Stay up to date with the latest information, advice and guidance on the Coronavirus, plus its impact on the city and South Cambridgeshire with Cambridge 105 Radio.
Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives
You must currently stay at home, except for:
- shopping for basic necessities (such as food)
- daily exercise (for example, a walk, run or cycle ride)
- medical or care need (for example, visiting the doctors or dentist)
- travelling to and from work where absolutely necessary
Shops selling non-essential goods have been shut and gatherings in public of more than two people who do not live together are prohibited. Police are enforcing these measures.
These restrictions have been put in place by the government and will be reviewed at Easter.
Local GP Surgeries
The following local GP surgeries have cancelled all routine face to face appointments and are operating a telephone triage service. These are the ones we’ve been told about:
- Barley Surgery
- Bridge Street Medical Centre
- East Barnwell Health Centre
- Granta Medical Practice
- Linton Health Centre
- Market Hill Surgery
- Monkfield Medical Practice
- Papworth Surgery
- Shelford Health Centre
- Trumpington Street Medical Practice
Addenbrooke’s Hospital
As of Friday 20 March, Addenbrooke’s Hospital cancelled all routine face-to-face appointments for at least 3 months. Emergency cases and cancer treatments are carrying on as normal.
School Closures
As of Friday 20 March, all schools across Cambridgeshire and the UK closed until further notice, following government advice.
Only children of keyworkers (including nurses, doctors, other NHS staff and delivery drivers) as well as vulnerable children will be allowed in to schools. To view the full government list, visit GOV.UK.
Local Support
Cambridge City Council has helped build a network of ‘clusters’. These bring together lead councillors, voluntary organisations and mutual aid groups in each city council ward, working together to coordinate support to help the most vulnerable. Details of your nearest support group can be found at cambridge.gov.uk/
Cambridgeshire County Council has launched a COVID-19 coordination hub to provide targeted support for those most at risk during the Coronavirus outbreak. The hub has a specific focus on providing access to food, medicines and other supplies in the first instance. Visit cambridgeshire.gov.uk for more details.
If you’re struggling to pay gas or electricity as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, the government and energy companies have agreed a range of support measures.
The best place to access help is through your energy supplier. Contact them and explain your specific circumstances. For example, you might have a pre-pay meter and are currently unable to top it up because you’re self-isolating. For more details, visit GOV.UK.
Local Services
Stagecoach, which runs the local bus services in Cambridge, are operating a revised timetable on some routes. Visit stagecoachbus.com for more details.
Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council have relaxed all parking controls across the city. It includes the temporary suspension of resident parking zones to assist essential deliveries and collections.
Cambridge and District Citizen’s Advice have cancelled all outreach and face-to-face work. Appointments will be by phone only (they will call all clients so there is no cost to them).
Emergencies like the need for a foodbank voucher are being dealt with by people coming to the door and buzzing for attention. You will be asked to write your phone number down and CAB will arrange for you to come back once they’ve produced the voucher (they won’t be allowing you into the office). If you need to give them paperwork, you can do so by putting it through the letter box at the front of the building.
Cambridge City Council are asking you not to take items to recycling points (such as textiles, shoes, batteries etc) as the banks won’t be emptied until further notice.
All nine Cambridgeshire County Council Household Recycling Centres are closed until further notice.
Cambridge City Council’s customer reception points at Mandela House and Arbury Road are currently closed, except for pre-booked appointments. Their phone lines are open as is their online reporting system.
Cambridge City Crematorium is closed for all face-to-face meetings, although funeral services involving direct family members of the deceased are still going ahead.
The Cambridge Community Scrapstore on Barnwell Drive is closed until further notice.
Cambridgeshire County Council has closed all libraries in line with government advice.
Cambridge City Council has closed all play areas, although parks remain open.
Local Venues and Events
As of Saturday 21 March; all cafes, pubs, bars, clubs, restaurants, gyms, leisure centres, nightclubs, theatres and cinemas were ordered to close by the Prime Minister to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
A number of other local venues have also shut their doors until further notice, they include:
- Cambridge Corn Exchange (all events have been postponed)
- Cambridge Junction (closed until the end of April at the earliest)
- Denny End Farmland Museum
- Kettle’s Yard
- Sedgwick Museum
- The ADC Theatre
- The Cambridge Museum of Technology
- The Fitzwilliam Museum
- The Imperial War Museum, Duxford
- The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
- The Museum of Cambridge
- The Museum of Zoology
- The Museum of Classical Archaeology
A host of events, performances and sporting fixtures have been cancelled or postponed due to the outbreak. Here’s what we’ve been told about:
- the Strawberry Fair, which was due to take place on 6 June, has been cancelled until next year
- the Cambridge Folk Festival, which was due to take place from 30 July to 2 August, has been cancelled until next year
- the Cambridge Big Weekend, which was due to happen in July, has been cancelled until next year
- the Cambridge Rock Festival, due to take place from 18 to 21 June, has been cancelled until next year
- the Cambridge Beer Festival, due to take place from 18 to 23 May, has been cancelled until next year
- the Cambridge Band Competition has been postponed
- the Cambridge Science Festival has cancelled the remainder of its planned activities and events
- the Cambridge Literary Spring Festival has been cancelled
- all current Cambridge United, EFL and Premier League football fixtures have been postponed
- the Cows about Cambridge event has been postponed
- the Cambridge Brahms Festival has been cancelled
- Ely Consort’s concert on Saturday 4 April has been cancelled
- the Cantus Singers of Cambridge concert on Saturday 4 April has been cancelled
If an event you’ve organised has been cancelled or postponed, please let us know by emailing news@cambridge105.co.uk.
What is Coronavirus?
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways.
What are the Symptoms?
- a high temperature (37.8 degrees and above)
- a new, continuous cough
Official Advice about Self Isolation
The government’s advised everyone in the UK to avoid “non-essential” travel and contact with others to curb coronavirus.
They’re advising those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures.
The groups are:
- those aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)
- those under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds)
- those with chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
- those with chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
- those with chronic kidney disease
- those with chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
- those with chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
- those with diabetes
- those with problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
- those with a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
- those who are seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above)
- those who are pregnant
There are some clinical conditions which put people at even higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. These are:
- People who have received an organ transplant and remain on ongoing immunosuppression medication
- People with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radiotherapy
- People with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia who are at any stage of treatment
- People with severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma (requiring hospital admissions or courses of steroid tablets)
- People with severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis)
There are general principles you can follow to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:
- washing your hands more often – with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitiser when you get home or into work, when you blow your nose, sneeze or cough, eat or handle food
- avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- avoid close contact with people who have symptoms
- cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin and wash your hands
- clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in the home
Further advice and information can be found on the GOV.UK website here.
Stay at home advice for dealing with COVID-19 can be found here.
NHS 111
You do not need to call NHS 111 to go into self-isolation.
If your symptoms worsen during home isolation or are no better after 7 days, contact NHS 111 online at 111.nhs.uk.
For a medical emergency, dial 999.
