Day: May 16, 2020

UK international aid boost for charities fighting coronavirus

International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan has announced which charities and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) have received UK aid funding to help fight coronavirus in the developing world.

  • 40 charities and NGOs are now receiving new UK aid funding to tackle coronavirus.
  • Among other projects, the funding will support healthcare systems in developing countries so they can cope with the effects of coronavirus, helping to stop the global spread and keep us all safer.
  • Next week, small-to-medium sized British charities tackling coronavirus can apply for new grants of up to £4 million each.

A total of 40 charities and NGOs will receive funding from the Department for International Development’s (DFID) £20 million humanitarian support package, announced last month, or the £100 million global hygiene partnership with Unilever, unveiled in March.

From 18 May 2020, up to £30 million of new grants will also be made available to small and medium-sized UK charities through the next round of the UK Aid Direct programme. Each charity will be able to bid for a grant up to £4 million for programmes that focus on tackling the coronavirus crisis.

The Small Charities Challenge Fund (SCCF) is also open for grants of up to £50,000 for the very best small British development charities tackling coronavirus.

Health experts have identified the weakness of developing countries’ healthcare systems as one of the biggest risks to the global spread of the virus. They have also warned that if coronavirus is left to spread in developing countries, this could lead to the virus re-emerging in the UK and put further pressure on our NHS.

DFID is therefore rapidly reprioritising its programmes around the world to better tackle the pandemic. Many of these in-country programmes are currently run directly by civil society organisations, including charities and NGOs.

The UK is also working with the United Nations to ensure the significant UK aid support, pledged in recent weeks, is passed on to its partner charities and NGOs as quickly as possible. Plan International is also receiving support through UNICEF’s Education Cannot Wait fund which has provided £5m of UK aid to support over 11.5 million children in some of the poorest and most disadvantaged areas of the globe. The UK also pledged £50 million as part of last month’s announcement to the International Committee of the Red Cross and British Red Cross.

International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan, said: “This pandemic is having a devastating impact on people all over the world and I am very grateful to charities and NGOs for their vital work to keep people safe.

“These organisations are often best placed to help those most at risk and are crucial to slowing the pandemic’s spread in the developing world. This in turn helps reduce the risk of future waves of infection globally, which could otherwise come to the UK.”

British charities, such as Humanity & Inclusion, Action Against Hunger, CARE and Christian Aid, have received funding from DFID’s £20 million humanitarian package, which will provide healthcare, water and sanitation, food and shelter to meet the basic needs of some of the world’s most vulnerable people in Yemen, Afghanistan, Somalia and Africa’s Sahel region.

More than £24 million has also been allocated from DFID’s £100 million partnership with Unilever, one of the largest producers of soap in the world, to Action Aid, PSI, WaterAid, International Rescue Committee, World Vision, the African Medical and Research Foundation and Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor.

Ms Trevelyan recently wrote to suppliers, including British charities and NGOs, to set out the DFID support available to them amid fears over the pandemic’s impact on their operations. This included bringing forward payments and help with the ongoing costs of delivering life-saving programmes.

Helen Thompson, CARE International UK’s Head of Humanitarian Programme, said: “With DFID’s support, CARE will work with communities in conflict-affected regions of Niger, Mali and Chad to prevent the spread of coronavirus and deal with the knock-on impacts of lockdown, particularly on women and girls.

“From responses such as the West Africa and DRC Ebola crises, we know that strong community engagement and risk messaging is essential to stop the spread of disease. DFID’s support will help us rapidly scale up work at community level with trusted messengers.”

Easing the global refugee crisis by building sustainable homes

Royal Academy of Engineering supports University-led research project

A project led by an Edinburgh Napier academic to provide homes for refugees fleeing conflict and natural disasters has been awarded major research funding.

A grant worth up to £300,000 over three years will help Francesco Pomponi and his team pursue their ambition of creating comfortable environmentally-friendly shelters in Jordan, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

The cash will fund collaborative research to develop an earlier award-winning prototype called Makazi, which means ‘home’ in Swahili, into permanent housing with features like adobe plastering and thatched roofs which can then be customised in line with local traditions.

Dr Pomponi believes millions of people could ultimately benefit from the backing he has secured from the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Frontiers Follow-On Funding programme, which supports research which tackles international development challenges. He will also be mentored by a Fellow of the Academy as a result of the award success.

Dr Pomponi, Associate Professor of Sustainability Research at Edinburgh Napier, said: “More than 70 million people have been displaced as they flee persecution, conflicts and natural disasters, and half of all refugees are children. 

“Existing emergency shelters become their semi-permanent homes despite being soulless, wholly inadequate, impacting negatively on the environment, and in disregard of the social habits and traditional values of the people they host.

“Our project SHELTERs – Sustainable Homes Enabling Long Term Empowerment of Refugees – follows on from earlier funding and will allow us to build full-scale prototypes in different countries.”

Two-thirds of the world’s refugees come from just Syria, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Somalia, but they are generally not hosted by wealthy nations but poor and middle-income countries next to their own.

Francesco’s project team – which includes Edinburgh Napier colleagues Professor Mark Huxham and Dr Bernardino D’Amico as well as academics and experts from the UK, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa – want to develop a model for permanent housing that can be adapted to different settings, and build prototypes through participatory design involving local communities and intended users.

The project will collect unprecedented data on life cycle costs and environmental impacts whilst assessing users’ comfort and the social suitability of the regional variants developed from the Makazi concept to ensure economic viability and environmental issues are fully considered.

With the involvement of Plan International, the UN Office for Project Services and ARUP International Development, Francesco believes the project can achieve substantial impact and benefit the lives of millions.

Francesco said: “As a privileged, white male born and bred in the Western world, I always had a desire to know more of the life of others and their cultures and grew up with a sense of moral duty of ‘giving back’.

“This project is part of a life-long ambition of leaving a positive impact with what I do and I am grateful that so many international partners from developing countries have supported this idea and committed to working together for the next three years.

“I can’t wait to see what we will achieve together, and how our diverse backgrounds will offer novel insights to tackle old problems.”

Professor Mark Huxham said: “Across the world the numbers of displaced people and refugees are growing, and the difficulties these vulnerable people face are getting worse.

“Many attempts to house refugees that are intended as temporary solutions become long term settlements, and these can have major environmental impacts. This unique project brings together engineers, development experts and environmental scientists such as myself to help find solutions that are better for people and for the environment.”

Dr Bernardino D’Amico, a structural engineering lecturer whose role focuses on construction aspects of the project, said: “I feel very excited about the opportunity this represents to help the displaced. Too often temporary camps, deployed as a result of an emergency, become a permanent place of life for many people.”

The Frontiers Programmes are a suite of activities that address global development challenges using an interdisciplinary and innovative approach. The programmes establish a global community of early- and mid-career researchers, innovators and practitioners, with different perspectives from the forefronts of their disciplines.

The Frontiers Follow-On Funding programme offers mid-sized grants, worth up to £300,000 over three years, to build on previously funded projects, helping them to scale up previous activities into fully formed research projects that tackle global challenges.

Scotland’s deposit return scheme passed by parliament

The Scottish Parliament has voted to approve regulations which will establish Scotland’s Deposit Scheme to boost recycling of single-use drinks containers.

The scheme will see people pay a 20p deposit on metal cans and PET plastic and glass bottles, refunded when they’re returned for recycling.

The final regulations, which were laid in the Scottish Parliament in March, maintain the ambitious approach to materials, with glass included alongside PET plastic and aluminium and steel.

Following consultation with island communities, feedback from the Scottish Parliament’s Environment Committee and stakeholder input, the Scottish Government made changes to the regulations.

These include a commitment to review the performance of the scheme by October 2026, including the deposit level, materials and the collection targets.

Zero Waste Scotland has been advising the Scottish Government on the design of the scheme, which builds on evidence from successful international schemes and the response to the Scottish Government’s public consultation.

Zero Waste Scotland’s Chief Operating Officer, Jill Farrell, says the scheme will be a “game-changer” for recycling and the circular economy in Scotland.

“By giving people an extra incentive to do something good for our environment, and having a consistent approach across Scotland, it will be easier for all of us to do the right thing”, she said. “This will improve the volume and quality of recycling and help tackle litter in the process.

“With a huge network of places to return your bottles and cans, it will be just as easy to return a drink as it is to buy one in the first place. I’m proud of Zero Waste Scotland’s role in advising the Scottish Government on this design, which has resulted in a blueprint for a world-class scheme.”

The Scottish Government has also published the Stage 1 Full Business Case for the scheme. This document, which provides the overarching framework for the preferred scheme design and commercial approach, can be access on the Scottish Government website.

Now that the scheme has passed into law, details on how to apply to become a scheme administrator(s) that will run Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme will be available shortly.

Until the deposit return scheme is up and running, as Scotland continues to tackle coronavirus, consumers should follow the latest government and local authority advice on dealing with recycling and waste items.

You can find help and guidance on managingourwaste.scot which includes our simple and practical advice on how to manage your waste effectively to help ease the pressure on our essential services.

You can also find lots of useful recycling and waste reduction hints and tips on the new How To Waste Less website.

 

Richard tackles lockdown challenge to support three charities

For many years Edinburgh and Penicuik local Richard Vallis has worked to setup, champion and support a range of brilliant organisations and charities in the city and beyond.

Richard isn’t letting Covid-19 put a stop to his work: he’s pledging to walk a distance of 6k around his garden in Penicuik – an undertaking which presents a significant personal challenge having lost his leg 24 years ago to bone cancer and having had to learn to walk again as a result.

Richard embarks on this mammoth task very much driven by his own altruistic spirit, a need to help others and an awareness of specific challenges given his own disability; and to continue to support three organisations which are very dear to his heart.

All funds raised will be split equally between: 

Lothian Disability Sport, who promote sport & physical recreation for people with a disability which Richard has supported for many years, earning him the wonderful experience of taking part in the Queen’s Baton Relay in 2014 before the Glasgow Commonwealth Games,

Lung Ha Theatre Company, the leading theatre company in Scotland for people with a learning disability which Richard co-founded in 1984

and Scottish charity Friends of Chitambo, which aims to support health measures in the hospital and surrounding Zambian district, a charity which was set up by Richard’s wife Jo who grew up in Zambia.

Richard will begin his garden trek challenge Wednesday 20th May and aims to reach the finish line by early June, all while safely maintaining social distancing of course.

He will be supported throughout by his wife Jo, his son Paul, who will be helping to document his journey, and by the very many friends Richard has made from each organisation his efforts are in aid of.

Wider support is much needed, welcomed and appreciated and those who wish to donate can do so via Crowdfunder.

Richard Vallis said: “During lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic I thought I’d make use of my daily exercise to support Lung Ha, Lothian Disability Sport and Friends of Chitambo, three charities dear to my heart and do a sponsored walk within the garden.

“On hundred times round the garden would be about 6 kilometres, 4 miles. With my disability, an above hip amputation, this will be quite a challenge and will require roughly twice as much energy than what would be needed prior to my amputation – but I’d hope to achieve it in about 3 weeks. I very much hope people see fit to support me in this effort to raise funds for these amazing organisations!”

Updates from Richard’s challenge will be shared across social media channels from each charity using the hashtag #richards6kchallange:

Lung Ha

Facebook – www.facebook.com/lunghas/

Twitter – @LungHasTheatre

Instagram – @lunghatheatre

Lothian Disability Sport

Facebook – www.facebook.com/LothianDisabilitySport

Twitter – @LDS_Sport

Friends of Chitambo

Facebook – www.facebook.com/friendsofchitambo

Twitter – @FriendsChitambo

Quarantini Boxes to Keep Edinburgh Thriving

With lockdown restrictions for the hospitality industry expected to extend for weeks to come, Robbie Allen, founder of ‘Keep Edinburgh Thriving’ has diversified his business offering to incorporate the ‘Quarantini Box’. 

Each Quarantini Box will be filled with cocktails lovingly crafted by Edinburgh bartenders and restaurateurs as well as beers and spirits from local distilleries and breweries.

Serving as a critical business lifeline for the hospitality industry, Robbie Allen plans to work with new bars and restaurants each week so the people of Edinburgh can support multiple hospitality businesses at the same time through the regular purchase of a Quarantini Box, which will be delivered free of charge every Friday & Saturday. 

The decision to diversify the business offering to support the hospitality industry is a direct result of customer driven demand with Allen confirming that he has sold over 2,000 Keep Edinburgh Thriving boxes (2,011 to be exact), generating over £55,000 in revenue for 47 local Edinburgh businesses in only 6 weeks. 

Robbie Allen, founder of Keep Edinburgh Thriving said: “We have been completely overwhelmed with the support we have seen for Keep Edinburgh Thriving and it’s been amazing to be able to support local independents to stay in business through such a tough time.  

“Our local bars and restaurants are expected to stay closed until at least July or early August so we want to support them as much as we can as well as bring a little bit of the Edinburgh bar scene to customers across the city who will be missing their favourite bars and restaurants.” 

Nick Robinson, Owner of Tonic Bar Edinburgh comments: “In this difficult time the Quarantini Box allows Tonic as a team to bring a little bit of normality back into our lives.

“We can’t wait to have our doors open again, to see our customers enjoy themselves and put this all behind us, but as our doors are closed we are accumulating substantial amounts of debt each week via fixed costs and the Quarantini Box will allow us to generate some revenue to reduce this debt.”

There are two box sizes of gift box available – a small box contains four cocktails and one beer (£39) and a large box contains six cocktails and one beer (£55). Each Quarantini box also contains garnishes, serve instructions and pick n mix. All you need is a glass and some ice.

If customers want to enhance their at home experience, they can add a cocktail shaker for only £5.

Rachel Bailey-Palumbo, Director at Hey Palu, said: “Hey Palu is still relatively new to the Edinburgh bar scene (under a year old), so the impact of COVID-19 and having to close our doors has felt particularly devastating.

“COVID-19 has meant we have had to think on our feet to diversify and has led to the creation of our ‘Hey Palu at Home’ ready to drink cocktails. When the opportunity arose to partner with the Thriving Box Company we were extremely excited.

“Their clever concept gives people both the opportunity to support Edinburgh small businesses like ourselves and try new products, whilst also opening up the possibility for us to engage with new customers, who we hope will become regulars once we are able to open again.”

Menu for delivery weekend of 22nd May will include:

  • Espresso Mart-ana-tini from Buck & Birch
  • Banana Daiquiri from Hey Palu
  • Negroni from Old Poison Distillery
  • Starburst from Tonic
  • Gluten free lager from Bellfield Brewery

To help support the local community further during this epidemic, £2 from each gift box sale will be donated to the Edinburgh Food Project.

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has caused a sudden, steep decline in business for cafes, restaurants, boutiques, artisans, creators and local retailers.

For more information about how to support your local high street and keep Edinburgh Thriving, visit www.keepedinburghthriving.com  

Planning application submitted for Build-to-Rent development on Bonnington Road Lane

A planning application for the development of high-quality Build-to-Rent (BTR) accommodation has been submitted by property developer and operator, PLATFORM_.

Located at the site of the derelict John Lewis depot/warehouse, Edinburgh, the proposals seek to introduce a high-quality BTR scheme at the heart of Edinburgh with 527 units. PLATFORM_ funds and ultimately manage a finished building with a desire and vested interest to produce a quality development.

Build-to-Rent (BTR) is a relatively recent model for new residential buildings in the UK, where all the properties are built for rent, not for sale.

PLATFORM_’s model represents an affordable and integrated offering where residents live not just in their apartments but can use the entirety of the building equipped with a gym, communal workspaces, bike club and a fulltime concierge service.

Across the UK currently, PLATFORM_ developments are home to residents with an age range between 19-66 years. Nearly 60% of successful applicants within PLATFORM_ schemes earned less than £30,000 per annum, and the median salary of a PLATFORM_ resident is £29,510. 12% were classified as key workers, including teachers, police officers, and NHS staff. The median full-time salary in Edinburgh is £32,182.

The new homes will be a mix of studios, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments spread across three blocks ranging from 4 to 7 storeys. All PLATFORM_ units are available to rent, meaning that less are used as second homes or remain unoccupied, and in turn, more homes are available for people to rent.

jmarchitects worked on the scheme, and the planning consultants were Turley. Engineers were Harley Haddow; landscape architects were Hirst, cost consultants were Thomas & Adamson.

Matt Willock, Development Director at PLATFORM_, said: “We’re thrilled to submit this application for our BTR scheme in Edinburgh. Bonnington Road Lane is an ideal location to spearhead PLATFORM_’s vision in Edinburgh. 

“Not only will we develop the site, but we will operate the building. Our residents may rent an apartment, but will also have an abundance of common amenities at their disposal, including a gym, communal workspaces, a bike club, and rooftop gardens.”

“These proposals not only serve to redevelop a vital location, but help to tackle Edinburgh’s crisis in realistic housing, especially in Edinburgh city centre. BTR is a new, upward trend that offers high-quality rented accommodation at competitive prices for a wide-ranging demographic. Across the UK, nearly 60 per cent of our residents earn less than £30,000 a year.

“We’ve consulted widely and diligently with stakeholders in Edinburgh and the public in Leith to ensure they’ve had an opportunity to input their views about the proposals. The plans represent a collaborative discussion about how best to make this site work.”

Look out for one other on city’s off-road paths

The public are being encouraged to be considerate of one another when using Edinburgh’s many off-road paths, parks and green spaces.

Since restrictions were introduced to help manage the coronavirus outbreak, there’s been an increase in people using the city’s network of paths and parks as part of their daily exercise – with to up to five times the normal number of people in some areas.

The council has shared guidance to help everyone walking, running, cycling, wheeling or walking their dogs to get the most out of daily outings while maintaining physical distancing safely

They ask everyone to follow the Paths for Everyone code of conduct and to:

  • Consider other path users when enjoying exercise outdoors
  • Follow Scottish Government guidance on physical distancing
  • When cycling, slow right down when overtaking
  • Stay local
  • Choose somewhere quieter or with wider paths, if you can
  • Try to avoid busy times – early evening or early morning tend to be quieter

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “This is a particularly trying time for everyone, and I know that our many picturesque and biodiverse off-road paths and parks offer a haven for lots of people.

“We want residents to be able enjoy these spaces for their daily exercise while also protecting their safety and that of others, so we’re asking park and path users to take extra care and consider one another when walking, cycling, wheeling or jogging along these routes.”

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Our parks, paths and green spaces are popular at the best of times, but they are exceptionally busy at the moment, which can make physical distancing difficult. This can be particularly challenging for people with mobility issues or pushing prams.

“I know most people are doing their best to give each other room as they take their daily exercise, and if we all stick to the Paths for Everyone code of conduct, we’ll all be able to benefit from these lovely spots safely.”

To help spread the message, the council will be sharing posts on social media and putting up signs with key advice in all parks and along some of the most popular routes.

These include areas around the Union Canal towpath, the Water of Leith walkway, Portobello Promenade, the Innocent Railway path, the North Edinburgh Path Network, the Gilmerton to Roslin QuietRoute and Holyrood Park.

The first five weeks of lockdown saw a surge in use of the Union Canal towpath, with a 17% growth in pedestrian numbers at Harrison Park, while cycling rates increased by 76% at Wester Hailes. On the North Edinburgh Path Network at Rodney St, pedestrian numbers have grown by 14% and cycling by 32%. During some periods, especially weekends, even higher numbers have been recorded.

Last week, the council published plans to create safer spaces for people walking and cycling on the city’s streets, such as road closures, widened pavements and temporary cycle lanes. The council will also bring forward longer term measures to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists as restrictions are eased.

Find out more about the Paths for Everyone code of conduct online.

Care sector ‘safety net’ proposed

New measures have been proposed to ensure swift intervention if care home residents are being put at serious risk due to services failing.

The move comes after the Care Inspectorate began legal action which could prevent operator HC-One running the Home Farm Care Home in Portree, where nine residents have now died.

The planned emergency powers are being put forward as a Scottish Government amendment to the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No. 2) Bill ahead of Stage 2 next week.

The amendments make clear that, if there was a significant risk to the life, health or wellbeing of individuals, or that a provider was unable to deliver care due to failure, that strengthened emergency powers will be available to ensure continuity of care.

If passed by the Scottish Parliament, the emergency powers will provide assurance to those who depend on care services, their families, and the staff that deliver care, that additional oversight and support is available in the rare circumstances that it may be required.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “The coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted social care services around the world. In the face of this challenge, staff in care homes across Scotland have been working incredibly hard to care for their residents.

“It is of paramount importance that anyone living in a care home or using other care services, as well as those supporting them, are provided with the best possible care. We will do everything we can to ensure that remains the case. We are fortunate that this high standard of care is the norm for the vast majority of care home residents in Scotland.

“However, for the duration of this pandemic I believe that it is critical that a clear safety net is in place to ensure that if a care provider was unable to continue to deliver services, that the people who depend on those services should not be impacted. Our proposals build on established powers and would put beyond doubt that immediate action can be taken if continuity of care was jeopardised for any reason.

“The Care Inspectorate has a robust inspection regime for the care sector and the further steps we are hoping to take, if the parliament agrees, help bolster that work and would only be exercised as a last resort. There is guidance available for care providers on how to manage the current situation, which the Scottish Government expects to be followed.

“Every resident in our care homes, their family and the staff who work there should be kept safe from harm and we are prepared to take action where this is not the case.”

Hancock urges England to ‘stick with the rules’

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock gave the 15 May 2020 daily press briefing on the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He urged people to stick to the newly relaxed lockdown rules, but with a weekend of sunshine forecast beauty spots and seaside resorts are braced for high numbers of visitors – and all the challenges and dangers that will bring.

NOTE: England’s guidance now differs from that of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Good afternoon and welcome to Downing Street for the daily coronavirus briefing. I’m joined by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jenny Harries and by NHS England’s Medical Director for Primary Care Dr Nikki Kanani.

I want to take this chance to update you on the latest coronavirus data. 2,353,078 tests for coronavirus have now been carried out in the UK, including 133,784 tests yesterday.

236,711 people have tested positive for the virus, an increase of 3,560 since yesterday. 10,024 people are currently in hospital with coronavirus. This is a 13% fall from the same time last week.

And very sadly of those who tested positive, across all settings, 33,998 people have now died. That’s an increase of 384 since yesterday. And we mourn each one. The number of deaths is falling each day, in all settings thankfully, and we are past the peak of this virus.

I want to take a moment to remind everyone about our plans for this second phase. We have set up the new COVID Alert Level System. That’s the five levels of threat – based on the R value and the number of new cases.

The alert level in turn guides the social distancing rules, which are vital in our efforts to control the virus.

A higher alert level means stricter rules. Throughout the lockdown, we have been at Level 4 which means that Covid-19 is in general circulation and transmission is high or rising exponentially.

But, thanks to your shared sacrifice, we’ve brought R down. Cautiously, carefully and responsibly, we are now in a position to start moving to Level 3.

We’ve set out the first of the three steps that we’ll take to carefully to modify the social distancing rules and start to restore freedom to this country all the while avoiding a disastrous second peak that could overwhelm the NHS.

At each step, we will closely monitor the impact on R, on the number of new infections, and on of course all available data. And we’ll only move to the next step when we judge it is safe to do so.

In the first step, as of this week if you work but can’t work from home, you should speak to your employer about going back in. People can now spend time outdoors and exercise as often as you like and you can meet one other person from outside your household in an outdoor, public place. But please keep 2 metres apart.

This weekend, with the good weather and the new rules, I hope people can enjoy being outside but please stick with the rules, keep an eye on your family and don’t take risks.

We’ve also updated what we’re asking to people to do, which is to Stay Alert, Control the Virus and Save Lives.

For the vast majority of people, staying alert still means staying at home as much as is possible. Working from home when you can, limiting contact with people, keeping your distance if you go out: 2 metres wherever possible. washing your hands regularly. This is still the single most effective thing that you can do to keep yourself safe and of course, self-isolating if you or anyone in your household has coronavirus symptoms.

By staying alert and following the rules, you can play a part in the national effort getting the R down and keeping R down controlling the virus so that we can save lives, rebuild livelihoods and start to recover our freedom.

First Minister: polling support for Scotland’s lockdown

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House on Friday 15th May:

Good afternoon. Thanks for joining us for today’s briefing.

I want to start – as I always do – with a statistical update on COVID-19 in Scotland.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, I can report that there have been 14,260 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 143 since yesterday.

A total of 1,449 patients are in hospital with the virus – 1,066 of them have been confirmed through a test as having COVID-19, and 383 are suspected of having the virus. That overall number represents a decrease of 31 since yesterday.

A total of 71 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 – which is no change since the figure I reported to you here yesterday.

I am also able to confirm that since 5 March, a total of 3,290 patients who had tested positive and required hospitalisation for the virus have now been able to leave hospital, which is good news for them and their families.

Unfortunately I also have to report that in the last 24 hours, 46 deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed through a test as having the virus – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 2,053.

As always, because it is so important every single day that we never see these numbers as statistics, as always I want to stress that point. Behind every single one of these statistics I read out to you here today, is an individual whose loss is being mourned by friends, family and all of their loved ones.

I want to send my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus. The thoughts of me, the government and I’m sure everybody across Scotland are very much with you at this time.

I also want to thank – as I always do – again, our health and care workers.  Once again last night, I joined with people across the country, in the applause at 8pm.  That is a small – but I hope powerful – way of demonstrating our deep appreciation, our ongoing appreciation for your incredible efforts at this very, very challenging time.

There are of course many, many other people who, in various different ways, are keeping the country going during this crisis. I can’t list all of them every day, but if you are in any of these categories know my deep appreciation and gratitude is with all of you. From time to time, I want to single out particular groups of workers so that they know that their efforts are not forgotten at this time.

Today I’m going to highlight the role of our telecoms workers and especially telecoms engineers.

The fact that we are being forced to stay physically distant from each other, has made many of us rely more than ever on technology. We’re reliant much more now on technology for access to public services.  Our children are relying on technology for access to education.  Many are working from home and need technology for that. We’re all using technology for staying in touch with family and friends at a time when we cannot physically see them.

So the contribution of those who keep all of these systems working, our phones and our broadband networks going at this time are so important to our everyday lives. That is true at all times but it is particularly true right now so I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to all of you.

I’m going to keep my general update today relatively brief.

As you know, the lock down restrictions here in Scotland remain very much in place. The message to you today, over the weekend and into next week, is still stay at home. The only change we’ve made to the guidance in place, which of course we announced last weekend, is the change on exercise.

That position we have in Scotland, now I want to be very clear, continues to be based on our assessment of the evidence – and on what we judge is right for the protection of people across the country.

However, as I also said on Sunday, we will continue to monitor the evidence very closely on an ongoing basis. And as we hopefully see more evidence of a downward trend in the virus – we will then consider further changes, but we will do so on a very careful and gradual basis.

When we know that lives are at stake and we have learned that everyday over these past seven or eight weeks as I’ve stood up here day in day out and read out numbers of people who have died. We do know that lives are at stake with this virus.

Then for as long as that continues to be the case, I’m going to continue to err on the side of caution, err on the side of saving lives and reducing the number of people who might die unnecessarily.

And I hope I have your continued understanding in doing so.

However, I also want to give you as much visibility and advance notice of future changes as possible.

We can’t live like this forever so we need to get some normality back as we continue to suppress the virus. We’ve tried to set out, as we have done in recent weeks on an ongoing basis, as much of our thinking and consideration as we can. As we can’t yet confirm dates of when things will open up again, at least we will seek to share with you share the order of priority and potential phasing.

So I will give you an indication now that next week, I will share with you more information on the assessments we are making and the range of options that we are looking at and any further minor changes that we might make in the short term.

And, as I have said before, as we make these decisions fairness and quality of life will be really important factors.

We are, of course, keen to get the economy moving again – I am very keen to get the economy moving again – that matters to all of us, not just to businesses.

But we also have to consider very carefully our social interactions.

A life where we go to work but stay locked down with no family interaction for the rest of the time is not one that many of us, if any of us, would enjoy.

So given that we are likely to have for quite a while to come very limited room for manoeuvre – and I want to stress that is the case –  we will need to get these balances as right as possible. That’s why we are paying close attention to the ideas that many of you are taking the time to share us.

Our considerations will be informed, as we have always said, by the scientific evidence and advice and the clear principles we have set out.

In all of this continuing to set out clearly to you why we are asking you to live your lives in such a restrictive way is vital – so that you understand we are not asking you to do this for no reason and will not ask you to do this for any longer than we judge to be necessary.

It is not enough, and never be enough in my view, for me simply to tell you what I want you to do. I have to explain, I’ve got a duty to explain to you, on an ongoing basis my reasons for it.

Compliance with any measures we may need to keep in place will, I think, always be higher if I am clear, rational and straight with you about the difficult judgements they are based on.

So on that theme, I thought I’d just very briefly share with you today the results of some polling on attitudes that we have undertaken.

And you’ll understand that we do this just to check that the messages that we are trying to convey are being understood and getting across.

Though I’m not complacent about this at all, this polling that I’m going to share with you suggests that the really important bond of understanding between government and you, the public in Scotland, right now is currently very strong. And I want to do everything I can to keep it that way.

The polling reveals that there is widespread endorsement for the approach that we are taking in Scotland.

So, for example:

  • 84% of you agree with a slow and gradual lifting of restrictions
  • 82% of you agree that before further significant changes to lockdown restrictions are brought in, the impact of those already introduced should be assessed
  • 86% continue to agree that decisions on when and how to lift restrictions must be based on saving lives and protecting the NHS

So, I want to take the opportunity again today to thank you for your support. These last few weeks have truly been a collective endeavour – we’ve all been making sacrifices not just for our own sake, but for the sake of each other as well.

We’ve been putting those values I keep talking about – of love, kindness and solidarity – into practice.

My ask of you is that we keep doing so for a bit longer. Let me, therefore, end with this fundamental point.

The way in which we save lives, but also the way we emerge from this lockdown that bit more quickly, is by sticking now with the current guidance.

So before I hand over firstly to the Chief Nursing Officer, and then to our National Clinical Director, I want to reiterate – once again – what that guidance says.

Please stay at home.   Except for essential work that you can’t do at home, for buying food or accessing medicines, or for exercising, you should not be going out.

Of course, you can now exercise more than once a day, if you want to. But when you are out, please stay more than two metres from other people and don’t meet up with people from other households.

Please wear a face covering if you are in a shop or on public transport. And remember to wash your hands thoroughly and regularly.

Finally, if you or someone else in your household has symptoms of the virus, then please stay at home completely.

I know that these restrictions are tough, I say this every day but I’m always conscious on a Friday of just how much tougher these restrictions feel for all of us over the weekend, particularly when the sun is out, which as we know, is sometimes a rare occasion in our country.

But these restrictions are essential for now and crucially, and this is the point I really want to leave you with – they are making a difference and I hope you can see that in the statistics, albeit the difficult statistics that I’m sharing with you everyday.

By staying at home we are slowing down the spread of this virus, we are protecting the NHS, we are undoubtedly saving lives and we’re also bringing much closer that day when we can start that return to normality.

So thank you very much for doing the right thing. Thank you for the sacrifices you are making. Please keep doing it. For your own sake and your families sake and for the sake of everybody across the country. Thank you very much indeed for listening and I’m going to handover now to Fiona McQueen, our Chief Nursing Officer, and then to Professor Leitch, our National Clinical Director.