Covid-19

Residents and visitors urged to continue to follow coronavirus guidelines as holiday peak hits Devon

As schools close for the summer and the holiday season gets fully underway, the South West is calling on residents and visitors alike to play their part in keeping the region COVID-safe this summer.

Following the opening up of the hospitality and tourist sector two weeks ago, levels of infection and new cases in the South West have continued to remain among the lowest in the country...

Devon in 'good position' if local outbreak occurs

Devon is ‘in a good position’ if a local outbreak occurs, following sustained low numbers of positive COVID-19 cases and steady flow of quality data, says Devon’s Director of Public Health.

Dr Virginia Pearson was answering questions at Devon County Council’s Cabinet meeting on Wednesday (July 8) on the Local Outbreak Management Plan.

The plan is a blueprint which details...

RSPCA braces for summer surge in abandonments after 282 calls in Devon last year 

The RSPCA is bracing itself for a surge in abandoned animals and fears the fallout from the Covid crisis could see more owners struggling to keep their pets.

Typically, the charity sees abandonment peak in the summer months. Between June and August 2019, 16,519 animals were reported abandoned to the RSPCA which accounts for 30% of all animals reported abandoned that year.

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Lead agencies urge the public to stay safe this weekend

As lockdown restrictions ease further this weekend, senior politicians, public health and Police leads are urging the Devon public to stay safe.

Pubs, restaurants, some leisure facilities and tourist attractions are allowed to reopen from Saturday, so long as they adhere to national public health guidelines.

Holiday accommodation sites can also reopen, and with visitors able...

New moves to contain coronavirus in Devon

New measures to contain and reduce cases of coronavirus in Devon and safeguard the health of local people have been revealed.

They detail plans to provide a fast response to any future outbreaks of the virus across the county and help prevent it spreading.

The plans involve close partnership working between local organisations like health, councils, police, schools and care...

Special patient leaves Peninsula NHS Treatment Centre laden with gifts

When patients are discharged from hospital they can expect to take home with them all sorts of advice and the equipment they need. But one very special patient at Peninsula NHS Treatment Centre so captured the hearts of everyone there that he was waved off laden with gifts.

The team at Peninsula NHS Treatment Centre usually specialise in elective, planned surgery such as hip...

‘We need more women engineers to fuel Plymouth’s economic growth’

A leading Plymouth civil engineer says encouraging more women into the profession is vital for re-booting the city’s economic growth after the COVID19 pandemic.

Katy Toms, South West Chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and a senior engineer, based at WSP in Exeter, is highlighting the importance of greater diversity of talent ahead of International Women in Engineering...

Dramatic rise in barbecues and litter says National Trust as wildfire risk continues

The National Trust is urging people not to bring a barbecue or light a campfire when they visit the coast and countryside, following a spate of wildfires during lockdown.

Despite recent rainfall, a record-breaking spring of sunshine has left many landscapes dry and created the perfect conditions for fires to ignite and quickly spread.

Since the start of April, several large...

For Our Heroes: Tavistock songwriter's moving tribe to key workers

A heart-warming tribute song thanking NHS staff and key workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic has been written and produced by Tavistock locals, Andrew Lessiter and Violet Ryder.

Alongside his day job as a Virgin Media sales representative for Plymouth South, 37-year-old Andrew wrote ‘For Our Heroes’ in one week, expertly recording and producing a video to accompany the...

Libraries phased return from 6th July

Due to Covid-19 our library buildings have been closed since the 23rd March 2020 and our mobile library and home library service have been suspended. It has been an extraordinary time and we have rapidly adjusted to the situation.

Our physical libraries may be closed but our staff have been working hard to adapt our service and deliver our library service online. Staff have supported...

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