Ever wondered what happens to your body when you stop drinking?

Ruari Fairbairns, CEO and Founder of One Year No Beer, explains what happens to your body after you stop drinking, and draws a timeline of all the amazing benefits you can expect to enjoy from quitting alcohol

Ruari Fairbairns said: “Quitting alcohol comes with so many amazing benefits! You will start to notice improvements in your overall health from week one. As you continue on your path of being alcohol-free, you will notice your body becoming a well optimised machine.“

The inescapable fact is boozing causes a lot of health issues plus foul moods, crazy sugar cravings, poor sleep, unpleasant toilet habits and poor concentration. Booze also massively contributes to depression and anxiety.

Whilst we seek its numbing qualities to ease mood, booze is playing a cruel game. It is medically classed as a depressant, and over time it depresses your natural body chemistry and leads to that gnawing anxiety and heaviness.

Ruari says, “One of the most common questions we get asked is ‘what happens when you stop drinking?” There are so many benefits of not drinking alcohol, including sleeping more deeply and, as a result of this, increased physical and mental energy; restored hydration (leading to dewier and more youthful skin); weight loss and improved fitness; improved moods and a feeling of contentedness.”

Ruari explains in more detail with the following timeline …

What happens when you quit drinking:

Alcohol timeline

Short term benefits

The good news is our bodies LOVE being booze-free and respond really quickly. The lift in mood and depression is one to the key reasons people continue to stay booze free with the help of OYNB – because the natural high feels so good!

What happens to your body in the first few days?

1 – 12 HOURS

An hour after your last drink, your liver starts working overtime, clearing the alcohol from your bloodstream to prevent alcohol poisoning. Yep! Booze is poison and the liver has to alter its chemical structure so it doesn’t kill us – changing alcohol to acetaldehyde and then acetate.

Acetaldehyde, a highly toxic substance and a known carcinogen, so although acetaldehyde exists in the body only for a brief time before it is further broken down into acetate, it has the potential to cause significant damage. You may experience nausea and tremor as your body deals with all this. At the time your pancreas also starts producing extra insulin, which causes intense carb cravings.

12 – 24 HOURS

Your blood sugar has potentially normalised, if you haven’t created a glycemic roller-coaster by sugar and carb binging. To rebalance, eat healthy foods and drink lots of water.

48 -72 HOURS

For most, the worst is over by now. Although you may still feel groggy and tired depending on how much booze your body had to process. If, however, you had a bigger booze problem than you realised, then sweating, increased pulse, tremor, anxiety and agitation may continue or kick in at this time. A serious alcohol problem may need medical support from your GP to prevent fits or DTs.

72 HOURS ONWARDS

Any hangover side effects are now officially out of your system, you finally feel back to yourself physically and mentally. And to think this is only 72 hours into your quest to stop drinking alcohol for a month.

When you stop drinking alcohol for a week:

· You start sleeping more deeply and your physical and mental energy to increase as a result.

· Your skin begins to look dewier and more youthful as hydration restores.

· Skin conditions such as dandruff, eczema, and rosacea may also improve.

Sleep & hydration

After only one week of not drinking you will be making better decisions as well as benefiting from improved learning and problem solving. You will also find yourself feeling more creative. Even if you don’t have a huge appetite you will find your eating pattern improving day by day.

One of the most obvious benefits of not drinking alcohol for a week is that your body will be hydrated. This means you will have more energy, increased physical performance and you will be experiencing less headaches.

Calories & money saved

As well as the mental and physical benefits of not drinking alcohol, your wallet will also be feeling fuller.

· Wine drinkers can expect to save around £22.

· Beer drinkers would save £18 for giving up alcohol for a week.

The benefits of not drinking alcohol for 2 weeks include:

· No more acid reflux

· Stomach lining returns to normal

· Continued sleep and hydration improvements

· Noticeable weight loss

Now that you have quit drinking for two weeks, your body will be improving on the inside and you will be starting to look different on the outside too. You will have saved 2160 calories (six pints or six 175ml glasses of wine on average) by giving up alcohol for two weeks.

Drinking 12 pints of beer in two weeks is the equivalent to eating ten large slices of cake, 2160 calories.

Total money saved now from giving up alcohol for two weeks, £45 for wine and £35 for beer.

The benefits of not drinking alcohol for 3 weeks:

· Reduced risk of stroke and heart problems

· Better kidney health

· Improved vision

Congrats! 3 weeks of giving up alcohol is no mean feat! It is well known that drinking too much alcohol can lead to increased blood pressure. Now that you have stopped drinking for three weeks your blood pressure will start to reduce. This is one of the most important benefits of not drinking alcohol.

Calories & money Saved

Now you will have saved yourself a very healthy:

· £54 if you average 6 beers a week

· £67 if you consume 6 glasses of wine a week over the last three weeks.

You could put that saved cash to good use and start a gym membership to help burn off all the extra energy you have since you have had no alcohol for three weeks.

What happens when you stop drinking for 4 weeks?

· Reduce liver fat by up to 15%

· Better looking skin

· More likely to have reduced drinking for 6 months after the end of your challenge

Another health benefit from giving up alcohol for a month is improved liver function. After four weeks of no drinking your liver will start to shed excess fat. With the liver playing a part in over 500 vital processes, you also give your body a better chance of removing contaminants, converting food nutrients, storing minerals and vitamins.

Giving up alcohol for a month will have a positive impact on your skin due to your increased hydration levels. You could even reward yourself with an alcohol-free beer one night, which are also lower in calories and there are now so many to choose from.

Calories & money saved

You will also have reduced your calorie intake by 3840 for the month, if you used to drink six glasses of 175ml wine a week, or 4320 calories over the month if you used to drink six pints of lager a week.

For your bank balance that equates to saving:

· Over £70 if you drink beer

· And just under £90 by giving up wine for a month.

What happens when you give up alcohol for a month?

Your liver fat reduces by up to 20%, allowing it to flush toxins out of the body more efficiently.

Your cholesterol (a risk factor in heart disease) drops up to 5% and your glucose stabilises (decreasing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes). All the inward changes begin to show through in a healthy glow of the skin and eyes.

Benefits of not drinking alcohol for 3 months or more

There is a lot to expect when you stop drinking for 3 months. Alcohol is related to 7 different cancer types.

By giving up alcohol for 3 months you reduce your chances of getting cancer.

After a year of not drinking, you and your life will be transformed.

At OYNB we’ve been on this journey with 100s who’ve gone long-term booze-free and we see it every time:

* Weight loss and improved fitness
* Improved moods and a feeling of contentedness
* Better relationships
* Increased productivity and focus at work
* More pound in the pocket (if you spent an average of £75 a week on drinking at home and going-out, that’s a saving of £3900 over a year)
* Ability to absorb vitamins and minerals increases
* Reduced risk of cancer and decreased stress levels
* Quicker immune response

Your chance to influence the future of the Construction and Engineering industries

A nationwide survey with the aim of collating the responses of the Construction and Engineering sector has been launched to find out what the future training and development needs are of these critical sectors, as well as seeking to highlight the barriers to accessible training.

Construction is a key sector that contributes significantly to the economic growth of a nation. The Construction industry tends to be an investment-led sector where governments show high interest with contracts awarded to develop infrastructure related to housing, health and transport, as well as the education sector.

Alongside the Construction industry is the Engineering sector, which helps to develop the physical infrastructure we all rely on – transport networks, roads, bridges, water and energy supplies, and waste management, among other vital services.

In these challenging and ever-changing times, it is crucial that colleges across the country provide training and qualifications which help drive the success of the two sectors by listening and providing appropriate learning opportunities.

Funded by Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal (ESESCDR) as part of the Housing, Construction and Infrastructure (HCI) partnership. Colleges in Scotland are seeking to carry out a needs analysis of both areas through a short survey which will then be analysed, and the outcomes reported to the HCI Board. 

This will allow colleges to respond and adapt their training offering to ensure that companies can upskill their current workforce and ensure that new recruits have the knowledge and understanding required to enter the world of Construction and engineering.

The survey is open now and closes on Monday 11 December with results being published by the end of March 2021.

Edinburgh College Head of Engineering and Built Environment Scott Warden said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for business, partners and the workforce of the Engineering and Construction sectors to help colleges in the South East of Scotland support the future skills needs of our region over the coming years.

“Their support in helping us to identify any gap areas in terms of skills and training and continuous professional development (CPD) needs will be invaluable as we look to shape our curriculum to serve the industry’s requirements.”

For further information, please contact: mandy.currie@edinburghcollege.ac.uk

As a thank you for participating in the survey all participants, who leave their contact details, will be entered into our prize draw for a £50 Amazon Voucher – Good luck!

The survey can be accessed here and will take around four minutes to complete.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BCskillsReview

Corstorphine Community Centre seeks volunteer ‘champions’ to support Digital Inclusion Project

We are seeking a few new volunteers to help with our new ‘Digital Inclusion Project’

If you think you have the skills to help others with mobile phones and tablet computers and apps for communication, information and leisure please email corstorphinehubdevelopment@gmail.com for a role description and application form.

Thank you!

#volunteer #intergenerational #digitalinclusion #Corstorphine

Royal Veterinary College invites dog owners to take part in huge national study

The ‘Pandemic Puppies’ study will explore how the Covid-19 lockdown has affected puppy buying in the UK

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is calling for respondents for its survey on puppy buying experiences both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey is applicable to UK-based dog owners who have acquired a puppy since January 2019.

This ‘Pandemic Puppies’ study will compare how and why puppies were bought before and during the Covid-19 pandemic, to help build an understanding of the changes in buying behaviours and intentions over this period.

This study will then be used to help provide advice and guidance to owners who may have experienced problems purchasing their puppy, as well as supporting prospective puppy buyers in the future in avoiding the potential pitfalls.

Many people are likely to recognise the benefits of owning a dog during the pandemic, which has inevitably led to more households deciding to add a puppy to their lives.

While puppy buying is an exciting and emotional time for households, buying and owning them also brings many challenges.

Finding a healthy puppy bred by a responsible breeder is not always a simple process, and lockdown may have posed additional difficulties to potential ‘pandemic puppy’ purchasers. Consequently, there have been many reports of unscrupulous buyers and puppy dealers cashing in on the increased demand for puppies.

This study will also explore owners’ early interactions and future plans for their dogs.

Lockdown has raised concerns around dog welfare, including limited opportunities for new experiences during a critical period of development for young puppies.

This study will explore if and how the early lives of ‘pandemic puppies’ differed from those purchased the year before the pandemic. This research will identify any vulnerabilities to the health, behaviour, and welfare of this puppy population, and inform future educational messaging to promote ways to safeguard their futures.

The survey is open to every dog owner in the UK who purchased a puppy of any breed or crossbreed from 1^st January 2019 to the present time.

Participation is open to anyone who has acquired a puppy since January 2019. The puppy must have been under 16 weeks old when it was brought home and must also have been purchased from a breeder or private seller, rather than adopted from a formal rescue organisation or bred by themselves.

Dr Rowena Packer, Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the RVC and lead of the project said: “Since lockdown, the media has reported huge spikes in UK households buying puppies.

“Although a new puppy may have been a welcome relief from the pandemic for many households, unscrupulous breeders have cashed in on this increased demand, and many well-meaning owners may have inadvertently bought puppies from poor-welfare sources.

“We want to learn more about how and why people bought puppies during lockdown, and your experiences of owning a young puppy during this unprecedented period.

“We want to know about both good and bad experiences, so even if you feel the puppy buying process didn’t go as well as you had hoped, you have worries, or even if you have rehomed your puppy, we would love to hear from you.

“We equally need vital information from owners of puppies bought before the pandemic in 2019 and early 2020, to learn what ‘normal’ puppy buying looked like in the UK. Please help our study to improve the lives of puppies both now and in the future.”

The ‘Pandemic Puppies’ research project was awarded a grant from the Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) and will be conducted over a period of six months, with data collection taking place from November until the end of 2020.

To take part in the survey, please visit: https://rvc.uk.com/pandemic-puppy-survey

EU citizens urged to take action during EU transition

With just 50 days until the end of the EU Transition Period, EU benefit claimants living in the UK are being urged to apply to the EU Settlement scheme.

The UK has left the EU and is in the Transition Period which ends at the end of this year. The Withdrawal Agreement provides citizens with the certainty they need about their rights going forward.

For EU citizens living in the UK by 31 December, that means they can continue to receive benefits on the same terms as they do now.

People need evidence they were living in the UK by 31 December and to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme in order to be covered by these provisions.

For those thinking of moving to the UK on or after 1 January 2021, the benefit rules will change.

The deadline for applying to the EU Settlement Scheme is 30 June 2021.

To apply, visit www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families/applying-for-settled-status

Strong support for ban on cyclists wearing headphones

The UK’s largest independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, is highlighting the findings from a recent survey which revealed that the majority of road users from around the world support banning people from wearing headphones while cycling and is calling for urgent debate on this important issue while changes to the Highway Code are being considered.

In the survey, conducted across 32 countries by the E-Survey of Road Users’ Attitudes (ESRA), two-thirds (65.8 per cent) of the 35,000 respondents internationally were in support of introducing a ban on cyclists wearing headphones.

Support was a little higher in the UK where 68.2 per cent of people – more than two in three – said that they were in favour of the ban.

Across Europe, support for the ban on cyclists wearing headphones varied. Spain felt most strongly about the introduction of the policy with nearly 80 per cent of all road users surveyed in that country voting in its favour.

Finland felt least strongly, with only one in three (36 per cent) believing the ban would be a good move. In Germany and Hungary, support for the ban was at similar levels to those in the UK at 69.8 per cent and 69.9 per cent respectively.

The European average was 66.5 per cent in support of the ban, with even cycle-loving Holland and Denmark showing small majorities in favour of new controls. This was matched in countries further afield, with most respondents supporting the ban on cyclists wearing headphones across North America, Asia and Africa.

Internationally, female road users were more in favour than males of a ban on headphones or earbuds while cycling, and this was true across all of the continents surveyed: Asia (80 per cent), Europe (69 per cent), Africa (83 per cent) and North America (62 per cent).

Unsurprisingly, those aged 18 to 24 were most against the introduction of any controls on their personal listening habits and internationally an average of only 53.5 per cent of this age group supported the ban. In Europe, support among young people was markedly lower at just four in ten (44.1 per cent) of 18 to 24-year-olds believing the ban would be a good idea.

Neil Greig, Policy and Research Director at IAM RoadSmart, said: “It’s clear that the majority of road users are very concerned about distracted cyclists wearing headphones or earbuds while riding. These findings were consistent right across the world in this substantial survey.

“Being plugged in to either headphones or earbuds is the ultimate distraction, as it completely shuts you off to your surroundings, creating a potential road safety risk to yourself, pedestrians and other road users around you. This is even more critical with the popularity and increasing prevalence of noise-cancelling equipment.

“There are plans to update the Highway Code being discussed as we speak, so now is a great time to have an informed debate about the best way for cyclists to avoid potentially fatal distractions.”

Scottish Government must measure impact of cancelling non-urgent care, says Holyrood Committee

The Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee has called on the Government to measure the consequences of cancelling all non-urgent care at the height of the pandemic. They say this must be done as a matter of urgency with the pandemic continuing to impact every aspect of the health service.

In the Committee’s pre-budget report, they looked into the wider impact of Covid-19 upon individuals’ health and their use of the health service, with the pandemic causing a huge reduction in those seeking use of these services.

Figures suggest just under 60,000 planned operations took place in Scottish hospitals from March to August of this year, compared to 168,000 over the same period in 2019. The Committee has said detail must be provided on when the backlog of NHS work caused by the pandemic will be resolved.

The Committee express concern about the large degree of uncertainty over budgeting for current and future years caused by Covid-19 and are seeking more detail on the implications for longer term funding plans.

In a wide-ranging pre-budget report, the Committee highlight that health and social care spend accounts for over 50% of the Scottish budget, but there is currently no coherent attempt to identify the outcomes of this spending. The Committee say this makes it difficult to tell whether the taxpayer is receiving value for money.

The Committee also criticise the current budget process whereby Integration Authorities, who account for £9billion of health and social care spending, do not provide basic budget details until six months into the financial year to which the budget relates.

Lewis Macdonald MSP, Convener of the Health and Sport Committee, said: “Covid-19 has caused a huge disruption to many NHS patients and treatments with Public Health Scotland data revealing hospital admissions, attendances at A&E departments, and people attending out of hours services all falling to around half the average levels seen in 2018-19.

“As the pandemic continues to impact every aspect of our health service, the consequences of cancelling all non-urgent care must be measured and the backlog of treatments and waiting lists resolved as quickly and safely as possible.

“The pandemic has created a huge degree of uncertainty over current and future health and social care budgets and we are keen to be given more detail on the long-term implications of this uncertainty.

“We are also surprised at the lack of information available on potential NHS savings caused by the large number of services which ceased operating during lockdown.

“Since the arrival of the pandemic we have seen a remarkable reduction in delayed discharge numbers and there have been welcome innovations across the health service to help respond to this crisis, but the challenge now is to continue these successes and to ensure we do not revert to the old way of working.”

The report also looks into the impact of the pandemic on GP practices. Concerns are raised by the Committee about evidence received which suggested some GPs were refusing to see patients as a result of the pandemic.

The Committee has said there must be consistency in service delivery and accessibility across all GP practices.

The Committee also calls on the Scottish Government to provide detail on how GP workload has been affected by the pandemic, saying the introduction of community hubs inevitably leads to questions of what GPs have been doing during the coronavirus crisis. Similar questions are asked about non-emergency NHS staff.

The Covid-19 international travel and quarantine regulations were also scrutinised by the Committee and they have recommended that all passengers arriving into Scotland should be tested for the virus as a health protection measure and to potentially shorten the length of quarantine periods.

MSPs on the Committee have said identifying, checking and tracing those persons subject to quarantine should be given the highest priority and the numbers being followed up must be substantially increased beyond current target figures.

The full report is attached.

Scottish bookmakers face ‘make or break’ winter without government support

A Scottish bookmaker saved from administration last year has warned the independent sector faces a ‘make or break’ winter without urgent government support.

Scotland’s largest independent bookmaker Scotbet has urged First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to step in after the firm was denied support from the Scottish Government in the form of business rates relief or small business grants, despite being closed for over three months from the start of lockdown.

Based in Loanhead, Scotbet was rescued from closure in July 2019 following a management buy out. Almost 130 jobs and 30 shops were saved. At its peak, the firm owned 75 shops.

Chairman John Heaton, who led the management buy out, has written to Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and the First Minister demanding answers. He said: “It is simply no way to treat a Scottish business struggling to survive in the grip of a pandemic.

“Due to the Covid restrictions we were forced to close our shops for over three months in March. At the time, small businesses throughout the UK were promised help in the form of small business grants and 12 months of business rates relief. It allowed many independent operators in England, which would otherwise have failed, to remain in business.

“We have received nothing. For reasons, so far not explained, independent betting shop chains were excluded. We are now receiving threats of court action for non-payment of rates for a period when we were not allowed to open. This is simply unfair.

“We now face a very challenging future. Even now, revenue is significantly below pre-lockdown levels and the coming months could be make or break for many independent bookmakers. On behalf of our loyal and extremely hard working employees, I would urge the Scottish Government to do more to support the independent sector before it is too late.”

Lothian MSP and convener of the Cross Party Group on Horseracing at the Scottish Parliament Miles Briggs said: “It is baffling that the betting industry has not been provided the same support that has been given to businesses in other industries.

“Licensed responsible gambling provides entertainment to people throughout Scotland and the thousands of jobs related to the industry are no less valuable than in any other sector.

“I have written to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture to ask why support has not yet been provided and I have called on Ministers to act immediately to support local jobs in communities across Scotland.”

We Will Remember Them

For the Fallen

BY LAURENCE BINYON

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England’s foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month – we will remember them.

The Armistice, an agreement to end the fighting of the First World War as a prelude to peace negotiations, began at 11am on 11 November 1918.

Armistice is Latin for to stand (still) arms.

To this day we mark Armistice Day around the United Kingdom with a Two Minute Silence at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month.

With many unable to take part in Remembrance services and events this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, you can still play your part from home.

Take part in a moment of Remembrance by observing the Two Minute Silence at 11am from your doorstep.

UNKNOWN WARRIOR 100

Huw Edwards presents coverage live from Westminster Abbey of a unique event marking the 100th anniversary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior on BBC One at 10.30am.

HRH The Prince of Wales attends an event marking the centenary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior and the unveiling of the Cenotaph by King George V.

Huw Edwards is at Westminster Abbey with experts to discuss the history of the mysterious Unknown Warrior, whose tomb has inspired similar monuments to the fallen worldwide.

The Order of Service will reflect the funeral of 100 years ago and incorporate two minutes silence at 11am. Ruby Turner performs Abide With Me, Cerys Matthews gives a reading, and there is an address by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Changes to COVID-19 protection levels

Fife, Perth & Kinross and Angus move to Level 3

Three council areas are to move up a protection level as cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to rise in their areas.

Fife, Perth & Kinross and Angus local authority areas will move from Level 2 – where they have been since the new levels system was announced – to Level 3 with the change coming into effect from 6am on Friday 13 November.

All other local authority protection levels are unchanged. The city of Edinburgh remains at Level 3.

Within Level 1, those living in Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles will, from Friday, be able to meet one other household inside their homes, up to a maximum of six people. Guidance will issue for anyone who travels to the mainland to avoid in-home socialising for a period after their return.

Speaking in parliament this afternoon, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said there was no immediate requirement to move any local authorities into Level 4 – the highest level – but that this was being kept under strict review.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The sacrifices everyone is making are hard – and they feel never-ending. But they are helping. They have made a difference, and they are saving lives. There is no doubt that the restrictions we have put in place have dramatically slowed the spread of the virus.

“But hospital admissions are still too high. The number of new cases we are seeing – more than 1,000 a day on average – is also too high. And we cannot be sure that we are seeing a sustained fall in cases.

“As I have said repeatedly in recent days, a rising or even plateauing rate of infection is not a stable position. We want to see a decline in cases. And so we will be monitoring the situation carefully in the days ahead.

“In light of the situation I have just outlined, it would clearly not be prudent to ease restrictions today.”

The First Minister again stressed the importance of travel restrictions in bringing down the infection rate of the virus.

Those in Levels 3 and 4 should not travel outside their local authority area unless travelling for essential reasons such as work, healthcare, or caring responsibilities, while those in a Level 1 or 2, should not be going into a Level 3 or Level 4 council area, except for those same essential purposes.

She added that these will remain in guidance over the next week but preparation for regulations will continue in the event they are required to be put into law.

Level allocations from 6am Friday 13 November:

Level 1:

Highland
Moray
Western Isles
Orkney
Shetland

Level 2:

Aberdeenshire
Aberdeen
Scottish Borders
Dumfries & Galloway
Argyll & Bute

Level 3:

Fife
Angus
Perth & Kinross
Inverclyde
East Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire
Renfrewshire
East Renfrewshire
City of Glasgow
South Ayrshire
East Ayrshire
North Ayrshire
Stirling
Falkirk
Clackmannanshire
City of Edinburgh
Midlothian
West Lothian
East Lothian
Dundee
North Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire

The assessment of what level of protection should be applied to each local authority is broadly based on an analysis of five key indicators:

number of positive COVID-19 cases per hundred thousand people over the last week
percentage of positive tests
forecast for new cases in the weeks ahead
capacity of local hospitals
capacity of local intensive care facilities

These factors are assessed alongside the advice and recommendations of local public health officials, National Incident Management Team, the Scottish Government’s chief clinical and policy advisors, and consideration of local circumstances, such as: specific COVID-19 outbreaks; travel and work patterns; and the extent to which health services are provided by neighbouring health boards.

Final decisions are based on all of these factors.

Alongside a table setting out the levels, a detailed analysis paper has also been published setting out the Scottish Government’s assessment and overall decision for each local authority.

Find out more about the COVID protection levels and what you can and cannot do at each level.