Rutland schools, care homes and businesses are being encouraged to familiarise themselves with the county's Local Outbreak Management Plan.

The plan, published by Rutland County Council, explains how local agencies will work together to prevent and manage any potential COVID-19 outbreak in the county.

In line with the next phase of the UK government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all local authorities must produce and implement a Local Outbreak Management Plan for their area.

The aim of the plan is to protect lives and livelihoods in Rutland by:

Preventing the spread of COVID-19

Early identification and proactive management of any local outbreaks

Coordinating effectively with local partners and agencies

Ensuring the public, businesses and stakeholders are aware of the plan and how it is being applied

Controlling the spread of COVID-19 is recognised as the critical first step to preventing a local outbreak.

The Council's Public Health Department will work with employers and other settings to make sure people know and understand the actions that are needed to prevent transmission of the virus. This includes:

Physical measures to support social distancing in public spaces and workplaces

Promoting the importance regular handwashing and good hygiene habits

Clear public messaging to promote awareness of the latest prevention guidance

Ongoing engagement with local communities, town and parish councils, faith groups and the voluntary sector

Support for care homes and other settings where people are at a high risk from COVID-19

Use of data and local monitoring to identify potential 'hot spots' and intervene early

Rutland County Council leader Oliver Hemsley said: "Community transmission of COVID-19 appears to be in decline across the country. However, as we've seen, there is still a very real risk of localised outbreaks.

"It's important that we all continue to follow the steps that have been shown to prevent the virus from spreading. This means staying home as much as possible, washing our hands regularly and sticking to social distancing rules.

Coun Hemsley added: "Our Local Outbreak Plan sets out how we intended to guard against any potential spike in cases in Rutland – working together to protect families, communities and businesses."

The plan can be read by clicking the link here.