19/05/2020 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

480,000 Scots ‘will change their commute to bicycle’

18% of commuters in Scotland are more likely to cycle to work following COVID-19 pandemic
Commuters are willing to spend on average 29 minutes on a bike each way
Dedicated cycle lanes, traffic calming and workplace facilities are crucial in changing habits
Polling to mark the launch of the Shand Leveret – a crossover commuter/adventuring bike.

Britain could be on the verge of a cycle-to-work craze. An ICM poll for Shand Cycles indicates that more than one in six commuters are considering ditching other modes of transport – such as cars, trains, buses – in favour of cycling to work following the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Scotland, the poll finds that 18% of commuters are more likely to cycle to work in light of the coronavirus outbreak. If that trend were mapped across the country’s 2.67 million commuters, it would lead to over 480,000 people taking to their bikes.

On average, commuters are willing to countenance a maximum 29-minute ride to their place of work. Men would pedal for 31 minutes, while female respondents capped their tolerance at 27 minutes.

Ann Ritchie-Cox, General Manager of Shand Cycles, said: “Cycling has been one of the few outdoor activities permitted during lockdown and that’s led to a lot of people rediscovering the pleasure of getting on two wheels.

“As the nation goes back to work, social distancing is going to be a huge challenge for those who previously used rush-hour public transport. So all the evidence points to a shift in behaviour towards trying out alternative modes of transport – including the bicycle.

“Commuting by bike is healthy, environmentally friendly and gives you a great sense of having achieved something before you even start your working day. It’s vital that both employers and the Government take steps to make it as safe and comfortable as possible for commuter cyclists.”

Duncan Dollimore, Head of Campaigns at Cycling UK, said: “The huge increase in people cycling during this crisis demonstrates that people will change their travel behaviour and choose to cycle if it feels safe.

“For many, that means being separated from motor traffic as the roads become busier, otherwise cycling to work won’t look like the natural choice it should be for short journeys.

“It’s about enabling people to cycle not just encouraging, which means local authorities must act immediately to install pop-up cycle lanes and temporary infrastructure that makes cycling a safe, socially distancing alternative for their commute to work.”

The uptick (Eh? – Ed.) will be most pronounced among people who are already occasional commuter cyclists.

Half (49%) of those who cycled to work roughly once a week prior to the pandemic are likely to do so more often, and a similar proportion (48%) of those who previously used bikes about once a month are set to take them to work more.

Of those who have never travelled to work by bike before, 8% are likely to take up the mode of transport following lockdown.

Recent government action to expedite spending on cycle infrastructure and instruct councils to reallocate road space to cyclists and pedestrians will be critical in persuading people on to their bikes. Of those surveyed, 28% said calmer traffic would encourage them to commute by bike, while 26% cited dedicated cycle lanes and traffic priority schemes.

Improved changing and showering facilities at work would prompt 16% of commuters to consider taking up cycling, while 13% would be encouraged by financial incentives to pay for a bike such as the Government’s Cycle to Work scheme.

The research was commissioned by Livingston-based Shand Cycles, which is part of Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance. Shand recently launched a limited edition new model, the Leveret, intended to be a cross between a commuter bike and an adventure bike. The Leveret has carbon belt drives, rather than a conventional oil chain, plus high-visibility wheels and mudguards for splash protection.

Evidence already suggests the population has taken a fancy to cycling during the lockdown, with Cycling Scotland recording more than a 100% increase in the number of cyclists on some Scottish roads during the last fortnight of March.

In its strategy for easing the lockdown, Our Plan to Rebuild, the UK Government this week urged those unable to work from home to return to their places of work – but to walk, cycle or ride instead of taking public transport.

UK broadcasters to introduce industry-wide guidance for producing TV safely during Covid-19

ITV, BBC, Sky, Channel 4, Channel 5, STV, ITN, the Association for Commercial Broadcasters and On-Demand Services (COBA) and Pact have joined forces to introduce new industry wide guidelines for producing television safely in the weeks and months ahead.

The guidelines are intended to enable a return to production for the television industry.

This guidance covers the broad range and scale of all TV programme making in every genre for TV and is complementary to the forthcoming British Film Commission guidance on managing the risks associated with film and high-end TV drama production.

In the new guidelines, the number one priority remains the safety and well-being of production teams and those who work with them.

The guidance has been produced through a collaboration of cross industry experts in this area along with external expertise provided by Dr Paul Litchfield CBE.

The broadcasters have also worked with First Option, safety consultants to the media and entertainment industry, to devise this approach as well as liaising with union representatives and the Health and Safety Executive.

The guidance has also taken careful note of the recent government advice (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19) on the safe return to work.

The expectation is that the guidance will evolve over the coming months as the lockdown is eased, as government advice evolves and as TV productions adapt to the new challenges posed by the Covid-19 risk and provide a framework the entire industry can work within.

The full guidance is attached (see below). In summary, the guidance details six areas that producers, in conjunction with the commissioning broadcaster, must consider when planning to produce during Covid-19. They are:

● Specifically consider people at higher risk of harm

● Heighten precautions for everyone at work

● Reduce the number of people involved

● Consider editorial ‘on camera’ requirements

● Consider mental health and wellbeing

● Feedback loop

The guidance also lays out the key areas to consider when assessing risk on productions and suggests controls to consider (detailed in the attached guidance). They are:

● Travel: Try to minimise travel and follow social distancing principles within travel arrangements, wherever possible.

● Location: Consider the physical capacity of the space given the requirements of social distancing along with the provision of key hygiene facilities.

● Work Activities: Consider the activities that people are going to need to undertake across roles on production and if these can be adapted or changed to reduce risk.

● Work Equipment: Work equipment is key to TV production from cameras and headsets to edit suites. Good hygiene and managing potential issues with touchpoints should be addressed.

● Work Patterns: Work patterns may enable you to have small groups (cohorts) of people who don’t come into contact with other groups.

● Rest Areas: Rest areas are very important but may need some reconfiguration and planning around breaks to ensure rest areas are as safe as possible.

● First Aid and Emergency services: Emergency services are under great pressure so may not be able to respond as quickly as possible alongside this Coronavirus (Covid-19) poses a potential risk to first aiders.

● Masks, Gloves and Other Personal Protective Equipment: Use of PPE is very much a last resort and should only be considered when all other forms of control have been considered and/or implemented. In would not in general be appropriate to source medical grade PPE. The very limited exceptions to this might be when filming in higher Covid-19 risk settings such as hospitals which would only be at the invitation of the relevant hospital authorities.

● Mental Health: The Covid-19 risk and the response has had a potential Mental Health impact for those working on productions.

Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said: “Great British television is keeping us company throughout the crisis, and I’m keen to get cameras rolling as soon as it is safe. Our creative industries are Britain’s global calling card and this is a significant step forward in getting our favourite shows back into production.”

Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive, ITV said: “ITV has been at the heart of informing, entertaining and connecting the UK through the Covid-19 crisis. Our production teams are now working hard to bring many more much loved shows back for viewers.

“This requires really innovative thinking, but above all, the safety and well-being of all those who work on the programmes is paramount. Working with partners across the industry, and with the support of DCMS, we have created clear guidelines to give producers a framework within which they can ensure that their production is safe.”

Tony Hall, BBC Director-General, said: “Everyone across the TV industry wants to get production back up and running. Recent weeks have shown just how important shows are to the public.

But we can only move forward with the right safety measures in place. This guidance is an attempt to get that right. Clearly we will keep it under review. We have, as an industry, already learnt a lot about how we can deliver programmes and we will all put that into practice”.

Alex Mahon, Chief Executive, Channel 4 said: “I’m phenomenally proud of the role Channel 4, alongside our production partners, has played over the last two months to help navigate audiences, particularly young and hard-to-reach viewers, through the Covid crisis.

Unlocking the television production sector in a safe way will be vital to continuing to ensure we can both continue to serve our audiences and help sustain the livelihoods of those in the industry – and I’m pleased that we’ve been able to work in partnership with other broadcasters, DCMS and PACT to create this innovative new framework.”

Simon Pitts, CEO STV (above) said: “STV’s continued delivery of public service news and current affairs throughout the Coronavirus crisis demonstrates our ability to produce programming safely, incorporating stringent new safety measures.

“Nations and regions producers like STV Productions play a vital role in driving both the UK’s world-leading production sector and the local creative economy and – working closely with the Scottish Government – this protocol can provide a vital framework for more of our colleagues, across a broader range of production, to return to work with the same level of confidence about their safety and wellbeing.”

Gary Davey, CEO Sky Studios, said: “This guidance provides production companies and broadcasters with a shared set of principles to keep staff, cast and crew safe across a range of productions.

We will continue to work closely with our international partners, share best-practice and continuously review and evolve the guidelines as we return to production.”

Ben Frow, Director of Programmes, ViacomCBS Networks UK said “The UK is a global leader in content production and these guidelines will help pave the way to getting our sector safely back up and running, as we begin to navigate a ‘new normal’.

“Through a consistent and collaborative industry approach, we can work together with suppliers to reframe the parameters of programme-making during this challenging time, putting people’s wellbeing at the heart of the process.”

Anna Mallett, CEO, ITN said: “Our teams in ITN have pioneered new ways of working to keep the news on-air and crucially, to keep staff, freelancers and contributors safe during this time.

We’ve been able to share our experiences and protocols to help draw up these guidelines for the wider industry. Our documentary team have found ways to ensure safety and creatively maintain production on a number of programmes filmed in contributors’ homes and on location.”

Adam Minns, Executive Director, COBA said: “Like the rest of the sector, COBA members are keen to renew production activity as soon as it can take place safely and responsibly.

“We hope this guidance will be an important step in getting the TV sector back to what it does best: making world class content.”

John McVay, Pact CEO, said: “This guidance from all the major commissioning broadcasters in the UK is a very helpful first step to getting the industry back working and taking forward the recovery”.

Industry wide – TV Production Guidance 18052020

Two-thirds of UK public has no plans to shake off bad lockdown habits

Two-thirds of people have no plans to give up unhealthy lockdown habits
Poor diet, alcohol and sleep habits, plus rises in inactivity, look set to stick
But mental health prioritised – 45% adopting new positive habits
In Scotland, 83% or more people have picked up at least one unhealthy habit during lockdown

Britain is set to emerge unhealthier from lockdown, with four out of five people (81%) reporting an increase in harmful habits, including smoking, poor diet and staying up late – yet only a third (31%) of those surveyed plan to shake off their new habits after lockdown, according to a YouGov survey by self-care app and website Your.MD.

According to leading behavioural economist, Denise Hampson, the sudden disruption to our old way of life has shaken our routines and habits, with the ambiguity of life in lockdown leading us to replace them with new ones that we find comforting.

The survey found that detrimental habits have emerged during the course of lockdown. A combination of the habits identified will, over time, lead to long-term implications for individual health, earning lockdown another place in the list of risks to our health.

Almost a fifth (17%) of people claim to have started drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week (approx. two bottles of wine) during lockdown, and 9% have taken up smoking. The Scottish are most likely to have started smoking or vaping during lockdown (16%) compared to the UK as a whole (9%).

A third (33%) of the public say their eating habits are less healthy now than before lockdown began, with full-time students and 18-24-year-olds at the forefront of the trend (47% and 49% respectively). In Scotland, the number of people who have started to eat more unhealthily since lockdown began is slightly higher than the UK average, at 36%.

In spite of a rise in online fitness classes and government encouragement to get outside to exercise, 30% said they had become less active during lockdown. This peaks in London, where 39% are exercising less than before lockdown began. Across Great Britain, ONS data which looked at ‘Coronavirus and the Impacts on Great Britain’ reveals that 42% of people are unable to exercise as normal, due to the implications of the virus.

Poor sleep is also impacting people, with just under one third (29%) saying they’re not sleeping as well during lockdown, and over two thirds (67%) are not making extra efforts to get a better night’s sleep. This rate is higher among men (73%). Nearly half of the population (40%) are waking up later and a third (34%) staying up later at night.

Denise Hampson explains, “Now that our normal lives are suspended, so are the cues we used to be exposed to and so our habits will have changed too. We will have replaced them with new ones based around the routine of our lockdown lives.

“We are also facing an extreme period of collective anxiety. Nothing we used to do can be taken for granted anymore and we are less clear on what the future holds. This leads to soothing behaviour, to make us feel better, so it’s no surprise we are drinking more alcohol, consuming more social media, smoking and snacking unhealthily.”

The public do seem, however, to be prioritising mental wellbeing the most.

Almost half the nation (45%) have been taking extra steps to look after their mental health during lockdown – from seeking WhatsApp group advice (14%) to following YouTube videos (8%) and using smartphone apps (10%).

When it comes to managing their mental health, 18-24-year-olds unexpectedly prefer to write in diaries (17%) more than use smartphone apps (12%).

Full-time students have come out on top in terms of looking after their mental health and wellbeing (63%), with retired people coming in last, at 36%. This correlates with the latest ONS data which reveals that 65% of people feel more stressed and anxious and 27% say it is making their mental health worse.

Denise explains that there will be difficulties faced in adapting to post-lockdown life and our perception of this may be underestimated. “What’s most interesting is how aware we seem to be of our wellbeing during lockdown and the impact it has had on our behaviour.

“Despite what the data suggests, we don’t assume that people have a conscious desire to keep their unhealthy habits going post-lockdown. It’s more likely that most of us expect to be able to just shake off our new lockdown habits quite easily. Like getting back to normality after the Christmas break.

“Lockdown happened very fast, so all our old routines were fractured and disrupted all at once. It’s easy to think we’ll just snap back to the way we used to be, but getting out of lockdown is likely to be a much slower process, so we’ll be more likely to carry these new habits with us for some time, and they’ll take a bit of effort to shake off.”

Matteo Berlucchi, CEO and Co-founder of Your.MD, explains how the data shows a need for individuals to take control of their pre-primary care: “We all want to build healthy routines that last well beyond lockdown. At Your.MD, we’re here to help people achieve that.

“Good mental health is a cornerstone of self-care, so it’s significant that a lot of us want to prioritise this, but not our nutrition, fitness and sleep – when of course it’s all connected.

“The Your.MD app aims to guide people through the practical steps required to take control of their health when that is the best course of action”.

UK Community Network is here to help

A volunteer support group has been set up to help elderly/vulnerable people during the Covid 19 crisis.

UK Community Network is active in all areas of Edinburgh and have been helping people for the past few weeks. We still believe their are people struggling who maybe don’t qualify for other sorts of help and we also believe that as more people go back to work, there will be less volunteers around to help.

We have volunteers who are ready to help with shopping, prescriptions, etc.

Get in touch!

Fears for over-70s struggling with digital isolation during lockdown

New research from BT suggests that many older people (70+) are suffering from a difficult combination of both physical and digital isolation during the Coronavirus lockdown.

A poll of people from across the UK, who have a close relative over 70, found that less than a quarter believe their loved one would be willing to try a video call with a GP, with the majority prepared to wait longer to get a face-to-face appointment.

While some older people (27%) have ventured to the shops during lockdown, a third of those surveyed believe their relatives had put themselves at risk in order to purchase essential items on behalf of their loved one and nearly half those surveyed (49%) think it would be life-changing for their older relative if they knew how to order their own groceries online.

However, 41 per cent think their older family member has never made an online purchase, and half believe their relative is reluctant to try and learn new skills when it comes to technology.

The survey revealed various barriers to learning: more than three-quarters (76%) think their relative would consider it too complicated. A quarter think their loved ones feel the internet is unsafe (26%), 29 per cent say that their relatives haven’t got anyone to teach them and 35 per cent aren’t sure where to learn these digital skills.

Nearly four in ten (38%) did say their family members would be more open to improving their digital skills due to recent events, but don’t know where to start.

Professor Kerensa Jennings, BT Group Director of Digital Impact, said: “Technology has become an essential lifeline for millions of people right now. But to combat loneliness, we must ensure that older people can take advantage of the benefits that technology provides, from accessing vital services to staying in touch with family and friends.

“We know that even picking up some relatively simple digital skills can make a huge difference to the lives of older people and those that care for them during lockdown – whether it’s doing their own online shopping, accessing health services or enjoying face-to-face calls with loved ones.

“While many older people are very confident with tech, it’s never too late to try something new. For others, it’s the first time they are accessing the internet. That’s why we are working closely with leading social change charity, Good Things Foundation, to ensure people can get the skills they need to stay connected and healthy during lockdown.”

The survey also revealed that six in 10 people believe their loved ones feel more isolated than ever before as a result of the global pandemic, and 53 per cent think they have struggled to adjust to an altered lifestyle due to coronavirus.

Email and WhatsApp are the digital platforms family members feel elderly relations are the most adept at using, with 39 per cent able to successfully set up a video call with their elderly loved ones. One in five over 70s are also able to stream through Amazon Prime or Netflix.

However, over three quarters (78%) said their family member consumes their information from television, with a third relying on their family member to update them on current affairs and just one in five going online.

Helen Milner, Chief Executive of Good Things Foundation, said: “The research supports what we’re hearing from our network partners and our wider findings on the issue of digital isolation. The people left behind are disproportionately older, often with existing health issues that are being compounded by a lack of confidence in digital technology. This is a deeply shocking societal problem we must all address urgently.

“We know that due to the Coronavirus pandemic more people are willing to try new things online and improve their digital skills so this is the perfect time to give them the tools and guidance to do so.”

BT Skills for Tomorrow is giving 10 million people the skills they need to make the most of life in the digital world we live in. It’s completely free and designed to help everyone – from school children and teachers, parents and families to businesses and jobseekers – and anyone who needs support getting online to make the most of life.

Working in partnership with leading digital skills organisations, BT have created and collated the best courses, webinars and information, in one easy to navigate place.

However, there remains a significant number of vulnerable people who do not currently have an internet connection or suitable device, making isolation particularly difficult. In order to address this issue, BT has donated 1,000 tablets with pre-paid SIMs to the Good Things Foundation as part of the DevicesDotNow campaign.

The Good Things Foundation is the UK’s leading digital exclusion charity and the key distribution partner for DevicesDotNow through their Online Centres Network. They are also one of BT’s existing partners through Skills for Tomorrow.

Coronavirus: Time for transparency, committee tells Prime Minister

Westminster’s Science and Technology Committee has today shared a series of findings in a letter written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The 19 page letter, which sets out a number of recommendations to the Government, is based on evidence heard as part of the Committee’s inquiry into UK science, research and technology capability and influence in global disease outbreaks.

Science and Technology Committee

Backed by a cross-party group of MPs, the publication details ten key lessons the UK Government should learn from its experience of handling the first months of the pandemic.

Drawing on the evidence of scientists and other relevant experts from the UK and around the world who have thus far provided the Committee with a wide range of insights, the recommendations include:

The call for publication of the evidence basis and rationale informing Public Health England’s decision to concentrate testing in a limited number of its own laboratories and expand testing capacity gradually, rather than surging capacity through a large number of available public sector, research institute, university and private sector laboratories. The letter states that the decision, which led to the discontinuation of community testing, is ‘one of the most consequential made during [the] crisis’ and urges the Government to learn from its experience in anticipation of possible vaccine manufacture.
That the Government ‘urgently’ build up capacity for contact tracing, underlining the importance of contact tracing in managing the easing of lockdown measures in the UK and minimising the risk of a second peak of infections.
That the Government set out a clear approach for managing the risks around asymptomatic transmission of the disease,
That further transparency is needed regarding the provision of scientific advice, providing clear distinction between scientific advice and policy decisions. This includes:
o- a call for the now public list of members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) to be updated regularly, including with the number of meetings the named participants attended;
o- a request for the disciplines of SAGE participants who are not publicly named to be disclosed; and
o- recommendations that papers on which SAGE draws for its advice to be published promptly after each relevant meeting, as well as for a summary of the scientific advice which has informed Government decisions to be published.

The Committee also makes a recommendation relating to the systematic recording of the ethnicity of those dying of COVID-19, stating that such data may help progress understanding of the disproportionate number of deaths of those from BAME backgrounds.

The letter has reached these conclusions as a result of the inquiry’s first six public evidence sessions. The inquiry, which captures contemporary evidence on decisions and assessments made by Government during the pandemic, continues.

Chair of the Committee, Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, said: “The Government has drawn extensively on scientific advice during the pandemic and should continue to do so.

“The Government should follow the best traditions of science in being transparent about the evidence and advice on which it makes decisions, and by being willing to continually learn from evidence and experience and not being afraid to adjust its approach in response.

“Greater transparency around scientific advice; putting capacity in place in advance of need, such as in testing and vaccines; collecting more data earlier and learning from other countries’ approaches are some of the early lessons of this pandemic that are relevant to further decisions that will need to be taken during the weeks and months ahead.

“We hope the Government will act on these recommendations which are offered in a constructive spirit based on the evidence we have taken so far.”

200518-Letter – Chair-to-Prime-Minister-re-COVID-19-pandemic-some-lessons-learned-so-far

Report reveals impact of coronavirus on poverty in Edinburgh

City council leader Adam McVey has outlined the measures the Council will take following a report from the Edinburgh Poverty Commission into the impact the Covid-19 pandemic is having on residents in the city.

The interim Poverty and Coronavirus in Edinburgh report has taken testimonies from people directly affected by the pandemic focussing on areas such as jobs, people’s incomes, housing, homelessness, the cost of living, health and social isolation.

Leader Adam McVey pledged the Council will do everything it can to support those most in need and welcomed the report which will inform the future direction the Council takes in tackling poverty in the city.

He said: “I welcome that this report recognises the work done by the Council, partners, third sector and volunteers across the city to respond positively and quickly to deliver lifeline services including vital food and medical supplies for citizens affected by the coronavirus measure that have been put in place.

“Today’s report contains important findings with vital and timely testimonies on the real impact that lockdown is having on people’s lives. While we have all been affected by the ongoing situation, it is clear from this report that this pandemic has been particularly challenging for those who were already in or at risk of poverty in the city.

“We’re absolutely committed to making sure this evidence shapes our continuing response to this emergency over the coming months, as well as the planning for how we will rebuild the city when this crisis has passed.

“It’s so important that while we look to address the additional hardship and pressures this crisis has brought, we also build on the renewed sense of community and collaboration we have witnessed across the city.

“As we plan for Edinburgh’s recovery, we will continue to be ambitious and make sure our responses are guided by our long-term commitment to boosting sustainability, tackling poverty and improving residents’ wellbeing.

“We will continue working with the Scottish and UK Governments to secure the right level of ongoing financial support to allow us to rebuild and create a fairer city for all going forward.”

In specific response to the actions the Commission has put forward, the Council will:

continue to deliver compassionate support directly to people in the most need during this period of emergency – this includes support for essential food supplies and medicine deliveries to people self-isolating and offering critical support to people in vulnerable situations through our Resilience Centres
make sure the support mechanisms set up by UK and Scottish Governments reach everyone in Edinburgh who needs them – we’ve already processed over 4,600 applications for Scottish Welfare Fund support, distributed nearly £600,000 in crisis payments to citizens and directed £61m in government grants to organisations in Edinburgh to help employers and the self-employed
make sure safe and secure housing options continue to be available for those people in temporary accommodation and rough sleeping who have been housed through emergency measures during this crisis, and
make sure that the city takes a co-ordinated and joined up approach to responding to and recovering from this crisis.

In the coming weeks the Council will publish its first plans for how the city will adapt and rebuild from this crisis throughout the rest of this year and beyond. A key element of this recovery programme will be ensuring that the twin targets of being fair and green for all lie at its heart.

The council will continue to encourage partners who are invested in the prosperity of the city work with them to achieve a ‘fair and green economic recovery’ which will include the work of both the Edinburgh Poverty Commission and the Edinburgh Climate Commission.

The final report by the Edinburgh Poverty Commission and their findings will be published in the autumn.

20200518_EPC_Interim_Coronavirus_Report

Life with M.E. is permanent lockdown, say Niamh and Rhona

Imagine the isolation you’ve been living with became your new normal. You’re unable to meet a friend for coffee, go to your favourite restaurant or travel on holiday. Your job becomes uncertain, and you live your life on permanent lockdown …

This is what life is like for many of the 21,000 adults, children and young people in Scotland living with the serious neurological condition, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Niamh, 21, from Gullane, says the illness has robbed her of being a normal teenager: “I was academic and very sporty. At the time of my diagnosis I had competed in national and local squads. I got ill at 12, so the biggest change was missing out on teenage and school years. I still miss sports an awful lot.”

M.E. affects people’s bodies and brains ability to recover normally after any activity, physical and mental, and however small. On top of the significant daily challenges this presents fluctuating condition presents, much of the support and services people with M.E. in Scotland have come to rely on – such as supermarket deliveries or carers providing personal care – have disappeared overnight.

“We have been contacted by people with M.E. in truly desperate situations,” explains Sonya Chowdhury, Chief Executive, Action for M.E.

“So we set up our new Crisis, Support and Advocacy Service to meet this urgent need, sourcing practical local assistance such as help with shopping and picking-up medications, connecting people with peer-support, and advising on the ongoing changes to welfare benefits.

“So far, we have seen a three-fold increase in requests for urgent support – all at a time when our income is expected to drop by at least 50%. Like many other organisations and charities, we made the difficult decision to furlough several staff. We are continuing to make critical decisions to ensure we are here for people with M.E., now and in the future.”

For M.E. Awareness Month throughout May, the charity is encouraging people with M.E. to share their insight and experience when it comes to living with uncertainty and isolation, with the aim of shining a spotlight on this hidden condition.

Niamh added: “Chronic illness feels like lockdown – but being able to see your friends run around, go to parties, graduate from high school and grow up.

“For lots of people suffering with chronic illnesses, this lockdown may not end when the pubs start opening back up. For them, lockdown does not have a start date and an end date.”

Rhona Barton from Blackburn, Aberdeenshire is someone else who understands living in lockdown as normal life. Diagnosed with M.E. at 21 years old, she had to find a way to get through each day.

“What helped me when I was unwell included things such as hydrotherapy, very gentle massage, few people in a room with me at one time, no loud sounds/music/voices, hot water bottles to help with joint and muscle pain; a double duvet cover on a single bed to stop it falling off in the night and to keep me extra warm; a wheelchair for trips out to save energy; small meals but often; keeping a sense of humour and learning to balance my energy levels.”

Rhona has been well for 14 years now and puts her experience to good use.

“As I am now classed as well, I have been volunteering as a mentor for Action for M.E.’s Mentor M.E. project, and as a Coach for Age UK. My health has been steady and I’ve been able to build my own business around a work/life balance that’s right for me.”

As a mentor, Rhona shares her insight into living with a chronic illness with her mentee Charlotte, who says: “Talking to someone who has experienced M.E. for themselves and can really understand my condition and concerns has been an enormous help. Regular contact with Rhona, especially at the moment, has given me something to look forward to and enjoy.”

Rhona hopes the experience of lockdown will lead to a greater understanding of people, like Niamh and Charlotte, living with chronic illness.

“For all of those individuals that have never had to restrict their lives to their own homes, I’d like them to know that what they are experiencing during Covid-19 is the normal for those with chronic illnesses.

“The isolation, the low mood, the lack of structure, the inability to see others or just to do as you please, is our normal everyday life. I hope that, when this is past, those who are hidden, will be more visible to the rest of society.”

Anyone living with or caring for someone with M.E., of any age, can contact Action for M.E.’s Crisis, Support and Advocacy Service by email at questions@actionforme.org.uk or call on 0117 927 9551.

First Minister announces ‘steps on the journey back to a form of normality’

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Monday 18th May):

Good afternoon everybody. Thank you for joining us. I want to start – as always – with an update you on the key statistics in relation to Covid-19.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 14,594 positive cases confirmed – which is an increase of 57 since yesterday.

A total of 1,427 patients are in hospital with Covid-19 – 1,005 of them have been confirmed as having the virus, and 422 are suspected of having it. That represents a total increase of 119 from yesterday, however the number of confirmed cases has declined by 2.

A total of 63 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid 19. That is an increase of 4 since yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 3,354 patients who had tested positive have been able to leave hospital and I wish all of them well.

Unfortunately though I also have to report that in the past 24 hours, 2 deaths have been registered of patients who have been confirmed through a test as having the virus – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 2,105.

I should of course inject some caution into that figure – as I often say on a Monday, although deaths can now be registered at weekends, registration numbers are usually relatively low then, and they can be especially low on a Sunday. That should be taken into account when considering today’s figure.

Again, let me stress – these numbers are not just statistics. Each one is an individual whose loss is a source of real sorrow and deep grief. My condolences go to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus.

And let me also want to thank – as I always do – our health and care workers for the extraordinary work they continue to do in such difficult and challenging circumstances.

Now I have three things that I want to update on today.

The first is that we have changed our guidance on the symptoms of Covid-19, this is based on a recommendation from the Chief Medical Officers across the UK.

Until now, we have been asking people to stay at home for 7 days if you have a high temperature, or a persistent cough. That remains the case.

However we have also said that we are learning about this virus as it develops, and we now have sufficient evidence to add an additional symptom which you should look out for.

If you notice a loss of, or change in, your sense of taste or smell – something called anosmia – that is also, or can also be, a symptom of Covid-19.

The Chief Medical Officer will say more about this in a few moments, but to summarise – if you have a high temperature, or a persistent cough, or if you notice a loss of taste or smell – stay at home completely for 7 days, and don’t leave your home at all. Other people in your household should stay at home for 14 days.

The second issue I want to discuss today is that from today, we are widening the number of people who can be tested for Covid-19.

The Health Secretary will say a bit more in a moment about testing in care homes.

The change I will talk about is that anyone over the age of 5, who has any of the three symptoms of Covid-19 – including of course that loss of taste or smell – will now be able to book a test.

The tests will be available through the drive-in centres – at Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, and in Perth and Inverness. They will also available through the 12 mobile testing units which are based across the country, and which move around every 5 days or so.

Tests at drive-in centres have already been made available to over 65s, to key workers – for example people in vital infrastructure services – and to anyone who needs to work, who cannot work from home. Tests have also been available to household members of these groups.

The further expansion that we are announcing today will ensure that anyone with symptoms will be able to find out if they have the virus, and will therefore be able to know whether or not they should be isolating.

Tests can be booked online. Priority will continue to be given to those who are key workers, and these can be secured by booking through an employer.

When you book a test, you will be allocated to the centre that is closest to your own postcode. I know that for some people that will involve travelling quite a long distance. We are currently working with the military to try to make mobile testing units as widely available as possible.

It is also worth stressing that for NHS and social care key workers, or symptomatic household members of those workers, testing should still be accessed through the NHS.

This testing ensures priority access, and should be accessible to care and health service staff at NHS facilities within their local area – it should not require people to travel long distances.

Today’s expansion is the result of co-operation between NHS Scotland, the Scottish Government and the UK Government. It will help more people to know if they have the virus and it will be helpful as we build towards our strategy of test, trace, isolate and support – something that will be especially important, as we start to emerge gradually from lockdown.

That is relevant to the final issue I want to talk about today.

I can confirm today that we will publish on Thursday a routemap setting out our phased approach to easing lockdown measures.

This will take account of the up to date estimates of the transmission rate, or R number, and the number of cases. It will also take account of the latest National Records of Scotland report, due on Wednesday, on the number of deaths from COVID.

The routemap we publish on Thursday will give a more detailed indication of the order in which we will carefully and gradually seek to lift current restrictions

Now like other countries we will not yet be able to put frim dates on all of the different phases – because timings must be driven by data and evidence.

It will also be important that we assess the impact of measures in one phase before moving on to another. We will continue, and again I want to stress this, to take a cautious approach that ensures the virus is suppressed, while seeking to restore as much normality as possible when it is safe to do so.

However, Thursday’s routemap will confirm that – assuming we see progress in suppressing the virus – the first phase will start from the next formal review date of 28 May.

Within a few days of that, we will aim to allow, for example, more outdoor activity – such as being able to sit in the park, meet up outdoors with someone from another household, as long as you stay socially distanced; some limited outdoor sporting activities, like golf and fishing; the opening of garden centres and recycling facilities; and the resumption of some outdoor work.

This first phase will coincide with our ability to start, on a phased basis, a substantial test, trace and isolate operation to help us keep the virus under control as we start to ease up restrictions. That part is absolutely crucial.

Thursday’s routemap will also set out our up to date assessment at that point of a phased of a return to school, as guided by the considerations of the Education Recovery Group.

From Thursday onwards, we will also set out guidance for key industries on the changes they will need to make to ensure their employees and customers are safe in advance of further changes, as well as setting out advice on travel and transport.

So, within two weeks, my hope is that we will be taking some concrete steps on the journey back to a form of normality.

As I have said before, It won’t be normality exactly as we knew it because the virus will not have gone away. But it will be a journey to a better balance, I hope, than the one we have today.

As we take each step, we must make sure the ground beneath us is as solid as possible.

And that’s why, between now and then, sticking with the lockdown restrictions a bit longer, to suppress the virus more, is so important.

Because that will mean we can start to take these steps with confidence that we have alternative means of effectively keeping it under control.

So for that reason, our key advice now remains unchanged, and it remains as important as ever.

Please stay at home right now except for essential purposes – such as essential work that can’t be done at home, exercise, or accessing essential items like food and medicine.

You can of course now exercise more than once a day – but when you do leave the house, stay more than 2 metres away from other people. And don’t meet up with people from households other than yours at this stage.

You should wear a face covering if you are in a shop or on public transport. And please wash your hands thoroughly and regularly.

Finally, if you or someone else in your household has symptoms, then you should stay at home completely, and a reminder – those symptoms are a high temperature, or a persistent cough, or a change or loss of smell or taste.

By sticking with these restrictions now, we make it all the more likely we can start that journey back to normality within the timescale I talked about a moment.

So let me end with my thanks again to all of you, for doing the right thing, and staying at home at this stage, you are helping to slow down the virus spread, you are helping to protect the NHS and undoubtedly you are saving lives.

Thank you very much indeed, I am now going to hand over to the Chief Medical Officer to say a few words, particularly about the change to guidance on symptoms today and then I will hand over to the Health Secretary who is going to say a few words, including some more detail on testing in care homes …

Young workers hardest hit by coronavirus downturn

Over one in three 18-24 year olds, and three in ten workers in their early 60s, are receiving less pay than they did at the start of the year, compared to less than a quarter of workers aged 35-49, according to new Resolution Foundation published today.

The report is published on the day it was announced that UK unemployment rose by 50,000 to 1.35 million in the three months to March, when the effects of the coronavirus lockdown started to affect the economy.

The report, Young workers in the coronavirus crisis, based on a survey of 6,005 UK adults in early May and supported by the Health Foundation, examines how the current crisis has already affected workers of different ages in terms of their jobs, pay, hours and working conditions. It is published ahead of official labour market data today covering the three months to March this year (and only the very start of the crisis).

Previous Resolution Foundation research has shown that excluding students, young people tend to be hit hardest during downturns, and are particularly at risk in the current one as they are more likely to work in the hardest hit sectors of the economy, such as hospitality, leisure and retail.

Looking at workers’ current earnings compared to the start of the year, the research finds that employees across all age groups are more likely to be earning less than they did in January than earning more, though young and older workers are most affected.

Among 18-24 year olds, 35 per cent are earning less than they did before the outbreak, and 13 per cent are earning more. Employees in their early 60s are the next most likely to be receiving less pay (30 per cent), with a further 9 per cent receiving more pay. By contrast, 23 per cent of 35-49 year olds are earning less, while 5 per cent are earning more.

The research shows that young people are also the most likely to have lost work – though other age groups have been affected.

One in three 18-24 year olds employees have lost work, either through being furloughed (23 per cent) or losing their jobs completely (9 per cent).

One in five (20 per cent) employees in their late 20s (aged 25-29) have either been furloughed or lost their jobs, along with around one in six (18 per cent) workers in their early 60s (aged 60-64).

Employees aged 35-44 are the least likely to have been furloughed or lost their jobs, with around 15 per cent experiencing this since the crisis began.

The Foundation says the big pay reductions and job losses for young and older employees are a huge concern, for very different reasons.

Younger workers deeply affected by the crisis today risk have their pay scarred for years to come – causing a long-term reduction in their living standards. Older workers risk being involuntary retired well before reaching their State Pension Age, or not having time to make-up their current earnings shortfall. Both risks could cause a permanent hit to their incomes through retirement.

The Foundation says that the scale of pay reductions since the crisis began would be even greater where it not for the Job Retention Scheme. The research finds around one in five furloughed employees are still receiving full pay (despite state support being capped at 80 per cent), including over a quarter of workers aged 35-44.

Finally, the Foundation says that the Government needs to start preparing its response to the next phase of the crisis, which should include policies such as Job Guarantees for young people, and broader fiscal stimulus to boost demand in the economy and raise household incomes.

Maja Gustafsson, Researcher at the Resolution Foundation, said: “Our research confirms fears that young people are being hardest in the current crisis. One in three young people have been furloughed or lost their jobs completely, and over one in three had had their pay reduced since the crisis started.

“But while young people are in the eye of the storm, they are not the only group who are experiencing big income shocks. Britain is experiencing a U-shaped living standards crisis, with workers in their early 60s also badly affected.

“That is why the Government’s strategy to support the recovery should combine targeted support to help young people into work, with more general stimulus to boost demand across the economy and help households of all ages.”

Report: Young-workers-in-the-coronavirus-crisis

The number of people claiming unemployment benefit in the UK soared to 2.1 million in April, the first full month of the coronavirus lockdown.

The April total rose by 856,500, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.

Before the lockdown began, employment had already hit a record high before the lockdown began.

The situation is actually even worse than these desperate figures show – benefit claimant count does not include everyone who is out of work, since not all can claim assistance.