Morrisons has added to its collection of Food Boxes with a special ‘Tommy’s Afternoon Tea Box’ to help customers celebrate the anniversary of the end of World War II on Wednesday 2 September.
Shoppers have two options when ordering the box: £15 will get you all of the traditional teatime treats including scones, clotted cream, cakes and ingredients for sandwiches and for an additional £5 your box will come with a full-size bottle of Prosecco.
Both boxes support the Royal British Legion Industries’ Tommy Tea campaign, with £1 from every box going to the charity, as well as an additional £10,000 that has been donated by the supermarket. Each box will also contain a leaflet with information about the charity and a free car sticker.
Amy Bishop, Manager of Food Boxes at Morrisons said: “We’re proud to continue supporting our veterans and the RBLI’s Tommy’s Tea Campaign. Our new food box is packed full of ingredients for customers to host their own celebrations to mark this historic occasion.”
The box is available to pre-order now and will be delivered to customers over the bank holiday weekend.
A typical box contains:
• Morrisons The Best All Butter Sultana Scone 4 Pack
Nearly 600 people in Scotland are thought to have caught coronavirus at their place of work, new figures show. The data includes eight people who died from the virus since April.
Care home workers account for nearly two thirds of the suspected occupational exposures, according to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) data, but many other groups – hairdressers, funeral directors, beauty therapists and NHS workers among them – are also believed to have been exposed to the virus at work.
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “These figures confirm our view that undervalued key workers in care and the NHS have borne the brunt of workplace transmission of the virus with some, tragically, dying as a consequence.
“These figures are almost certainly the tip of the ice-berg. We suspect that there has been significant under-reporting, not to mention a significant incidence of transmission from workers without symptoms.
“Even taken at face value these figures shine a light on the failures we have witnessed in the delivery of adequate PPE and the slow response to the provision of testing for suspected Covid infection.
“Now, more than ever, government and every employer have the responsibility to get things right. Workplaces have been at the centre of localised outbreaks. We need the utmost vigilance, full engagement with unions and an open door for union roving health and safety reps in non-recognised workplaces.”
Gary Smith, secretary of the GMB Scotland union, said there is likely to be significant under-reporting of the suspected workplace coronavirus cases. He said: “The events of the last six months simply do not give any confidence in these figures.
“In sectors which predominately employ women, such as social care and food manufacturing, we are talking about industries notorious for the under-reporting of workplace incident and injury pre-Covid.
“We now know that many of the workers in these industries have been failed on basic health and safety issues, from the delay in the delivery of proper PPE provision to the ability to access testing for suspected Covid infection.”
A story of the life-changing way walking helped an Edinburgh man during lockdown is the focus of a new photography-led campaign.
‘Humans of the Walk’ features portrait photography and personal accounts of people from across Scotland who found walking to be a stimulating relief while the country was placed on pause for over four months.
Scotland’s walking charity Paths for All is sharing the inspirational stories which encapsulate the physical and mental benefits walking had on those coping with a variety of challenges during lockdown.
The charity hopes the 10 moving tales will encourage people to keep walking and convince others to take up walking every day.
Inspired by the famous digital photography project, Humans of New York, the campaign brings to life stories of love, strength, health, family and friendship – and are all connected by one thing: Walking.
One of the 10 individuals, Thomas Ferguson from Edinburgh, believes walking has made him physically and mentally stronger. He said: “Walking has saved me. I could feel myself getting weaker and weaker, growing older, and for a period I would struggle to move anywhere without feeling pain in my legs.
“Yet, through perseverance and self-intervention I began walking again and I can feel myself recovering physically and mentally – it was like a medicine for me.
“I will never again underestimate the power of walking.”
In the search for the 10 participants, Paths for All asked members of the public to take part in a short survey and share their lockdown walking stories. The survey found 93% of people walked during lockdown to look after their physical health.
The charity’s survey also found 77% of people found walking helped them connect with nature, while 61% explored new paths for the first time.
This is Paths for All’s second Humans of the Walk campaign. The first launched in May 2019 to coincide with Edinburgh’s first Open Streets event which closed city centre roads to cars to encourage more walking and cycling.
Ian Findlay CBE, Chief Officer at Paths for All, said: “Our 10 participants in this year’s Humans of the Walk campaign have shared their personal challenges through a period of time which have been arduous for us all.
“Lockdown has impacted our lives in ways we could not have imagined and these stories highlight how walking can help relieve the worries and stresses we feel every day.
“The Humans of the Walk campaign encompasses how walking can improve physical and mental health as well as keeping Scotland happier, healthier, and greener.”
Paths for All’s aim is to significantly increase the number of people who choose to walk in Scotland, whether it’s walking for leisure or walking to work, school or to the shops.
The charity works to create more opportunities and better environments not just for walking, but also for cycling and other activities to help make Scotland a more active, more prosperous and greener country.
Paths for All’s focus is clear: it wants to get Scotland walking: everyone, every day, everywhere.
To keep the celebration of walking going, Paths for All is giving everyone the chance to win a prize bundle worth up to £200. To enter the competition, members of the public should post a portrait photo celebrating walking in some way, on Twitter or Instagram, using the hashtag #HumansOfTheWalk.
The competition runs until September 18 and multiple entries are allowed.
For more information on Humans of the Walk and the competition visit the Paths for All website.
The Parking Lot Social is a Live Drive-In event running this weekend at Dalkeith Country Park.
The Parking Lot Social is an amazing, new touring experience which packs a load of exciting entertainment into one incredible night out.
We’ve created a spectacular event space and overloaded it with a programme of immersive and interactive entertainment that’s broadcast from our stage straight to your car, allowing us all to come together, while still keeping us that safe distance apart.
For a chance to win a ticket, just tag who you would take in the comments, and share this post. For 20% off enter 20PERPTR during checkout at https://bit.ly/3gg2WDG
The Scottish Womens Convention (SWC) are thrilled to announce our first ever Online Conference, which will focus on social care and the impact on women across Scotland.
This will take place via Zoom on Wednesday 23rd September, between 3pm and 5pm. Spaces will be limited, so we recommend registering soon!
This event will see a number of attendees and speakers come together to discuss some of the most pressing current issues. We want to cover everything from experiences before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, to what we need to do in future to make social care work for everyone in Scotland.
This event will complement the SWC’s ongoing work regarding Women and Social Care in Scotland. A summary report of our initial findings can be accessed here – https://bit.ly/314dJwy A huge thank you to all who have contributed to this work so far.
We look forward to welcoming you to our Conference. Any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this email, or across our social media channels @swcwomen.
Students across Scotland heading off to university next month are being urged to stay alert and check that correct safety measures have been followed before moving into rental accommodation.
The advice follows A-Levels results day as students across the country begin to finalise their accommodation decisions. The impact of COVID-19 means an expected rise in those living and studying from home through e-learning, but for those moving into accommodation it is important not to rush into contracts.
A recent survey of students revealed over two-thirds of renters’ biggest problems included damp, lack of water or heating and living in dangerous conditions. *
There are fears that the increased uncertainty of COVID-19 might lead to students signing contracts for cheaper housing in a bid to save money without properly inspecting the property first.
This could result in students living in potentially unsafe conditions which might put their health at risk, or create significant disruption if they must move out halfway through the year because the house becomes uninhabitable. Of particular concern are poorly maintained heating systems that could be life-threatening if they emit harmful carbon monoxide fumes.
To help students know what to look out for when deciding on accommodation, OFTEC, the trade association for liquid fuels, has issued a safety checklist for students in Scotland which outlines the legal requirements landlords must follow and the key red flags to look out for:
1. Check that every floor of the property has a working smoke alarm. Carbon Monoxide alarms are also mandatory in rooms which use solid fuel (such as an open fireplace).
2. Make sure there is always clear access to a fire escape route.
3. Upholstered furniture such as beds and sofas must have appropriate fire safety labels attached.
4. Check all electrical appliances (kettles, TVs, light fittings etc.) are working correctly as it is the landlord’s responsibility to ensure they are in a good condition. Electrical Safety First also recommends portable electrical appliances provided by landlords are tested at regular intervals.
5. For a mains gas heating system, the boiler must have been serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer. If you are moving into one of the 135000 oil heated homes in Scotland, an OFTEC registered technician should service the system. When viewing the property, ask to test the heating and check the radiators warm up.
Malcolm Farrow from OFTEC, commented: “It’s that time of year again for students in Scotland as they prepare for university and many move into rented accommodation.
“Whilst most landlords are fully responsible, unfortunately there are some unscrupulous owners who will try to dupe students into living in potentially unsafe accommodation full of problems.
“With the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, it can also be an incredibly nervous time for students so it would be easy to forget some of the vital property checks. But, staying alert and spotting any issues before you move into your chosen accommodation will help you avoid further problems that might affect your stay. In addition, check your tenancy agreements for any clauses around COVID-19 to get a full grasp of what you are agreeing to.”
For further advice and information, visit www.oftec.org.
To see the latest government guidance and advice for landlords and tenants during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit https://bit.ly/31PzzDe
A significant rise in the number of cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Austria, Croatia, Switzerland and Trinidad and Tobago means travellers from these countries will have to self-isolate at home or another specified address for 14 days on arrival in Scotland from 4am this Saturday.
At the same time Portugal will be added to the list of destinations where travellers will be exempt from the requirement to quarantine.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We cannot emphasise enough that if people choose to travel abroad, they must be aware that quarantine requirements may change while they are away.
“The same can be said for the rules within the country or territory people are travelling to. If people do travel from any country that is not exempt from the requirements, they will be required to quarantine for 14 days on return, please check the Scottish Government website for more information on what this means.
“Indeed, wherever people have travelled from – an exempt country or not – they must complete a Passenger Locator Form and provide it to Border Force officials. Failure to do so can also result in a fine since this, along with any failure to self-isolate where required, poses a significant risk to wider public health across Scotland.
“We continue to closely monitor the situation in all parts of the world and assess the scientific evidence. We remain in regular discussions with the other three governments in the UK and base decisions on a shared understanding of the available data.
“However, we will not hesitate to take the action we consider necessary to safeguard public health in Scotland recognising, that the level of risk across the four nations may lead to different decisions.
“As I have said previously, we do not make these decisions lightly, but suppressing the virus and protecting public health is vital.”
All international travellers arriving into Scotland, apart from a very limited number of individual exemptions, must complete a passenger locator form and provide evidence that they have done so on arrival in the UK if requested to do so by a Border Force official.
This includes people arriving from countries where quarantine is subsequently not required. Individuals who do not complete the form and present it when asked on arrival may be fined £60. The fine can be doubled for each subsequent offence up to a maximum of £480.
Failure to comply with the requirement to quarantine may result in a fine of £480.
Those travelling abroad should check in advance for any local requirements to quarantine on arrival at their destination. The existing list of overseas destinations where those arriving in Scotland are exempt from self-isolation can be found on the Scottish Government website
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the Scottish Parliament yesterday (Thursday 20 August):
Presiding Officer, the Scottish Government is required by law to review lockdown restrictions every three weeks. The latest review falls due today, and I will shortly report on the decisions we have reached.
First, though, I will report on today’s statistics and other developments.
Since yesterday, an additional 77 cases of COVID have been confirmed – that represents 1% of those newly tested yesterday, and takes the total number now to 19,534.
This is the highest number of new cases in almost three months, which underlines the need for continued caution.
A total of 249 patients are currently in hospital with confirmed COVID, which is a increase of 1 since yesterday.
And 2 people are in intensive care which is the same as yesterday.
And in the past 24 hours, 0 deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed through a test as having the virus.
The total number of deaths in Scotland under that measurement therefore remains at 2,492.
However yesterday’s figures from National Records of Scotland – which reported three COVID deaths during the previous week – showed that the total number of deaths is higher than that, and of course it showed that people are still dying from this virus.
And we must never lose sight of the grief and heartbreak caused by every one of those deaths. And I want again to send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this illness.
Let me turn now to the review of lockdown restrictions.
I am not able to indicate, today, a move from phase 3 of our route map out of lockdown to phase 4. We will remain, for now, in phase 3 and I must give notice today that this may well be the case beyond the next review point too.
For us to move to phase 4, we would have to be satisfied , and I’m quoting from our routemap, that ‘the virus is no longer considered a significant threat to public health’.
As today’s figures have demonstrated, and as has been confirmed to me in advice from the Chief Medical Officer, this is definitely not the case.
Today’s update therefore sets out which phase 3 restrictions will be changed in the coming weeks, while other necessary restrictions remain in place.
This has of course involved some difficult and delicate decisions.
The figures we have been reporting in recent weeks show that incidence and prevalence of the virus continue to be at low levels in Scotland as a whole.
However, the range for our R number has recently increased, and our most recent estimates suggest that it could currently be above 1. Of course, this is partly because, when prevalence is generally low, localised outbreaks have a bigger effect on the R number. That said though we must continue to monitor it closely.
We are also recording more positive cases than three weeks ago. When we last reviewed the lockdown measures, we had recorded 14 new cases a day, on average, over the previous week. We are now recording 52 new cases a day on average.
And in the past three weeks we have seen one significant outbreak of the virus in Aberdeen, and a number of smaller clusters in locations across the country.
We are also now dealing with a significant cluster in Coupar Angus, linked to a 2 Sisters food processing plant. And that is no doubt reflected in the fact that 27 of today’s 77 cases are in the Tayside health board area.
In total, 43 cases have been so far identified as part of that outbreak – that is 37 people who work in the plant, and 6 contacts of theirs. This number will almost certainly grow. We are stressing the importance of all workers at the plant self-isolating and getting tested. A mobile testing unit remains on site, and the factory has been closed down for a two week period. Given the nature and potential scale of this outbreak, we are considering carefully and urgently whether further restrictions are necessary. I will chair a further meeting of Scottish Government’s resilience committee later this afternoon.
In addition, there are several cases linked to schools which are worth noting. A total of 8 adults at Kingspark school in Dundee have tested positive, which has prompted the decision to temporarily close that school.
In addition, the number of cases in the cluster in north east Glasgow now stands at 16. There is also a separate but linked cluster of 9 cases in Coatbridge. A number of the cases in these clusters are school children, although there is no evidence that they contracted the virus in school. Greater Glasgow & Clyde Health Board are also carrying out contact tracing around several other schools in Glasgow.
Finally, on clusters, there were 12 new cases in Grampian yesterday. On the latest figures available, a total of 407 cases have been identified in the Grampian Health Board area since 26 July.
237 of these are associated with the cluster linked to Aberdeen pubs, and 1,185 contacts have now been identified from those 237 cases.
As I said yesterday, there is evidence now that the original cluster of cases linked to pubs is coming under control, but in recent days we have continued to see new cases which do not seem to be linked to that first cluster. Because of that, restrictions in Aberdeen have been extended, but they will be reviewed again on Sunday, with a view to setting out – if possible – a firm timetable for lifting the restrictions.
All of these outbreaks are being tackled by our test and protect teams, and current evidence on their performance suggests that the vast majority of contacts are being identified, and most of them are being identified quickly.
However, the clusters and new cases highlight a continued need for caution – especially since our priority continues to be to keep schools safely open.
Of course, these clusters are not completely unexpected. We have always known that reopening more services and premises – especially indoor bars, restaurants and cafés – might lead to an increase in cases.
And indeed two major risk factors have stood out in reports of recent clusters. As we expected, indoor hospitality – bars and restaurants – is one. The other is social events and gatherings in people’s homes.
We have already tightened some of the rules in relation to the indoor hospitality sector – for example by putting guidance on a statutory footing, and making it compulsory now to collect customers’ contact data.
I will announce further measures intended to aid compliance at the end of this statement.
Understanding the risks of these indoor settings, has also made us think carefully about further changes and the need to ensure rigorous compliance with guidelines.
On balance, taking account of the different harms that COVID and the restrictions imposed to tackle it are inflicting on the country, we have decided that the re-openings pencilled in for the 24 August can proceed.
I must stress though that such re-opening should only happen when the appropriate guidance covering that activity or setting has been implemented. We will also monitor the impact carefully and, as with everything else, we will not hesitate to reimpose restrictions should that prove necessary.
Full details will be available on the Scottish Government website but the 24 August changes include some outdoor live events – with physical distancing, enhanced hygiene and restricted numbers.
Organised outdoor contact sports will also resume for people of all ages. But for outdoor coaching sessions, there will be a cap of 30 on the total number of people who can be coached at any one time.
Driving lessons will resume.
And indoor face to face advice services – for example Citizens Advice – can also open to provide financial advice when necessary.
We have given particularly careful consideration to premises like bingo halls, because these share some obvious similarities with the indoor hospitality sector.
It is therefore of the utmost importance that guidance is strictly adhered to and we will be monitoring that carefully.
Let me now turn to the reopening of gyms, swimming pools, and indoor sports courts. Three weeks ago, I indicated that they could reopen from 14 September, but I also said then that we would consider if that date could safely be brought forward – especially given the wider physical and mental health benefits of access to these facilities.
Having done so, I am now able confirm that these facilities can reopen – subject to guidance being in place – from 31 August.
For indoor sports courts – which includes dance studios and gymnastics – it is worth stressing that for people aged 12 and over, the reopening on this date applies to non-contact activity only.
These are the only key changes to restrictions that we plan to make within this review period.
However, we hope that further changes will be possible from Monday 14 September, in line with what is currently set out in the routemap.
However, I must stress these possible changes are at this stage indicative only.
And given the volatility we face in transmission of the virus, there is a very real possibility that some or all of these plans could change.
However, with that significant caveat, we hope that from 14 September, sports stadia will be able to reopen, though only for limited numbers of spectators and with strict physical distancing in place.
Some professional sports events might be arranged for spectators before then – with Scottish Government agreement – to test the safety of any new arrangements.
We also hope that from 14 September, indoor contact sports activities can resume for people aged 12 and over.
And we hope that entertainment sites and cultural venues – such as theatres and live music venues – will be able to reopen from that date too, but with strict physical distancing in place. To facilitate that, these venues can re-open for preparation and rehearsal from 24 August.
Finally, we hope that from 14 September, wedding and civil partnership receptions and funeral wakes will be able to take place with more attendees than at present, although numbers will remain restricted. We intend to set out more detail on this, including on permitted numbers, shortly.
These are the activities and premises for which we are currently setting indicative dates – but I want to stress again that these are indicative dates at this stage.
We are unfortunately not yet setting a date for the reopening of non-essential call centres and offices. We will review this again at the next review point.
For now, working from home will remain the default position.
I know that many office workers miss seeing their colleagues, and many are keen to resume a more normal daily routine.
I also know that some businesses – however well they may be managing to work virtually – will want more of their employees to meet and work together.
And I am acutely aware of the impact of home working on services – like cafés and restaurants – which are based in areas with lots of office workers.
However a full return to office working – given the numbers involved – would significantly increase the risk of indoor transmission.
It would also make buses and trains significantly busier and increase transmission risks there too.
Our conclusion therefore is that a return to working in offices – unless that work is essential and cannot be completed at home – presents too great a risk at this time.
The impact it could have on community transmission would also make it more difficult to keep schools open.
And so this does unfortunately come down to difficult judgments about priorities.
We have made clear that our priority is to enable children to be safely back at school. And with the virus at its current levels, that means we cannot do everything else we would like to do – like bring back non-essential offices.
Now I know people will ask why their kids can go to school but they can’t go to the office, and that might seem like an inconsistency.
But that logic is back-to-front.
It is because you cannot go to the office – and because of the other restrictions we are keeping in place – that we are able to send children back to school.
If we opened everything up right now, the overall impact would simply be too great. The virus would run away from us – and we would, in all likelihood, be forced to reintroduce restrictions none of us want to see. We have only been able to relax some restrictions because others have remained in place.
There is one final issue I want to cover today. It relates to the risks I mentioned earlier – of transmission inside people’s homes, and the risks of transmission in pubs, cafés and restaurants.
We have considered very carefully what further enforcement actions we can take to minimise the risk of transmission in those settings.
For the indoor hospitality sector, I am grateful to the many pubs, restaurants and cafés who have opened responsibly – and who have gone to great lengths to stick to the rules and guidance on ventilation, hygiene, face coverings, contact details and physical distancing. Their efforts are hugely appreciated.
However we also know that not all hospitality businesses have implemented the guidance effectively. We therefore intend to strengthen the power of local authorities to act in these circumstances.
The Scottish Government has powers under emergency legislation to issue directions in respect of a class of premises – for example, directions to close all pubs in a particular postcode.
We intend to give local authorities the power to act in respect of individual, specific premises that are breaching guidelines and risking transmission of the virus.
This power would enable local authorities either to close such premises – or to impose conditions on them remaining open – where they deem that is necessary for the purpose of preventing, protecting against, or controlling the spread of infection.
We believe this is an important – indeed a vital – but also a proportionate step, which will help local authorities ensure businesses stick to the guidelines and that action can be taken where these guidelines are being breached.
The second area we have been looking at carefully is indoor social events, like house parties.
We know from reports of our own test and protect teams – and we also from evidence from other places in the UK and indeed around the world – that these indoor events pose a major – a very significant transmission risk. And because the virus is so infectious if it is present at an event like this there is a very high likelihood that most people at the event get the virus.
That is why we advise strict limits on indoor gatherings. Right now, our advice is that no more than 8 people from a maximum of 3 different households should be gathering indoors.
The vast majority of people I know will be sticking to this, and it is not easy to do so, so I am very grateful to them for that.
But we also know that a minority don’t. And we know that large house parties pose a very real and significant risk of causing clusters and outbreaks – such as some of those we have been dealing with in recent days.
So – for use in cases of flagrant breach and as a last resort – we intend to give the police powers of enforcement to break up and disperse large indoor gatherings.
We believe that both of these new powers are necessary if we are to continue to suppress the virus, minimise the risk of outbreaks and keep it under control, which is so necessary.
We will lay the regulations for both of these measures next week and we intend that they will come into force from next Friday 28 August.
Presiding Officer, the last three weeks have given us mixed news. We have seen a rise in new cases, and a number of clusters across the country. We have also, regrettably, had to reimpose some restrictions in the city of Aberdeen.
But we still have low numbers of new cases overall. We have very low numbers of hospital admissions.
And we have strong and growing evidence that our test and protect teams and that system overall – is working well.
Given the resurgence of COVID that we are seeing in some parts of Europe – and given that we always knew that reopening more parts of the economy would be risky – the picture in Scotland could of course be better, but it could also be significantly worse.
We are still making progress in our overall fight against this virus
But we cannot take this progress for granted, especially if we are to keep our schools open; keep businesses and services open; and retain our ability to socialise and meet up in small groups of friends and family.
The fact is that COVID is still a major risk, and we must still be very cautious. We can see the evidence of that in Aberdeen, we see it in each new cluster across the country and of course we see it in reports from elsewhere in the UK, Europe, and around the world.
And that is why today’s review has sought to take a careful and a balanced approach.
I hope that the reopening of some services will be welcomed – and notwithstanding the risk that each and every reopening presents, we know it is essential to reduce the economic harm that the virus is doing. But I hope that people will also understand why – as we try to open services and keep them open – we must take firm action, when rules and guidance are not being complied with.
I also hope that everyone watching will understand that although government must and will take the lead – we make difficult decisions, we draft guidance, we propose laws – but we cannot control COVID on our own.
We are all dependent on the choices made by each and every single person in the country.
So please think carefully about whether you are playing your part as fully as you could and should be.
Please do not meet indoors in groups of more than 8 people from any more than three households – and that applies in a pub, café or restaurant, just as it does in someone’s home.
Remember physical distancing, and don’t go into crowded places where physical distancing may not be possible.
And ask yourself whether your social life feels normal – because it shouldn’t at the moment feel entirely normal.
Wherever you are, assume the virus is present and act at all times to avoid creating bridges that allow it to cross from one household to another.
I have spoken before about the importance of solidarity in how we all deal with this pandemic. And I know it is hard – especially after 5 months – but sticking to these rules is an expression of our care for each other.
It is the way in which we protect – not just ourselves, but our loved ones and our communities.
So for that reason, I will end by reminding everyone again of FACTS – the five golden rules that will help us stay safe, even as life gets back to something that is closer to normality.
F is Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces – public transport, shops and anywhere else that physical distancing is more difficult.
A – Avoid crowded areas, outdoors as well as indoors.
C – Clean your hands regularly and thoroughly, clean hard surfaces after touching them.
T – Two metre distancing remains the clear advice.
And S – Self isolate, and book a test immediately, if you have symptoms – a new cough; a fever, or a loss of, or a change in, your sense of taste or smell.
You can book a test at nhsinform.scot or by phoning 0800 028 2816.
Any time any one of us drops our guard, and forgets these rules, we give the virus a chance to spread. We risk turning an infection into a cluster, and a cluster into an outbreak.
But if all of us stick to the FACTS, we can continue to suppress it; we can keep schools and services open – and we can think about easing more restrictions in the future.
So my thanks go once again to everyone across the country who is helping to do exactly that.
