Helpline to end virus isolation

A NEW 24/7 coronavirus helpline could be set up to help vulnerable residents - particularly older people - struggling with the ‘new reality’ of life in isolation.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said the pandemic’s impact on people’s wellbeing and mental health are going to become ‘more significant’ in the coming weeks.

Councils, Greater Manchester Police and the NHS are now considering new ways of offering around-the-clock assistance to work alongside existing support networks.

These include hotlines and community response hubs which have been set up across the city-region to provide food parcels, medicine and fuel top-up payments to those in need.

With demand growing, local authorities are having to redeploy employees to run the new community hubs, while also continuing to deliver key services.

The helplines are also being used to co-ordinate volunteering, but most of the contact centres are only staffed Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 5.30pm.

Mr Burnham, speaking at his weekly press conference on COVID-19, said: “As we live in this new reality we’re in, the effects of isolation on people, particularly older people, are going to become more and more significant the further we get into this.

“If you combine that with the news getting more difficult to listen to, we have to have an eye to that.

“One of the issues we’ve discussed with leaders, the NHS and GMP is whether or not we can have more 24/7 support.

“That’s not to replicate phone numbers already out there, but to provide the facility through local numbers so people can always get somebody on the phone day or night.

“We think that might be helpful to people who might be struggling with this situation.”