COVID-19 Local Update

Please find below an update on local services, and also the latest set of local statistics on COVID-19.

If you, or a friend or neighbour, is in need of support don’t hesitate to get I touch with the local team. You can contact your local community Hub directly via 0161 253 5353, they have a team of volunteers ready to help with essential tasks such as shopping or collecting prescriptions.

Important information from NHS Bury and Bury Council:
“Health leaders in Bury have urged residents to follow the official Covid-19 safety guidelines, warning that we are nowhere near ‘out of the woods’ yet.

They are extremely concerned about reports suggesting that the infection rate – the R rate – is coming down fast and the battle is being won.

And while the lockdown is being gradually lifted, it is vital that everyone maintains social distancing, washes their hands and obeys the rules about who and how many people they can meet, and co-operates with the Test and Trace service as lockdown is eased to avoid transmission rising again.

Lesley Jones, Bury’s director of public health, said: “Calculating the R rate is very complex, involving data from many sources. National experts at Public Health England and several academic units produce regional estimates for R. For smaller areas the numbers of cases is lower and this means that estimates are likely to be unreliable and possibly misleading.

“Cases of coronavirus infection in Bury, and deaths in all settings, are largely flatlining and, at best, showing a marginal drop. This is consistent with regional estimates that suggest the R rate in the North West is close to 1.

“We are at a critical stage in managing the pandemic. While everyone is keen to unlock, we are also mindful of how likely we are close to an ‘R’ rate of 1, and the danger of a fresh surge in the virus. Reports of large gatherings in public spaces and a sentiment of ‘lockdown is over’ are concerning.”

Even More Items allowed at the Tip!
Wood, rubble and scrap metal are now accepted at local tips (from Saturday 30 May). General waste (including small bulky items) and garden waste can also be taken to the Cemetery Road location as more sites and containers are gradually re-opened across Greater Manchester.

Social distancing measures will remain in place, and visitors must attend on the days set aside depending on whether their car registration plate is an odd or even number.

More information here.

Play Areas
Please note that children’s play areas remain closed (because of the need to maintain social distancing). There have been some reports of people ignoring this advice, the the play areas have all recently been ‘taped closed’ again. Please let us know if there remain issues with this.

COVID-19 Local Statistics
Bury Council and the local NHS have published this set of local statistics about COVID-19 in our area.

This shows trends of people who have died over recent months, with analysis for place of death (e.g. hospital, care home or at home), occupation and ethnicity. There is also a breakdown of COVID dealths as a proportion of all deaths by local area (see below map).

The full set of statistics is here.

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