Clinically vulnerable receive first food parcels

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced that the first food boxes have been delivered to those vulnerable people being shielded from coronavirus.

The first 2,000 food parcels were delivered on 28 and 29 March to those who cannot leave their homes because severe health conditions leave them most vulnerable to the virus. More parcels are expected to go out next week from wholesalers across the country, bringing the first set of deliveries to more than 50,000. Depending on demand, hundreds of thousands of boxes could be delivered each week.

900,000 extremely vulnerable people received letters from the NHS giving them guidance on how to shield from coronavirus. It is believed that up to 1.5 million will be asked to be shielded in this way.

The food parcels contain essential food and household items such as pasta, fruit, tinned goods and biscuits, for those who need to self-isolate at home for 12 weeks but have no support network of family or friends to help them.

Jenrick said: “This weekend sees the start of extraordinary steps to support the most clinically vulnerable, while they shield from coronavirus. We will support these people at this difficult time, and the scale of an operation like that has not been seen since the Second World War. This is an unprecedented package of support and I want to thank the food suppliers, local councils and everyone who has come together to create this essential service in just a matter of days.”

James Jamieson, chairman of the Local Government Association, said: “Councils across the country are leading local efforts to support communities through the coronavirus crisis and are helping government provide essential food parcels to vulnerable and isolated people on an unprecedented scale. Keeping older people and those with underlying health conditions safe remains the top priority of councils. They have stepped up to this challenge and will continue to work with government to support national efforts to minimise the spread of infection, protect the most vulnerable, support our local businesses and bring our communities together.”