Restaurants, bars, and pubs across the country are being forced to close their doors after being plunged into tier three and four restrictions following the government’s latest announcement.
Enterprising hospitality businesses up and down the country are boxing up their offerings and shipping them directly to your door, offering a lifeline through takeaways and home deliveries.
As part of their Christmas Hampers Index report, the consumer spending experts at money.co.uk have compiled a list of independent businesses across the nation who have had to think outside (and inside) the box.
Here’s a sample of the content:
From cook-at-home hamper kits to take away drink delivery services, these are the independent businesses across the UK that you can still support whilst under the highest restrictions.
Scotland
Glasgow
Hanoi Bike Shop
Nestled away in the heart of the West End, the Hanoi Bike Shop brings the spirit of Vietnam to Glasgow, so let the twinkling lights and the scent of the Pho Kitchen lead you down the lane to the contemporary canteen. Indulge into a ‘Hot Banquet for 2’ and eat like a King or Queen for the evening and enjoy some homemade dumplings.
The Gannet opened in Glasgow’s Finnieston neighbourhood in September 2013, by three friends Ivan Stein, Peter Read and Peter McKenna, and Kevin Dow joined them in 2014.
The Gannet’s menu remains dominated by exceptional Scottish produce. If anything, the kitchen seems to have stepped things up a notch this year despite the challenges that has faced the hospitality industry as a whole.
Being placed into tier 3 restrictions meant Five March had to think of alternative ways to offer their menu to their guests. The Malaysian restaurant introduced a dine at home menu, starting at £50 for two. But it doesn’t stop there, they have also introduced a Christmas box filled with festive foods, ready for collection on Christmas Eve, costing £100 for two.
Award winning Red Onion is situated in the heart of Glasgow city centre, Red Onion is a contemporary casual dining experience, with a menu that offers something for everyone. John and his team are now offering delicious ready made nutritious meals to warm at home. All meals are cooked fresh, ready for your fridge or for reheating and all dishes are suitable for home freezing – perfect for when you don’t want to prep and cook dinner.
If you miss your weekend tipple, then look no further than The Gate’s “create my cocktail” to make a drink based on the flavours you love. You can choose from their house specials, classic cocktails or a cocktail party package for the perfect night in.
Immerse yourself in the luxury of 111 by Modou in your own home with the new alternative home cooking kits available to you, the kits are available to order online now and include a five course dining experience, priced at £60 for two.
They have also created your alternative Christmas Day experience which includes a hamper filled with festive foods ready for the big day, for either two people or four. Much like the restaurant, the at home menu highlights local and seasonal ingredients.
Eusebideli works alongside local suppliers and friends in Italy to bring you the best produce straight to your table.The Italian restaurant has made Christmas dining at home easy with their three course menu – simply just heat. All the meals are prepared by their chefs, using the same quality ingredients from independent local producers. All recipes are made from scratch, the dishes can be popped straight in the oven or straight in the freezer to enjoy at a later date. All you have to do is simply heat, eat and enjoy.
Get in the festive spirit with Cask Smugglers providing you with your cocktail needs. Enjoy their cocktail bundle including five different cocktails including Sloe Sazerac, Noel Negroni, Xmas Sangria, Gingerbread Martini, and Spiced Pear Martini – what else do you need to get you into the Christmas spirit?
All cocktails are available now on their online store, you can purchase now or pre-order, also available for nationwide and local delivery.
Tourism and hospitality businesses across Scotland are to benefit from a £104.3 million package of support in the New Year.
The funding is part of the short term response to the Scottish Tourism Recovery Taskforce recommendations and follows lengthy discussions with industry to target support specifically where it is needed the most.
It is part of the £185 million package previously announced by Finance Secretary Kate Forbes. Further work will be urgently undertaken to establish what additional support is needed in light of the announcement to move mainland Scotland to level 4 and the Scottish islands to level 3 from Boxing Day.
Businesses required to close by law are currently able to claim up to £3,000 every four weeks through the Strategic Framework Business Fund.
Areas set to benefit include:
£19.2 million to provide one-off grants for hospitality businesses
£50.8 million for businesses with a rateable value of more than £51,000 that have not received support from the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund or Hotel Support Programme and some additional support to smaller businesses impacted by restrictions
£11.8 million for international inbound, coach tourism and domestic tour operators
£7 million for self-catering
£5 million for visitor attractions
£2.5 million for outdoor tourism
£2.3 million for hostels
£2 million for ski centres
£1.5 million for travelling show people ineligible for other support
£1.2 million for Destination Management Organisations
£1 million for B&Bs and guest houses excluded from the latest Non Domestic Rates scheme
Tourism Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “It’s been a particularly bruising year for our tourism and hospitality sectors. The COVID-19 crisis has shattered previously successful businesses and we are committed to doing everything possible to get them back on their feet. These funding streams seek to throw a lifeline to some sectors that we know are particularly vulnerable and may not have access to help from other sources.
“We’ve already invested well over £2.3 billion to support businesses across Scotland, including 100% rates relief for pubs and restaurants but we know this is not enough. The restrictions, as necessary as they are, continue to have a profound effect and it is fair to say that tourism and hospitality businesses are feeling it more than most. This funding will provide a vital lifeline in the build up to what should be much of the industry’s busiest time of the year.
“The funding aligns in the short term with many of the tourism taskforce’s recommendations and I am grateful to it for its work on this.
“Clearly, in light of the enhanced restrictions announced at the weekend to control the spread of the virus, we will be undertaking further work on what additional support is needed by businesses, including for the longer term. There is a need to move quickly to ensure the sector is adequately supported and ready to go again, when the time is right.”
NHS Scotland’s latest advertising campaign is aimed at reminding us all to be prepared for winter ailments.
One of the stars of the ad is Julie-Ann Lindsay, a senior charge nurse with NHS 24, who helps people when they call 111 for urgent or out of hours medical care.
Julie (above), from Leven, said: “After what has probably been the busiest year of my professional life I really wanted to help people by reminding them to take a few small steps to look after themselves and their family this winter. Taking part in the TV ad was a good opportunity to do that.
“Our campaign encourages things like keeping things like paracetamol and ibuprofen at home, making sure you’re up to date with any repeat prescriptions in plenty of time, and even taking a bit of time to get familiar with our health information site NHS Inform, which has a number of self-help guides. Each of these steps means you can hopefully avoid illness becoming a problem over winter.”
The festive period is always busy for NHS 24, and in 2019 they answered over 122,000 calls over the eight day period. This Christmas looks to be even busier, and it comes at the end of what has already been a tough year for Julie and her staff:
“When the COVID cases began to rise the first place I wanted to be was in work, offering support to the general public. It’s been a hard job- hearing from families who have each become unwell, and managing my own family’s health, has been a humbling experience.
“No one likes becoming unwell over Christmas, and we will always be available if you need to get in touch. However, these small steps can mean you can relax a little- which I think we could all use right now!-and hopefully avoid needing to pick up the phone. It was a freezing cold day for filming our ad, but I think the message is worth it!”
General advice and information on how to stay healthy this winter can be found at www.nhsinform.scot/winter
A new survey from the British Psychological Society (BPS) has revealed today that 86% of people are looking forward to spending the Christmas period with their partner.
The results indicate a surprising bright spot amid the difficult times of the pandemic, particularly after the recent announcement about new Tier 4 restrictions and the reduction in days people are able to see their family and loved ones over the festive period.
The survey commissioned by the BPS also showed that 87% of people in a relationship said they have enjoyed the time they’ve spent with their partner since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic in the UK (March 2020), with 84% saying they have felt supported by their partner, and 79% saying they have felt emotionally connected.
The YouGov survey of 2,100 adults in the UK, undertaken prior to Saturday’s announcement on new Covid-19 restrictions over the festive period, reveals a surprisingly positive snapshot into relationships during the Covid-19 pandemic, and indicates that despite the unique challenges relationships have faced, many couples have been able to weather the storm together.
Perhaps less surprisingly, the results show that single people looking for a relationship during the pandemic have struggled, with 79% saying they hadn’t found it easy to meet new people since lockdown started, and 90% saying they had experienced loneliness.
The survey also found that, among those in a relationship, more than one quarter (27%) said they have experienced feelings of loneliness in their relationship with their partner since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic in the UK, and just over half (53%) said they had felt sexually connected with their partner.
The BPS has published new guidance to help those in relationships and single people to cope with the effects of lockdowns and restrictions on personal, intimate and sexual relationships, including tips and advice for people who are in a relationship, or actively seeking new connections.
Dr Sarah Rutter, BPS chartered clinical psychologist and lead author of the guidance said: “It’s genuinely heart-warming to see how connected and supported by their partners people have felt as they’ve faced the challenges of the pandemic together.
“During times of difficulty, it’s not uncommon to learn new things about ourselves or a partner, or see hidden strengths come to the fore. The pandemic may have presented us with an opportunity to slow down and take the time to think about the relationships that are most important to us.
“At this time of year it’s common for us to see advice about how to ‘survive’ the festive period as a couple and navigate the occasional tensions of family get-togethers. This year the difference couldn’t be more stark, with intimate relationships really coming to the forefront of our personal support networks.
“Equally, there’s no doubt that it’s also been a very challenging time for people who are single and looking for new connections, whose love life may have felt ‘on hold’ since March. The new restrictions introduced yesterday will undoubtedly hit single people who are looking for a new relationship very hard.
“It’s hugely important to recognise that these survey results don’t give us the full picture and there is no doubt that some will have struggled with their relationships, particularly during a time of such change and stress. The festive period can be a strain on relationships in any year, and Christmas 2020 could be particularly challenging, with restrictions placing unique demands upon us.”
The findings of this survey offer a small snapshot of the UK’s relationship experiences since the start of the UK lockdown and victims of domestic abuse may have been suffering in silence.
It’s vital that people experiencing domestic abuse urgently receive the support they need.
If you, or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. Alternatively, contact the helplines below:
Captain Tom’s fundraising efforts and the national clap for the NHS have been voted by Edinburgh residents as the most touching moments of 2020, while research reveals the city has become a more caring place to live following the Coronavirus pandemic.
As we head towards the end of a turbulent year, new research reveals the challenges of 2020 have made the people of Edinburgh kinder and more caring to one another, with a quarter of residents admitting they have been brought to tears by a random act of kindness.
Inspired by the fundraising efforts of individuals up and down the country, a sense of national comradery and seeing neighbours rally round together, almost a third of people living in the city have been encouraged to help and support others in some way over the last twelve months.
Almost 70 percent of residents have been touched by a heart-warming story in the news since the start of the pandemic, with Captain Sir Thomas Moore raising money for the NHS on his 100th birthday voted ‘the most touching moment of 2020’, according to those living in Edinburgh.
The weekly clap for NHS professionals, seeing key workers reunited with their loved ones, and observing an abundance of rainbow paintings in home windows, were also among the acts of kindness that touched residents most.
Princess Beatrice wearing the Queen’s gown for her socially distanced wedding, Joe Wicks launching free daily PE lessons for children, and the national teddy bear hunt in windows across the city, were also chosen in the top 20 list.
Despite 2020 being a tough year for many, more than half of people believe there have been many positive outcomes from the challenges, according to research among 2,000 Brits conducted by ZOONO, the scientifically proven longer-lasting hand and surface sanitiser brand.
Valuing our lives more (42 percent), appreciating the little things (41 percent), as well as being more caring and considerate to others (37 percent) are among the list of silver linings voted for by the British public.
Following the global pandemic, almost a quarter of Brits now feel more resilient (23 percent) and are less likely to worry about small problems in their lives (23 percent). Many Brits feel stronger having made it through the challenges they have faced this year (22 percent).
Being reunited with loved ones after lockdown (22 percent), receiving a phone call from someone they hadn’t spoken to in a long time (15 percent) and watching people support small local businesses (15 percent), were among the acts that have personally touched most Brits over the last year.
Jamal McCleary, General Manager at ZOONO, said: “It has been truly heart-warming to see people come closer together this year as so many have strived to protect the wellbeing of loved ones and neighbours.
“We noticed a surge in people buying our scientifically proven hand and surface sanitisers for key workers and vulnerable people as gifts; hundreds of people have gone the extra mile to keep others safe and protected for longer.
“That’s why we were interested to find out whether the pandemic has strengthened our relationships with others, even when we’d had to social distance, and made us all more caring and considerate despite the challenges we have all faced.”
The pandemic has had a positive effect on relationships, with over half of Brits admitting it has encouraged them to develop stronger and closer bonds with friends, neighbours and relatives.
Over a third of Brits (36 percent) feel much closer to their immediate family compared to before the pandemic, while over a third (35 percent) have been surprised by the caring attitude of their children, partner and parents. More than 60 percent feel that lockdown has given them a better understanding of the people they live with, whether that be children, their partner, friends of flatmates.
The periods of lockdown have also had a positive effect on romantic relationships, with almost a quarter of Brits admitting that they have developed a better understanding of their partner during this time. A third of those in a relationship feel their other half is more precious than before, while almost 20 percent have become more caring towards partners.
More than one in ten parents admitted the periods of lockdown have allowed them to form stronger bonds with their children. A third feel their children are more precious, while over 20 percent now have a more caring relationship with their offspring. One in ten grown-up children also said they now have a better understanding of their parents.
Almost a third of Brits have reconnected with a loved one that they hadn’t spoken to in a long time, either because they’d fallen out or lost touch. Realising what’s important in life (39 percent), being concerned for their health and wellbeing (38 percent) and having more time to pick up the phone (35 percent), were the top reasons for reconnecting.
The ongoing crisis has also encouraged better relationships with neighbours. In fact, 43 percent of UK residents agree that they are now closer to their neighbours, while a quarter of people know their neighbours’ names, which they didn’t know before.
The pandemic has also created an army of local heroes. Most Brits (66 percent) have gone shopping for someone who is vulnerable, isolating or a key worker. Care for neighbours has also seen a significant rise, as more than 20 percent of people who would not have offered previously have nipped to the supermarket for a vulnerable person living locally since the start of the year.
As a nation, kindness is more valued than ever before. According to the research, kindness (48 percent), honesty (36 percent) and thoughtfulness (35 percent) are the qualities we most admire in others. Confidence, ambition and intelligence were attributes that less than 10 percent of Brits said they admire most.
The movement for Britain becoming a more kind and caring nation is only set to continue as one in ten people admit they want to be even more caring in 2021. Positive New Years’ Resolutions also include appreciating what they have (26 percent) and spending more time with loved ones (20 percent).
Jamal McCleary concluded: “This year, ZOONO has partnered with the Shelter Charity to help our customers donate during the sales process.
“We also donate hand sanitiser for the benefit of homeless people living in the UK. Like many residents, we pledge to continue supporting others in the year ahead and look forward to being inspired by many more heart-warming moments yet to come in 2021.”
The Top 10 Most Touching Moments of 2020 (Edinburgh Ranking)
Captain Sir Thomas Moore raising money for the NHS on his 100th birthday
The first clap for NHS carers
Seeing key workers reunited with their loved ones
Hero welcomes for key workers in supermarkets
Rainbow paintings in windows
Announcement of the Covid-19 vaccine
West Brom Albion footballers calling elderly fans to check they’re OK
School children sending morale-boosting letters to care home residents
Schoolgirl completing 7.1 million ‘keepy uppies’ for charity: one for every key worker in the UK
Socially distanced Victory in Europe (VE) Day celebrations
The family of a schoolgirl who knitted comforts for troops during World War Two have finally received a heartfelt letter of thanks written 76 years ago.
The lost letter was discovered by World of Books Group who launched a nationwide campaign to reunite it with its rightful owner.
It was written in 1944 by a soldier serving in Italy to thank High Wycombe schoolgirl Pat Moore for knitting comforts for anonymous troops serving abroad.
Pat never received the heartfelt thanks for her kindness and passed away aged just 36 in 1964 without knowing how much it meant to those on the receiving end.
Following the campaign, the letter has now been sent to Pat’s daughter Lynn Cook.
Lynn was just a child when her mother passed away and has spent years researching her life history – but until now knew nothing of her mother’s contribution to the war effort.
A lost World War Two letter discovered inside a book, has finally reached its destination after 76 years thanks to a nationwide campaign by World of Books Group, the UK’s largest retailer of used books and media.
The letter was written by a British soldier serving in Italy in the winter of 1944. At the time, Allied forces battled through the tough Italian Campaign in freezing conditions – a campaign that would claim the lives of around 70,000 allied soldiers by its conclusion.
It was in these difficult conditions that Lance Corporal John Wheldon-Williams penned a heartfelt letter to High Wycombe schoolgirl, Pat Moore, thanking her for knitting supplies for anonymous troops. He himself had received a simple pair of mittens; a seemingly small gesture, but one that brought him comfort in difficult times.
But Pat would never receive the letter. By the time it would have arrived at the correspondence address, she had moved on. 20 years later Pat (above) passed away at just 36, never knowing just how much her act of kindness had meant to those on the receiving end.
Upon discovering the letter, World of Books Group launched a nationwide campaign to return it to its rightful owner and were soon contacted by Lynn Cook from Surrey.
The campaign had been spotted by amateur historian Dave Thacker. Amazingly, despite the limited information publicised, Dave was able to use his skills to work out a connection between Lynn and Pat, and got in touch to let her know about World of Books’ find.
Lynn, Pat’s only surviving child, was just a young girl when her mother passed away. Although she has spent years researching her mother’s life story, she knew nothing of her kindness during the war until Dave got in touch.
Lynn said: “I’m delighted to be reunited with a piece of family history I knew nothing about. It’s incredibly moving to know how much my Mum’s contribution to the war effort meant on a personal level.
“I have early memories of watching my mother knit at home – it’s something she always enjoyed. And I remember her telling me stories of her writing to pen pals during the war. I suspect she snuck a little note in with the package in the hope a soldier would eventually reply. She would have been overjoyed with this, and I’ll treasure it forever.”
The incredible find prompted the pair to work together and discover more about the letter. As a team, they’ve discovered information about the soldier, John Wheldon-Williams, and the family he writes about.
The soldier fortunately survived the war and returned to London, where he remained until he passed away in 1970.
When tracking down John’s son Brian, who was eight years old when the letter was written, they discovered he grew into a successful stage actor.
Under the name David Wheldon-Williams, he starred in a number of West End shows, including the original London production of Cabaret alongside Judi Dench. Brian sadly passed away in 2017, but they have now made contact with other relatives and given them a new piece of family history too.
Graham Bell, CEO of World of Books Group, said: “Over 75 million used books come through our business each year, and we occasionally come across forgotten personal items tucked away inside them.
“It’s surprisingly common for people to place memories inside books for safe keeping, whether it be family photographs or letters from loved ones. But this find was particularly poignant and we knew we had to do something to return it to its rightful owner. We’re delighted to have found Lynn and learn more about the incredible story behind the letter.
As a circular economy business, we’re focused on finding used items new homes. In this case, it’s wonderful to bring something back full circle to where it truly belongs.”
Children and young people at Edinburgh’s Sick Kids hospital were treated to a Christmas surprise from some famous faces when players from Hibs, Hearts and Edinburgh Rugby joined them on a video call.
Players including Christoph Berra, Craig Gordon, Ryan Porteous, Martin Boyle and Grant Gilchrist took time out from their busy training schedules to Zoom with some of their biggest fans, tell festive jokes and answer all their Christmas questions.
The Zoom calls brought lots of smiles and laughter to the wards, thanks to revelations including Christoph Berra confessing that he is receiving a mop from his mum this Christmas and Ryan Porteous and Martin Boyle treating one young fan to a rendition of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
The footballers and rugby players would usually visit the Sick Kids to meet children and their families in person in December, which is unfortunately unable to happen this year due to Covid restrictions.
The Zoom calls were organised by Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), which supports the Sick Kids and works hard to make Christmas magical for those visiting the hospital every year.
Fiona O’Sullivan, Arts Programme Manager at ECHC, said: “The hospital visits from Hibs, Hearts and Edinburgh Rugby are always a huge hit with the children and young people so it’s a real shame these weren’t able to go ahead this year.
“However, we would like to say an enormous thank you to the players for taking time out of their day to chat with some of the children and young people via Zoom. Some of the kids are massive football and rugby fans so it really made their day to meet their favourite players.
“Christmas is a very special time of year and we work hard to ensure no child or young person misses out on the magic of the festive season. This year has been harder than ever for those at the hospital, so we are incredibly grateful to Hibs, Hearts and Edinburgh Rugby for continuing to support us and for spreading so much joy and Christmas cheer with the calls.”
ECHC runs a living advent calendar throughout December, which sees a different door in the hospital opened each day to reveal a surprise visitor or activity.
The advent calendar activities are limited this year by restricted visiting; however, the charity is determined to make this Christmas as magical as possible for children and young people, with everything from a silent disco, a festive cinema experience and a visit from a real ballerina.
Mairi Gougeon appointed Minister for Public Health and Sport
New role for local MSP Ben Macpherson
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has appointed Mairi Gougeon as the new Minister for Public Health and Sport, among a range of new appointments which she said come “at a crucial time for Scotland” as the nation faces a number of challenges.
As well as the wider role of improving Public Health and promoting sport at all levels in Scotland, Ms Gougeon will play a key role in tackling the pandemic with responsibility for Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing across Scotland, with the Health Secretary taking the lead on the delivery of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Ben Macpherson is to become Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment, supporting both Roseanna Cunningham and Fergus Ewing where he will focus on the impacts of Brexit on the rural economy, support efforts to tackle climate change and to protect our wildlife and biodiversity.
Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation Ivan McKee will take on additional responsibilities for supporting Finance Secretary Kate Forbes as the Scottish Government prepares to publish its Budget early in the new year.
Minister for Europe and International Development Jenny Gilruth is to take on responsibility for Migration.
Last week the First Minister nominated Angela Constance as Minister for Drugs Policy.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “At a crucial time for Scotland, these new appointments ensure that we have a ministerial team fully focused on tackling the many important challenges facing us.
“Mairi Gougeon has proven herself to be a highly effective Rural Affairs minister working with stakeholders, balancing competing interests and taking on difficult policy challenges. She will now be part of the team protecting and improving Scotland’s public health, and will play a key role in the pandemic, taking the lead on testing.
“Mairi will work alongside the new Minister for Drugs Policy Angela Constance, who is tasked specifically with tackling what is another major public health emergency in Scotland.
“Ben Macpherson takes on the environment post at a critical time in our fight against climate change and as we take new steps to protect Scotland’s wonderful and diverse natural environment. Having previously worked on Climate Justice and Climate Finance, Ben will continue our work to protect wildlife, enhance biodiversity and support Scotland’s rural economy.
“With responsibility for migration, Jenny Gilruth will be working to tackle the demographic challenge threatening to undermine our economy and our society, and Ivan McKee will assist Kate Forbes in supporting firms through the pandemic, ensuring Scottish Government procurement backs Scottish business and in preparing our Budget early in the new year.”
Police are appealing for information to help trace a man one week since he was reported missing from his home in Craigentinny.
Lukasz Machalski (26) was last seen in the West Pilton Drive area around 9pm on Sunday, 13 December. There was a possible sighting of him about 12pm on Monday, 14 December, in the Restalrig area. Lukasz has not been seen or heard of since. There is growing concern for his welfare.
He is described as being 5th 10ins tall, with fair blonde hair which is often shaved. At the time he went missing Lukasz was wearing a grey jacket, grey tracksuit bottoms and Nike trainers that are black and gold.
Lukasz is known to have links with Glasgow and may have travelled to the city. He is also familiar with the West Pilton and Restalrig areas of Edinburgh.
Inspector Gordon Duff of Craigmillar Police Station said: “It has now been a week since Lukasz was reported missing and along with his family, we are becoming increasingly concerned for his welfare and are keen to locate him as soon as possible.
“I would urge anyone who may have seen him to contact us immediately. Similarly, if Lukasz is reading this, let us know you are safe and well.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting incident number 2653 of 13, December
First Minister’s daily press briefing, Monday 21 December:
Thanks for joining us. Before I start today, can I say mainly for the benefit of the journalists on the line that I will require to end this briefing by 13:30, at the latest, even if we haven’t got through all of the questions, which I will obviously try to do.
I understand that the COBR meeting planned for today is likely to take place from 13:30, at any time from 13:30 onwards. Obviously, I have to be free to participate in that.
I will speak in a few moments about the announcements I set out here on Saturday evening and I will also reflect on some of the decisions that have been made and intimated over the weekend by other countries in respect of closing borders with the UK but first of all, let me begin with today’s statistics.
The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 1,504.
That represents 6% of the total number of tests carried out, and the overall number of confirmed cases is now 113,050.
As you will have noticed, today’s figure represents a significantly higher number of new cases than we have seen in recent times.
We think that this may be, in part, down to a processing backlog last week within the UK Lighthouse system.
So please be aware that today’s figures may be affected by that backlog of cases now coming through the system and being reported on. However we are doing further analysis of these case numbers to confirm that.
I can also confirm that 1,078 people are currently in hospital – that is an increase of 17 from yesterday.
59 people are in intensive care, which is 1 more than yesterday.
No additional deaths have been registered in the last 24 hours, of a patient who first tested positive over the previous 28 days.
However, as you know, registration offices tend to be closed at weekends – and so the figures we report for deaths on Sundays and Mondays can be artificially low as a result of that.
In total, since Friday’s update, 44 deaths have been registered.
That takes the total number of deaths, under this daily measurement to 4283.
Every single one of those deaths is obviously a source of heartbreak. And yet again, I want to send my thoughts and my condolences to everyone who has been bereaved as a result of this pandemic.
I am joined today by the Chief Medical Officer, and by the Chief Constable. The Chief Constable will talk about Police Scotland’s approach to enforcing Covid regulations as we head into the Christmas period.
For my part, let me stress again, how much I and the Scottish Government values the hard work, professionalism and public service of Scotland’s police officers and the staff who support them. Those qualities are always appreciated, but have been particularly important and valued during the last few difficult months.
The main thing I want to do in my remarks today, is to reflect a bit more on developments over the weekend.
I’m going to spend a bit of time on these, because I do know and I understand how upsetting Saturday’s announcements, in particular, were for so many of you.
The first thing I want to do is reiterate the point that none of the actions I announced on Saturday were taken lightly.
The analysis so far of this new variant of Covid that has been identified in the UK does give us real cause for concern – because the indications at this stage are that it is much more transmissible than previous strains of the virus.
Let me stress through that there is no evidence so far that this new strain causes more severe illness and I think that is reassuring.
Further analysis of this new strain is being carried out, so there is much we still have to learn, but given what we have been advised so far, it is essential to take the risk seriously and act accordingly.
The key lesson of the last ten months is that if we are complacent in the face of this virus, or if we act too slowly, or if we wait for all possible information before making decisions, the virus can run away from us very quickly – with very serious consequences.
So that is the context for the strong precautionary and preventative action we announced on Saturday.
Let me now turn to some of the detail and consequences of that.
Firstly, I will address the announcements yesterday that several countries – including France – have instituted travel bans to prevent people from the UK entering their countries.
Our advice for individuals here is already that you should not travel to or from Scotland, unless it is absolutely essential.
Indeed, travel to and from other parts of the UK without an essential reason is prohibited by law for now.
This is a decision we do not take lightly – but one that is necessary to prevent more of this new strain entering Scotland.
In terms of international travel, most of the attention overnight, of course, has been on the decision by France to put in place a ban on accompanied freight traffic, essentially lorry traffic, entering France.
France has said this morning that they hope to establish a protocol to enable movement to resume – something that we very much welcome. However we do not yet know exactly when that will take effect.
We hope the current situation will improve over the course of the day – but of course for as long as it pertains, it has significant implications for many businesses in Scotland.
It affects the ability of exporters, including our important seafood sector, to deliver to overseas markets. And it also affects our ability to import certain goods and supplies into the UK and into Scotland.
I will chair a Scottish Government resilience meeting on this later today. Before that, as I indicated at the outset, I will take part in a COBR meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister, bringing the UK Government and devolved governments together to discuss these issues and we are working very closely with the UK Government and we will continue to do so to mitigate any impacts.
I have heard calls from our food sector for the UK Government to take a number of steps to enable them to continue to export, and I support those calls.
In particular the UK has planned for port disruption as part of a no deal Brexit, and those plans should now be activated.
We have also urged the UK Government to seek to extend the current Brexit transition period, or to secure a grace period before any deal is implemented, to prevent further disruption.
I think everybody would accept that all of us have enough on our plates to deal with right now, without compounding those difficulties by the end of the Brexit transition period.
For the moment, however, I want to stress two key points.
Firstly, the stockpiles of medicines being built up ahead of Brexit are in place – and so whilst we monitor medicine supply very carefully, we have no immediate concern. We are also assured that there is no risk to supplies of the Covid vaccine.
And secondly, we have been assured by supermarkets that they are well stocked for Christmas. So there is absolutely no need for people to buy any more than you normally would.
I would ask everybody to please support each other and shop responsibly. These are difficult times we are living through but we have been served well by that spirit of solidarity and it is important that it continues over this next period.
Let me now turn to the decisions I set out on Saturday.
Some have questioned, and indeed I anticipated this on Saturday, the need for these actions given that overall prevalence of Covid in Scotland is currently quite a bit lower than in some other parts of the UK.
There is two points it’s important for me to make about that.
Firstly, Scotland’s case numbers have been volatile in recent days – and after some weeks of decline, and I indicated this earlier last week, we think they may be rising again.
Today’s numbers, indeed even with that caveat I put around these earlier on, have shown that may be the case.
Because of that, our R number has risen, and after a couple of weeks of it being slightly below one, we think it is now hovering around 1 again.
So even without the new strain we have no room for complacency as we head deeper into the winter.
However, it is the concern about the new strain that necessitated the very stringent actions I set out on Saturday.
We know this strain already exists in Scotland – though we think it is still at lower levels than in the south of England.
However, if it is the case – as early analysis suggests – that this strain is up to 70% more transmissible and that it could add up to .4 to an R number already hovering around 1, the risk of it rapidly spreading here – as it appears to be doing in some other parts of the UK – is very real.
In London and the south east of England, it is thought that this new strain might already account for between 40 – 60% of all new cases.
That’s what we’ve got to stop here in Scotland and that’s the reason for the actions that I announced on Saturday.
As I said earlier on, over the course of this pandemic, perhaps the most important thing we have learned, I know it is perhaps the most important thing I have learned, is that failing to act quickly, is almost always a mistake in the face of Covid.
If we do nothing now, we are likely to see more new infections in Scotland as a result of this variant – placing an even greater strain on our health service, and unfortunately leading to more deaths.
But as things stand, with our lower prevalence in a relative sense, we still do have a chance of keeping this situation under control while the vaccination programme continues – and while we get case numbers back to very low levels again.
That is why we announced action on Saturday on two fronts – to stop more cases of this new variant from coming into Scotland, and to stop it spreading further within the country.
In relation to the first of those, as I said earlier – we are maintaining a strict travel ban on non-essential travel between Scotland and the rest of the UK.
That ban – which will not be relaxed at all over Christmas, even on Christmas Day unfortunately – is one of the issues the Chief Constable will talk about in his remarks.
However since this variant has already established a foothold in Scotland, we also need to reduce the risk of it spreading further here.
We have taken three key decisions to do that.
Firstly, we are now enabling indoor mixing between households only on Christmas Day itself, and only within Scotland – rather than over a 5 day period across the UK.
Fundamentally, though, my advice is not to meet indoors at all, even on Christmas day, if you can possibly avoid it. If you can, see family from other households outdoors only.
The second key decision that we have taken, is to impose tighter restrictions after Christmas.
We will apply level 4 measures to all of mainland Scotland from Boxing Day morning, from one minute past midnight on Boxing Day for a period of 3 weeks although we will review these level 4 restrictions after 2 weeks.
What that means is that from Boxing Day morning, non-essential shops will close. So will pubs, cafes and restaurants, apart from for takeaways. And we will be asking everyone to work hard to reduce any unnecessary interactions with other households.
Non-essential travel to and from different local authority areas will also be prohibited from Saturday.
The exceptions to level 4 will be Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, and the other island communities where we have reduced restrictions in recent weeks. These areas will go into level 3 but, again, with no non-essential travel to and from them.
The third key decision on Saturday was to delay the return of schools after the holidays. Again, a decision we did not take lightly. Everybody knows how hard all of us have worked to keep our schools open from August.
This decision means that – with the exception of children of key workers and more vulnerable children – pupils will not return to learning until 11 January and then, until the 18 of January at least, schools will be online only.
These were all decisions I wish we didn’t have to make, and I know they were horrible decisions for all of you to have to hear.
I am well aware of the impact that level 4 restrictions in particular will have – on people’s wellbeing, and on businesses such as retailers and the hospitality sector.
I spent a fair bit of time when I went home on Saturday night after doing the media briefing here, reading the many emails I had received.
I think it is important for me to do that. And these were from people, many completely understanding of the need for these decisions – but nevertheless who wanted me to know the impact on them and their families. It is heart breaking for so many of you.
And I want you to know I do understand. And if I thought there was an alternative to any of these decisions, I would take that alternative in a heartbeat.
But I know the consequences of not acting now to stop this virus could be catastrophic.
So I am genuinely sorry to have to do these things. But believe me when I say they are necessary.
We can’t take the risk of allowing this new variant to spread as rapidly in Scotland, as it appears to be doing in some other parts of the UK.
We know that this virus, like all other viruses, it exists solely to spread to as many other people as possible, that’s how it survives. And what we unfortunately now know, is that it seems to have become much better at doing that through the new variant.
So if we don’t act now to curb it’s spread, we run the risk of cases running out of control in the early part of the new year.
The restrictions we have put in place and that will come into effect over the weekend give us a much better chance of preventing that while we allowing more of the population – especially those who are most vulnerable to the virus – to become vaccinated.
And while I know that it is very difficult to hear talk of lights at the end of the tunnel right at this moment in time, we shouldn’t forget that the vaccination does give us that hope for the future that we haven’t had at any point in these last 10 months.
The final point I want to make before handing over to the Chief Constable, is that although the new variant of the virus seems to transmit more easily – it can still be stopped in its tracks and the way to stop it in its tracks are through the same measures we have emphasised so many times before.
Physical distancing from people in other households, 2 metres if and when at all possible; washing hands as often as you can; wearing face masks; opening windows while indoors; staying outdoors with other households as much as possible – all of these things still work in reducing the transmission of the virus.
In fact, this new variant has made them more important than ever. So after ten months of all of us becoming really fed up of all of these measures, it is important now more than ever that we really do try to remember them at all times.
That’s why we are asking you to avoid indoor meetings on Christmas Day as far as possible, difficult though I know that is – because indoor meetings are the best possible environment for the virus to spread.
And it’s also why every single one of us should still be remembering the facts advice.
face coverings
avoid crowded places
clean your hands and clean hard surfaces
keep two metres distance from people from other households
and self-isolate, and get tested immediately, if you have symptoms.
I know how difficult all of this is. The last 10 months have been unremittingly hard for everybody. And I suspect this next two weeks are going to be even harder yet, it’s a time of year when we should be looking forward to spending time with our loved ones. I do know how tough it is but this is necessary.
We must do these things to get us through this next phase of the pandemic, while the vaccination programme gathers pace as safely as possible.
I can never thank you enough for continuing to bear these sacrifices and continuing to do all of the things necessary to keep yourselves and your loved ones safe. So thank you, for all of that.
