Copy
View this email in your browser
FoodBites - Autumn 2020                                                     

The Principal's Piece
Lauren Dyer, Health Protection Manager at Chichester District Council

Welcome to our Autumn edition of Foodbites. This is the final edition for 2020 and it really has been a challenging year – I do not think anyone could quite have predicted how the year would pan out. Coronavirus infection rates are continuing to rise across the country and so it is vital that we all continue to play our part to protect ourselves and others and avoid further restrictions – whether this is by wearing a face covering, maintaining the 2m social distancing (or 1m with risk mitigation) or by simply washing our hands. As businesses we are only too aware of the struggles you have faced over the last six months or so, not least by having to adapt to the increasing changes to the legislation and guidance. This is why we are particularly pleased to welcome two new Covid Information Recovery Officers, Gary Milne and Tanya Maidment, to the Health Protection team. These are full time posts in place over the next six months which are funded through special Government funding and their role will focus on supporting local businesses and making sure that they are COVID-secure. They will further enhance the support that our Health Protection and Licensing teams have been providing to help businesses and venues, helping them to understand and adapt to Government guidance. If either Gary or Tanya visit your businesses please feel free to ask for any advice and guidance that you require relating to Covid – they will be only too happy to help. Alternatively please contact them and the team via email

Coronavirus Regulations Update
We appreciate just how difficult it has been for businesses to keep up to date with the ever changing requirements relating to coronavirus controls. The Health Protection team will do their best to provide you with information and support and we have also provided a quick update HERE on some of the main requirements affecting businesses in our area. Of course these are subject to constant change and the best source of information is the Government website where you can find up to date general information and sector specific guidance.

As always,
contact us if you have any questions or need further clarification.

Track and Trace
It is now a legal requirement that businesses have an adequate Track and Trace system in place to help the NHS with contact tracing. From 24th September, it is mandatory that
certain businesses and  venues display the NHS official QR code poster so that the customers can 'check-in' at different premises. We appreciate that not all customers have access to mobile phones or have decided not to download the app and therefore it is important that you have an alternative system in place for collecting customers' details. Whichever method you choose, please ensure that you protect customers' personal details in accordance with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations). A sheet of paper where all customers leave their details and can be viewed by others is not acceptable. If a customer refuses to leave their contact details, they should be refused entry.

To find out more about the NHS Covid app, create your poster, find advice and guidance or report any issues with the app visit the NHS website. To find out more about Test and Trace requirements, go to Gov.uk website.

Events
Although the majority of large outdoor events have been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, some smaller scale events have been taking place, subject to having adequate controls in place to prevent the virus spread.
If you are planning to hold an event, you must have a written risk assessment in place that will demonstrate the event can be run safely. For any events small or large, you should be
contacting us well in advance so that we can provide you with advice and guidance, and so that you can demonstrate to us that you will be able to achieve a Covid-secure event.

The following guidance has been published for businesses and will help you run the outdoor events safely:

Reporting an outbreak of Covid-19 in your business
When you identify an outbreak of Covid-19 (one or more confirmed case) in your workplace, it may be daunting and difficult to know how to deal with it and where to report it. Public Health England have published a number of Action Cards that will help you understand how to respond to an outbreak. The cards are designated to be printed or downloaded to keep on-hand in your business and will help you to:
  • Identify an outbreak 
  • Report the outbreak to your local Health Protection team
  • work with your local Health Protection team to respond
Reduce the risk
Officers have raised concerns at recent visits, please ensure you remain COVID-secure by:
  • Adjusting processes to prevent customers from congregating at points of service
  • Minimising customer self service of food, cutlery and condiments to reduce risk of transmission. For example, providing cutlery and condiments only when food is served.
  • Providing only disposable condiments or cleaning non disposable condiment containers after each use.
  • Reducing the number of surfaces touched by both staff and customers. For example, asking customers to remain at a table where possible, or to not lean on counters when collecting takeaways
  • Reducing any communal items such as newspapers, magazines etc.
For further information, refer to Gov.uk Working safely during coronavirus guidance.

Display your Covid-19 posters and signage
All businesses need to make sure people understand what they need to do to maintain safety when visiting the venues. It is very important that you inform clearly the latest guidance on expected customer behaviours, social distancing, face coverings, and hygiene to people on or before arrival. This can be done by providing written or spoken communication to both staff and customers inside and outside the venue. 

It is mandatory for
some businesses to provide and display a venue QR code for customers and staff to use when visiting these premises for the purposes of Track & Trace. It is also mandatory that relevant places display a notice asking customers to wear a face covering (or take other measures to inform customers). Best practice for other information to display is -

There are a number of social distancing sign designs on our website that you can download and more free coronavirus downloads can be found here.

CDC coronavirus newsletter
As you will be aware, the current coronavirus situation is at a turning point and is likely to change over the coming weeks. Please make sure you stay up to date with the latest coronavirus and council news by signing up to our regular email
newsletterPlease also encourage your friends and family who live in the district to sign up too.
Patio heaters
A lot of businesses have maximized their spaces during the Covid-19 pandemic by using outdoor space in the gardens or by putting the marquees up. To continue with this throughout the winter, you may be considering using patio heaters to keep your customers warm. HSE have provided a direct link to the LPG Patio Heaters - safe use guidance to ensure they are being used safely.
First Aid during Covid-19
Providing first aid to injured or ill persons during the coronavirus pandemic will require some additional measures to be put in place and should be covered in your risk assessment. HSE have produced guidance for first aid in non-healthcare settings which will help you to identify important points to ensure safety of your first aider and those to whom the first aid is provided.
Awards
Congratulations to the Graffham Village Shop owners Jeeva and his wife Vasu who have been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for their services to the community during the coronavirus pandemic. Two months earlier, they were also awarded a Covid Community Champion award for helping to 'hold the community together'. More on the shop owners' achievements can be found here.
Brexit
As you may have seen in the media, there is no deal in place yet with the EU. If you export any food to Europe please contact us to ensure we are aware of this. All approved premises should have received letters from the Food Standards Agency over the last couple of years, as it is likely there will be changes for you. Our Economic Development team are sending out information, their latest correspondence can be seen here  and you can sign up to their newsletters at the bottom. There is support from a variety of sources.
 
Check the
Gov.uk website for the new rules from January 2021 and take action now!
Allergen Labelling Changes
It’s one year to go until the rules on allergen labelling are extended to fully cover foods pre-packed for direct sale.
The Food Standards Agency has issued
guidance to help businesses prepare for the changes which come in on October 1st 2021
Useful links
Share Share
Tweet Tweet
Forward to a friend Forward to a friend
CDC Twitter
CDC Facebook
CDC homepage
Copyright © 2018 Chichester District Council. All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:

Chichester District Council, East Pallant House, 1 East Pallant, Chichester, PO19 1TY. 01243 785166.

The Council works hard to take care of your information in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations.  See http://www.chichester.gov.uk/dataprotectionandfreedomofinformation for details.

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list
 






This email was sent to <<Email Address>>
why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
Chichester District Council · Chichester District Council · East Pallant House, 1 East Pallant · Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1TY · United Kingdom

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp