The single most important action we can all take in fighting coronavirus is to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives. We've all come a long way - let's not compromise it now.

Remember, if you have to go out for an essential reason such as food, medicine, or to take exercise, please make sure you are saying 2 metres (6ft) away from other people.

Thank you to everyone in our district for doing their bit. It is working and it really is helping to save lives. 

Please remember to keep an eye on our coronavirus hub on our website for the latest information and updates.

►Latest update on our services

►Latest government advice and guidance

►Community support

►Business support and advice

Access to coronavirus testing expanded

Earlier this week during the government's daily coronavirus briefing, Matt Hancock announced a further expansion of their testing programme.

Testing is now available to all over 65s and members of their households, if they have symptoms.

Additionally, any worker who needs to leave their home in order to go to work, and their households, if any of them have symptoms can also get a test.

If this applies to you, or anyone in your household, please go online now and apply for a test.

More details available here: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested

NHS Help us Help you

• If you need medical help, the NHS is still here for you.
• If you need medical help from your GP practice, contact them either online, by an app or by phone to be assessed.
• If you need urgent medical help, use the NHS 111 online service. If you cannot get help online, call 111.
• If it’s a serious or life-threatening emergency, call 999.
• If you are told to go to hospital it is important that you go to hospital.
• You should continue to attend your appointments, unless you have been told not to attend.

Visit nhs.uk for more information and advice. 

Our coronavirus response so far

Here is a snapshot of just some of the work we have been doing to support our communities since the government’s instruction to stay at home on March 23.

Thanks to all our staff, members, volunteers, partners, residents and businesses.

Update on our community hub work

Our virtual Braintree community hub have been working hard helping those requesting support for food shopping, prescriptions, befriending and mental health support. The Community Hub has received over 170 referrals from the Essex Welfare Service and they continue to signpost these to Town & Parish Councils and community groups or deal with them via the Community Transport Team.

The hub have also contacted approx. 652 people that the government has identified as being high risk and requiring additional support.

Our Community Transport Team are delivering food parcels to those that are self-isolating.

A huge thank you to our volunteers and staff working hard to support our most vulnerable residents during this time.

We are still here supporting those who need us.

FREE online learning platform

A new online learning platform to help boost the nation’s skills while people are staying at home has been launched this week. 

The new platform gives people access to free, high-quality digital and numeracy courses to help build up their skills, progress in work and boost their job prospects. 

Visit their website for more details.

VE DAY 75 anniversary 8th May Bank Holiday – Collection dates have CHANGED

Since your collection calendar was delivered in August 2019, there have been changes made to the collection dates that were originally published.

As the usual early May bank holiday Monday has been changed to Friday 8th May and includes the weekend in order to commemorate VE Day 75, (the 75th anniversary of the formal end of World War II,) revisions have been made to the waste and recycling collection dates, to reflect this change. 

Please see the table below for your revised collection date:

Please remember, the Garden Waste collection service remains suspended due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Find out more and download your REVISED collection calendar.

How you can celebrate VE Day at home

There are so many ways you can get involved to celebrate VE Day next weekend. 

• Download and colour in their VE Day poster and stick in your window for others to see
• Share stories if someone in your family served or played a role in WW2 by emailing us at marketing@braintree.gov.uk
• Follow the hashtag #VEDay75 on social media 
• Decorate your home with bunting 

Keeping you updated

For updates on what's happening locally, visit our dedicated coronavirus webpage: www.braintree.gov.uk/coronavirus.

You can also sign up to our text message service to get the latest updates on our waste and recycling service.

Please encourage any friends and colleagues to sign up to receive regular bulletins from the Council and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.