Dorset Council Updates - Roadmap for easing lockdown - Community Testing - Vaccination Transport

27th February 2021

Roadmap for easing lockdown

The Government has published its four-step plan to ease lockdown in England.

In the first stage from 8 March:

• pupils and students in all schools and further education can return to face-to-face education with testing measures in place
• you can spend time in outdoor public spaces for recreation on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble
• wraparound childcare can reopen (such as breakfast and after school clubs)
• indoor visits to care homes start again for a single named visitor

For now, we are still in lockdown, so please continue to follow the restrictions and stay at home.

See the Government's roadmap to ease lockdown

Community testing

Public Health Dorset, on behalf of Dorset Council, have set up a Dorset Rapid Community Testing Programme for local business employees who cannot work from home, due to the public facing nature of their role.
 

463 businesses and organisations have already registered and are getting tested under this service.
 
We are now asking businesses and organisations open under current government restrictions and employing fewer than 50 (including the self-employed) to register their interest in weekly lateral flow device testing. Employees must sign up to six weeks of testing.
 
If your business or organisation has been told it is able to access the testing programme you can book your weekly lateral flow test.

Unpaid carers can now request free PPE

Are you an unpaid carers in the Dorset Council area? You can now request free Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for when you're carrying out your caring responsibilities.

Find out more about free PPE for unpaid carers

Do you need help to get to your vaccination appointment safely?

We know that many people will be anxious to get their COVID-19 vaccination appointment but it’s important to remain vigilant to the risks of sharing a car with someone outside of your household or support bubble.
 
If you need help to get to your vaccination appointment safely, we can offer advice and information about local public transport, taxi services and community transport. In some circumstances we can also help with the costs of a taxi journey to local vaccination appointments.
 
Call our Dorset Together helpline on 01305 221000 or request help using our online form.