In England and Wales so far, of over 10,000 Covid-19 deaths occurring outside hospital, 80% took place in care homes.  Here in Kent the figure reflects the national picture and I have been in touch with several local care-home owners, managers and staff recently, to understand the challenges they

When the Prime Minister addressed the nation on Sunday he explained that, mercifully, some modest changes can now be made to the lockdown.  This is partly because the pressure on our hospitals caused by high Coronavirus infection numbers is easing.

‘It’s not possible to fight a fire blindfolded’ said the World Health Organisation back in March when they issued the maxim ‘Test, Test, Test’ to governments around the world.  Until we have a vaccine, knowing who is infected is key because we can then selectively isolate people and trace those w

Dear Friends and Residents

Hello again, and I hope you and your loved ones have remained safe and well since my last bulletin a couple of weeks ago.   

Last week I spoke with Kent’s Chief Constable Alan Pughsley and Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott about Kent Police’s response to Coronavirus.

My regular catch-up sessions with NHS Trust CEO Miles Scott are always important and I would like to share details of this week’s communication with Downs Mail readers.

Dear Friends and Residents

I write with a further update on our local and national effort to stop the spread of Coronavirus.

Dear Friends and Residents

I am writing further to my bulletin of last week to update you on the latest Government advice and local action (see ‘Supporting our Most Vulnerable Citizens’ below) in our collective national effort to stop the spread of Coronavirus.

Dear Friends and Residents  

The international outbreak of Coronavirus is a huge challenge, and rightly our Government is treating the issue with great care and seriousness. Their action plan published last week, sets out how they will respond to the outbreak, in four phases: contain, delay, research and mitigate.