Month: September 2020

Prime Minister: ‘Coronavirus has united humanity as never before’

Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the UN General Assembly in New York yesterday

Never in the history of our species – not since the almighty felled the Tower of Babel – has the human race been so obsessed with one single topic of conversation. We have been following the same debates, researching the potential of the same drugs, and time and again we have been typing the same word into our search engines.

COVID-19, coronavirus, has united humanity as never before.

And yet the crisis has also been an extraordinary force for division. We have all been up against the same enemy. The same tiny opponent threatening everyone in much the same way, but members of the UN have still waged 193 separate campaigns, as if every country somehow contains a different species of human being. Across the world there has been an infinite variety of curfews and restrictions and closures, and we have fought in a spirit of sauve qui peut.

And the pace has been so urgent and the pressures so intense that each national government – democracy or otherwise – has decided entirely understandably to put the interests of its domestic population first. We have seen borders spring up between friends and allies, sometimes without consultation. We have seen the disruption of global supply chains with cheque book wars on airport tarmacs as nation has vied with nation for a supply of PPE.

And after nine months of fighting COVID-19, the very notion of the international community looks, frankly, pretty tattered. And we know that we simply can’t continue in this way. Unless we get our act together. Unless we unite and turn our fire against our common foe, we know that everyone will lose. The inevitable outcome would be to prolong this calamity and increase the risk of another.

Now is the time – therefore, here at what I devoutly hope will be the first and last ever Zoom UNGA – for humanity to reach across borders and repair these ugly rifts. Let’s heal the world – literally and metaphorically. And let’s begin with the truth, because as someone once said, the truth shall set you free.

And with nearly a million people dead, with colossal economic suffering already inflicted and more to come, there is a moral imperative for humanity to be honest and to reach a joint understanding of how the pandemic began, and how it was able to spread – Not because I want to blame any country or government, or to score points. I simply believe – as a former COVID patient – that we all have a right to know, so that we can collectively do our best to prevent a recurrence.

And so the UK supports the efforts of the World Health Organisation and of my friend, Tedros, to explore the aetiology of the disease, because however great the need for reform, the WHO, the World Health Organization, is still the one body that marshals humanity against the legions of disease.

That is why we in the UK – global Britain – are one of the biggest global funders of that organisation, contributing £340 million over the next four years, that’s an increase of 30 percent.

And as we now send our medical detectives to interview the witnesses and the suspects – bats, the pangolins, whoever – we should have enough humility to acknowledge that alarm bells were ringing before this calamity struck.

In the last 20 years, there have been eight outbreaks of a lethal virus, any of which could have escalated into a pandemic. Bill Gates sounded the alert in 2015, five years ago he gave that amazing prediction – almost every word of which has come true – and we responded as if to a persistent Microsoft error message by clicking “ok” and carrying on.

Humanity was caught napping. We have been scrabbling to catch up, and with agonising slowness we are making progress.

Epidemiologists at Oxford University identified the first treatment for COVID-19. They did trials with our national health service and found that a cheap medicine called dexamethasone reduces the risk of death by over a third for patients on ventilators. The UK immediately shared this discovery with the world, so that as many as 1.4 million lives could be saved in the next six months by this one, single advance.

And as I speak there are 100 potential vaccines that are trying to clear the hurdles of safety and efficacy, as if in a giant global steeplechase. We don’t know which may be successful. We do not know if any of them will be successful.

The Oxford vaccine is now in stage 3 of clinical trials, and in case of success AstraZeneca has already begun to manufacture millions of doses, in readiness for rapid distribution, and they have reached agreement with the Serum Institute of India to supply one billion doses to low and middle-income countries.

But it would be futile to treat the quest for a vaccine as a contest for narrow national advantage and immoral to seek a head start through obtaining research by underhand means. The health of every country depends on the whole world having access to a safe and effective vaccine, wherever a breakthrough might occur; and, the UK, we will do everything in our power to bring this about.

We are already the biggest single donor to the efforts of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness to find a vaccine. And it is precisely because we know that no-one is safe until everyone is safe, that I can announce that the UK will contribute up to £571 million to COVAX, a new initiative designed to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine across the world. Of this sum, £500 million will be for developing countries to protect themselves.

The UK is already the biggest donor to Gavi, the global vaccine alliance. In June we helped to raise almost $9 billion to immunise another 300 million children against killer diseases, and Gavi also stands ready to help distribute a COVID-19 vaccine.

But even as we strive for a vaccine, we must never cut corners, slim down the trials or sacrifice safety to speed. Because it would be an absolute tragedy if in our eagerness, we were to boost the nutjobs – the anti vaxxers, dangerous obsessives who campaign against the whole concept of vaccination and who would risk further millions of lives.

General Assembly Hall

And now is the time above all to look ahead and think now about how to stop a pandemic from happening again. How can we stop another virus from coming along and again smashing that precious Ming vase of international cooperation? How can we avoid the mutual quarantines and the brutal Balkanisation of the world economy?

I don’t think there is any reason for fatalism: of course, the dangers can never be wholly eliminated, but human ingenuity and expertise can reduce the risk. Imagine how much suffering might have been avoided if we had already identified the pathogen that became COVID-19 while it was still confined to animals?

Suppose we had been able to reach immediately into a global medicine chest and take out a treatment? What if countries had been ready to join together from the outset to develop and trial a vaccine? And think how much strife would have been prevented if the necessary protocols – covering quarantine and data-sharing and PPE and so much else – had, so far as possible, been ready on the shelf for humanity to use?

So we in the UK we’re going to work with our friends, we’re going to use our G7 presidency next year to create a new global approach to health security based on a five point plan to protect humanity against another pandemic.

Our first aim should be to stop a new disease before it starts. About 60 percent of the pathogens circulating in the human population originated in animals and leapt from one species to the other in a “zoonotic” transmission. The world could seek to minimise the danger by forging a global network of zoonotic research hubs, charged with spotting dangerous animal pathogens that may cross the species barrier and infect human beings.

The UK is ready to harness its scientific expertise and cooperate to the fullest extent with our global partners to this end. Of the billions of pathogens, the great mass are thankfully incapable of vaulting the species barrier.

Once we discover the dangerous ones, our scientists could get to work on identifying their weaknesses and refining anti-viral treatments before they strike. We could open the research to every country and as we learn more, our scientists might begin to assemble an armoury of therapies – a global pharmacopoeia – ready to make the treatment for the next COVID-19.

Our second step should be to develop the manufacturing capacity for treatments and vaccines So that the whole of humanity can hold them like missiles in silos ready to zap the alien organisms before they can attack. But if that fails and a new disease jumps from animals to human beings and overcomes our armoury of therapies and begins to spread, then we need to know what’s going on as fast as possible.

So the third objective should be to design a global pandemic early warning system, based on a vast expansion of our ability to collect and analyse samples and distribute the findings, using health data-sharing agreements covering every country. As far as possible, we should aim to predict a pandemic almost as we forecast the weather to see the thunderstorm in the cloud no bigger than a man’s hand.

And if all our defences are breached, and we face another crisis, we should at least be able to rely on our fourth step, and have all the protocols ready for an emergency response, covering every relevant issue, along with the ability to devise new ones swiftly.

Never again must we wage 193 different campaigns against the same enemy. As with all crises, it is crucial not to learn the wrong lessons.

After the harrowing struggle to equip ourselves with enough ventilators – with countries scrabbling to improvise like the marooned astronauts of Apollo 13 – there is a global movement to onshore manufacturing. That is understandable.

Here in the UK we found ourselves unable to make gloves, aprons, enzymes which an extraordinary position for a country that was once the workshop of the world. We need to rediscover that latent gift and instinct, but it would be insane to ignore the insights of Adam Smith and David Ricardo.

We need secure supply chains – but we should still rely on the laws of comparative advantage and the invisible hand of the market. Many countries imposed export controls at the outset of the pandemic, about two thirds of which remain in force. Governments still target their trade barriers on exactly what we most need to combat the virus, with tariffs on disinfectant often exceeding 10 percent, and for soap tariffs for 30 percent.

So I would urge every country to take a fifth step and lift the export controls wherever possible – and agree not to revive them – and cancel any tariffs on the vital tools of our struggle: gloves, protective equipment, thermometers and other COVID-critical products. The UK will do this as soon as our new independent tariff regime comes into effect on 1st January and I hope others will do the same.

Though the world is still in the throes of this pandemic, all these steps are possible if we have the will. They are the right way forward for the world, and Britain is the right country to give that lead.

And we will do so in 2021, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of this great United Nations in London in January, and through our G7 Presidency, and as we host the world’s climate change summit, COP26, in Glasgow next November.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an immense psychic shock to the human race. Global fears have been intensified by the immediacy of round the clock news and social media. We sometimes forget, we face a virus – a small package of nucleic acid that simply replicates. It is not even technically alive.

Tragic as its consequences have been, it has been nothing like as destructive as other plagues – let alone the influenza of a century ago. It is absurd, in many ways, outrageous that this microscopic enemy should have routed the unity of the human race.

COVID-19 has caused us to cease other vital work, and I’m afraid it made individual nations seem selfish and divided from each other. Every day people were openly encouraged to study a grisly reverse Olympic league table, and to take morbid and totally mistaken comfort in the greater sufferings of others.

We cannot go on like that, we cannot make these mistakes again. And here in the UK, the birthplace of Edward Jenner who pioneered the world’s first vaccine We are determined to do everything in our power to work with our friends across the UN, to heal those divisions and to heal the world.

Occupational Therapists’ concern over testing shortages

The difficulty that frontline key workers are having in accessing COVID-19 tests has recently been the subject of much discussion in parliament and the media.

Occupational therapists across the UK play a key role in the fight against the pandemic, and the lack of testing is of huge concern to the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

Commenting on the lack of testing, RCOT Chief executive Julia Scott said: “We have seen over the past few days significant concerns from all areas of the NHS, Social Care, Teachers and those front-line key workers who have struggled to get a COVID-19 test.

“As we see spikes in the infection rates and signs of a second wave, we have huge concerns about the accessibility of testing for occupational therapists and AHP’s on the front-line. In particular, those that work in social care settings, such as care homes, which as we know are extremely vulnerable to the worst impacts of coronavirus.

“Whilst it is positive that government ministers have suggested that the NHS is the top priority for testing, this is worrying for social care which was overlooked in the initial response to the pandemic. Occupational therapists for weeks and months were hampered in providing vital support, such as rehabilitation, to those that needed it due to the lack of guidance and access to personal protective equipment.

“The fact that some NHS staff, Care Workers and Teachers are already having to self-isolate because they cannot access a test within a reasonable distance in many parts of the country, is not good enough. This needs to be resolved in days and not ‘in a matter of weeks’ as the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care indicated this week during urgent questions.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54172210

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-nhs-recovery-threatened-as-test-shortages-mean-staff-have-to-self-isolate-12072228

Dogs Trust Dog School ‘suppawting’ owners of lockdown puppies

With the demand for puppies soaring during the coronavirus pandemic and many people bringing a new four-legged friend into their homes during or just before lockdown, Dogs Trust Dog School is offering some top tips for new puppy owners to help their young dogs adjust to new experiences.

Despite Dogs Trust Dog School face-to-face training classes pausing for five months during the pandemic, the demand for classes from new puppy owners was unprecedented – with over 5,000 enquiries about training classes during lockdown (15th March-15th August 2020).

Since 17th August, classes have started to re-open, where safe to do so, and the team already have over 1,400 new dogs booked onto classes and had over 450 enquiries per week.

Whilst many people have enjoyed the quality time with their four-legged friends, a return to ‘normal’ life may be a difficult transition for new puppies as their owners return to work and school. Which is why Dogs Trust Dog School has released some quick and handy tips to help puppies cope with life after lockdown – from being left alone, to meeting people in facemasks and settling when their owner is working from home.

Top tips include:

Being left alone

  • Young puppies may not be used to spending time on their own after so much company during lockdown.
  • Start now to teach them that being on their own is a normal and positive part of life. To do this:
    • Make sure your puppy has a comfy bed or den, where they can relax, and give them something fun to keep busy, like a long-lasting treat or puzzle toy.
    • Start to move away from them whilst they are settled: only move as far as you can without them becoming worried and trying to follow you. Go back and reward them for staying calm. If they have got worried or tried to follow, then start again but move less far away. Once the puppy is relaxed with this you can start to build up to taking more steps away, being in a different room and then leaving the house.
    • The key to success is progressing slowly – always only increase the distance and time away for which your puppy stays relaxed. Any signs of distress, and you’ve progressed too fast and need to go back a stage.
  • Teaching a puppy to be left alone positively from the start is much easier than treating established anxiety problems. So putting some time in now to get your puppy relaxed when left will save you both a lot of work and worry later in life.

Meeting and greeting other people

  • It’s really useful to train your puppy to stay calm when visitors come to the door or into your house, as well as meeting people on walks. In both cases, it is important to build up new experiences slowly, so your pup learns to be calm and relaxed. Reward them when they are quiet and relaxed.
  • Teaching your pup to go to their bed in a different part of the house when they hear the doorbell can make greeting visitors easier.
  • Ensure your puppy has their own safe space to retreat to when you have visitors, remembering that they can find excitable human noises worrying (as, no doubt, you’ll be excited to see your friends and family after a long time!).
  • Always remember to wash your hands regularly before and after interacting with your dog and ask your guests to do the same. A dog’s coat, lead, toys etc, could carry coronavirus just like any other surface.
  • Do not be afraid to ask people not to pet your puppy if he or she is worried, don’t feel comfortable or if your dog needs more space.

 Out and about with your dog

  • If your puppy hasn’t been out in the car much, if at all, in the past few months, get them used to travelling by carefully introducing them to the car and their travel harness or crate. Use lots of tasty treats to reward them.
  • Use our handy guide to teach your puppy to feel comfortable with seeing people in facemasks, particularly if you are using public transport.

Homeworking

  • If you’re working from home on a longer term basis, it’s especially important for an excitable puppy to learn to relax, lie down, and have time on their own when you’re busy on phone calls or video meetings.
  • Start training at times when your puppy is more likely to be already relaxing. You’ll know your dog is truly settled when they lie down, not asking for attention, and not easily distracted by what’s going on around them.
  • To begin with, sit quietly on a chair with your dog lay on a blanket on the floor. Drop tiny bite size treats to your dog as a reward for settling down on the blanket. Don’t say anything to your dog whilst doing this. Gradually only reward more relaxed behaviours.
  • You can then start to increase the amount of time they must be settled before you reward them.

Dog owners can access training videos, owner handbooks and more by visiting the dedicated page on the Dogs Trust website.

Dogs Trust Dog School has recently resumed classes for some of its Dog Schools, with smaller classes and other safety measures in place. To see if your local Dog School has reopened visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-school.

For schools that can’t reopen just yet, online one-to-one sessions or full online training courses are available. Please note, we’re experiencing a high volume of enquires to our Dog Schools that have re-opened so there may be a delay in booking onto a class.

With Dogs Trust predicting more dogs at risk of abandonment due to behavioural issues that have developed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Dogs Trust’s Dog School has never been so vital in helping to support owners with their dogs’ training. This year, Dog School is being supported by funding raised by generous players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Julie Morrison, Head Coach at Dog School Edinburgh, says: “Dogs will have got used to having their favourite humans by their side day in day out during lockdown. Whilst many puppies will have been happy to have their human family at home during the past few months, they may need help adjusting to life when their families go back to work and school.

“They may also need help getting used to car travel and support with feeling comfortable seeing people in facemasks. 

“Keep in mind that whilst we’re easily able to slot back in to old routines, young puppies may find this a confusing time and a more difficult transition, which is why we have lots of top tips to help them find their paws in the ‘new normal’.

“The most common reason dogs are handed into Dogs Trust is due to behaviour-related issues, so we would urge owners of puppies bought during lockdown to act now to prevent these developing.

“We would like to thank the players of People’s Postcode Lottery for their continued support, which allows us to give dog owners the information they need to understand their pooch and prevent common behavioural issues from arising.”

For more information and to see if your local Dog School has reopened visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-school.

Edinburgh entrepreneur Ruari scoops national title

One Year No Beer founder named Scotland and Northern Ireland Entrepreneur of the Year

The founder of One Year No Beer, Ruari Fairbairns, has been named Great British Entrepreneur of the Year for Scotland and Northern Ireland at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

Inspired by Ruari’s own personal journey, One Year No Beer is a global alcohol prevention program, aimed at anyone drinking more than three glasses of wine a week. It is on a universal mission to help people change their relationship with alcohol, which leads to most people fundamentally transforming their lives.

Ruari Fairbairns, Founder and CEO of One Year No Beer commented: “I am beyond delighted to have won not only the regional Health & Wellbeing Entrepreneur of the Year award but also to have been named Great British Entrepreneur of the Year for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“This means the world to me and I’d like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all of the team at OYNB, those who have supported us and our incredible members who joined us on our journey so far. 

“This has been such a tough year for so many people following the outbreak of the C19 pandemic and with so many turning to alcohol to manage their symptoms of stress and anxiety, it has never been more important for us to continue on our mission to help people change their relationship with alcohol, which leads to most people fundamentally transforming their lives.” 

Now in its eighth year, the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in partnership with Starling Bank celebrate the hard work and inspiring stories of entrepreneurs in the UK, rather than the business’ balance sheet.

This is the top award given in each region and is given to someone who truly encapsulates what it means to be a Great British entrepreneur. They exhibit all of the hard work, determination, creativity and resilience required to rise above the rest.

It was Ruari’s second award of the evening, after he was also named Health & Wellbeing Entrepreneur of the Year for the region.

With Covid-19 restrictions preventing the regional finals taking place at a live event, Ruariwon the award during a virtual award ceremony joined by finalists across every region.

He is now in the running to be named Great British Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 at the National Final of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, with a date yet to be confirmed with uncertainty over large events due to Covid-19 restrictions.

In a video message to finalists, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “Entrepreneurs [have shown they] stay strong, even during a global pandemic. Coronavirus hasn’t stifled enterprise.

“Entrepreneurs are creating new businesses and adapting to the crisis, as seen in this year’s entries. And that’s what we need to happen if we want our economy to bounce back. We need all of you to keep inventing, keep taking risks, keep creating new businesses.

“It’s my job as Chancellor to celebrate, champion and support you.

“Congratulations to all the winners. Thank you to all of you for everything you’ve done.”

Francesca James, founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, said: “I’m delighted for Ruari. He was the outstanding candidate to become Entrepreneur of the Year in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“He exhibits everything that it means to be a Great British entrepreneur. He has a fantastic story and I can’t wait to watch One Year No Beer flourish for many years to come.”

Anne Boden, founder and CEO of Starling Bank, said: “We’re entrepreneurs and we have spirit. We fight back and we’re very good at dealing with adversity. And Ruari is an example to us all, of entrepreneurs that are creative, innovative, and changing the world.

“I’m so excited that Starling, a business I founded in 2014 and now the Best British Bank, is sponsoring such an important Awards. And as one entrepreneur to another, congratulations to getting where you are this evening and best of luck for the future.”

Visit Edinburgh University this Doors Open Days weekend (virtually, of course!)

The University of Edinburgh is proud to be part of Edinburgh and East Lothian Doors Open Days, organised by the Cockburn Association. 

This year, due to the ongoing need for physical distancing, Doors Open Days will be online. We hope you enjoy learning about our buildings from the comfort of your home. 

Available virtual and video tours

Edinburgh Futures Institute – tour 

The King’s Buildings – website and tour

McEwan Hall – video

MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine – behind the scenes tour

St Cecilia’s Hall – website and video

Talbot Rice Gallery – video 

The Anatomical Museum – video

The Bayes Centre – website and videos

School of Informatics – website and video tour

Easter Bush Campus – website and video tours

Edinburgh College of Art – virtual tour 

Institute for Regeneration and Repair, Centre for Regenerative Medicine – virtual tour 

George Square and Holyrood Campus – virtual tours of eleven buildings

The Edinburgh Doors Open Day 2020 gives you the chance to discover some of Edinburgh’s most unique and interesting buildings, which are normally closed to the public.

Across the weekend you can discover some fantastic sites across the city, completely free of charge and from the warmth of your own home – as this year’s event  goes digital!

Celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year,  this is  your chance to explore some of Edinburgh’s most important buildings virtually. Many venues will offer behind the scenes tours, talks or exhibitions to bring the history of these monumental buildings to life.

Read about all of these places and more on the Doors Open Days website. 

Crunch and Munch: Hibs challenge poverty at Hermitage Park

Hibernian FC takes part in ‘Challenge Poverty Week’ by ensuring no child goes hungry at Hermitage Park Primary School. 

Hibernian Community Foundation are delighted to launch ‘Hibs Crunch and Munch’ with local partner school Hermitage Park Primary in an exciting initiative that will see every pupil at Hermitage Park Primary School receive a free piece of fruit every school day.  

 2020 has seen Hibernian Community Foundation and Hermitage Park Primary work together on a number of programmes which have supported pupils and families in the local area.

Throughout lockdown Hibs have provided weekend food parcels to pupils at home and developed digital educational resources to ensure learning can continue away from the class room. Hibs have also delivered ‘Score Goals’, an eight week project with primary 6 pupils with a focus on football, exercise and healthy eating.  

 Hibs Crunch and Munch will become a significant element of Hibs Class at Hermitage Park as the school aims to support pupils learning in the classroom in as many ways across a number of curriculum areas including literacy, numeracy, and wellbeing. 

 Hibs Crunch and Munch will also support Hibernian Football Club’s pledge to be the greenest club in Scotland as they have already identified ways in which extra resources can be shared. Over the summer Hibernian Community Foundation has saved over 2300kg of CO2 by sharing food that would otherwise go to waste. 

 Lisa Black, Deputy Head Teacher at Hermitage Park Primary School said: “We are proud to be a Hibernian partner school. The ‘Hibs Crunch & Munch’ is another example of how they are helping Hermitage Park Primary students thrive emotionally, socially and behaviourally.

“Hibs are helping us tackle childhood obesity, reduce playground litter and offer an opportunity for the pupils to develop social skills by sitting down together to eat the fruit.

“Hibernian Football Club has a long and proud tradition of working to support local communities and we are grateful to be supported by them”.  

Charlie Bennett Hibernian Community Foundation CEO commented: ‘We’re really excited to be working with pupils and teachers at Hermitage Park and we’re pleased we can support the health and wellbeing of the pupils in this way.

“Like the school we want to ensure children in our communities are healthy and we hope the ‘Hibs Crunch and Much’ will make a significant contribution to this’. 

Free hospital parking extended at Royal Infirmary

Free parking has been extended at three of Scotland’s PFI hospitals until January – one of these is Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

The extension was confirmed by Health Secretary Jeane Freeman in a written answer yesterday:

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN ANSWER

25 September 2020

Index Heading: Health and Social Care

Bill Kidd (Glasgow Anniesland) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the car parking arrangements at Ninewells Hospital, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary during the COVID-19 pandemic response.

S5W-32056

Jeane Freeman: On 30 March 2020, the three PFI hospital car park providers at Ninewells Hospital, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary agreed to remove car parking charges for staff, visitors and patients initially for the three months and extended further by additional three months until 30 September 2020.

The Scottish Government have now reached agreement with the three PFI hospital car park providers to extend the free car parking arrangements by a further four months until January 2021. This extension of free parking continues to support staff and remove the barriers to our staff working with the NHS during these unprecedented times.

Lothians Conservative MSP Miles Briggs said: “The extensions of free parking at PFI hospitals in Scotland until the new year is welcome news, but we need to see a long term solution to allow for free parking at all three PFI hospitals permanently.

“The lifting of parking charges shows that the removal of charges can be achieved and I will continue to work with MSPs of all parties to find a long term solution.

“This is now the second extension to the free parking charges without any clarity on what SNP Ministers are trying to achieve.

“Increasingly questions are being asked over the inability of SNP Ministers to secure a deal and whether value for Scottish taxpayers money is being achieved.”

There is no charge for parking at the Western General Hospital.

Retail park invests in accessibility facilities

One of Edinburgh’s largest retail parks has invested in new facilities to improve accessibility for adults with serious physical disabilities as it seeks to maintain its essential contribution to the local economy through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fort Kinnaird has seen a steady return of visitors since non-essential shops were permitted to open at the end of June and has been working to ensure a safe environment for shoppers.

The site has recently opened a Changing Places adult toilet to help people with physical disabilities such as spinal injuries, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis who often need extra equipment and space to allow them to use the toilets safely and comfortably.

There are approximately 2,000 people employed by the various retailers, leisure facilities and food & beverage outlets at Fort Kinnaird, with the site estimated to contribute around £53m (GVA) to the Edinburgh economy.

Local MSP Sarah Boyack visited Fort Kinnaird last week and was given an update on how retailers are opening in a responsible way and what safety protocols are in place. 

She also viewed the new Changing Places facilities and learn how they are helping improve accessibility. Fort Kinnaird already offers a Shopmobility service which provides powered scooters and manual wheelchairs to visitors and sensory backpacks for shoppers with autism or sensory difficulties.

Liam Smith, centre director for Fort Kinnaird, said: “Obviously the lockdown has been very hard on the retail sector but we had essential retailers open throughout and since June have steadily seen the rest of the site open up.  The measures we have in place around the park have reassured visitors and created a foundation for future success.

“Making the site accessible and welcoming for all is a key part of creating that welcoming atmosphere at Fort Kinnaird and to ensure we can continue to play a key part in supporting the Edinburgh economy.”

Sarah Boyack MSP said: “Scottish retail has been hit hard in recent months, so it is encouraging to see outlets such as Fort Kinnaird work hard to support businesses, enabling people to shop safely as we come out of lockdown and ensuring accessibility for as many shoppers as possible.

“The coming weeks will be crucial to the survival of many businesses and, as local employers, Fort Kinnaird will continue to serve a vital role in Edinburgh’s economic recovery.”

DISCOUNTS FOR STUDENTS

Fort Kinnaird has launched a fortnight of student discounts, running from the 21st September to the 4th October, helping students to shop and dine while saving up to 30% off their favourite brands.

This year’s student shopping event is back with a twist, as Fort Kinnaird has adapted its usual one-night annual event to run over two weeks, helping students make the most of some great deals over a longer period of time and in a safe way.

Students will see lots of discounts up for grabs across fashion and beauty as well as the centre’s restaurants, including H&M, Office, Topshop, and more.

Here’s some of the great student discounts on offer*:

•                     H&M – 20% off

•                     New Look – 20% off

•                     Office – 20% off

•                     Accessorize – 20% off

•                     Frankie & Benny’s – 20% off

•                     Elegance Beauty – 10% off all treatments

•                     Topshop, Topman – 20% off

•                     Dorothy Perkins (within Outfit) – 20% off

•                     Typo – 10% off

•                     Pizza Express – 30% off

•                     Wagamama – BYOB Student Sundays (20th September – 18th October)

For the full list of student offers at Fort Kinnaird, please visit the website: https://www.fortkinnaird.com/offers?field_offer_type_tid=86

* Terms and conditions apply with each offer, please check with individual stores for more details.

If you’d like to keep up to date with everything that’s going on at Fort Kinnaird, including all of the latest offers and events, visit www.fortkinnaird.com, or find us on Facebook or Twitter.  

Police warning over telephone bank fraud

Police Scotland is urging members of the public to be vigilant following recent reports of telephone banking fraud.

This week alone, officers in Edinburgh were made aware of three separate incidents on the 21, 22 and 24 September, 2020, where five figure sums of money were stolen from bank accounts.

In each of these cases, the victims reported that they received telephone calls from someone with a local accent, claiming to be from the fraud team of their local bank branch and who appeared to be calling from a genuine bank telephone number.

The caller then asked the person to transfer funds into a separate account which appears to be operated by the fraudsters.

PC Greig Stephen, of the Prevention, Intervention and Partnerships team in Edinburgh, said: “Those targeted by these incidents have been left shaken by what has happened and I would urge everyone to be wary of any online or telephone scams that are related to finances.

“If you are speaking to someone on the phone, please do not give them any personal information or bank details, even if they seem to know some of your details already.

“Many fraudsters use advanced techniques to make them appear genuine and it is important to remember that your bank would never ask you to transfer money to another account.

“I would advise anyone who receives a call like this to politely hang up and contact their bank directly to discuss any irregularities surrounding their bank account.

“If anyone has concerns surrounding this type of incident or has received a call of a similar nature, I would ask that you contact police on 101.”

For further advice on keeping safe, please visit Police Scotland’s website – https://www.scotland.police.uk/…/identity-theft-fraud….

First Minister’s message to Scotland’s students: It’s not your fault

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, yesterday (Friday 25 September):

Good afternoon, and thanks for joining us. Before I start this morning I want to acknowledge the dreadful news from Croydon in South London, of a police officer being shot dead.

The circumstances are obviously subject to investigation but I want to take the opportunity to convey my deepest condolences to all of the officer’s loved ones.

This is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers police officers confront every single day on our behalf – and of the enormous debt of gratitude we owe them as a result of that.

And – especially with the Chief Constable of Police Scotland standing next to me – it is important for me to acknowledge that every day, but particularly in the wake of such upsetting and tragic news.

Let me now turn to the usual run-through of statistics for Covid today.

The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 558.

This represents 9.5% of people newly tested and takes the total number of cases to 26,518.

The full regional breakdown will be published later, but I can confirm that 255 of the cases are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 119 in Lothian and 61 in Lanarkshire. 

The remaining 123 cases are across nine other health boards.

Now, today’s figures are impacted by a number of university outbreaks – and I’ll say more about that later.

But notwithstanding this I also want to stress that no one should be under the impression that the Covid threat right now is just a university problem and that there’s no need for the rest of us to take this seriously.

Transmission of Covid is increasing generally across the country – and the increase in cases started before the return of universities. So the numbers right now are impacted by universities but it doesn’t change the fact that this is a risk that all of us need to take seriously and we all need to follow the advice.

I can also confirm that 89 people are in hospital – that is an increase of four from yesterday.

11 people are in intensive care, which is one more than yesterday.

And in the past 24 hours, no deaths have been registered of a patient who first tested positive over the previous 28 days.

I want to just insert one note of caution around that. National Records of Scotland who report those figures to us suffered a power outage this morning so it is possible that we will have to modify that figure later on but based on the information I have just now no deaths were registered over the past 24 hours.

That means that the total number of deaths, under the measure used in our daily figures, remains 2,510.

That total serves once again as a reminder once again of the overall impact of this virus. As usual I want to pass on my condolences to everybody who has lost a loved one.

I’m joined today by the Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, and our Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nicola Steedman.  In a few minutes, the Chief Constable will talk about new restrictions that are now in place – and how they’ll be enforced.  Dr Steedman will also talk about the importance of people going for their flu jabs in the days and weeks ahead.

The main thing I want to do today is to speak to Scotland’s students – and to set out what we are asking you to do right now, to help control the spread of coronavirus.

First, though, I want to draw your attention to an announcement that was made last night.

The Scottish Government has added four additional countries to the list of those that are subject to quarantine restrictions.  Those countries are Denmark, Iceland, Slovakia and Curacao.

It means that from tomorrow, people travelling to Scotland from these places must self-isolate for 14 days, upon their return.

This is another reminder of how quickly levels of the virus – in any country or area – can change. So I’ll say again, please avoid non-essential overseas travel at the moment. In fact, please think carefully about unnecessary travel anywhere right now. That advice applies – not just now – but also to any plans you might have for the October school break.

Let me turn now to the main issue I want to address today. I want to send a message directly to university students – and indeed to parents, many of whom will be worried about their children at universities just now.

I’m not a parent but I am the devoted auntie of a boy who has just started university and is living away from home for the first time so I do have some insight into the anxiety that people are feeling right now.

The government is having to make some really tough decisions right now but none of us are immune from the impact of those decisions and we understand how difficult they are for people because we have families as well.  

First thing I want to say direct to students is I’m so sorry that this time in your lives is being made so tough. I feel for all of you – but especially those of you just starting university and living away from home for the first time.

This is an exciting time in your lives but I can remember from my own experience, that this is also a time of adjustment and probably a bit of homesickness too. That would be the case without Covid, but I’m sure it’s much more difficult given the circumstance you are having to deal with right now.

And I want to also be clear, because I know some of you feel like you are somehow being blamed, you don’t deserve to be facing this – no one does – and it’s not your fault.

But – and this is just as important – this won’t last forever. And the quicker we get Covid back under control, the sooner you will get to enjoy a more normal student life.

So – I know it’s difficult – but please do what’s being asked of you just now.

Because although Covid is nobody’s fault – we all have to play our part in tackling it. And there is nobody across the country that is not touched by that, there are many families who haven’t seen loved ones in care homes for a considerable period of time, there are families across the country that are not able to spend time with each other right now. Everybody is feeling the effects of this but we all have to play a part to get through what we are facing.

There’s been a lot of discussion about the Universities Scotland advice that issued last night. So let me boil it down to the basics of what it is we are asking students to do.

Firstly if you live in student or shared accommodation, please don’t have parties and don’t socialise in your accommodation with people who are not in your household group.

I know the impact of this on students is a bit harder because of your shared living arrangements but this advice is actually no different to what we are asking of the population as a whole – to stay out of each other’s houses – and it’s because we know the virus can spread easily when different households mix together indoors in domestic environments.

And secondly, but just for this weekend, we are asking students to please stay away from pubs, restaurants and cafes.

The reason for this is that there are a number of campus outbreaks across Scotland and we want to do everything we can to stop them spreading further. And staying away from hospitality this weekend is one of the ways in which students can help.

The incubation period of this virus means that the exposure people have had in the last few days means that we will see campus cases continue to rise in the days to come. But if we take steps now to limit the interaction over the next few days we can help stem that flow and make sure outbreaks don’t spread any further. So that’s the reason for that advice this weekend.

After this weekend, we’ll ask the same of you as of everyone else. Try to limit your social interactions in pubs and hospitality but when you do go, you should be in groups of no more than six from a maximum of two households.

We are also asking students to download the Protect Scotland app.  It isn’t mandatory – but it is strongly encouraged, and your university can ask you to do so – because, particularly when you may not know everyone you are meeting, it is an effective way of alerting people that they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid. In the last two weeks, more than 800 people have been notified by the app to isolate.

And lastly if you are asked to self-isolate as a student because you have tested positive or are a contact of someone who has, please follow the advice. It is really important.

In all of this, your university has a big responsibility to look after your welfare and make sure you are okay. I have spoken personally this morning to university principals, to stress their responsibilities to you – and I know this is something that they take seriously but it is also something  parents will want to be assured of too.

Student services already have special arrangements in place, including 24-hour helplines, support for food deliveries, and additional mental health counsellors, for those who might need that support.  

I am grateful to all of those – including the many student volunteers – who are helping to provide practical and emotional support in this way.

One final point I want to address today but we’ll say more about this over the weekend. We are aware that for some students who have been asked to self-isolate, they might be finding that situation so difficult that they want to go back to their family home to complete the period of self-isolation.  

Now I’m going to be frank. That is a difficult balancing act because if you go home after you have been asked to self-isolate that will have implications for your family who may also have to self-isolate if oyu test positive. But I wanted to let you know today that we are looking at what might be possible there and it is our aim to issue some further guidance on that over the weekend.

The key point to stress is that help is there for you if you need it just now so if you need it please ask for it. 

The final thing I want to say to students today is thank you. Thank you to all of you, just like everybody else across the country you are bearing a burden that I desperately wish you didn’t have to be bearing right now but you are being part of our collective effort to beat Covid back. And for that you have my thanks and deep appreciation.

Now, I’ve focussed primarily today on what is being asked of students and I think it’s important that we do focus on that today.  But of course, all of us have a role in getting this virus back under control.

The regulations for the new household and hospitality restrictions come into force today.   And as I said earlier, the Chief Constable will say a few words about their enforcement, shortly.

For now, I want to remind everyone of what the restrictions are.

With some limited exceptions, none of us should be visiting each other’s homes at the moment.

Outdoors or in public indoor spaces, we must not meet in groups of any more than six people from a maximum of two households. Children under 12 are not included in these limits outdoors so they can play with their friends and young people aged 12 to 17 are exempt from the two household limit they can meet outdoors in groups of up to six but all six people don’t have to be from just two households.

From today, all hospitality premises will close by 10 pm to try to reduce the amount of time people are spending in licensed premises.  Beyond that, we are asking people to limit visits to and social interactions in pubs and restaurants as far as possible.

These measures are tough, I know they are tough but they are necessary if we are to keep schools open, resume more non-Covid NHS services, keep care homes safe and protect jobs.

The danger – if we don’t act now – is that the virus will continue to spread, and even more severe or longer-lasting restrictions will be required later.

So please, follow the new rules – they will make a difference.

Limit your interactions with others.

Download the Protect Scotland app. 

And finally, remember FACTS –

  • Face coverings
  • Avoid crowded places.
  • Clean hands and hard surfaces
  • keep Two metres away from other households.
  • and Self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms.

I don’t underestimate how difficult this is for everybody and it is more difficult six months in than it was even when we were under strict lockdown back earlier in the year but this is essential.

I we all pull together and do the right things for ourselves and each other we will get through it more quickly than we will otherwise.

My deep thanks to everybody for all of the sacrifices that you are making and perhaps particularly today because of the issues that I have been talking about my special thanks to students at our universities.