Onkar Sahota, London Assembly Member for Ealing and Hillingdon

ThIS continues to be a difficult time for all of us. I want to thank everyone who has stayed at home.

By doing so, you have played a vital role in shielding the most vulnerable in our community, and protecting the NhS.

I know that staying home is not easy, and what you are doing is already making a positive impact in our fight against this devastating pandemic.

And of course, as the weeks go by, our gratitude only deepens for the heroic efforts of our key and essential workers.

I know that many of you will be concerned that the updated guidance laid out by the Government is unclear and confusing. I am concerned about this too and will be pushing for more clarity.

however, it has been encouraging to see our Mayor, Sadiq Khan, continue to be clear and consistent in his messaging.

To reiterate, if you are employer, you should continue to allow your staff to work from home wherever possible.

If you are a key worker, and cannot avoid travelling by public transport, you must wear a mask or non-medical face covering whilst on your commute.

Everyone should stay at home as much as possible, and when you do have to go out to buy food or for exercise, please wear a mask and stay two meters away from everyone else.

The London Assembly is continuing to scrutinise the Mayor and investigate important issues affecting the capital during this uncertain time.

We have recently conducted our first virtual meetings and I am pleased to report that there have been no major technical hiccups, so far.

I have been, among other things, working to push the Government to ensure that proper PPE is given to all healthcare workers, as well as staff in care homes. As a doctor working on the frontline, I know all too well how crucial this issue is. I would like to commend Ealing Council for the fantastic work they have done on PPE provision, but we still need the Government to step up and do more.

Alongside the Mayor, I have also been calling for the Government to bring in a comprehensive testing and tracking system, and to properly assess the factors behind the disproportionate number of deaths in the BAME community.

This crisis has exacerbated already existing health inequalities, and it would be inexcusable to allow our BAME communities to continue to be so profoundly impacted by Covid-19.

As always, if you want to get in touch, please do not hesitate to contact me on: onkar.sahota@london.gov.uk