Covid-19 | Newcastle Clonmel Tipperary Community News & Events

Easing the COVID-19 restrictions on 29 June (Phase 3)

admin3459 — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 23:20:37 +0000

These measures are part of the third phase of lifting the public health restrictions that were put in place to protect us all from COVID-19. They come into effect on top of the measures announced as part of phase 2.

They are part of Ireland’s roadmap for reopening society and business .

CLICK HERE for full document on gov.ie website.

PPN TIPPERARY – Press Release – Wednesday 10th June 2020

admin3459 — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 21:45:32 +0000

Press Release No 7 – Wednesday 10th June 2020

Re: COVID-19 Advisory Update – Changes to Local Authority

Activities with effect from 8th June 2020

What to expect in Phase 2?

Libraries

Users can expect a safe lending service via a „Contact and Collect? lending model

Parks and Playgrounds

Reopening of all parks & playgrounds – in compliance with social

distancing and HSE guidelines;

Traffic Management

Resumption of On-street traffic management enforcement; with free

parking in car parks (with the exception of Mary Street car park, Clonmel.

Community Call

Hours of operation of the Community call help lines will reduce to 9am to 5pm seven days a week with effect from Wednesday 10th June 2020

Access to Council Offices / Public Counters

Public Counters continue to be closed and limited access for planning

purposes is available by appointment only

Council Meetings

Plenary Council Meetings re-commenced with effect from Monday 8th June 2020 and further monthly meetings will take place in The Dome, Thurles.

How will it work?

Libraries

There will be an increased availability of physical book lending services and will only be accessible to the public on a “contact and collect” basis where members can order items and collect them in their local library.

Library members can contact their branch by phone, email or via the

librartiesireland.ie website

Parks

Avoid close contact with other persons;
Distance yourself at least 2 metres away from other people
Small group – sizes should be kept to a minimum
Avoid an area if it looks very busy
Playgrounds
Parents or Guardians are required to:-
To bring their own hand sanitiser for the cleaning of their children?s hands before, at regular intervals during and after use of the playground equipment. In the absence of such sanitation parents or guardians are requested to refrain from allowing their children use of the equipment
To ensure physical distancing between children
To advise children to avoid touch their face, eyes, nose and mouth
To ensure children under your care have regard to the safe use of equipment and to the safety of others at all times
To adhere to the most up to date heath advice

Traffic Management

As more businesses have begun to reopen in line with the Government?s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, problems are beginning to arise with issues such as parking in prohibited areas, in a dangerous

fashion and all day parking on streets preventing the necessary turnover of available parking spaces. It is, therefore, necessary to resume traffic management on street only with effect from 8th June i.e. Pay parking enforcement and the issuing of parking tickets will resume on street and off Street Car Parks ((with the exception of Mary Street car park,(Clonmel) will continue to be free

Community Call

Community Call Forum help lines previously operated 8am-8pm, 7 days per week, providing practical support as a safety net for vulnerable people cocooning, however there has been a gradual reduction in calls received,and while it is recognised that there remains a core clientele – often among the most vulnerable in our communities – who are in need of the services provided, there is a need for those services to continue, but the Community call help lines are being incorporated into normal customer service management system and will now operate from 9am to 5pm, seven days a week with effect from Wednesday 10th June 2020 . It is important to note that the ALONE National Helpline will continue to operate on a 24/7 basis as a fail safe.

Opening of Public Counters

The agreed time frame for the initial re-opening of all other customer

service desks/public counters on incremental/managed basis (which may involve limited hours) to allow for testing/readjustment of arrangements before Phase 4 is 29th June, however in light of the accelerated openings announced by government consideration may be given to an earlier opening and will continue to be kept under review. Members of the public can still continue to access the council

services online.

More detailed guidance on the availability of all council services can be accessed

on the website www.tipperarycoco.ie and the Council is asking members of

the public to avail of these services by:-

Post or
Telephone on 0761 06 5000, from 9.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday excluding Public Holidays
Email to customerservices@tipperarycoco.ie
Emergency numbers outside of office hours for the following services are Roads – 1890 923 948 Housing (Emergency Electrical and Plumbing issues only) – 1890 923 948 Water and Wastewater – 1850 278 278

Return to Work Safely Protocol, Workplace Health and Safety, 9th May 2020

admin3459 — Tue, 12 May 2020 12:05:27 +0000

9th May 2020 | Guidelines

The Return to Work Safely Protocol is designed to support employers and workers to put measures in place that will prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, when the economy begins to slowly open up, following the temporary closure of most businesses during the worst phase of the current pandemic.

The Protocol should be used by all workplaces to adapt their workplace procedures and practices to comply fully with the COVID-19 related public health protection measures identified as necessary by the HSE. It sets out in very clear terms for employers and workers the steps that they must take before a workplace reopens, and while it continues to operate.

A high-level consultative stakeholder forum, under the aegis of the Labour Employer Economic Forum, will be established. This forum will include membership from the various bodies with responsibility for health and safety at work and for public health more generally. The forum will allow for ongoing engagement at national level on implementation issues in light of evolving public health advice and other factors.

The Return to Work Safely Protocol, is the result of a collaborative effort by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), the Health Services Executive (HSE) and the Department of Health and the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.

Documents

Return to Work Safely Protocol » pdf (581 KB)

Roadmap for reopening society and business

admin3459 — Sat, 02 May 2020 00:10:18 +0000

Published: 1 May 2020
From: Department of the Taoiseach and Department of Health

1. Roadmap to reopening society and business
2. Phase 1 (18 May)
3. Phase 2 (8 June)
4. Phase 3 (29 June)
5. Phase 4 (20 July)
6. Phase 5 (10 August)

The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar has confirmed Ireland’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business as well as some changes to the public health guidelines.

The 2 changes that will come into place next Tuesday, 5 May are that:

people can travel up to 5 kilometres from their home to exercise
that those who are cocooning can leave their homes for exercise or a drive so long as they avoid all contact with other people

Roadmap to reopening society and business

There are 5 phases in the Roadmap to ease restrictions. Each phase consists of a menu of options will be considered by government as it gradually opens up economic and social activities.

These are just predictions at this stage and will depend on the medical advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team at the time in question.

Examples of the types of actions which will be considered under the various phases include:

Phase 1 (18 May)

allow outdoor meetings between a maximum of 4 people from different households while maintaning social distancing (keeping at least 2 metres away from each other)
open up childcare for healthcare workers
phased return of outdoor workers (for example: construction workers and gardeners)
open retailers which are primarily outdoor or those which were open during first level of restriction (for example: opticians)
opening of certain outdoor public amenities (for example: carparks, beaches, mountain walks where people can move around without coming into contact with each other and they keep at least 2 metres away from each other)
open outdoor public sports amenities (for example: pitches, tennis courts, golf courses) where social distancing can be maintained

Phase 2 (8 June)

allow visits to households (visits to those who are cocooning can occur if all parties wear facemasks, gloves and maintain a distance of at least 2 metres away from each other)
develop plans and supports to open up business with consideration for safety of staff and customers
open small retail outlets and marts where social distancing can be observed
open public libraries

Phase 3 (29 June)

allow small social gatherings
opening of crèches, childminders and pre-schools for children of essential workers in phased manner
return to work for those with low levels of interaction
open non-essential retail outlets with street level entrance and exit
open playgrounds
allow “behind closed doors” sporting activities events where arrangements are in place to enable participants to maintain social distancing

Phase 4 (20 July)

opening of crèches, childminders and pre-schools for children of all other workers on a gradually increasing basis
return to work for those who cannot work from home
gradual easing of restrictions for higher risk services (for example: hairdressers)
opening of museums, galleries, places of worship
allow sports team competitions (for example: soccer and GAA) but only where limitations are placed on the numbers of spectators and where social distancing can be maintained

Phase 5 (10 August)

allow larger social gatherings
return to work across all sectors
on a phased basis, commencing at the beginning of the academic year 2020/2021, opening of primary and secondary schools and 3rd level institutions
further easing of restrictions on high risk retail services

Roadmap for reopening society and business

Download directly from the Gov.ie Website

Message from Covid-19 Health Communications Stakeholder Support

admin3459 — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 22:19:46 +0000

22nd APRIL

Update for PPN Members

Dear Colleague,

We wish to thank you for your ongoing support in helping to share information about COVID-19. This is a note to let you know of a few communications updates.

Cocooning video
We have added a video explaining cocooning which can be easily shared to our video resources.

15 minutes of daily activity and fitness – running daily
In support of people cocooning at this time, RTE has launched a 15 minute programme to help older people to keep active at home. It will be broadcast daily on RTÉ One at 2.20pm. It will help viewers who are at home and some in self-isolation or cocooning and will offer tips, especially to older viewers, on how to keep healthy and happy.

Fitness 15 will be hosted Monday to Friday at 2.20 PM on with Ray Lally,

the Today Show fitness expert, and Dáithí Ó Sé.

Resources for people with dementia, their families and carers
Online resources for people dementia, their families and carers and a booklet of activities which can be carried out at home have also been added.

Irish sign language videos
Irish Sign Language videos are available online here . There are five videos, each covering a different section of the COVID-19 information booklet.

Mental Wellbeing Campaign
Finally, a reminder about the Mental Wellbeing campaign recently launched. The campaign offers support and resources for people to help deal with the stress, isolation and helps people maintain wellbeing and cope at home during this time. The campaign is running on all National and Local radio channels, as well as across social and digital platforms. The website is www.gov.ie/together and the hashtag is #Together. We welcome your support on this and branding is available to all stakeholders creating messages in this space.

The link to the radio ads is here: https://soundcloud.com/user-992575667/sets/getting-through-covid-19-together

RTE are producing a 4 week programme series of Operation Transformation Staying Well Apart going out on Wednesday evenings at 9.30 in RTE 1 as a response to the need to help people cope with staying at home/cocooning at this time. The Gov.ie/together campaign is linking in with RTE to assist with this strategy and messaging.

We would be grateful if you would let us know if your organisation has any specific requests or urgent needs in relation to Coronavirus

COVID-19 public health information materials.
If you do, please email us at Partner.Pack@hse.ie to let us know. Thank you to those of you who have already been in touch.

Thank you again in advance for your support at this important time.

Covid-19 Health Communications Stakeholder Support

PPN Tipperary – April 2020 2nd Edition Newsletter

admin3459 — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 23:56:41 +0000

Tipperary PPN April 2020 2nd Edition Newsletter

Sections:

1. PPN News & Members Corner

2. Active Public Consultations/ Notices

3. Funding/ Grant Opportunities

4. Public Service Announcements, Training and Upcoming Local Events

PPN News

Dear PPN Member,

We do hope this email finds you well and we are very aware we are sending you lots of information due to Covid 19 pandemic.

Tipperary PPN are looking for photos of all the good things happening in your communities right now. Please send photos along with a description to Sharon on admin@ppntipperary.ie

Stay safe everyone.

Tipperary PPN Team

COVID 19 Community Support Fund

Tipperary PPN are delighted to announce that they have set up a fund to support PPN Groups who are providing services and supports to the community during Covid 19.

The key objective of the scheme:

To provide support to voluntary and community groups mobilising a local community response to COVID-19 in Tipperary. Priority will be given to initiatives that strive to contain and limit the reach of the virus, safeguard volunteers and support vulnerable members in your community.

Groups may be funded under the following:

1. Community Response Team Initial Set Up Contribution: to cover initial costs incurred by establishing a local community response team.

2. COVID-19 Community Action Fund: a grant for local groups that demonstrates a strong partnership/ collaboration of local community groups and key services to safely respond to COVID-19 under the following themes of

Supporting Community Safety initiatives
Community well being programme
Virtual Community Gatherings
Support target for older and vulnerable people

Tipperary Community Response to COVID-19 Funding scheme:

Eligible costs:

Eligible costs include leaflets/ flyers, social media, mobile phone (purchase), personal protection equipment (i.e. gloves, masks, sanitizers), insurance, virtual event costs, trainer/ tutor/ instructor fees, design/ print of leaflets, programme material, publicity etc… (this list is not exhaustive)

Items and expenses excluded from the fund are any expenditures on items incurred before approval of the grant. Spend on alcoholic beverages, fines, penalty payments, legal cost, or general overheads such as wages are also excluded.

Grants are available for costs involved with organising activities and running programmes, with a maximum grant envisaged under the Scheme of €500.00

Applications should be emailed to covid19fund@ppntipperary.ie

Please Note:

Groups applying must register their service with Tipperary Volunteer Centre email respond@volunteertipperary.ie
Groups must be willing to have their service mapped with the local Authority.
If you have any queries regarding the grant or the application please email coordinator@ppntipperary.ie or Call 0504 61014

COVID 19 Community Support Fund Application Form

Keep up the fantastic work in your communities.

Active Public Consultations/ Notices

Use of online public library service soars during COVID-19 crisis

New membership rates almost double versus same period last year; over 30,000 new members joined the library in March 2020 compared to just over 17,000 in March 2019.and there has been a 467% increase in people taking e-learning courses.

Mr Michael Ring TD, the Minister for Rural & Community Development, has called on members of the public to avail of the excellent content and services offered by the online public library service during the COVID-19 crisis.

While the doors of our public libraries are temporarily closed, it’s great to see that people are availing of the vast array of reading and educational material online. The online library service provides excellent ways to entertain and educate children as well as opportunities for adults to learn a language or skill or enhance their wellbeing.

If you are not a member already you can become an online library member by completing the online registration at www.librariesireland.ie/join-your-library

Our online public library service offers:

over 33,300 eBooks and 25,200 eAudiobooks
4,000 magazines
2,500 online newspapers from over 100 countries
over 500 e-learning courses
over 100 online language courses

In response to the increased demand, Minister Ring recently allocated €200,000 to purchase over 5,000 new eBooks and eAudiobooks.

Library staff are continuing to innovate in order to keep people entertained and educated online, including through online STEAM Workshops, Virtual Coding Workshops, online photography courses, virtual bookclubs, and writing competitions.

The national Spring into Storytime reading programme is also underway in co-operation with Irish publishers and authors, with lots of online story times and author readings for children of all ages throughout April and May. A large number of the libraries have also collaborated with Engineers Ireland to manufacture 3D facial shields for health workers.

Minister Ring announces €2.5 million fund for community groups involved in Community Call response to Covid-19

Minister Ring announces €2.5 million fund for community groups involved in Community Call response to Covid-19

Speaking about the COVID-19 Emergency Fund, Minister Ring said:

“Local community and voluntary groups are supporting significant numbers of vulnerable people, many of whom are self-isolating, to get through this crisis. This Fund will help these groups to cover the costs of their work.”

The Department has allocated a total of €2.5 million funding to Local Authorities and Local Authorities will now administer the funding to groups involved in the Community Call effort. Local Authorities will be making contact with those groups participating in Community Call in the very near future with further details. The need for funding assistance will be kept under review.

Priority will be provided to organisations which incur costs on direct delivery of frontline services to people, such as Meals on Wheels and other similar activities. These individual grants will generally be modest in nature however it is expected that higher amounts will be provided where the need is greatest.

Minister Ring concluded:

“Collaboration and partnership between the community and voluntary sector and the State are key to coordinating and responding to the needs of our communities and supporting people at this time. These groups are making a real difference to help individuals at this unprecedented time.”

Community Call is an unprecedented mobilisation of Government, Local Authority and voluntary resources to provide help to those in our communities that need it during this crisis.

There is a Community Call Forum in each county to coordinate and connect the wide range of services and supports that are available. A dedicated phone helpline is operational in every county and the national number 0818 222 024 is also in operation. You can find your local helpline number on www.gov.ie/communitycall. In the week since Community Call was launched, over 5,000 calls have been received from members of the public.

Tipperary county council contact number for vulnerable citizens during Covid 19

Tipperary County Council is providing a contact number 0761 06 5000 and email covid19@tipperarycoco.ie with the lines open from 8.00am to 8.00PM seven days a week.

Tipperary PPN is delighted to be part of this fantastic initiative.

For more information visit https://www.tipperarycoco.ie/news/press-release-community-response or www.tipperarycoco.ie

Funding/ Grant Opportunities

Age Action & Hardship Funding

Age Action and the Irish Red Cross are working together to assist older people around Ireland who are experiencing hardship as a result of COVID-19. They have launched a COVID-19 Hardship Fund to respond to the immediate needs of older people in vulnerable situations across Ireland experiencing additional hardship as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis.

For an application form you can

Email: Hardship2020@redcross.ie or call Age Action at 0818 911109 or contact Denise for additional information I’ll be glad to help.

Denise Kennedy, Secretary, Nenagh Branch, Irish Red Cross | 0833077525

For more information visit

https://www.redcross.ie/hardshipfund/?utm_source=Website&utm_medium=Banner&utm_campaign=Hardship%20Fund&utm_term=Hardship%20Fund,%20Irish%20Red%20Cross

Public Service Announcements, Training and Upcoming Local Events

Minding your Mental Health during COVID 19

SECH Primary Care and Social Care Psychology services are offering:

Telephone based support to members of the public who have particular vulnerabilities or who are experiencing high levels of distress (referrals accepted from all staff).

Training to people working with the public on distress reduction strategies and psychological first aid.

Brief supportive interventions to staff or teams who are working in these exceptional and challenging times, in both the HSE and partner healthcare agencies and services.

For more information or to make a request, please email: SECHPsychResponse@hse.ie

We ask that referrals, which should be made with consent, include the following details:

Name
Phone number
Address
GP name
Description of concern

Employee Assistance are also available to provide a confidential staff support & counselling service to HSE staff – 056 7785709

Nice Activity for Children

Children are living through history right now and a time capsule is a nice way for them to record this time. Please click here the link to download the Time Capsule worksheets

Anam Cara adapted services during Covid 19

Anam Cara is a national organisation that offers support to all bereaved parents. Sadly, throughout the Covid 19 Virus crisis, children and young people are still dying through other circumstances, accidents in the home/farm, serious illness, life limiting conditions, sudden adult death or suicide.

These family are even more vulnerable now because of the restrictions on their natural support network of extended family and friends.

The Anam Cara groups throughout Ireland, are suspended until we are told by the Health Authorities it is safe to resume our monthly meetings again.

In the meantime in response to the needs of vulnerable bereaved parents and their families we have developed and produced new online resources. These are a suite of 8 videos which give parents an opportunity to hear a bereavement professional talk about parental grief, the challenges faced and the milestones ahead. We really need parents in your area to know that Anam Cara is still open and here to offer support at this terrible time for them and their family.

Links to new Resource:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNVVa8ILYvi3N6YsKkT5pZsF4gv9v1IES

This resource compliments the online resources Anam Cara already have and they can be access on the following links:

Link to the Anam Cara Information Packs

https://anamcara.ie/resources/resource-downloads/

Link to the videos from Parents in the Anam Cara Network to help recently bereaved parents

https://anamcara.ie/resources/videos/

For more information please visit www.anamcara.ie

Supporting parents and families through the days and weeks ahead

Please find the Genesis Programme resource called supporting parents and families through the days and weeks ahead below. This booklet is full of useful tips, strategies and ideas.

Supporting parents and families through the days and weeks ahead

Aware Phone-In Support & Self Care groups

Are you feeling isolated due to the suspension of many peer support meetings nationwide due to Covid-19? Aware is providing a new phone-in Support & Self Care Group.

The Aware phone-in Support & Self Care Group is a peer group for people experiencing anxiety, mild to moderate depression, bipolar disorder and mood related conditions, in order to give and receive support.

For more information and to register please visit e https://www.aware.ie/support/support-groups/

HSE Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders launches Self Care and Information App

An estimated 188,895 Irish people will experience an eating disorder at some point in their lives. Over 85% of those experiencing eating disorders find it hard to access treatment.

The HSE have launched the first Self Care App which provides valuable information for those with or people caring for someone with an eating disorder. Early intervention is associated with better outcomes and faster recovery but research shows that over 85% of those experiencing eating disorders find it hard to access treatment.

The app provides accurate information and advice for anyone worried about developing an eating disorder or for those who have been diagnosed or are recovering from an eating disorder.

The app was developed by HSE Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders, Bodywhys and the Eating Disorders Association of Ireland and it contains helpful information for family and friends including:

Advice about what to say and do
Guidance to get help at the right time and place
Help on the road to recovery

Click here to download the app

Click here for a poster guide on how to download the app

It is important to note that this Eating Disorders Self Care and Information App is not a treatment programme or a replacement for medical advice.

For advice on how to access health care support for eating disorders please contact your local GP.

From National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders. Email: Rhona.jennings@hse.ie

If you wish to update the contact details, we have held for your group and guarantee up to date information please email details to coordinator@ppntipperary.ie