Cornwall Council says it is concerned that some people at high risk of coronavirus may not be getting the help and support they need, writes local democracy reporter Richard Whitehouse.
The Government has written to all those who are considered to be at high risk and should be “shielding” to protect themselves against covid-19.
Once they have made themselves known to Cornwall Council the authority is able to check that they are receiving the help and support they need and arrange for food parcels to be delivered to them.
This week, the local authority has delievered an initial 252 parcels, and says that the number of people who have made contact is rising each day: today, there are 726 people on the register in Cornwall.
However the Council says it is concerned that this number is quite low, and it thinks the true number of people in need may be much higher.
Council leader Julian German said the Government had said there are 1.5 million people across the country who should be “shielding”.
He said: ’I am concerned that we don’t have the number of people in the shield that we would expect.
’Those people who have received letters should respond as soon as they can. And if anyone has not received a letter but thinks they should have done should contact their GP.’
Businesses and volunteers have been helping the Council to fulfil their new responsibility and get the parcels out to people.
The Government has issued guidelines on those people who are considered to be extremely vulnerable and should be shielding.
They include: organ transplant recipients; people with specific cancers; people with severe respiratory conditions including cystic fibrosis; people with rare diseases; people on immunosuppression therapies and pregnant women with significant heart disease.