Understandably, over recent months, many local people have contacted me about this very troubling national emergency and as you would expect, Parliament has spent a considerable amount of time debating it and scrutinising the Government’s response at every stage.
We are all concerned by the ongoing situation, but it is essential that we all remain calm, follow the comprehensive public health advice and take appropriate precautions, including following the social distancing guidance, thorough and regular hand-washing, and isolating when necessary.
I genuinely believe that we, as your Government, are taking all appropriate steps to protect and shield the public from this global disease, as far as we are able, and it is the case that we have global experts leading and informing the UK’s response. That response is informed by the science and is evidence-based. We are also providing a comprehensive package of support to help people, businesses and communities through this challenging period, which will undoubtedly be responsive to the changing circumstances ahead.
A significant number of local people are also contacting me via email with a wide range of concerns and queries relating to this. I am working through these issues as quickly as I can and trying to get the best possible advice on the various points raised. I'm doing my best to get back to people as quickly as possible and these enquiries are being prioritised, but that inevitably means correspondence on other issues is taking slightly longer than usual to turn around. Please bear with me - I promise I will get back to you.
With that in mind, it would be hugely helpful if you could help me to best help you - there is a considerable body of guidance and advice out there on many of the questions I am asked, and so I would ask people to consult the various links below in the first instance, but should any question not be answered, or you require any further information, please do come back to me and I will happily make further enquiries.
You can find all the up-to-date public health advice and guidance, here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/.
There is also a significant body of Government advice covering a whole range of issues and frequently asked questions relating to this ongoing situation at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response?fbclid=IwAR3CHvLEoa0olwxETd8y9vGdetKYqGMYntJevX1HSo0hBM-S2go9x77Cb6E.
If you have concerns relating to your own personal finances during this difficult time, you can find all the up-to-date advice at: www.gov.uk/coronavirus/worker-support.
Details about the package of support available for businesses and the self-employed can be found at: www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support.
For the latest international travel advice, you can monitor regular updates on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website at: www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus.
You can find the full emergency Coronavirus Act which the Government introduced, and Parliament passed into law, here: https://services.parliament.uk/Bills/2019-21/coronavirus.html. There is a briefing on what the Act does, here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-bill-what-it-will-do/what-the-coronavirus-bill-will-do.
Northamptonshire County Council have also created a dedicated section on their website and are continuing to build on its content as the situation evolves. Its aim is for these webpages to be a single point of contact for local people for up-to-date advice and signposting local services, which you can find, here: https://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/coronavirus-updates/Pages/default.aspx.
Finally, I know that people right across Corby & East Northamptonshire are keeping an eye on their neighbours and offering a helping hand - and I'm so grateful for all those kind efforts. If there are specific community initiatives going on that you would like to raise the profile of, please let me know and I will happily share the details.
As always, if there are specific issues you need to contact me about, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me and as we go forward, please stay safe.
