WEST Devon Borough Council has set up a community response team to support the most vulnerable people in the borough during the coronavirus outbreak and will be working with town and parish councils and local voluntary groups over the coming week to make sure no-one slips through the net.

The council, along with every other council in the country, has been tasked with supporting the national plan to protect the NHS and prevent unnecessary deaths.

But council leader Neil Jory has urged people this week to take responsibility following the Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement of a national lockdown to stop the coronavirus.

‘The more people who take responsibility, the fewer people are going to die from coronavirus,’ he said. ‘That is brutal but it is a fact. We must stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.’

The NHS has identified 1.5-million extremely vulnerable individuals with specific medical conditions who are most at risk from the Covid-19 virus. Letters advising those individuals are being sent out this week advising them to stay at home for 12 weeks.

Cllr Jory said there may be others within our communities who are similarly vulnerable — over 70s, expectant mothers and people with underlying medical conditions ­— that make them susceptible.

‘Those individuals may also choose, and would be well advised, to self-isolate during this period.

‘Many of these people will have little or no direct support. It will be our job, working with all of our communities, to protect these people and shield them from the virus and the effects of the current emergency.

‘This will impact every town and parish nationwide, from Downing Street to our streets.

‘Together with helping to support businesses and responding to hardship cases, this task is going to be our absolute priority and we have been asked by the Government to do what it takes to complete our mission.

‘In order to respond, we have spent much of the last few weeks planning for this escalating situation; we have reorganised our structure, working closely with the Devon and Cornwall Local Resilience Forum — which will oversee this effort — and Devon County Council to focus our resources to take on the job.

‘We now have the right people in the right places so we can react quickly and provide the extremely vulnerable with the support they need, shield them from the virus and protect the NHS. Government has promised us that if we lead the way the resources will follow.’

‘We have created a community response team, who are already talking to town and parish councils. Our work to help, support and protect the most vulnerable people will develop over the coming week, as we work with our partners, including local voluntary groups.

‘If you are in need — or know someone who is — you can register that need by calling 01822 813600 or 01803 861234 providing the relevant name, contact number and address where possible. Local voluntary groups can register by contacting the council at the email address [email protected]

‘Follow the Government’s advice, follow us on social media, stay in touch with your community and we will get more information out to you as soon as we have it.’

People are also able to contact their borough councillor in the first instance if they are in need of community support.