ALL England elections postponed

All local and mayoral elections have been postponed until 2021, the government has announced today (Friday 13 March).

Due to be held in May, the elections will no longer be held due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The COVID-19 strain of coronavirus was declared a pandemic – when a new disease for which people do not have immunity spreads around the world beyond expectations – by the World Health Organization on Wednesday (11 March). It originated in Wuhan in China in December 2019, believed to have been transmitted to humans from animals.

Research published in the Lancet suggests a probability that 10+ cases will result in a large outbreak, “assuming SARS-like [Severe acute respiratory syndrome] superspreading events can occur.” Superspreading is the amplified transmission of a virus by individuals in a population.

At the time of publication, over 136,000 people worldwide have been infected with the illness, whilst over 5,000 people have died. In the UK, 798 cases have been recorded, and 10 people have died.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that that illness caused by COVID-19 is generally mild, especially for children and young adults. It says that about one in every five people who catch the illness will require hospital care. Most of those who have developed serious illness have had pre-existing medical conditions, or have been older.

According to further research published on PubMed, the mortality rates for COVID-19 cases globally is between 1% to 2%.

For comparison, the WHO says that annual worldwide epidemics of seasonal influenza are 'estimated to result in about 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness, and about 290,000 to 650,000 respiratory deaths'.

COVID-19 is mainly spread through droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. To protect yourself, clean your hands frequently and thoroughly.

Please help by following Public Health England advice:

Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using public transport. Use a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.

• Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Then bin the tissue, and wash your hands, or use a sanitiser gel.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.

If you feel unwell with flu-like symptoms, including a cough, a high temperature and shortness of breath, use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service at nhs.uk to find out what to do.

If you think you may have coronavirus please DO NOT go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

For more information, visit: 

• www.gov.uk/coronavirus
• www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/