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“This survey shows councils are doing all they can to support care providers despite being under huge pressure themselves to combat coronavirus and protect our elderly and most vulnerable."

“Councils have a unique understanding of their communities and are ideally placed with the skills, knowledge and experience on the ground to help ramp up the level of testing and contact tracing necessary to defeat this disease."

Responding to the publication of the Government’s Care Home Resilience Plan announced by the Health Secretary at the Downing Street briefing, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “This package of support is a recognition of councils’ vital leadership role in our national effort to combat coronavirus and protect our elderly and most vulnerable. “Social care is the frontline in the battle against this dreadful disease. As this plan makes clear, councils have a close relationship with their local care homes and are already working

“Social care is on the frontline in the fight against coronavirus."

People are being urged to think carefully before considering travelling to a beach this weekend and to check it is open and safe to visit.

“This extra funding for infection control in care homes is good news and will help councils’ public health teams in their efforts to reduce and prevent coronavirus outbreaks."

“It is good that government has brought forward measures to ensure that planning departments can continue to operate effectively within current public health guidelines."

“Every death from this virus is a tragedy and each of these figures represents another shocking and terrible loss of a family member and friend."

The latest ONS figures showing social care workers are twice as likely to die from COVID-19 than healthcare workers.

“During this pandemic, councils’ role as leaders of place has been more important than ever before.”