Benarty Community Council Report for the end of year 2021
As you are all aware an update was given today, Wednesday the 5th of Jan from the First Minister below are the important changes which now are in operation:
The first change to self isolation applies to those who test positive for COVID.
While the initial advice when someone tests positive will still be to self-isolate for 10 days, there will now be an option to end isolation after seven days as long as you, firstly, have no fever and, secondly, you record two negative lateral flow tests, one no earlier than day six after testing positive and another at least 24 hours after that.
The second change applies to close contacts of positive cases – and this includes household contacts – who are either under the age of 18 years, four months, or who are older than that and fully vaccinated.
Let us be clear, by fully vaccinated, we mean first, second and booster or third doses.
For close contacts in these categories the requirement to self-isolate will end and be replaced by a requirement to take a lateral flow test every day for seven days. Obviously, if one of these tests is positive, self-isolation will then be required.
Anyone identified as a close contact who is over 18 years and four months and not fully vaccinated will still be asked to self-isolate for 10 days and to take a PCR test.
These changes are significant and they are not completely without risk. However, at this stage of the pandemic they do strike an appropriate balance between the continued importance of self-isolation in breaking chains of transmission, and reducing the disruption self isolation causes in the economy and other critical services.
Scotland is also proposing an important change to the advice on testing. And let me be clear again, this has been very carefully considered.
Scotland, indeed the UK as a whole, has one of the most extensive PCR testing systems anywhere in the world.
However, with infection levels are as high as they are, we must fully utilise all available testing capacity – PCR and lateral flow. And make sure isolation and advice happens as quickly as possible.
For those who have symptoms of COVID, the advice remains to book a PCR test, even if you have a positive lateral flow test.
And of course the advice to everyone is to test regularly with lateral flow devices, especially before meeting up with others.
However, from tomorrow, if your lateral flow test is positive, and you do not have symptoms, you will no longer be required to take a PCR test to confirm the result.
Instead, you must immediately isolate and also report your result online so that Test & Protect can commence the contact tracing process and give you advice as quickly as possible. You will also receive an online form that you must fill in, as would happen with a PCR positive in to ensure your contacts are notified.
Other countries, Canada for example, have already made this change.
It has been made possible because lateral flow tests are now widely available and work well.
Also, and really importantly, the Test & Protect system in Scotland can start contact tracing on the strength of a reported positive lateral flow result as well as a PCR.
And, crucially, at times of very high levels of infection the risk of a false positive lateral flow result is very low indeed – around just three in 10,000.
So the safest thing to do at this stage is treat a positive lateral flow test as confirmation of COVID. Even if you have no symptoms.
This allows us to maximise testing capacity and ensure a speedier start to the process of contact tracing and advice.
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As is reflected across the country, Fife has experienced a significant but anticipated upsurge in the number of positive Covid tests being returned. This can be most starkly detailed in that the number of positive tests returned on Christmas Day was over 600 and almost double those of the weekend before Christmas. Whilst these cases may not be translating into the number of hospital admissions that were experienced in previous waves or strains, they place further emphasis on the need to expedite first, second and booster dose vaccination for those who are eligible.
With high numbers of positive tests being returned, our contact tracing teams have a significantly increased workload to investigate and manage. As such, not only may it take slightly longer than usual to risk assess and establish close contacts of those who have been infected, it has also been decided nationally that contact tracing across Scotland will now prioritise more at-risk groups and settings. Our teams will be focussing on support for outbreaks, for care homes and sites considered ‘complex settings’ during these very high levels of community transmission.
Elsewhere, we continue to encourage people to take up the offer of vaccination at every opportunity and ensure as many as possible – whether via scheduled appointment or drop-in clinic – are vaccinated by the New Year.
Almost 2,000 people attended for drop-in vaccination in the week leading up to Christmas, which was in addition to the near 20,000 people who attended scheduled appointments. Between the 27th of December and New Year’s Eve, we will also be offering a further 15,000 scheduled appointments in addition to continued drop-ins (including priority access to boosters for those with severe immunosuppression), which will be extended to 12-15 year olds requiring a second dose vaccination 12 weeks after their first.
Ultimately, down to the hard work of everyone involved in this programme, we anticipate that around 80% of those eligible for vaccination will have been provided with the relevant protection by the New Year.
Please consider continuing to urge anyone eligible for a first, second or booster dose to book their vaccination appointment via the online booking portal people who need to recover their username can do so by calling 0800 030 8013. Alternatively, the latest drop-in clinics are updated regularly on our website.
Additionally all relevant information can be found at https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
NHS Fife have just announced that they have had to make temporary changes to visiting arrangements in our community hospitals after a sharp rise in the number of inpatient wards affected by COVID-19.
While transmission of the virus is particularly high, it has been necessary that we temporarily restrict visiting in our community hospitals to essential visits only.
This position will remain under continual review and restrictions will be eased as soon as it is safe to do so.
The hospitals affected are as follows:-
Adamson Hospital;
Cameron Hospital;
Glenrothes Hospital;
Lynebank Hospital;
Queen Margaret Hospital;
St Andrews Community Hospital;
Stratheden Hospital; and
Whyteman’s Brae Hospital.
Visiting arrangements at the Victoria Hospital remain unchanged.
There are a small number of exemptions to these restrictions, including some patients cared for in our mental health and learning disability units, and those receiving end-of-life care.
For more information on hospital visiting in Fife, please visit: www.nhsfife.org/visiting
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In regard to the specific enquiries in and around the Benarty area which came from Tom last week, I have contacted our Housing team and the following information has been passed on .
Martin Crescent , At the moment this is still in the proposal stage , Fife Council Housing teams have finished consulting with the existing residents and the next stage is to present a report to Area Committee for approval.
In regard to Inchgall Ave .There are no plans to build any new properties in this area at present.
Regarding New Flockhouse. There is a live planning application in place and has been in place for this site for a number of years, the current landowner is in final negotiations with several developers. There is a possibility that the houses will be social housing for Fife’s Affordable Housing Programme
Reference:09/01160/WARM
Proposal: Erection of 51 dwelling houses with associated parking, roads and public open space
Status: Application permitted with conditions
The Baynes Bakery, There is no knowledge or information regarding this site and any proposed works at this time .
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The Scottish Gov has just announced as part of its Health and Social Care roll out to regional bodies, Additional funding for pain management care. Helping those living with chronic pain and this has just been published on the 04 Jan 2022 09:30
Additional funding will expand pain management services through the Chronic Pain Winter Support Fund.
An extra £240,000 will help 13 Scottish Government-funded projects across Health Boards, third-sector and other partners enhance the support available for people with chronic pain.
The money will go towards a range of services including the bladder and pelvic pain management programme, support for chronic hip, knee and back pain and support to help people remain physically active.
Living with chronic pain can be incredibly difficult and we are determined to improve services for all those affected.
Health Boards have continued to make progress in restarting chronic pain services during extremely challenging circumstances over the last 18 months but the unprecedented impact of the COVID pandemic means that many people are waiting for treatment.
The additional resourcing provided through the Chronic Pain Winter Support Fund will enhance the capacity of pain management care to will help maintain the health and wellbeing of those affected by chronic pain in the months ahead.”
The successful projects receiving the funding are:
Pain Association Scotland, Purple Orchid Health Limited with Bladder Health UK, Pain Concern, Health All Round, NHS Grampian, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Ayrshire and Arran/ Flippin’ Pain, Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, NHS Highland, East Lothian Rehabilitation Service, Fife Pain Management Service, Borders General Hospital and NHS Shetland.
Concerns over residents struggling to heat your home are being directed to Home Energy Scotland who can help. Get in touch to find out how you could save on bills and get help worth up to £5,000 to make your home warmer. You could receive funding to make improvements like home insulation, draught proofing or even a new heating system. Over 24,000 households in Scotland have benefitted so far. Find out more on the NHS Fife website https://www.nhsfife.org/douglas/
The current and UpToDate list of emergency numbers in Fife
Loss of electrical power
Call 105. This number will connect you to the network operator for power in your region. You can find out more about 105 here.
See the SP Energy Network page ‘What to do in a power cut’ for more advice on how to prepare for and what to do during a power cut
Interruption to the water supply
Use the Scottish Water location search tool to check for supply issues in your area. You can contact Scottish Water on 0800 0778 778.
Click here for advice from Scottish Water on interrupted water supplies. It’s always a good idea to make sure you have an emergency water supply already. Think about filling some large plastic bottles with water in preparation.
Issues with gas supply
If you can smell gas, please call the national gas emergency number on 0800 111 999.
For all other enquiries, please call Scottish Gas Networks (SGN) on 0800 912 1700.
Protect your pipes
Follow Scottish Water’s winter code to protect your pipes.
Heating your home:The Met Office has advice on how to keep your home warm.
Head to Home Energy Scotland for information and support on how you can insulate and/or improve the efficiency of your home heating system.
Help with heating costs:Greener Kirkcaldy is a charity that can offer advice on saving energy and keeping warm in your home. You can even book a home visit to find out how best to save energy costs and have a review.
Winter fuel payments: The Winter Fuel Payment is a UK-wide benefit that helps people born on or before 5 July 1952 to pay their heating bills. However, in Scotland, the benefit is also being extended to cover families with severely disabled children Read more about Winter fuel payments
Cold weather payments: The Cold Weather Payment is paid to individuals on low incomes and in receipt of certain benefits to help with heating costs when the temperature is recorded as, or forecast to be, colder than zero degrees Celsius across seven consecutive days. Read more about Cold weather payments
Sign up for flood alerts: If you live in an area that’s likely to flood, you may want to consider installing flood protection on your property. The Scottish Flood Forum provides advice and support for communities at risk of flooding.
Register to SEPA’s Flood line direct warning service to find out if you can receive Flood Alerts and/or Flood Warnings for your property. You will be given the quick dial number for the Flood Alert and/or Flood Warning area that relates to your registered property.
There is further information around being prepared at home on Fife Council’s website on the Ready at Home section.
In addition to the matters raised in this report I have dealt with a wide range of matters for local constituents including Housing, Health and Social Care, Roads, Transport , Social Work, Safer Communities Police , which for privacy issues do not need to be reported here .
Councillor Rosemary Liewald
