Royal Borough cases

Covid transmission across the Royal Borough are thankfully dropping and are now at 964.5 per 100,000, which is broadly in line with both the South East and England averages.

Although it’s a relief cases are falling, the number of people being infected in the borough is still high - between 7 and 13 January there were 1,453 new cases.

All age groups across the borough are beginning to see a fall in cases, with the fastest drop among ages 60+. Ages 5 to 9, however, and 20 to 29 years saw the highest transmission rates.

As of 11 January, there were 171 Covid patients in Frimley Health NHS hospitals and 12 people on mechanical ventilation. There was also sadly one borough death in the week ending 7 January.

For the latest Covid information in the Royal Borough - including case rates among age groups, ward breakdowns, hospital data and vaccinations - visit the Berkshire Public Health website and see the weekly report in the information centre.
Arm up against Covid

Despite case numbers dropping, and England’s Plan B measures being lifted, Covid is far from beaten. We’re only in this more positive situation because the vaccine works.

Across the Royal Borough, 85.1% of the population aged 12+ has now had a first dose, 79.5% a second, and 63.4% a booster. Boosters among the over-50s is at 85%.

Vaccine centres across the Frimley Health and Care area, such as at Maidenhead Town Hall, are starting to again offer walk-in slots - in addition to booked appointments. They’ve also seen an increase across the area in first and second doses alongside boosters.

Twelve to 15-year-olds can now get their second dose, and everyone aged 16+, who had their second dose at least three months ago, can get their booster. 

For more details about individual centres please visit Frimley Health and Care’s vaccination web page.

To book or manage your appointment, visit the National Booking Service or call 119. If, for whatever reason, you realise you cannot make a booked appointment, please cancel it beforehand via the National Booking Service so that someone else can use it.
Community Collect update

We expect, in the next few days, to receive our next batch of home-use lateral flow tests (LFTs) for our leisure centres.

We therefore hope to reinstate our Community Collect service next week, and will let you know exactly when via our Facebook and Twitter and on the testing page of our website.

In the meantime, our LFT Assisted Testing site at Braywick Leisure Centre remains open – please see the above link to the testing page on our website.
Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant
 
We’re administering one-off government grants to help rate-paying hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses badly affected by the Omicron variant.

The grants of £2,677, £4,000 or £6,000, depend on the rateable value of the trading premises. This funding will support those businesses where the main service and activity takes place at the fixed rate-paying premises, such as restaurants, pubs, bars, hotels, B&Bs and visitor attractions.

As part of the national eligibility criteria for this grant, businesses must’ve been registered to pay business rates on Thursday 30 December 2021, and prove they were trading from the premises immediately before that date.
 
The closing date for applications and supporting evidence is Sunday 27 February. To see the scheme’s eligibility criteria in full, check exemptions, and apply, visit our Covid grants web page. 
Covid safety measures in public meetings

Our council meetings which welcome public attendance are held in the Council Chamber at Maidenhead Town Hall, and in the Grey Room at York House in Windsor.

Thorough Covid-19 risk assessments and environmental health checks ensure safety measures are in place at both venues to mitigate against any spread of the virus during these meetings.

At both the Town Hall and York House, hand sanitiser is available at their receptions, and all participants are encouraged to wear a face covering in line with government guidance. The Council Chamber at the Town Hall, and the Grey Room at York House, are both sanitised after each session. Socially distanced public seating is at each venue.

The windows in the Council Chamber can be opened during meetings. Although the windows in the Grey Room in York House do not open, there's a ventilation system which continually circulates fresh air. This is constantly monitored by the building’s management, regularly serviced, as well as checked by our environmental health team.

If you do plan to attend one of our council meetings, please take a lateral flow test with a negative result before you arrive.

To find out about upcoming public council meetings visit our website. If you’d rather attend virtually, our meetings are streamed live on our YouTube channel and also kept as recordings.
Is your mental health suffering due to the pandemic?

Covid has affected us all in different ways these past 22 months.
If you’re finding life tough, there are things you can do to care for your mental wellbeing to feel better.

Every Mind Matters, launched by the NHS and Public Health England (now the UKHSA), has an online Covid hub full of tips, ideas, and advice to help you.

Frimley Health and Care also has a list of local mental health services available and advice, for all ages.
All the latest at your fingertips

Keep up to date with all the Royal Borough's non COVID-19 news in our other weekly e-newsletter. You can sign up for it here and unsubscribe at any time. You're in control.
Helpful contacts




Keep up to date with Royal Borough Covid news and information by following us on Twitter and Facebook.