Coronavirus Information

If you have either a new continuous cough, a fever, or a loss in taste and smell you should stay at home and self Isolate until you are able to have a test and receive your results.

You can apply for a test here. We have now expanded eligibility so that anyone with symptoms can apply for a test. If you are an essential worker, please book a test here.

Stay At Home

From the 6th January the Government orders that you stay at home wherever possible:

Stay at home as much as possible
You should only attend work if you cannot work from home and are not ordered to close by Government Guidelines.
You should not socialise with people outside of your household, in any setting.
You should not travel or leave your home, unless for a specific reason set out in the Government guidance.
Wash your hands regularly, wear a face covering, and Keep a distance if you leave your home.
Continue to self-isolate if you or anyone in your household has symptoms, or if you are contacted by NHS Test and Trace.

You can find the latest Government advice here

If you would like to see the NHS advice, it is available here

Key Helplines

NHS: 111

You should call NHS 111 in the following circumstances:

you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home
your condition gets worse
your symptoms do not get better after 7 days

Medway Council: 01634 333 333

Food issues in Medway: emergency.foodproject@medway.gov.uk

HMRC: 0800 015 9559

Universal Credit: 0800 328 5644

School closures: 0800 046 8687

What am I Doing as Your Member of Parliament?

My team and I have been responding to the thousands of emails and phone calls that I have been receiving about this issue. I have been providing constituents with advice and guidance, and raising your concerns to the relevant authorities, local organisations and the Government. I have consistently been in contact with local health services to ensure that Medway gets the support it need .to fight this virus. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if there is anything I can help you with during this difficult time.

Additionally in September, I was asked by the Prime Minister to take on a new role as Minister for Rough Sleeping & Housing, having previously been Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security. My portfolio includes homelessness, supported housing, the private rented sector, troubled families and domestic abuse, high streets, social housing, and community assets. This is a vitally important area of the government’s agenda to provide better housing fit for the future and eradicate rough sleeping across the UK. In Rochester and Strood, I know the challenges that our towns have faced with rough sleeping and inadequate housing in recent years so I am looking forward to working with the government to see how we can improve this situation across the country.

In my role as the Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing, I was really pleased recently to have been able to allocate £673,584 of funding to Medway Council to support their long-term accommodation programme for Rough Sleepers. This is on top of the £233,959 I had already announced for short-term accommodation provision.

As the Minister responsible, I am delighted that we are one step closer to ending rough sleeping for good and thanks to the funding provided by this Government, in just over 2 months, more than 90% of rough sleepers known to councils at the beginning of the pandemic were offered accommodation to help protect them.