Official information on Coronavirus (Covid-19)

We will keep this page updated with the latest information during the outbreak. Information applies until further notice.

National lockdown
Covid-19 cases in Worcestershire
Get support
Services affected
Up to date wider information

National lockdown

Everyone in England must now stay at home except for specific reasons, including essential shopping, to work if you cannot work from home, to exercise, to seek medical help, and to escape domestic abuse.

Dr Kathryn Cobain, Director for Public Health for Worcestershire said on Monday (January 4): "The Government has announced a national lockdown. This is a direct result of escalating Covid-19 cases. In the latest 7 days, here in Worcestershire we have seen 1,888 positive COVID-19 cases, which is more than all positive cases seen during May, June, July, August and September 2020 combined."

Read Dr Cobain's full statement and all about the new lockdown.

Dr Kathryn Cobain

Here is a poster from HM Government about the lockdown in England.

Lockdown poster

Covid-19 cases in Worcestershire

Worcestershire County Council has produced a Covid-19 dashboard of up to date case information where you can see the number of cases of Covid-19 at a county, district, and local level. The County Council is our local public health authority.

Get support

Here2Help

Here2Help is a community action response to Coronavirus (Covid-19), designed for vulnerable people in our community who have to self-isolate and are unable to seek help from family, friends and neighbours. Press here to visit the Here2Help website.

All local support

Measures are being developed to support people during the Covid-19 pandemic. We will list them here as they become available.

Area (press to sort)	Support
Isolating	Here2Help community support
Contact tracing	Contact tracing calls from Worcestershire Regulatory Services will come from 01562 738000
Business	Financial help for business and self-employed
Mental Health and Wellbeing	Support for anyone struggling with their mental health and wellbeing
Money	Problems paying your Council Tax?
Money	Coronavirus and claiming benefits, including new Test and Trace support payments
Transport	Car sharing: Safer transport guidance for transport operators and organisations including taxis
Business	Businesses risk assessments and support
Isolating	Get coronavirus support as an extremely vulnerable person
Isolating	Domestic abuse support
Business	Relaxed enforcement of business delivery hours
Money	Energy & heating support
Report	Report suspected breach of Covid-19 business regulations
Young People up to age 25	The Basement Project are still offering support for young people by phone and webchat

Services affected

Here are the current effects of Coronavirus (Covid-19) on our services.

Area (press to sort)	Update
Waste	Bin collections are running later than usual in some areas, please leave your bin out. To ensure that key waste services for the public health are maintained we have had to free up resources from other services, which is affecting garden waste and bulky waste collections.
Homes	Home visits to people self isolating with symptoms are restricted to essential or emergency visits only. During such visits members of the household will be required to be in a different room.
Council	Our Parkside office and customer service centre is closed to the public. Room hire is suspended.
Community	Our public toilets in Bromsgrove town centre, Sanders Park, and Rubery are open with changes for your safety. Our public toilets in Alvechurch are closed.
Children	Starting Well Family Hubs have temporary opening times for vitamin sales, and advice is available by telephone only.
Bereavement	Up to 30 people can now attend funerals at Redditch Crematorium, which is is closed to the public except for funerals and burials.
Lifeline	Extra safety measures are in place as we remain staffed and ready to assist 24/7.
Building	Decisions on whether to carry out visits under Building Control inspection arrangements are being made on a case by case basis.
Council	Council and committee meetings are taking place remotely using videoconferencing, and public meetings are viewable via live stream.
Planning	Temporary arrangements are in place for some of our Planning services, including the householder planning service, paper submissions, site visits, and requests for the relaxation of conditions limiting hours of work on construction sites.
Leisure	Advice on using allotments at this time has been issued.
Leisure	Sanders Park bowls season tickets are unavailable.
Leisure	Sports and activity sessions delivered by our teams are being reintroduced gradually.

Up to date wider information

LOCAL: Worcestershire County Council - Coronavirus	LOCAL: Bromsgrove Partnership information
NATIONAL: UK Government response to Coronavirus	LOCAL: The Bromsgrove Hotel