Newham Council is providing residents in shared accommodation with isolation stays in local hotels.
In order to curb the spread of coronavirus, Newham Council will be providing residents in shared rooms and overcrowded accommodation with a safe space to quarantine. The East End borough announced that those in flatshares who have come into contact with Covid-19 will soon be able to self-isolate in a hotel for free.
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Newham claims to be the first council in the UK to provide tenants with a space to quarantine if they don’t have access to one at home. The hope is that the new system will stop the spread of the virus through airborne transmissions in shared rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms. Those in flatshares who have contracted the virus will therefore be able to self-isolate in a hotel, reducing the risk for the other residents in the accommodation.
Newham Council already have three hotels with empty rooms on standby and those who choose to stay there will be given food, drinks and frequent medical checks. These rooms will only be open to people who have tested positive for Covid or who live with someone with a positive test result. Those living with clinically vulnerable or elderly family members will especially be encouraged to take advantage of the free isolation stays.
Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz explained that this new initiative and the introduction of rapid testing centres will help to slow down the infection rate in the local area. She said “Our unique offer to support safe self-isolation to Newham residents is… a demonstration of our ongoing focus on the safety, health and well-being of our people.”