Newham Council is issuing regular e-bulletins to residents about what’s happening at the Council and in the borough, including the latest information about how we are responding to Covid-19.
You can read the latest message from Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz below:
Today, on behalf of everyone in Newham, I’m appealing for your help. In this borough we always look out for each other and it’s important that we come together as one community if we are to prevent a second wave of Covid-19.
The new Covid-19 NHS Test & Trace mobile phone app is launching in Newham now and we have been asked to trial it on behalf of the nation.
The app has been developed by leading NHS medical experts working alongside Google and Apple, to protect all of us. As you know our borough has experienced some of the most significant effects of coronavirus because of the health inequalities and vulnerabilities we have here. That’s why I’m asking that you download the app and help test it.
From tomorrow morning you’ll begin to receive letters, emails, or texts, with a unique quick response (QR) code to allow you to easily install the app on your SMART phone. Please don’t ignore them. The more of us that use the app, the quicker we can stop the spread of the evil virus.
The app will be available in multiple languages, starting with English, Urdu, Punjabi, Bangla and Gujarati, with more languages added within weeks so that everyone can benefit from the latest cutting edge technology before it is rolled out to the rest of the nation.
The app tracks the spread of the virus, not people. It’s easy to use, and be assured, your personal data and privacy is protected. All the information you share with the app stays on your phone and you can delete it at any time.
If there is a spike in infection rates in your postcode area, the app will warn you and advise you on what action to take. You can also use the app to check for symptoms of Covid-19, and if it suggests you have the virus, it is an easy was to access booking for a test. It also signposts you to support available if you need to self-isolate.
With the threat of Covid-19 still with us, it’s vital we support each other to keep us all safe. By testing the app you will help to make it better and protect our community and the nation’s health.
Look out for your unique code when it arrives and use it to download the app from the App Store or Google Play. You don’t have to take part, but I really would urge you to do so. And please help friends, family and colleagues, who may struggle with mobile technology, to sign up too.
We’ll also be spreading the word through our Covid-19 Health Champions network and neighbourhood outreach teams who will be having conversations with you to increase the app’s take-up and improve its effectiveness.
There are now more than 270 volunteer champions from all parts of our community. They are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. They are keeping so many of you up to date on the latest advice about Covid-19. You can find out more about them here. And if you are a person in your community that people around you trust, why not consider joining the team.
I want this NHS Test and Trace app to be a game changer in terms of helping to keep our community safe. So please Newham. Let’s all get the app so that we can get back to doing the things we love.
A final note to end on. I offer huge congratulations to all our pupils on your GCSE grades, which were announced this morning, I applaud you, your families, and your teachers, on your resilience during this period of uncertainty when schools were closed, home learning replaced the classroom for most of you, and the grading system ended in debacle. You are all a hard-working, bright and dedicated bunch. I’m proud of you. And if things didn’t quite go the way you’d hoped, don’t panic. Support is at hand through your school or your local Youth Zone.
Please everyone, do everything you can to keep Newham safe from coronavirus. Wear a face covering; observe social distancing; wash your hands; become a Covid-19 Health champion; and download the NHS test and Trace app.
Best wishes.
Rokhsana Fiaz OBE
Mayor of Newham
Read more Covid-19 updates from Mayor Fiaz or follow her on Twitter @rokhsanafiaz