Covid Update

From the outset of the Coronavirus outbreak my constituency casework inbox has been jampacked with now thousands of individual experiences where local people are feeling the immediate effect; both in health and in the workplace.

It should come as no surprise that those most impacted by the pandemic were those already left to fight to keep a roof over their heads, money coming in from work, and get through a stressful and demanding everyday experience. Add a global pandemic, chaotic intervention, fragmented financial support and an already fragile underlying economy; it shouldn’t have taken the government so long to fully realise this.

As we approach summer and school children already broken up for the summer holiday (for those who were in school to begin with), and with the natural human tendency to want to get back to normal we mustn’t allow ourselves to believe we are through the worst. For many much more is still to come, not least of all as the governments Furlough scheme reaches its cliff edge by October, and councils will be forced to make in year cuts to essential services, almost entirely because of the failure of central government to meet its promise to cover all the costs of Covid response.

Our borough has made huge progress, after months and months of constantly demanding up to date and accurate contact tracing we are beginning now to get a better overview of the infection rates across the area. What the latest data shows is encouraging, where reports four weeks ago placed us at 33.3% positive tests per 100,000 population, compared to 16.3% average across Greater Manchester. The latest figures show the largest reduction which now stands at 14.8% against a GM average of 12.3%.

There are many reasons why we remain at a higher risk including the nature of employment. We have been actively supporting workers in warehousing and distribution where social distancing and safe working practices were not being adhered to, while some progress has been made this remains a risk. We also have a large number of multi-generational housing and overcrowding which creates a greater risk of transmission. And of course, we have many in frontline work such as care home workers, transport workers and retail workers who are more exposed than the general population to becoming infected, and in fact of dying from the virus.

I have remained critical of the lack of financial support for those who become reliant on Statutory Sick Pay, which is nowhere near enough to cover the bills, and for those whose employment falls through the gap of existing support, nationally this is over 1 million people. And we know just how frustrating the support for newly self-employed people especially has been, with many of them finding that not only do they not qualify for the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme – but that they are barred from accessing Universal Credit too.

Public events and gatherings also provide an increased risk and that was evident at Easter, the VE day celebrations, and the upcoming Eid celebrations where we all have to be vigilant, however difficult it can be, and that’s before you come to the illegal gatherings which beggar belief such as the scenes at Daisy Nook. But aside from this, more, much more, must be done to keep people safe in the workplace.

I find it staggering, but not surprising unfortunately, that our care home workers were ignored and denied the right protective equipment they deserve, which of course impacted on the high level of infection and deaths too. Even now as the government make much of the pay increase offered to doctors, our nurses and social care staff (many just on the minimum wage) are left ignored.

I want to thank all of our key workers across the public, voluntary and private sectors who have kept the country going. I’m incredibly proud of the work of Oldham people in that task, and for the care and commitment shown to those most effected. You are the best of us.