January 2022 – Page 7 – The NEN

City council to progress introduction of LEZ this week

The next stage in the plan to introduce a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Edinburgh is expected to be approved by committee this week.

A finalised scheme was brought to October’s Transport and Environment Committee, when it was agreed that further analysis would be carried out on the LEZ’s role in reducing greenhouse gases, in particular carbon emissions, before final approval.

On Thursday (27 January) committee members will consider a report outlining analysis by SEPA via the National Modelling Framework. This notes that, while the LEZ will take significant steps towards tackling poor air quality caused by harmful NO2 and PM emissions, there are limits to how much the fossil-fuelled vehicles that are allowed within the zone will reduce carbon emissions.

Instead, the wider objectives of the LEZ scheme will help facilitate the Council’s actions toward achieving a net zero city. These include decarbonising transport and encouraging a shift away from private car use towards more sustainable choices of public transport or walking, wheeling and cycling.

It is recommended to proceed with the scheme with no changes to the boundary or grace period, meaning an LEZ would be introduced in the city centre this spring, with enforcement to begin in 2024.

A separate Air Quality Annual Progress report to committee shows a continued decline in air pollution across the city. As a result, one of Edinburgh’s five Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) declared for breaches of national NO2 objectives – Inverleith Row – is set to be revoked, after three consecutive years of compliance, which is a sign of progress.

There are, however, still areas of concern, especially the Central AQMA, though modelling predicts that actions such as introducing an LEZ will have a positive impact.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “The LEZ put forward for approval in October followed several years of planning, modelling and analysis, in line with national frameworks, as well as consideration of feedback received through a major public consultation.

“Additional work carried out since then to assess the scheme’s impact on carbon emissions, as well as the proposed boundaries and grace period, demonstrates that these proposals are appropriate for the city.

“The LEZ, alongside a range of ambitious projects to improve air quality, will encourage cleaner transport and support active travel, and is key to achieving cleaner air for everyone.”

Councillor Karen Doran, Transport and Environment Vice Convener, said: “It’s really encouraging to see a consistent fall in harmful air pollutants across the city, so much so that we’ll soon be able to revoke the Inverleith Row AQMA.

“Of course, there’s still work to be done and we’re confident that the LEZ, paired with companies committing to cleaner fleets, improved signalling and modal shift away from private car journeys, amongst other measures, will see the picture improve even further.”

Edinburgh’s city centre LEZ would apply to all motor vehicles, except motorcycles and mopeds, and with a two-year grace period.

An evidence-led approach was taken when developing the LEZ, adhering to the National Low Emission Framework and based on detailed traffic and air quality modelling and data. October’s proposals followed a major, 12-week consultation with the public.

The city centre boundary was selected based on various factors, including the expected limited impact of a larger zone and predictions that an alternative city centre zone would have longer lasting negative impacts on air quality at its boundary.

Once the LEZ is in place, vehicles must meet a minimum emissions standard to enter the zone freely, and those that don’t will be considered non-compliant and subject to penalties.

Penalty charges are set nationally at £60 for non-compliant vehicles (though halved if paid within 30 days), with the penalty rate roughly doubling for subsequent contraventions to a maximum level depending on the vehicle.

Read the full reports, Low Emission Zone – Carbon Impact and 2021 Air Quality Annual Progress Report, on the Council website.

Watch the discussions live via webcast from 10am on Thursday, 27 January.

You can also find out more about the LEZ on CEC’s dedicated web pages.

The Leith Collective tackles hidden poverty with ‘no questions asked’ coat exchange

Locals urged to donate as cost of living soars

It has been a relatively mild winter so far, but those familiar with Edinburgh weather know that could all change in a heartbeat. Sadly for many locals, a cold spell could prove to be their breaking point.

With fuel bills soaring and the cost of essentials massively increasing, many city residents are feeling the pressure of the rapidly rising cost of living. And so, The Leith Collective has introduced a ‘no questions asked’ coat exchange to give a helping hand to those who might need it.

Situated outside The Leith Collective shop at Ocean Terminal, rails of good quality coats are available for collection now – at no cost and with no questions asked.

And locals are being urged to donate. Coats of any size can be dropped off at The Leith Collective at Edinburgh’s Ocean Terminal where they will be quarantined for 72 hours, in-line with covid safety guidance. They will then be displayed outside the store for anyone to collect.

The idea behind the coat exchange is two-fold, as The Leith Collective founder, Sara Thomson explains: ‘The nation is currently facing a poverty crisis, with the cost of living rising faster than ever, and job insecurity resulting from the pandemic still affecting many.

“Edinburgh is not immune to this and we’re witnessing the damaging effects here in Leith and beyond. Coupled with the climate crisis, we felt we had to take action and try to help. And so the coat exchange was born. Not only is it a sustainable solution that keeps quality clothes out of landfill and in use, it also provides a valuable opportunity to kit out families in genuine need.”

The coat exchange is the latest in a series of initiatives launched by The Leith Collective to simultaneously support locals and promote a circular economy, following their hugely successful Christmas tree exchange in December 2021.

As a Community Interest Company, all profits from the shop go towards supporting the community and promoting sustainability through the arts.

The Leith Collective actively supports individuals with mental health or support needs to grow in confidence and gain experience in the workplace, and offers business mentorship to any members of the Collective.

It is hoped that by hosting the coat exchange in an accessible location such as Ocean Terminal, those currently experiencing difficulties will be able to receive a helping hand.

Donations to the coat exchange can be dropped off at The Leith Collective during opening hours, Monday – Saturday 11am – 6pm, and Sunday 11am – 5pm. Coats should be clean and in good condition.

Four million still to file ahead of Self Assessment deadline

Four million customers are yet to submit their completed Self Assessment tax return and pay any tax owed ahead of the deadline on 31 January, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned.

More than 12.2 million customers are expected to complete a tax return for the 2020/21 tax year.

HMRC is urging the millions of customers still to file their tax return, pay any outstanding liabilities or set up a payment plan, to do so ahead of the deadline as interest will be applied to all outstanding balances from 1 February.

However, earlier this month, HMRC announced they would waive penalties for one month for late filing of tax returns and late payments. The changes mean:

· anyone who cannot file their return by the 31 January deadline will not receive a late filing penalty if they file by 28 February

· anyone who cannot pay their tax liabilities by the 31 January deadline will not receive a late payment penalty if they pay their tax in full, or set up a time to pay arrangement, by 1 April

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “We know some customers may struggle to meet the Self Assessment deadline on 31 January which is why we have waived penalties for one month, giving them extra time to meet their obligations.

“And if anyone is worried about paying their tax bill, they can set up a monthly payment plan online – search ‘pay my Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK.”

HMRC is offering support to customers completing their tax return. Anyone who is yet to file their return can book a place to access live webinars, running throughout January on GOV.UK.

Alternatively, recordings are available on GOV.UK. In addition, HMRC has produced resources to help customers meet their obligations including YouTube videos and Self Assessment guidance on GOV.UK.

There are no changes to HMRC’s Self Assessment helpline opening times. The telephony service will not open on Saturday 29 or Sunday 30 January and will operate as normal until 6pm on Monday 31 January.

The existing Time to Pay service allows any individual or business who needs it the option to spread their tax payments over time. Self Assessment taxpayers with up to £30,000 of tax debt can do this online once they have filed their return.    

If customers owe more than £30,000, or need longer to pay, they should call the Self Assessment Payment Helpline on 0300 200 3822.

A full list of the payment methods taxpayers can use to pay their Self Assessment tax bill is available on GOV.UK.

The 2020/21 tax return covers earnings and payments during the pandemic. Taxpayers will need to declare if they received any grants or payments from the COVID-19 support schemes up to 5 April 2021 on their Self Assessment, as these are taxable, including:

Self-Employment Income Support Scheme
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
other COVID-19 grants and support payments such as self-isolation payments, local authority grants and those for the Eat Out to Help Out scheme

The £500 one-off payment for working households receiving tax credits should not be reported in Self Assessment.

It is important that customers check and make any changes to their tax return to make sure any SEISS or other COVID-19 support payments have been reported correctly in their Self Assessment.

HMRC urges everyone to be alert if they are contacted out of the blue by someone asking for money or personal information.

Taxpayers should always type in the full online address www.gov.uk/hmrc to get the correct link for filing their Self Assessment return online securely and free of charge.

HMRC sees high numbers of fraudsters emailing, calling or texting people claiming to be from the department.

If in doubt, HMRC advises not to reply directly to anything suspicious, but to contact them straight away and to search GOV.UK for ‘HMRC scams’.

Record number of students from deprived areas attend university

The number of Scots from the most deprived areas enrolling at Scottish universities is at a new record high.

Higher Education Student Statistics, published today, show a new overall record number of students enrolling in Scottish institutions – an increase of 8.6% compared to last year. This includes a new record high of Scottish domiciled students enrolling at university.

There has also been a large increase in the number of non-EU domiciled students – up 17% on last year.

Commenting on the figures, Higher and Further Education Minister Jamie Hepburn said: “Every young person should have an equal chance of success no matter their background or circumstance, so it is great to see the number and proportion of Scots from the most deprived areas at university hit a record high.

“By 2030, we want 20% of students entering higher education to come from Scotland’s most deprived backgrounds and the Commissioner for Fair Access has previously said that Scotland is ‘setting the pace’ in the UK in widening participation.

“Today’s data also shows the number of students enrolling at Scottish universities hit a new record high and we have seen a large increase in international students. This highlights the fact that Scotland, along with our world class higher education institutions, remains an attractive place to study and live for prospective students.

“However, we have seen a continued drop in EU students coming to study in Scotland following Brexit. EU students enrich our campus life and I hope we can still welcome many of them to our world-leading institutions.”

Higher Education Student Statistics UK 2020-21 show:

A record number of students enrolled at Scottish HEIs in 2020-21: an increase from last year of 8.6% (+22,385) to 282,875

Scottish domiciled 180,170 (+7.9%, +13,120 since 2019-20)

rUK domiciled 34,520 (+8.4%, +2,685 since 2019-20)

Non-EU domiciled 47,630 (+17.0%, +6,935 since 2019-20)

EU domiciled 20,550 (-1.7%, -345 since 2019-20)

16.7% of Scottish domiciled full time first degree entrants to Scottish HEIs are from the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland. This is an increase of 0.3 percentage points, or 545 entrants, from 16.4% in 2019-20.

Survey reveals Islamophobia is the posh person’s prejudice

A survey led by the University of Birmingham says people from middle and upper-class occupational groups are more likely to hold prejudiced views of Islam than people from working class occupational groups.

The survey, which was carried out in conjunction with YouGov, found that 23.2% of people who come from the social group ABC1 harbour prejudiced views about Islamic beliefs compared with only 18.4% of people questioned from the C2DE group.

However, when asked their views about Muslims, or most other ethnic or religious minority groups, older people, men, working class people and Conservative and Leave voters are consistently more likely to hold prejudiced views.

The survey, presented in a report titled ‘The Dinner Table Prejudice: Islamophobia in Contemporary Britain‘, interviewed a sample of 1667 people between 20th and 21st July 2021 which was weighted by age, gender, social grade, voting record, region and level of education to ensure representativeness.

Weighting was based on the census, Labour Force Survey, Office for National Statistics estimates, and other large-scale data sources.

Other key notable findings in the survey are:

Muslims are the UK’s second ‘least liked’ group, after Gypsy and Irish Travellers: 25.9% of the British public feel negative towards Muslims (with 9.9% feeling ‘very negative’). This compares with 8.5% for Jewish people, 6.4% for black people, and 8.4% for white people. Only Gypsy and Irish Travellers are viewed more negatively by the British public, with 44.6% of people viewing this group negatively.
More than one in four people, and nearly half of Conservative and Leave voters, hold conspiratorial views about Sharia ‘no-go areas’: 26.5% of the British public agree that ‘there are areas in Britain that operate under Sharia law where non-Muslims are not able to enter’. This increases to 43.4% among Conservative voters and Leave voters. In addition, 36.3% of British people, and a majority of Conservative voters (57.3%) and Leave voters (55.5%), also agree that ‘Islam threatens the British way of life’.
Support for prohibiting all Muslim migration to the UK is 4-6% higher for Muslims than it is for other ethnic and religious groups: 18.1% of people support banning all Muslim migration to the UK (9.5% ‘strongly support’). Overall support for prohibiting Christian Migration is 13.1%, Sikh migration is 11.8% and Jewish migration is 12%.
The British public is almost three times more likely to hold prejudiced views of Islam than they are of other religions: 21.1% of British people wrongly believe Islam teaches its followers that the Qur’an must be read ‘totally literally’. The figure for Islam compares with 7.5% for Judaism and the Hebrew Bible, 3.9% for Sikhism and the Guru Granth Sahib, and 4.8% for Christianity and the Bible
British people are more confident in making judgements about Islam than other non-Christian religions but are much more likely to make incorrect assumptions about it: British people acknowledge their ignorance of most non-Christian religions, with a majority stating they are ‘not sure’ how Jewish (50.8%) and Sikh (62.7%) scriptures are taught. In the case of Islam, however, people feel more confident making a judgement, with only 40.7% being unsure. This is despite the fact that people are much more likely to make the incorrect assumption that Islam is ‘totally’ literalistic.

Dr Stephen H. Jones from the University of Birmingham and lead author of the survey says: “Prejudice towards Islam and Muslims stands out in the UK, not only because it is much more widespread than most forms of racism, but also because prejudice toward Islam is more common among those who are wealthier and well-educated.”

The survey also has made specific recommendations to scale back the rise of Islamophobia:

Government and other public figures should publicly acknowledge and address the lack of public criticism that Islamophobic discourses and practices trigger, and how Islamophobia stands out compared with other forms of racism and prejudice.
Civil society organisations and equality bodies concerned with prejudice and discrimination should acknowledge that systemic miseducation about Islam is common in British society and forms an important element of Islamophobia.
Educators should provide clear guidance clarifying when tropes about the Islamic tradition move from acceptable criticism to become harmful.
Civil society organisations should introduce religious literacy as a component part of any large-scale equality and diversity campaign or policy initiative.
The BBC and other broadcasters should maintain their commitments to religion programming, but with renewed emphasis on combatting intolerance.

Commenting on the recommendations Dr Stephen H. Jones says: “No-one is calling for laws regulating criticism of religion, but we have to recognise that the British public has been systematically miseducated about Islamic tradition and take steps to remedy this.”

New report highlights poverty target challenges

The Fraser of Allander Institute has tday published a new report, jointly authored with @MMUPolicyEval & @PovertyAlliance, that explores some of the challenges and opportunities that the Scottish Government faces in meeting its Child Poverty Targets:

Around 1 in 4 children in Scotland live in relative poverty. This means they live in a
household with an income 60% below the UK median income after housing costs
have been deducted.

Child poverty can have serious and lifelong impacts across a range of outcomes,
and the Scottish Government have stated their aim to reduce significantly the
incidence of child poverty. The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 20172 includes a target
to reduce relative child poverty to 10% by 2030/31.

Meeting this target would represent an unprecedented reduction in child poverty to levels not seen in Scotland certainly since the early 1990s when the current statistical series began.

The purpose of the analysis in this report is to look at some of the large, national level, devolved policy levers that the Scottish Government could use to meet the
targets. We have focussed on childcare, employability programmes and social
security.

By analysing variations of these types of policies, and different combinations, this
analysis illustrates the scale of the impact on poverty and the associated costs and
benefits of different options.

We envisage that this will be helpful for policymakers and stakeholders who will be focused on developing actions for the next Tackling Child Poverty Delivery plan, due to be published by the Scottish Government by the end of March 2022.

Download a summary here.

International travel restrictions eased as Scotland follows suit

Following agreement at a cross-UK meeting yesterday, testing requirements for fully vaccinated people arriving in Scotland are to be dropped and further work will be done on a new surveillance system to monitor the border.

Testing will no longer be a requirement for all adults who have completed a full course of an approved vaccine, usually at least two doses. Children under the age of 18 continue to be treated as fully vaccinated.

Travellers will still need to fill in passenger locator forms and face coverings will still be required at Scottish airports in line with wider health advice.

Non vaccinated travellers will still be required to take pre-departure tests and a PCR test on or before day two – but the requirement for isolation will end – and they will no longer have to take a day eight test.

The measures were agreed by the Scottish Government following engagement with all four nations and will protect the travel and tourism sectors north of the border.

The UK Government announced their intention to ease restrictions for England at the weekend and the other UK nations have now stepped into line.

Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said: “These measures will significantly open up international travel and were agreed on a UK wide basis.

“The measures will be extremely welcome for the Scottish tourism and aviation sectors, encouraging travel from our airports.

“While this is a positive step which will be welcomed by many we believe further surveillance measures will be necessary across all nations – as intelligence will help in terms of variants of concern. It was agreed further work to take this forward will be carried out over the coming weeks.”

The new measures come into effect at 4am on 11 February.

Further information on other countries’ requirements is available in UK Government international travel guidance.

Roll out of digital devices for city pupils is underway

The roll out of personal digital devices for every school pupil from P6 to S6 in the Capital, part of the city council’s ‘ambitious and inclusive’ education strategy Edinburgh Learns for Life, is underway.

The programme, being carried out in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council’s strategic technology partner, CGI, will see 27,500 new iPads being issued to pupils/teachers, refreshed iPads for up to 12,000 pupils/teachers and expanding connectivity by providing additional wireless access points in schools.

As well as the personal distribution to pupils, additional iPads will be handed out to P1 to P5 year groups so they can be shared for learning. Staff in early years will be getting 250 new iPads and having 900 iPads migrated.

The roll out for the Empowered Learning programme, which has been funded thanks to a £17.6m investment from the Council’s budget, is due to be completed by the end of this year and also includes a comprehensive programme of professional learning for teachers.

Benefits of the project include: providing equal access to education, personalising learning, improving teacher feedback, preparing students for future working, collaborative on and off-line working and, critically, supporting efforts to raise attainment.

This week, from Monday 24 January, pupils at St Augustine’s RC and Gracemount High Schools will be receiving their devices.

Leith Academy is one of the schools where digital devices have already been distributed. Council leader Cllr Adam McVey and deputy Lord Provost Joan Griffiths visited the school last week.

Head teacher Mike Irving said: “The roll out of digital devices to all P6-S6 young people and staff across Edinburgh’s schools is a significant, positive and exciting development for learning.

“Young people will discover new and innovative ways to engage by using many of the features available through the applications and technology available at their fingertips.

“Digital devices are not there to replace teaching and learning, but to enhance it further so youngsters can engage in learning that is relevant, fun and most importantly impactful.

“Young people know when they are being invested in, and this step from the Council is a significant and sustained investment in the future learning, outcomes and achievements of Edinburgh’s children and young people.”

Shlok Godiyal, S3 pupil at Leith Academy, said: “I think having the iPad will give me greater flexibility in how and when I can work on tasks, topics and assignments. There will be times when I need to log onto Teams sessions or complete work at home, the iPad helps me with this ability to work anytime, anywhere.

“I also think the iPad will open opportunities in learning by using features such as video recording, use of 3D imaging and it will help me with my independent learning and study as I progress into S4, S5 and S6. As young people today we are used to technology in our lives, so this is a good addition to our learning.”

Councillor Ian Perry, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “It’s great to see the roll out getting underway as the Empowered Learning programme is about both investing in our children and young people and our teachers to maximise the exciting learning opportunities in Scotland’s Capital city.

“We’ve committed £17.5m from our budget so pupils from P6 to S6 can have their own devices and have equal access to learning. This programme opens up the opportunity for pupils to learn in new and exciting ways, brings with it a raft of wider benefits including extra support and professional development opportunities for teachers and is expanding wifi to provide fast and reliable internet access in every school.”

Councillor Alison Dickie, Education Vice Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The roll out meets a key element of our Council business plan which is increasing attainment for everyone and reducing the poverty-related attainment gap.

“Ensuring pupils have their own device means they have personal access to digital learning whether with their teacher in school or at home. “

We want every young person to achieve their fullest potential and the Empowered Learning programme is another tool in the educational toolbox to equip our pupils with the skills and knowledge to succeed in a future that is becoming increasingly digital.”

Tara McGeehan, President, CGI in the UK and Australia said: “CGI is delighted to be working in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council to deliver Empowered Learning to pupils and teachers in the capital.

“Empowered Learning provides a learning environment that’s engaging and inspirational. It directly tackles the attainment gap and recognises the key role of educators in delivering a digital classroom.

“Through Empowered Learning, educators can create and tailor lessons to personalise learning, and access new ways of bringing learning to life. Above all, Empowered Learning delivers learning that is rich and rewarding for both pupils and for their parents, as well as providing the highest level of security and safety standards.

“The roll out meets a key element of one of the 15 outcomes and actions from the Council’s three year business plan ‘Our Future Council, Our Future City’: ‘increasing attainment for all and reducing the poverty-related attainment gap’.”

The 1:1 programme reinforces our commitment to becoming one of the world’s ‘smartest cities’ – in 2020 Edinburgh approved a new digital strategy to push forward its ambitions for becoming a sustainable Smart City.

Public urged to sign-up to world-first COVID-19 antiviral study

The public are being urged to sign-up to a world-leading study for antivirals if they test positive for COVID-19

Recruitment drive backed by charities including Kidney Care UK, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Diabetes UK and the British Liver Trust as antivirals help protect most vulnerable from hospital
At least 6,000 more participants needed as soon as possible so the life-saving treatments can be rolled out more widely
People can sign up here: www.panoramictrial.org

Adults over the age of 50 or with an underlying health condition who test positive for COVID-19 are being urged to sign up for a world-first COVID-19 study which is providing life-saving antivirals to thousands of people.

The UK government and leading charities, including Kidney Care UK, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Diabetes UK and the British Liver Trust, are calling on at least 6,000 more participants to come forward for these cutting-edge treatments through the PANORAMIC study.

This is so that expert scientists can understand more about how to deploy these treatments in the NHS more widely later in the year – including who would benefit most from receiving antiviral treatments for COVID-19.

Antivirals are medicines which can be swallowed as a tablet to help treat people with COVID-19 infections to reduce the risk of hospitalisations and death. Molnupiravir, which is currently being deployed through the study, has shown to reduce this for at risk, non-hospitalised adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 by 30% – potentially saving thousands of lives once the drugs are available to the NHS.

Anyone over the age of 50 or between 18 to 49 with an underlying health condition can sign up to the study as soon as they receive a positive PCR or lateral flow test result. They need to be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms that began in the last five days to be eligible to enrol.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The vaccines are critical as a first line of defence, but antivirals form a vital part of our approach as we learn to live with COVID by preventing the most vulnerable from being hospitalised.

“If you’re eligible, please step forward for the PANORAMIC trial and play your part in a vital mission – helping us to learn more about medicines which could save thousands of lives.”

The UK-wide study, run by the University of Oxford and supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), launched at the start of December 2021 and currently has around 4,600 trial participants signed up, but needs thousands more to sign up as soon as possible to gather the data necessary.

This will ensure medical experts can learn more about the potential benefits these treatments bring to vaccinated patients, and will help the NHS to develop plans for rolling out the antivirals to further patients later this year.

It is open to anyone living in the UK who meets the following criteria:

Have received a positive PCR or lateral flow test for COVID-19 and feel unwell with symptoms of COVID-19 that started in the last five days; and
are aged 50 and over, or 18 to 49 years old with an underlying medical condition that can increase the risk of developing severe COVID-19.

While vaccines remain the most important first line of defence against the virus, antivirals are used after someone contracts the virus to slow it down, make symptoms less severe and complications less common.

The antiviral, molnupiravir, that is part of the PANORAMIC trial, was granted approval for use by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority (MHRA) in November 2021, and so far no unexpected safety findings have been reported in clinical trials.

The UK government, through the Antivirals Taskforce, has procured 4.98 million courses of antivirals – including 2.23 million courses of molnupiravir and 2.75 million courses of PF-07321332/ritonavir.

Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, said: “If you’re eligible for PANORAMIC please give some serious consideration to taking part.

“This will help us decide how to use COVID-19 antiviral drugs for many years to come.”

Eddie Gray, Chair of the Antivirals Taskforce, said: “Antivirals are a hugely important addition to our response to COVID-19 and we have secured access to two important products for NHS patients.

“Getting people enrolled onto this study is vital, not just in protecting the most vulnerable now, but in ensuring we can deploy these medicines more widely as soon as possible.”

Pippa Erskine, double lung transplant recipient who lives with Cystic Fibrosis, accessed antivirals after testing positive for COVID-19 at the start of January. Pippa said: “Even after three vaccines, testing positive for COVID-19 after avoiding the virus for more than 18 months was worrying.

“Knowing antivirals would help ease my symptoms and help prevent potential complications was a huge relief.

“With restrictions easing, it’s so important that those vulnerable to COVID-19 have the best possible chance of staying protected against the virus and, most importantly, staying out of hospital. Antivirals are essential to this.

“I’d urge anyone eligible for the trial to put themselves forward to help make antivirals more widely available, and to protect themselves and others.”

Mr Harkishan Mistry, age 58, is General Secretary of Bradford Hindu Council said: “After testing positive for COVID-19 last Monday on a lateral flow, a friend recommended I look into the antivirals trial.

“As I’m over 50 and was experiencing symptoms such as sore throat, headache, and achiness, I was eligible and was selected to receive the antiviral treatment by Monday afternoon.

“The whole process was so simple – a courier delivered the capsules the next morning and I began taking the course straight away. While I’m still testing positive and remain in isolation, my symptoms eased daily and I feel much better.

“I’d really recommend anyone who’s eligible for the trial to sign up – why would you not if we can help others and ease pressure on the NHS.”

Hazel, a pharmacist from Whitley Bay, got COVID-19 early in January and so signed up to the trial immediately to help find antiviral medicines to treat the virus.

Hazel said: “I enrolled online when I got COVID-19 and the process was really simple. I got a call from a nurse right away who took me through everything and since then I’ve just had to keep a short online daily diary which takes less than a minute to do.

“The process really couldn’t be simpler, and it’s so exciting to be part of this world leading effort to find a treatment for COVID-19.

“Both as someone who got COVID-19 and as a pharmacist, I know the damage this virus can do and would urge anyone eligible to visit the website and really consider getting involved as it could save lives.”

Fiona Loud, Policy Director at Kidney Care UK, said: “We welcome the development and provision of antiviral treatments for people who are vulnerable to COVID-19.

“This trial is one of the ways to make them more widely available so we would like to encourage everyone who is eligible, including those with kidney disease, to take part in this study.

“While we continue to encourage people to take up the offer of vaccinations, antiviral treatments are going to be a vital tool to give more protection to people who are most at risk from COVID-19, including those with kidney disease.”

Vanessa Hebditch, Director of Policy at the British Liver Trust, said: “The introduction of new treatments for COVID-19 for the most vulnerable is an important and welcome development in the tackling of the pandemic.

“People with liver disease and liver transplant recipients are among the highest risk from COVID-19 and have less immunity from vaccines so treatments are vital to reduce their risk of hospitalisation should they catch the virus.

“We urge people living with a liver condition to consider signing up for trial to protect themselves and ensure that more people can access these treatments.”

David Ramsden, chief executive of Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said: “It is vital for that we continue to focus on the development and evaluation of new treatments for COVID-19.

“This is a really important study and we would encourage all eligible people with cystic fibrosis to get involved.”

Eye examinations to remain free in Scotland

The fees paid by the Scottish Government to optometrists for carrying out NHS-funded eye examinations will increase by 3% – helping to ensure everyone can continue to access high quality eye care.

Scotland became the only UK nation to introduce free universal NHS-funded eye examinations in 2006 and, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic, 2018-19, a record 2.3 million people had their eyes examined by an optometrist under this service.

This increase will be backdated to include all General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) eye examinations, which provide both a sight test and an eye health check, undertaken from 1 April 2021.

Public Health Minister Maree Todd said: “General Ophthalmic Services is one of the many NHS success stories in Scotland. The introduction in 2006 of free universal NHS-funded eye examinations set Scotland apart from the rest of the UK, and this Government is committed to maintaining this policy.

“Increasing the fees paid to optometrists for providing this vital service ensures everyone in across the country can continue to access high quality eye care services.

“Even if you’re happy with your vision, it’s really important to have your eyes examined regularly by an optometrist. An eye examination helps detect eye problems and signs of other significant health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease before they become more serious.

“Many community optometrists can manage the treatment of certain eye conditions and are able to prescribe treatments to patients instead of having to make a GP or hospital referral.

“I would also like to thank everyone in the community optometry sector for their invaluable work and dedication in response to the pandemic – staffing Emergency Eyecare Treatment Centres during the initial phase of the pandemic, supporting the vaccine programme and the outstanding efforts made in returning to delivering pre-pandemic levels of care.”

David Quigley, Chair, Optometry Scotland said: “We welcome the announcement of a 3% increase to GOS fees. These are significant developments which acknowledge the excellent service provided by community eyecare colleagues across Scotland.

“We have campaigned for an increase and implementation of a sustainable funding model to safeguard and enhance the future of community optometry, and thanks to a strong working relationship and ongoing constructive dialogue with the Scottish Government we are pleased to see this come to fruition.”