As a small place with many vulnerable residents and fragile services (not to mention a significant distance from an ITU bed) we as a community must do everything we can to save our island from a major COVID-19 outbreak and reduce the pressure on our essential key workers.
Our isolated location does not mean we are protected. The more we go out and about or travel off island, the more likely we are to contract the virus and pass it on to others. Given the significant distance between Jura and any intensive care facilities, combined with the pressures we know the health system will be under, our best course of action is to avoid getting the virus at all.
We strongly urge you to follow all the latest government instructions.
These are enforceable by law; please check them regularly so that you keep up to date with changes. www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Stay at home, keep your distance
Everyone, no matter where on the island you live, should:
- stay at home as much as possible
- practice social distancing (no parties. Sorry. Not even wee ones.)
- practice rigorous hand hygiene
- strictly self-isolate if you, or any of your household show symptoms (please see government rules on this)
- keep a 2m distance from others.
Travel (or not!)
If you are not in self isolation, you must only leave the house for very limited, essential purposes. These are:
- To gather essential supplies (food, medicines)
- For any medical need which cannot be dealt with over the phone and only where you have been advised by the NHS to attend in person
- To provide care or to help a vulnerable person
- Travelling for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home
- To take one form of exercise per day
All journeys should be essential only and as brief as possible. Following these rules will minimise the risk of a major outbreak on Jura and is critical in protecting essential workers on the island such as our NHS staff, Fire and Coastguard crew, paid and unpaid carers, shop staff, delivery drivers, postal workers and our ferry crew.
All journeys should be essential only and as brief as possible. Following these rules will minimise the risk of a major outbreak on Jura and is critical in protecting vulnerable residents and essential workers on the island such as our NHS staff, Fire and Coastguard crew, paid and unpaid carers, shop staff, delivery drivers, postal workers and ferry crew.
Supplies
We recommend you shop locally as much as possible and minimise travelling off the island, so as to reduce the risk of picking up the virus elsewhere (and bringing it back) and to protect our ferry crew. Remember you can order many dried goods online too.
Plan ahead, have a weekly menu and shopping list and pre-order with the shop as much as you can. This reduces contact for shop staff and also helps them order the correct quantities from suppliers.
Please take note of the latest shop order deadlines and help the shop staff by following their current rules. Keep your visits to the shop as brief and infrequent as possible, use the hand gel provided and keep your distance. We need to keep them healthy so they can keep us supplied!
Keep a small stock of some key dry and frozen items to get nutrient-rich, balanced meals, but PLEASE do not panic buy – the shop needs to be able to cater for us all.
Medical information
Please check the NHS inform website for the latest COVID guidance and other health information. www.nhsinform.scot
Please note the Jura medical practice latest instructions on their website and only visit if you have phoned ahead and been told to attend in person.
999 should still be used in an emergency. 111 can be contacted, but only if you cannot find advise online. Over the coming weeks our NHS and Care staff will be under immense pressure. Following the Government and NHS instrcutions will help keep them safe and in operation at a time when we need them the most.
Amazing Jura!
This is and will continue to be a hard time for us all. There will be financial hardships and we will miss the social interaction and community gatherings that we all hold dear. But staying at home and distancing ourselves now will save lives and see Jura coming out strong on the other side.
As well as the amazing work that the local NHS and Care staff are doing, The Community Council, Jura Shop, Jura Jottings, JDT are working together to share information and keep local services joined up and as efficient as possible. We’ll be using this website to share information www.juradevelopment.co.uk – contact the Community Council if there’s something you think should be included.
Fantastic staff and many many local volunteers are working together to look out for the community, caring for our vulnerable neighbours, keeping supply chains and transport links moving. It’s amazing to see how much everyone is going above and beyond to look after Jura. Let’s keep looking after each other (from a 2m distance!) and keep our home safe.
If you’re reading this from afar, please help us and our limited services by staying away for the meantime. We look forward to welcoming friends and visitors back to Jura again in the future.