps for living with COVID-19, as part of the Government’s plan to manage the virus like other respiratory illnesses. You can read the full Living with Covid plan on the Government’s website here.

Vaccination

Vaccinations - including boosters

There are a range of ways to access your first, second or booster vaccines in North Tyneside, find out more using the link below.

Latest information on vaccinations in North Tyneside

 

Covid testing from 1 April

The Government has released information about who can access free COVID tests from 1 April. Read more here.  

Walk-through testing sites

The two walk-through testing sites, operated by the Department of Health and Social Care, at The Parks Sports Centre, North Shields, and  Coronation Street car park, Wallsend, closed on 31 March 2022.

The Government is beginning a rolling programme to remove the PCR testing sites across the country from the end of March 2022, including The Parks Sports Centre, North Shields, and Coronation Street car park, Wallsend. Although these sites will closed in March, the Government has informed us that the structure at Coronation Street will not be taken down until early May and the structure at The Parks in August. The Government will maintain security arrangements at the sites until their removal.

Covid-19 Support Hub

Our dedicated support hub continues to be available for those with coronavirus in need of immediate help and support and who can’t call on family, friends, neighbours or carers.

Support will be tailored for individual needs, including welfare phone calls, help with accessing food shopping and medicine deliveries.

The opening hours for the COVID-19 support hub are Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, and is available via TEL: 0345 2000 101 or emailing contact.us@northtyneside.gov.uk.

The council’s emergency contact numbers remain available as normal. You can find details on these here.

North Tyneside-based charity VODA is coordinating volunteers in North Tyneside, please visit www.voda.org.uk for more information including if you would like to volunteer.

For information about living well, local activities and the support and services that are available to residents in North Tyneside, visit www.livingwellnorthtyneside.co.uk. 

Self-isolation checklist

You could have to self-isolate at a moment's notice, make sure you’re prepared in advanced. Here’s a suggested checklist to help you to do so:

 

  • Medication: Do you know how to order any medication online or by phone, or can someone bring it to your home? Are you already registered with your local pharmacy for prescription delivery?

 

  • Food: Most online delivery slots book up days in advance - do you have a friend/neighbour lined up who would be able to bring a shop to your house?

 

  • Pets: do you have a dog that will need walking? Have you already asked a friend/neighbour if they would be able to take this on?

 

  • Homeschooling: Do you have everything you need at home to homeschool your children (if you have children/they are at school), or if not, do you know who to contact who could help?

 

  • Homeworking: Do you have everything you need to work from home if you are able to? If not, do you know who to contact at work who could help?

 

  • Caring: Do you care for someone such as a friend, neighbour, relative? Have you made alternative arrangements for them to be cared for? If you need support with this, please contact North Tyneside Carers’ Centre: www.northtynesidecarers.org.uk  

 

  • Exercise: You must not leave your home for exercise either - can you exercise in your home or garden instead? Perhaps try some of the workouts from our Active North Tyneside team - you can find them on its Facebook page

 

  • A helping hand: For those needing to self-isolate and can’t call on family and friends, the council will provide support for the 10-day isolation period. Contact our COVID-19 Support Hub via the details above.

Related documents

North Tyneside Covid-19 Outbreak Control Plan

A plan that aims to prevent any future localised outbreaks of coronavirus in North Tyneside and also manage any new spikes of infections has been published.

You can find that plan here.

Council tax support and hardship fund

The Council operates a Council Tax Support scheme to help those on low income pay their Council Tax. The Government is providing additional funding for those working age residents receiving Council Tax Support to further reduce the Council Tax they have to pay.

Over nine thousand working age households living in North Tyneside who are in receipt of Council Tax Support will benefit from a reduction of up to £150.00 on their Council Tax bill.

58% of these will not have to pay any Council Tax for the financial year 2020/21, removing the worry of how to meet their Council Tax during these difficult times.

This additional support will automatically be granted and claimants do not need to make a claim. New Council Tax bills will be issued as soon as possible with the additional support applied.

Any Council Tax that is paid in April for those who do not need to pay anything will receive a refund.

If you currently do not claim Council Tax Support and you are on a low income, you should check whether you are entitled to claim by using the online calculator and submitting a claim.

A range of support is available here for people who may be struggling financially due to the coronavirus. 

Support for residents

Employment and financial support

Find out about work and financial support from the government.

Employment and skills

Find out more about how our Employment and skills team can help you.

Reopening High Streets Safely

During Autumn 2020 the Council was successful with a bid for money from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2014-2020.

This money enabled the Council to tender and appoint experienced research consultants of People & Places Partnership and the footfall monitoring technology of Proximity Futures, to assist in the creation, development and production of an action plan to support the reopening and long-term sustainability of local high street businesses following the lockdown.

This will include the collection of baseline data which will be used to support and underpin any recommendations produced and provide a means of tracking the success of any proposed interventions.

A key focus of the action plan, in line with the requirements of the Reopening High Streets Safely Funding, should be on supporting Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), that operate alongside public spaces and 'have customers', to reopen, welcome back customers safely, and continue to trade in the longer term.

As part of the data collection exercise, we have also installed footfall counters in our three town centres. This will help monitor the health and vibrancy of the retail centres. We will also be working with local Chambers of Trade and community groups to survey business and customer views about priorities of the short-term reopening and long-term revitalisation of the town and local centres.

Find out more about the project here.

Business can also access the 'How to keep your business COVID safe' document below.

Support for local businesses

The Government has announced a number of measures to support businesses and their employees during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

With the support of North Tyneside Business Forum we have put together have put together some guidance, FAQs & links to the Government website in an easy to access format. 

Further information on the support for businesses can be found on the gov.uk website

Practical Business Advice & Support

For enquiries regarding Covid-19 business support, please email business@northtyneside.gov.uk. A member of the team will respond to you during the working hours 9am-5pm.

The Business Recovery Programme is also providing Quick-access, free and practical hands-on support for North Tyneside businesses to aid their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic more information can be found on the Business Support page.

Financial support for businesses

On 30 December the Government published its guidance following the announcement of 21 December, 2021, of a further £1 billion of support being made available for businesses.

Grants of up to £6,000 for eligible businesses are those offering in-person services in the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sectors.

For more information visit our business support page here

To be notified of future business support & grant schemes, please register to become a member of North Tyneside Business Forum. 

Outbreak Support Fund

This grant is aimed at businesses affected by staffing shortages due to an outbreak of Covid-19. Eligible businesses must have premises that are normally open to the public and a minimum of 3 staff.

Detailed criteria and online application form

Taxis - Additional Restrictions Support Grant

Unfortunately, all of our business grant schemes are now closed as they have been fully allocated or are beyond the closure dates set by Government. Although we hope to, at this stage we have not yet received any ARG top-up funding from the Government. If further funding is received, this will be 100% allocated to delivering support to businesses in North Tyneside prior to March 2022.

We will continue to work within the parameters of the fund, the changing landscape and the wider business community to understand where it is best placed. We cannot comment on other local authorities grant schemes.

 

 

 

Info for Adult Social Care customers and providers

Social care updates for residents

Adult Social Care commissioned providers

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - Urgent Needs

An increase in demand for both PPE and non-PPE products has put the supply chain under significant pressure. 

It is important that usage of PPE equipment across all sectors is in line with the following guidance: Gov.UK national guidance. 

New PPE Portal

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has put in place a PPE Portal allowing Healthcare providers to order from a central inventory. The PPE portal can be used by social care and primary care providers to order and receive critical coronavirus (COVID-19) personal protective equipment (PPE). The Portal can be accessed below:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ppe-portal-how-to-order-emergency-personal-p...

Who Can Use the PPE Portal

You can only log in and place an order if you have received an email invitation to register. The PPE portal can be used by:

  • GPs
  • residential social care providers
  • domiciliary social care providers
  • pharmacies
  • dentists
  • orthodontists
  • optometrists
  • children’s care homes and secure homes
  • children’s residential special schools

If you’re a provider in one of these categories, your invitation to register will be sent to your email account registered with Care Quality Commission (CQC), NHS Business Services Authority (BSA), NHS England or the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

When to Use the PPE Portal 

The PPE portal is an emergency top-up system.

You should continue using your business-as-usual and wholesaler routes to access PPE. You should only use the PPE portal for additional PPE if needed and quantities available to order are set out on the website.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ppe-portal-how-to-order-emergency-personal-p...

National Supply Disruption Response (NSDR)

The National Supply Disruption Response 24/7 helpline 0800 915 9964 is still available if you are not able to get PPE from your usual sources. This is a freephone number in the UK. They may be able to supply emergency and small kits, for example 100-200 units of each type of PPE.

You will need to supply the following information during your call:

  • name, email and telephone number of the requestor
  • name, email and telephone number of a contact for the next 24 hours (for example out of hours cover if the original requestor will be unavailable)
  • delivery address, including postcode; and named contact for receiving deliveries
  • confirmation that your organisation can receive the delivery outside of normal business hours 
  • number of COVID-19 patients being treated (confirmed and suspected) 
  • number of beds in your organisation (if appropriate) 
  • details of your current stock situation
  • how long your current PPE stock provides cover for (for example less then 24 hours; one to two days, or more than two days) 
  • which products you are requesting and in what quantity

The NSDR is focused on fulfilling emergency orders, for example orders required in less than 72 hours. They do not have access to the full lines of stock but they are able to mobilise small priority orders quickly. 

 

Related documents

Support and resources to help children, young people, carers and their families

We recognise that children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and their parents/ carers are facing numerous challenges as a result of Coronavirus (Covid-19). This document is intended to explain what support is available on a local level to children, young people, carers and families and to offer resources to support children, young people and their families during this time.

Related documents

Information in other formats and languages

You can find the most up to date Government advice at www.gov.uk – this information is published in html format suitable for use with screen readers.

Information on coronavirus in additional formats and languages

The Government has published:

Easy read guides on:

 

Guidance in other languages including: Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Gujarati, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi and Urdu:

 

The government has also published COVID-19: migrant health guide

 

Additional information in other languages is also available from:

 

However the Covid-19 information provided by www.gov.uk is the most up to date.

 

For guidance and information in British Sign Language (BSL):

 

For blind people and people with sight loss:

 

The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) is publishing Covid-19 news and guides .

 

The RNIB has also published Covid test kit instructions and Covid Test Kit instructions in digital braille

 

Large print publications: