Coronavirus Advice

Welcome to this special Coronavirus section of my website. You can access the various sections on the left hand side, or at the bottom of this page if you're on a mobile device. I will post daily updates as well.

If you would like to receive updates on the government’s response to COVID-19 you can sign up for email alerts.

The intention is to give clear practical advice to constituents about the action they need to take. All the clinical guidance is provided by the NHS and the Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty. It is essential that we listen to official advice based on recognised science rather than follow some of the misleading and often scaremongering stories on social media.

Secondly there is practical information for businesses inevitably facing challenging times at the moment not least in the hospitality sector which is very important in Worthing especially. A raft of measures were announced in the Budget and subsequent far reaching measures have been added by the Chancellor as the government does everything it can to keep businesses afloat and constituents in employment. At this difficult time it is also important that we do all we can to support local business as well. A number of restaurants for example are now offering delivery services for those deterred from leaving home. I am happy to promote any such local business on my website if they send me details of their offer.

There are also sections about latest guidance on keeping your children at school and where to seek help if you have relatives stuck abroad trying to get home.

I have also included a section on volunteering. Many people have approached me wanting to offer their help during the crisis. With those aged over 70 and those with underlying medical conditions being advised to stay at home as much as possible we can all do our bit to keep an eye on them, offer to do shopping and other errands. In order to make this effective as possible and to make sure that we are not unwittingly helping to spread the virus I am suggesting that constituents should approach existing charities and voluntary organisations to be put to good use. I have spoken to groups such as Guild Care, local churches and council leaders and will be putting together a list of organisations you can approach with the relevant contact numbers. Many people will already be running their own social action projects or local schemes for close neighbours and family and I have provided a card that you can put through someone’s letterbox which is being used in other parts of the country. I have also included a basic dos and don’ts list of advice.

At this difficult time we all can and need to play our part. As with other major tragedies in the past, albeit on a rather lesser scale, I have always been very proud of the way that the people of East Worthing & Shoreham always step up to the mark and I have no doubt that we all will again and help each other to get through the difficult few months ahead. Any ministerial updates I receive, I will add as attachments to the bottom of this page.

Tim Loughton MP