Day: September 18, 2021

The Penny rolls on: End’s in sight for coast challenge walker Karen

Long-distance charity walker Karen Penny ends 11,000 mile coastal challenge in Scotland next week

Alzheimer’s Research UK champion Karen Penny is set to complete her amazing 11,000 mile coastal walk around the UK and Ireland on World Alzheimer’s Day, 21 September, in the Shetland Islands.

Karen, 54, had been travelling since January 2019 on foot from her home in the Gower, South Wales around the entire coastline of the UK and Ireland, only returning home when forced to by the COVID-19 pandemic.

She had reached the small island of Muckle Flugga in the Shetlands (one of 110 islands that she has walked around as part of her journey), where she planted a flag before returning to her South Wales home for lockdown.

Inspired to support the UK’s leading dementia charity after both of her in-laws were affected by different forms of dementia, Karen has raised nearly £100,000 to fund vital research.

Karen says: “I can’t believe that my walk is coming to an end. I was so sad to have to leave the beautiful Shetland Islands last March because of COVID-19 restrictions, and I am now really excited to be returning to Muckle Flugga. I wonder if my Alzheimer’s Research UK flag is still where I left it!

“The last two and a half years have been wonderful. Although it has sometimes been hard going, I have met so many great people, and heard so many heart-rending stories of the impact of Alzheimer’s disease and the other diseases that cause dementia on families.

“It has made me all the more determined to do whatever I can to raise awareness and raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK, so that in future families can be spared the fear, harm and heartbreak that so many are currently experiencing.”

Hilary Evans, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We are so grateful to Karen for the amazing fundraising and awareness-raising that she has done, with such commitment, since the beginning of 2019.

“As Karen has found with all the people who have shared their experiences with her on her journey, one in two people know someone affected by dementia. Through research, we can keep people connected to their families, their worlds and themselves for longer.

“Research has the power to make breakthroughs possible and Alzheimer’s Research UK is at the forefront of these efforts. We rely on public donations to fund our crucial research and it’s thanks to the commitment of people like Karen that we are able to increase the profile of dementia research and continue our important work.”

To sponsor Karen, go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thepennyrollson  

For further information about Alzheimer’s Research UK call 0300 111 5555 or visit www.alzheimersresearchuk.org

Police seek information following night fires in Drylaw and Pilton

Police have launched an investigation into a series of fires which took place across Drylaw and Pilton in the early hours of this morning.

The six separate incidents were reported between approximately 2.30am and 4.30am at properties on a number of streets: Wester Drylaw Avenue, Wester Drylaw Drive, Crewe Road North, Groathill Loan and Groathill Road North.

The fires are all being treated as suspicious. Whilst there were no serious injuries reported, a number of people were treated at the scene and one person was taken to hospital.

Detective Inspector Jonny Wright, from Gayfield CID, said: “It is fortunate that these fires were discovered and extinguished when they were, and that we are not investigating a far more serious and tragic set of circumstances.

“Enquiries into each of these incidents are ongoing and we are appealing for anyone with information, or who may have seen any suspicious activity on these streets, to please come forward.

“We will be increasing our patrols in the area and engaging with the local community, to provide reassurance as we work to identify those responsible.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting incident 0675 of 18 September. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if you wish to remain anonymous.”

Collective Exhibition Launch | Acts of Observation

Collective is delighted to present Acts of Observation, a group show by artists and writers Ana García Jácome, Jeda Pearl Lewis, Abi Palmer and Simon Yuill. The new exhibition spans our entire site and is presented as a series of solo presentations, or ‘acts’, throughout our different buildings, spaces, and online.

Dynamic in form and content, the artists brought together present a diverse range of works including film, interactive installation, writing and architectural interventions. 

Acts of Observation directly questions, contextualises and challenges how we negotiate institutional language and spaces, and how disability is represented. The participating artists articulate and politicise notions of recovery and offer visions of positive, inclusive futures.

Artworks on display include: interactive installation Crip Casino by Abi Palmer, where absurdist poetic diagnoses are delivered by the spirit of Elvis reimagined as a medical practitioner; two film works by Ana García Jácome – It’s Like She Had Never Existed and The [ ] History of Disability in Mexico, new poetry by Jeda Pearl which questions how we are observed and which bodies are seen as sublime; and a new text work by Simon Yuill, expanding the text works produced for the artist manifesto Not Going Back to Normal.

Join us on Saturday 25 September, 2 – 4pm, to celebrate the opening of the exhibition, including a live poetry reading by Jeda Pearl Lewis. This is an open event and all are welcome.

Much of the event will take place outdoors in our new ‘Play Shelter’ so please dress for the weather! Numbers inside the exhibition spaces will be monitored in line with social distancing advice so a short wait may be required.

Please RSVP by booking a free ticket on Eventbrite. 

If you have any questions about the event, contact us at mail@collective-edinburgh.art

Children spend half a life at home with the parents

One in eight adult children who live with their parents could spend half their life living with mum and dad

One in eight (13%) adults that have always lived with their parents are aged 35-55+. That means people are spending almost half of their expected lifespans (81 years) if not longer living with their parents

Of those aged 35+ that live with their parents, 40% have never moved out

Over a third (37%) of adult children living at home don’t expect to move out in the near future

This could be costing parents a fortune – over half (55%) of parents with adult children living at home said they cover additional costs because of this. On average parents are spending £117 per child each month

It’s well documented that more grown-up children are now choosing to live at home with their parents for longer4. Now, new research from SpareRoom reveals just how much longer that could be: almost half of their lives – if not more.

One in eight (13%) of those who have always lived with their parents are aged 35 to 55+. Currently the average life expectancy in the UK is 81 years. That means people in their mid-to-late thirties have lived with their parents for nearly half of their expected lifespans – while those over 55 have spent more than two thirds (68%) of their lives under their parents rooves.

Furthermore, of all of those surveyed aged 35 – 55+, 40% have never moved out of the family home5.

Astonishingly, one in two (50%) adult children who currently live at home have never moved out. What’s more, 37% don’t expect to move out within the next six months, with the likelihood of moving out decreasing after the age of 25.

Whilst living at home and spending time with family is seen (by most) as a positive bonding experience, it has an impact on important milestones outside of the family home for children, not to mention the cost implications for parents.

The majority (55%) of parents with adult children living at home cover extra expenses because of this, with the average parent being out of pocket by £117 per child each month.

The bank of mum and dad, now also known as the hotel of mum and dad, helps pay for their adult children’s food (64%), clothes (36%), fuel (25%) and even ‘pocket money’ for them to socialise with their friends (25%) while they’re living at home.

Many parents also paid for their subscriptions (20%) and holidays (23%). Covering mental health and therapy (12%) costs were also on the list of expenditures for parents.

Miriam Tierney, SpareRoom spokesperson comments: “We’ve known for some time that the number of adults living at home with their parents has been rising. The main factor driving that is how expensive housing is, regardless of whether you’re renting or buying. What hasn’t been clear, until now, is just how much of their lives people could be spending in the family home.

“There are, of course, plenty of positives to multi-generational living and in many countries and cultures it’s the norm. However, in the UK the trend is clearly being driven by the housing crisis rather than choice and it’s restricting career and social opportunities for a whole generation.”

Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes collect top award at national competition

Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes won two of the most prestigious awards at the coveted Scottish Home Awards in Glasgow on Thursday.

The housebuilders collected the top award of the night, Housebuilder of the Year (more than 100 units), for presenting their robust business results which had customer service and employee care at its core.

The UK’s largest housebuilder was plauded for its substantial contribution of £245m to the economy and supporting hundreds of other organisations in the supply chain.

They also collected the Community Contribution Award for their work during the pandemic, which includes donating £1,000 to a deserving cause in each of its three Scottish divisions every month. CHAS, a full family support service for babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions is one such charity.

Over 350 people gathered to celebrate winners in The Scottish Home Awards in a hybrid event that also welcomed guests from home watching live via digital broadcast.

Douglas McLeod, regional managing director for Barratt Scotland, said: “I am bursting with pride and admiration for our hard working team at Barratt and David Wilson. It has been a challenging couple of years for the housebuilding market as we’ve adapted to lockdown ways of working, making this win all the more special.

“We have worked tirelessly in these difficult times to create long-term employment opportunities whilst also repaying all furlough money to the government, as well as continuing to onboard new apprentices.

“The commitment from the entire team is unrivalled, which is why we continue to set the standard within our industry. I’m particularly proud of the community contribution award as we strive to give back to people living in the communities we help build. These small donations go a long way to making a real positive change to those most in need.”

The Scottish Home Awards, sponsored by Ross & Liddell named developments, homes and organisations which picked up the trophies after more than 130 developments in 18 categories were assessed.

Among the other notable winners on the night: The City of Edinburgh Council picked up the Housing Regeneration Project of the Year Award for Craigmillar Town Centre and Queensberry Properties was awarded the Apartment Development of the Year award for Bonnington Mill

Thousands to benefit from life-saving COVID-19 treatment

Thousands of vulnerable NHS patients in hospital due to COVID-19 are set to benefit from a ground-breaking new antibody treatment, the UK government has announced.

Ronapreve, a combination of two monoclonal antibodies, will be targeted initially at those in hospital who have not mounted an antibody response against COVID-19.

This includes people who are immunocompromised, for example those with certain cancers or autoimmune diseases, and therefore have difficulty building up an antibody response to the virus, either through being exposed to COVID-19 or from vaccination.

The government has taken action to secure supply of the new therapeutic for NHS patients across the four nations, buying enough to treat eligible patients in hospital from next week. Guidance will shortly be going out to clinicians so they can begin prescribing the treatment as soon as possible.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “We have secured a brand new treatment for our most vulnerable patients in hospitals across the UK and I am thrilled it will be saving lives from as early as next week.

“The UK is leading the world in identifying and rolling out life-saving medicines, particularly for COVID-19, and we will continue our vital work to find the best treatments available to save lives and protect the NHS.”

Ronapreve is the first neutralising antibody medicine specifically designed to treat COVID-19 to be authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in the UK.

It will be used to treat patients without antibodies to SARS CoV-2 who are either aged 50 and over, or are aged 12 to 49 and are considered to be immunocompromised.

Antibody testing will first be used to determine whether patients are seronegative, meaning those who do not have an adequate existing antibody response, and will therefore receive the treatment. The treatment antibodies – casirivimab and imdevimab – will then be administered to patients through a drip and work by binding to the virus’ spike protein, stopping it from being able to infect the body’s cells.

The UK’s world-renowned vaccination programme also continues to provide protection to tens of millions of people across the country, and has so far saved 112,300 lives, prevented 230,800 hospitalisations and stopped over 24 million infections in England alone.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the UK has proven itself to be a world-leader in identifying and rolling out effective treatments for COVID-19 – including the world’s first treatment dexamethasone, which has since saved at least 22,000 lives in the UK so far and an estimated million worldwide.

The NHS has also rolled out monoclonal immunomodulatory antibody treatments tocilizumab and sarilumab, following clinical trial results from the government-funded REMAP-CAP trial. The treatments were found to reduce the relative risk of death by 24%, when administered to patients within 24 hours of entering intensive care.

Earlier this year, the government also brought together a new Antivirals Taskforce to supercharge the search for new treatments for patients who are exposed to COVID-19 to stop the infection spreading and speed up recovery time.

The UK’s leading research infrastructure and life sciences sector makes it the ideal base for the brightest of global innovators to research and progress cutting-edge treatments for COVID-19 through the clinical trials process here in the UK.

Paul McManus, COVID-19 Lead at Roche Products Ltd, said: “Over the last 18 months, our goal has been to do everything we can to minimise the impact of the pandemic on those affected and the brilliant people who work tirelessly to treat and care for them.

“Ronapreve is the first dedicated medicine developed for COVID-19 to receive marketing authorisation from the MHRA, representing a significant milestone in how the NHS is able to fight this disease.

“This is just another step in our journey to overcome COVID-19, and we will continue to collaborate with partners to identify and investigate multiple options that may help different groups of patients.

“Together with Regeneron, we’re grateful for the collaboration of the vaccine taskforce and NHS England in helping to bring this important antibody cocktail to treat and prevent acute COVID-19 across the UK.”

Can your employer force you back into the office?

There have been reports of people being forced back to workplaces without proper consultation, even as Covid-19 cases remain high, or forced to stay at home due to money-saving office closures (writes TUC’s ALICE ARKWRIGHT). Employers should consult with unions to manage this period positively – rather than issuing directives.

So, what can you do if you feel like you’re being forced to stay at home or go back into the office?  

Talk to your colleagues

If your boss is asking you to return to the workplace or stay at home and you don’t feel comfortable, you should speak to other members and your union rep immediately – they may feel the same about the situation. 

If you raise the issue collectively with your employer, they’re much more likely to listen. Employers shouldn’t be imposing changes on anyone. You and your colleagues should clearly lay out what you want and why it’s beneficial for both you and your employer.  

There’s still limited access to childcare at the moment, so parents and carers may need specific arrangements. Your boss should be working with you and your workmates to understand this.  

And suggesting pay cuts for home workers, as we’ve heard in the media, is the last thing employers should be doing. People have shown huge flexibility during the pandemic and worked hard to keep the country going – now is not the time to be making threats.   

Brush up on health and safety 

There are lots of factors that your employer needs to think about at this time. Primarily, health and safety – is your workplace safe to be in and has your employer considered the mental health impact of returning to the workplace? 

This could include feelings of isolation with continued homeworking or anxiety about returning to the workplace. Our latest webinar provides all you need to know on health and safety at work since government restrictions were lifted.  

Know your rights 

You have certain rights when deciding where to work: 

  1. Employment contract 

Check your employment contract. You might have a “place of work” included and, it could be a breach of contact if your employer unilaterally imposes a change of location, without consent. This is important if your employer is saying you must work from home permanently.  

  1. Safety 

The virus hasn’t gone away, and workers will want to know what their employer is doing to keep them safe. It’s a legal requirement for bosses to carry out a workplace risk assessment. Employers must also carry out the actions that come from their risk assessment – this could include continuing with home working where possible.  

If you think there is a serious or imminent danger to you or your colleagues, you may have the right to leave work depending on the specific circumstances. The relevant law is Section 44 of the Employment Act 1996 and it covers all employees. More information on your health and safety rights on returning to work can be found here. 

And remember, your employer still has a duty to keep you safe when you’re working from home – see our guidance on risk assessments for homeworkers.

  1. Flexible working requests

Under current law, all employees have the right to request flexible working arrangements, this can include a request to change your location either permanently or for part of your working time. Any employee can make a request, you don’t have to be a parent or carer, but you must have been in the job for 26 weeks and you can only make one request per year.  

Employers have to review these requests fairly and respond within 3 months. They can turn down requests for ‘business reasons’ – but we’re campaigning for better flexible working rights for everyone. 

  1. Reasonable adjustments 

Employers have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to proactively make reasonable adjustments to remove, reduce or prevent any disadvantages that disabled workers face. The law recognises that to secure equality for disabled people, work may need to be structured differently, support given, and barriers removed. This can include working from home.  

If you’re a disabled worker and have been working from home successfully during the pandemic, continuing to work from home could be a reasonable adjustment that your employer can provide, should you want it – but bosses must also provide reasonable adjustments in the workplace.  

  1. Right to time off in emergencies to look after children 

There are huge gaps in childcare provision leaving parents without the support they need to juggle work and care. If your employer has given you short notice to return to the workplace, by law anyone classed as an employee has the right to take time off work to help someone who is dependent on them in an unexpected event.

A dependent includes children but also a partner, someone you live with or a person who relies on you to make care arrangements. If you’re looking at any of these options, talk to your union and they can support you.

Finally, if you’re not in a union, join one.

Unionised workplaces have negotiated for additional access to flexible work and support to manage care that goes way above what you get under the law.  

You’re better off in a union – joining a union today

We’re currently running a survey on flexible working – have your say

Criminal Justice budget in the spotlight at Holyrood

MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee are to examine all areas of the Scottish Government’s criminal justice budget in the coming weeks, and consider whether the current funding patterns are sustainable, effective and achieving good outcomes.

Ahead of making recommendations to the Scottish Government on how it spends money on justice services, the Committee is looking to hear opinions on funding for bodies such as prisons, courts, police, fire and rescue, victim support and community justice initiatives.

It will also consider whether funding is in place to support the sector to recover from Covid, and whether any of the changes brought in to help cope with the pandemic may lead to longer term savings, if those were desirable and made permanent.

Speaking as the call for views was launched, Criminal Justice Committee Convener, Audrey Nicoll MSP, said: “Criminal Justice services play a crucial role in keeping Scotland safe, supporting complainers and victims of crime, working to rehabilitate offenders, and diverting people who are at risk of doing wrong.

“Our Committee wants to take a wide look at the funding for these services – public and voluntary – and examine whether what we have in place supports the justice system to do what we ask of it.

“It goes without saying that we will need to consider the impact of Covid-19 on the justice sector’s budgets.

“We asked a great deal of those working on the frontline and administering justice throughout the pandemic.

“And while there may be savings from some of the new ways of working, overall, the sector will need a lot of help to recover from the pandemic – for instance, to deal with the huge backlog of trials.”

The call for views can be found at this link.

Specifically, the Committee is seeking views on:

The impact of COVID

• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget for the criminal justice sector to recover from COVID-19?

• What the cost will be of making permanent some of the temporary changes  brought in because of the pandemic (if these are to become permanent)?

• Whether organisations in the criminal justice sector have enough budget and staff to be able to cope with a return to pre-pandemic levels of working (e.g. expected growth in the number of court trials)?

• Whether there have been any savings and efficiencies because of the different way of working during the pandemic, what these savings have been used for elsewhere, and could they be kept once the pandemic is over?

• Where are the opportunities for future reform and savings?

The budget provided for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS)

• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget for the work expected of the COPFS?

• What is the expected impact of the budget of the COPFS from the recent cases of malicious prosecution?

Prisons, prison reform and secure care

• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget for the work expected of the Scottish Prison Service?

• Whether enough money has been allocated for the future modernisation of the prison estate beyond the work currently underway at HMP Glasgow and HMP Cornton Vale?

• Whether the current funding model for secure care in Scotland needs reformed?

Police and fire and rescue

• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget for Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service?

• In particular, is there enough budget to modernise the services, their buildings, vehicles and equipment etc?

The support for victims of crime

• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget to enable organisations to support victims of crime?

Legal aid

• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget to enable people to access justice through the support provided by legal aid in criminal cases?

• Whether further budget and reforms are necessary to tackle the problem of accessing legal aid in remote and rural areas of Scotland?

• Whether the Scottish Government is providing enough budget to attract people to work for organisations providing services funded by legal aid (e.g. defence solicitors)?

The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government

• What money will be required to finance the different criminal justice policies set out in the new Programme for Government and whether any new and extra finance has been allocated for the various initiatives?

UK Government introduces new system for international travel

Scotland follows suit – but with changes

  • new clearer travel system: red list and rest of world
  • simpler, cheaper rules for fully vaccinated travellers coming from non-red list countries – fully vaccinated passengers will be able to replace day 2 PCR tests with cheaper lateral flow tests – from the end of October – and no longer need to take pre-departure tests (PDTs)
  • 8 destinations removed from red list including Turkey and Pakistan
  • government recognises full vaccinations from a further 17 countries and territories including Japan and Singapore

The Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has announced a simplified system for international travel in light of the success of the UK’s domestic vaccine rollout, providing greater stability for industry and passengers.

The current traffic light system will be replaced by a single red list of countries and territories which will continue to be crucial in order to protect public health, and simplified travel measures for arrivals from the rest of the world from Monday 4 October at 4am.

Testing requirements will also be reduced for eligible fully vaccinated travellers, who will no longer need to take a PDT when travelling to England from Monday 4 October 4am.

From the end of October, eligible fully vaccinated passengers and those with an approved vaccine from a select group of non-red countries will be able to replace their day 2 test with a cheaper lateral flow test, reducing the cost of tests on arrival into England. The government wants to introduce this by the end of October, aiming to have it in place for when people return from half-term breaks.

Anyone testing positive will need to isolate and take a confirmatory PCR test, at no additional cost to the traveller, which would be genomically sequenced to help identify new variants.

Testing for unvaccinated passengers from non-red countries will include pre-departure tests, day 2 and day 8 PCR tests. Test to release remains an option to reduce self-isolation period.

From 4 October, England will welcome fully vaccinated travellers from a host of new countries – who will be treated like returning fully vaccinated UK travellers – including 17 countries and territories such as Japan and Singapore, following the success of an existing pilot with the US and Europe.

Grant Shapps Transport Secretary said: “Today’s changes mean a simpler, more straightforward system. One with less testing and lower costs, allowing more people to travel, see loved ones or conduct business around the world while providing a boost for the travel industry.

“Public health has always been at the heart of our international travel policy and with more than 8 in 10 adults vaccinated in the UK, we are now able to introduce a proportionate updated structure that reflects the new landscape.”

Part of the third Global Travel Taskforce checkpoint review, today’s update reiterates the government’s focus on protecting its borders from the most dangerous variants and ensures continuity for industry and passengers the remainder of the year. We will look to set out a further review for the UK’s international travel policy early in the new year to provide further certainty for the spring and summer 2022 seasons.

Conducting the final regular traffic light review before the switch to the new two-tiered system, several additional countries and territories will move off the red list – Turkey, Pakistan, the Maldives, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Oman, Bangladesh and Kenya. Changes will come into effect at 4am Wednesday 22 September.

Passengers who aren’t recognised as being fully vaccinated with authorised vaccines and certificates under England’s international travel rules, will still have to take a pre-departure test, a day 2 and day 8 PCR test and self-isolate for 10 days upon their return from a non-red list country under the new two-tiered travel programme. 

Test to Release will remain an option for unvaccinated passengers who wish to shorten their isolation period.

Sajid Javid, Health and Social Care Secretary, said: Today we have simplified the travel rules to make them easier to understand and follow, opening up tourism and reducing the costs to go abroad.

“As global vaccination efforts continue to accelerate and more people gain protection from this dreadful disease, it is right that our rules and regulations keep pace.”

From late October, we will also be making changes to allow passengers who change flights or international trains during their journey to follow the measures associated to their country of departure, rather than any countries they have transited through as part of their journey.

All passengers will still need to fill in a passenger locator form ahead of travel.

Passengers should continue to check GOV.UK travel guidance including FCDO travel advice before, during and after travel to keep up to date in entry requirements and ensure compliance with the latest COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 regulations for the country being visited.

These new arrangements apply to England only. The UK Government decision to implement proposals to remove the requirement for a pre-departure test in England and to use lateral flow tests on day two have not been adopted at this stage in Scotland due to significant concerns at the impact on public health.

The testing of international travellers, both before and after travel, is an important part of Scotland’s border health surveillance to minimise the risk of importing variants of concern.

The Scottish Government aims to maintain a four nations approach to international travel restrictions, but will need to carefully consider the risks associated with aligning with the UK Government. 

Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said the simplification of the system recognises the success of global vaccination programmes.

He said: “This is a major step but one with sensible safeguards built in recognising the success of the Scottish Government’s vaccination programme.

“The expansion of the eligible vaccinated traveller policy combined with the changes to the traffic light system will provide a welcome boost to Scotland’s tourism industry.

“However, we have concerns that the UK Government’s proposals to remove the requirement for a pre-departure test for some travellers will weaken our ability to protect the public health of Scotland’s communities. While we want to maintain a four nations approach to these matters, we need to consider urgently their implications.”

People are now able to use private sector tests where they are now required when returning to Scotland. The step allows people to choose from a list of approved providers which can be found on the gov.uk website.

Countries removed from the red list from 4 am on 22 September are:

  • Bangladesh
  • Egypt
  • Kenya
  • Maldives
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Sri Lanka
  • Turkey

Countries added to the eligible vaccinated traveller policy from 4 October are:

  • Canada
  • Australia
  • Israel
  • New Zealand
  • Singapore
  • Antigua & Barbuda
  • Barbados
  • Brunei
  • Taiwan
  • Dominica
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Qatar
  • Kuwait
  • Malaysia
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Bahrain

Following a review, the existing travel regulations have been consolidated, with minor amendments, into a single instrument. The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel and Operator Liability) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 come into force on Monday 20 September, replacing the existing regulations. Policy and requirements on travellers remain the same through this change.

International travel guide: 

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-quarantine/