“We are doing all we can to protect you” — that is the message from the leader of the Isle of Wight Council today (Friday) as he moves to reassure Islanders the authority is ready to take on the coronavirus (COVID-19) threat.
In a message to Islanders posted on social media, Councillor Dave Stewart said the council’s focus is the health and wellbeing of its communities.
Maintaining essential services to our most vulnerable residents is a priority, as is supporting the many local businesses already hard hit by the pandemic, he said.
Councillor Stewart has also called on residents to take sensible precautions such as washing hands, keeping social space, self-isolating when required and seeking medical advice through the 111 service when needed. He said:
“I want to assure you now that we are doing all we can to protect you and the rest of our Island community as we enter the storm of coronavirus in the days and weeks ahead.
“In the midst of this international public health crisis, the Isle of Wight is stepping up to ensure all our community have what they need to cope with the impact of Covid-19 — we know it will be tough but we are ready and we will respond as necessary.”
Councillor Stewart has said the authority will be identifying those most in need and maintaining regular contact with them. A dedicated helpline to support the was also being set up.
He has also reassured businesses that the council is working hard to be ready to swiftly deliver the package of funding support announced by the government with further details to follow soon.
Councillor Stewart has highlighted other measures the council is taking, including:
• Closing all council-run leisure centres, museum and theatre
• Encouraging council staff to work from home to minimise travel and support social-isolation
• Working with partner agencies to ensure plans are in place to provide further support to the community.
Cllr Stewart says ferry companies are ensuring goods and people can get to and from the Island through safe and regular services, the police and fire service are fully prepared to respond to any emergency that needed their support and Southern Water has robust plans in place to ensure essential water supplies are maintained for everyone.
Councillor Stewart has praised the Island’s community spirit and the outpouring of public kindness and generosity. He has said:
“This collective community response is what will see us through this and ensure we do everything we can to overcome coronavirus and rebuild our community afterwards.
“There will be opportunities to help others and everyone can play their part.
“We are fortunate to live in a place where community spirit is second to none and now is the time to harness that spirit.”
As business fails how about cutting or even better cancelling this years council tax and amenity fees?
Yeah right like they would. That’s called being helpful it’s ok they will put next years tax up by 7.99% to make us pay for them doing a actual job which we already pay them too much. It’s about time the council tax was abolished as the island police force is no use. Rubbish collection if they can be arsed to actually get out of the cab. Schools closed. Public amenities ie loos we have to pay to use them or they are permanently closed and being sold off. Local town councils jokes. So what are we actually paying for again?
So true.
“we are doing all we can to protect you” statement made on IOW radio by council leader Dave Stewart. THE ONLY WAY TO FULLY PROTECT ALL ON THE ISLAND IS TO FULLY STOP MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE ON AND OFF THE ISLAND BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. YES THIS MEANS ONLY ALLOWING FOOD, POST, PARCEL DELIVERIES, MEDICINES ETC ETC ONTO THE ISLAND. PLEASE BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE AND WE HAVE A MAJOR OUTBREAK OF COVID 19 ON THE ISLAND.
Completely agree. Only let the ferries bring provisions in, social distance for a year it said on the news today, that means suspend all travel to the island for that time, to protect us all.
Opinions matter……too late I’m afraid, 1500hr sailing from Southampton to Cowes car ferry mostly full of London second home owners came here to escape the London meltdown (I spoke to a couple of them) so there here. Maybe holiday home owners and certain religious groups ie those who share wine from the same goblet have sadly sped up the contagion.
Did’nt stop 5 coaches of holiday people in Shanklin going off to see the sights Friday morning blissfully unaware of social distancing despite being in the at risk group. Probably too late but stopping the coaches now might limit the damage.
I think you’re right
Agree stop the Ferries use only for Frieght and Emergency workers. Any persons wanting to return to there home from the mainland should be tested before being allowed to
Board. Our island will not cope, Hospital already struggling because of difficulty in employing Staff and we have only the one hospital now and double the population then years ago when we had Ryde, Frank James, Shanklin old Cottage Hospital. One Cremartorium that is already at capacity. We will lose so many loved ones, elderly, people with underlying health problems, DIsabled and many more. When this happens I will say ferries should be of been stopped . Patients need to get to Southampton for Cancer treatments. Care workers will have to be brought here as will Doctors and if it gets so bad Military. This is serious lets keep it to minimum risk. Whilst we still have a chance.
Sounds good. I don’t think that Island business or the ferry companies will accept that, unfortunately
Is the isle of Wight festival going ahead.? If so why when everything else is being cancelled.
Surely not. I bloody hope not!!
The cancellation of this event should have already been done, we understand the revenue this brings to the island, but many big events have already been announced as cancelled because of the Coronavirus why not this one, come on get it out there and put the minds of Island residents at ease , no doubt this comes in the governments guide lines away, so it must altermaticly be cancelled.
All you people are such moaning minies. Yes people have Fu**** up you cant blame anyone else except them always blaming government officials an the local councils. Instead of moaning and stating the obvious we should be helping to think of Ways to help, For instance all your comments could have been calls to the local services reporting what youve seen instead of waiting to moan about it on here.
Paul. It’s good to let people moan! But we should be talking positively as you are suggesting
Paul, I emailed Bob Seely with my concerns. I asked him to take the proposal to parliament re locking down the IOW to stop mainlanders coming here. Obviously the ferries would continue to bring islanders all the key supplies we require. This is going to be discussed this week apparently. Furious that many piled over here at the weekend from their primary residence.
I don’t think so
It may be beneficial if he were to pressure our MP to get HMG to fund the countries council tax for at least a year, to ease the burden on workers.
That would directly ease a lot of pressure off of people AND would not be open to mass abuse which paying peoples rent will be in cities where corrupt landlords will have cash paying tenants but will then claim for these building again, many being inhabited by their ‘huge’ families.
HMG paying council tax is easier to administer one payment in full to each council area, not millions of individual payments to doggy people.
They could also pay half of peoples water bills too, again directly to companies not scheming and scaming low life which always benefits from such times where Gov agencies cant check out data in time.
Yet the council would sooner we pay, and just ‘repeat’ wash your hands,etc.
DO SOMETHING proactive, get that MP to TELL HMG to fund the country’s COUNCIL TAX this year.
I have already sent a stinking email to the islands MP all I got back was a post card saying he has received it. Good old fashioned politics.
We have a natural barrier, ask any Red Squirrel, which perhaps right now we should exploit. With holidays coming is it really sensible to allow large volumes of people from infected areas to swamp our Island?
Ignoring this just to placate a few large businesses, must of whom aren’t even Island based could tip the balance.
History will show the truth.
OPERATION RED SQUIRREL ,LOCKDOWN THE ISLAND
It’s all very well people foung social isolation as much as possible, and well done to those who can. But with coaches full of visitors coming over, surely agents letting these out should be approached to offer moving dates of visits, or transferring to the following year az no extra cost to the visitor. Even if they stay in the hotel, holiday let which I doubt , there is still the risk of transferring virus to staff and therefore many others. I think it is a time for the government to step up and say no holiday movement as the rest of the world has done, and put in place funding to help those who cancel or postpone
So why are we not adopting the stance of the isle of man regarding non essential travel? I would be interested to know how many intensive care beds and ventilators are available, bearing in mind the high proportion of elderly residents. Those are the first two which spring to mind.
Before the virus appeared St Mary’s had a 6 bed intensive care unit. Would hope they have created more by now, but not heard how many. With only 2 or 3 confirmed cases on Island in past few weeks, would think there are Plans A, B, C, D etc in place.
Just remember the nursing staff and doctors are people too. And they have family’s of their own to whom they have a bigger duty of care not just us ungrateful swines
So the holiday makers are allowed over but us islanders have to isolate where’s the sense
A man has been arrested on the Isle of Man for allegedly failing to self-isolate in line with precautions to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Police on the British crown dependency said the man, reported to be 26, was arrested after failing to stick to self-isolation laws and is in a specially-cleaned area.
In a statement, the force said: “Since Tuesday night, everyone arriving on the Isle of Man has been required to self-isolate for 14 days, even if they’re not showing symptoms of Covid-19.
It’s a shame we can’t be more like the Isle of Man. they seem to have the right idea. The isle of wight seems to be an ever open door and always has been. We are an island yet have to be treated as though we are just another part of the mainland. Look at how many people come to live down here, if the same number went to live in, for example yorkshire, they would hardly be noticeable, they would be swallowed up by a much more expansive area,without there being much difference to the area they moved into, but all those amount of people moving down here to live cannot happen without it making an appreciable difference as it is such a small geographical area down here, just an island,, cannot just expand outwards into the sea to accommodate all the people who want to move here, look how many gardens have been built on and how much land has been lost to housing, and still more being lost. and many people who come to live here, then get their friends and family coming down to visit, and so it goes on, an ever open door. if you were born here as i was, you are practically an outsider. I wish I could have been born on the Isle of Man instead, I would feel safer now.
Seaview is now full with DFT,and Bembridge all the second homes are full ! The Horse has bolted!
I quote “ We are fortunate to live in a place where community spirit is second to none and now is the time to harness that spirit.” where’s that then councillor?
How do you impart the importance of social distancing into people too stupid or ignorant to take it in? One woman came and stuck her face right into mine while I was waiting for a bus, breathing her tobacco fumes into my face, she seemed quite offended when I took an alarmed step backwards, she only wanted to know if I was waiting for the bus when I obviously was, so don’t know why she asked, she looked a dodgy type anyway, many of which there are hanging around in certain areas all too frequently. it is all so frustrating, when this virus first came out in China, why didn’t the people there stay there until it was contained, but no, they just had to come back to the UK didn’t they. putting us all at risk. Seems it was brought here by the well off people and now being likely spread about by the less intelligent, for people like me, alone, this is a terrifying time.
A dodgy type!! How dodgy are you??
Then stop coachloads of people coming over,surely they can postpone their holiday untill everything has cleared…..
As a Key worker is it really ideal to allow the elderly to be travelling on the buses before 0930!!! Surely they will be at more risk!!
I’ve worked in a coaching hotel in Shanklin for a while now,they made us come in yesterday to clean rooms etc last guests left yesterday, as soon as I finished my shift told my job has finished here’s your termination letter! I thought the government are ready to pay 80% of my wage which is minimal anyway to keep people in jobs , I personally feel devastated chucked out like rubbish.
STOP VISITORS TO THE ISLAND
Why oh why is the government spending so much money on specialists and equipment?
Clearly all they need to do is read the comments on here and they could get on top of this Coronavirus thing in a day.
Likely with the added bonus of putting the rest of the world to rights too.
All these experts here. It’s almost as if their voices mean nothing and no-one is listening?
Hope they will stop the coach trippers coming and holiday makers as I’ve heard still coming over.
Janc
Why are the ferrys not commercial only..we are being overun by selfish idiots coming here thinking they are in holiday..if u need to get back here or have essential travel prove you live here to get on the ferry…..maybe that wouldbe agood start mr mp!!!!!!!
When are you going to sort the ferry situation and ensure only essential goods and travellers are allowed on, it’s being done elsewhere in the UK, and you and Bob Deeply are just dragging your heels. You get paid good money to manage the needs of islanders, so do something positive or give a good reason why not.
Sorry, should say Bob Seely.
In other words The council are doing S*d All, relying on volunteers to help out, How about pledging some of ” Our Money” towards these organisations that are prepared to help out this community instead of taking “Gardening Leave” on full pay , The Councillors chose not to hold a meeting last week They could have been discussing important Issues, how to help those that have lost their jobs and are worried that how they will cope with Concil Tax Payments that have dropped in their letter boxes , The same with Business Tax, People have seen their business fold up overnight , The Scottish Islands have a Ferry policy that only those with special circumstances are allowed to travel, second Home owners escaping to the Is;ands are now banned .