24 Mar 2020

Coronavirus – Info for the Community

Come back Brexit, all is forgiven. Hope you’re all doing as well as can be expected. We thought we’d post some information that has been sent to us:

1. An email from DLR PPN (the umbrella organisation for community groups like ours). There’s a good summary there of the updates from the government today, some useful advice from the Guards, etc.

2. An email from the Department of Rural and Community Development which is organising the community-led response to Covid-19. They have identified three key actions for immediate priority:

a) Encourage and facilitate volunteering

b) Provide community supports for older people –in partnership with ALONE

c) Establish a helpdesk facility for local community groups –in partnership with the 31 Public Participation Networks nationwide

Further information on volunteering (beyond just our Support Network) can be found in the text below. You can also find information on how to volunteer on our website.

Note: There is a request in the email from the Dept of Rural and Community Development to print and distribute an information leaflet (6 pages) to people who do not have access or knowledge of digital platforms. If someone would be willing to take on this job for the residents’ association, please contact us.

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1. DLR PPN Email

Here are some relevant news and updates for the DLR community
– Summary of updates from the Government – 24th March 2020 : welfare entitlements, social distancing, rent, support for businesses and employers, and more. Please read here.

–  If you need to avail of assistance from An Garda Síochána in Blackrock an email should be forwarded to the District Office at  blackrock_ds@garda.ie. To read more, please click here.

(We presume Dundrum Garda Station is the one we should contact. To contact Dundrum station, call 01 6665600)

Airfield Estate are interested to hear from organisations that are in need of hot meals or hot meal supplies during the current Covid-19. Airfield Estate have a broad range of skills and facilities would be delighted to help out in any way they can. To get in touch, please email Aislinn Barrett at aislinn.barrett@airfield.ie

– An Garda Síochána have warned that fraudsters may exploit the spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus to carry out various types of scams. The three types of fraud to look out for:
         1. Phising / Smishing / Vishing
         2. Fraudulent Selling / Trading
         3. Social Engineering Scams
Please read here for more information on how you can protect yourself. If you have been a victim of fraud or cyber crime contact your local Garda Station. – Although we hope that you and your family will not need to ever undergo testing for Covid-19, it is important to keep track of all your social interactions, including those of your close family members. Keeping a list of people you have been in contact with in the last days and their contact details would help the contact tracing teams in their efforts, should there ever be a need to do this. Again, we hope no one will need to self-isolate but there is merit in keeping track of all your social interactions on an ongoing basis.  Read more here

– Organisations, residents groups and communities have gotten in touch to let us know the supports they are putting in place for those who are vulnerable. Thank you for that! If you are offering support or if you need support, please let us know. Staying in touch is now more important than ever.

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2. Email from Department of Rural and Community Development

March 24th
Dear All

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is leading our public health response to COVID-19 and a National Action Plan was published on 16th March, setting out a whole-of-society response and mobilisation of resources across Government and society to fight the spread of the virus.  This Community Response Action Plan supports the National Action Plan and is focussed on our initial response in supporting a community response to COVID-19.

We have produced a Communications Pack for community and voluntary groups and members of the public and we would appreciate if you distribute this information across your networks, to members of your group, neighbours, friends and recipients of your service.  This pack contains:

1.      Department of Rural and Community Development – COVID-19 Government Action Plan to Support the Community Response.

CLICK HERE

2.      Information leaflet “You, Your Community and COVID-19” – We would ask that you distribute this across your communities, to individuals and in particular, those that do not have access or knowledge of digital platforms.  Maybe include them as part of a meals on wheels drop.

CLICK HERE

3.      How can I volunteer?

 CLICK HERE 

4.      Sensible volunteering – Do’s and Don’ts

CLICK HERE

5.      Advice for local community groups – how can we get volunteers?

CLICK HERE

6.      Advice for vulnerable people who need supports

 CLICK HERE 

7.      How to guard against fraud and generate trust

CLICK HERE

We remind you that the HSE website is the key source for health advice: www.hse.ie/coronavirus. It also includes posters and other resources that can be used in your community.

Our email helpdesk facility is available to assist you with advice or queries and is open 7 days a week – C&VSupports@drcd.gov.ie

We thank you for your assistance in spreading these important messages.

Kind regards

The Department of Rural and Community Development

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