Key messages
- What you need to do during the lockdown.
- What will close in Wrexham?
- What will stay open in Wrexham?
- Remember from home on Remembrance Sunday.
- Free school meal payments over half-term.
- Testing centre confirmed for six months.
- Covid-19 stats for where you live.
- Support for vulnerable persons.
The fire-break
On Monday, Welsh Government announced a two-week ‘fire-break’ lockdown to combat the spread of coronavirus.
The restrictions will take effect across Wales from 6pm this Friday and will end in the early hours of Monday, November 9.
So what do you need to do, and what will change in Wrexham exactly?
What do you need to do?
The basic message is simple. Stay at home.
This means you should:
- Work from home wherever possible. The only exceptions will be critical workers and jobs where it isn’t possible.
- Only leave home to exercise, or for essential purposes like shopping or medicine.
- Avoid gatherings with people you don’t live with – either indoors or outdoors. Although if you live alone or you’re a single parent, you can link-up with one other household for support.
What will close in Wrexham?
The following facilities will close for the lockdown:
- All non-essential retail, hospitality and tourism businesses.
- All leisure centres, including Wrexham Waterworld and other Freedom Leisure venues. Tennis and golf venues will also be closed.
- All libraries (including ‘order and collect’ services).
- All community centres (although some businesses and food take-away services will remain open at some of our community resource centres).
- All three recycling centres at Bryn Lane, Brymbo and Plas Madoc.
- Tŷ Pawb car park and building.
- The Monday Market on Queens Square.
- The General Market.
- Places of worship – except for funerals, weddings and civil partnership ceremonies.
Council services will focus on critical services (e.g. highways maintenance). Other services (e.g. dealing with planning applications) will be paused during the two weeks.
What will stay open in Wrexham?
The following things will stay open:
- Parks, country parks, cemeteries and playgrounds.
- Childcare provision.
- Your bins and recycling will be collected as normal.
- The register office at the Guildhall will stay open for wedding and civil partnership ceremonies, as well as births and deaths registrations.
- We’ll still carry out emergency repairs for council housing tenants.
- Wrexham primary schools will re-open as normal after half-term.
- Wrexham secondary schools will re-open after half-term for years 7 and 8, and for pupils sitting exams. Years 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 will stay at home and use remote learning.
- The Butchers Market will stay open for food retailers.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone for playing their part during this lockdown.
By coming together once again, and making another huge effort in Wrexham and across Wales, we can save lives and protect the NHS…just like we did in the summer.
Other important info
Remembrance Sunday – please remember from home this year
We’re encouraging you to take part in a two-minute silence from your doorstep at 11am on Sunday, November 8, and to watch the commemorations online or on the television.
Free school meal payments over half term
If your children qualify for free school meals and you’ve received a direct payment from us before, we’ll be making direct payments into your bank account to cover the half term.
The first payment will be made on Monday (October 26), and will cover the first week of the holiday.
If your children are at home for a second week (years 9, 10 and 11 of secondary school) we’ll make a second payment the following week.
Also, if your children have to isolate for 10 days at any point, please don’t worry…we’ll make payments to your bank account to cover the isolation period.
This will help you provide meals for your children while they’re at home.
If you have any questions or need any help, please get in touch.
Testing centre confirmed for six months
The new testing centre at the Memorial Hall will be here for at least six months…providing convenient local testing right into spring next year.
It’s the result of a real team effort by the council, Public Health Wales, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, NHS Wales, the UK Government Department of Health and Social Care, the voluntary sector and other partners.
You’ll need an appointment before you attend the centre, and the Welsh Government website tells you how to apply.
You can also apply using the NHS Covid-19 app on your phone.
While you’re waiting for a test or your results, please follow the self-isolation guidance on the Welsh Government website.
Remember…only get tested if you think you have symptoms.
The testing centre at the Memorial Hall is a ‘drive to’…not a ‘drive through.’ So you’ll need to pay to park as normal when you go for your test if it’s before 11am (parking is free in council-managed town centre car parks after 11am).
You can pay using the JustPark mobile phone app…
Covid-19 stats for where you live
You can now find more localised Covid-19 statistics for where you live.
The Public Health Wales dashboard breaks down the overall figures for Wrexham into smaller areas…for example Acton and Maesydre, Gresford, Marford and Rossett, Ruabon and Marchwiel.
The data shows that coronavirus isn’t confined to a few pockets in Wrexham…it’s across the county borough.
So we all need to work together to get the virus under control in our communities.
Take a look at the stats on the PHW website. Click on the tab that says ‘Cases by MSOA’ and use the ‘Local Authority’ drop-down box on the right to select Wrexham.
Support for vulnerable persons
The Welsh Government advice is that there’s no need for ‘shielded’ people to take any additional precautions.
However, in the event that you’re having difficulty and need assistance with obtaining food, prescriptions and care/social support please contact us:
Wrexham County Borough Council, The Guildhall, Wrexham, LL11 1AY
Tel 01978 292066
www.wrexham.gov.uk
We’ll arrange to put you in touch with our voluntary sector partners AVOW, or with our Social Care team, depending on the support you need.
One of the positive things to come out of the Covid-19 emergency is the way people have looked out for each other. However, there are some people who don’t have relatives or friends nearby, and don’t have anyone obvious to check they’re ok.
So during the two-week lockdown, we’re asking households across Wrexham to think about their neighbours – particularly anyone elderly or living alone.
Think about whether you’ve seen or heard them lately, and – if you’re concerned – try to check on them.
Give them a knock, or pop a note through the letterbox…but make sure you stick to social distancing rules and keep at least two metres away.
Download the Covid-19 NHS app…and help keep Wrexham safe this autumn.
[button color=”” size=”large” type=”square_outlined” target=”new” link=” https://www.covid19.nhs.uk/”]DOWNLOAD THE NHS APP[/button]
