Scotland takes steps to mitigate UK funding policy
A further £278,784 is being made available to six organisations supporting people subject to No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF).
The grants will support projects in Edinburgh and Glasgow which are helping people subject to the UK Government policy which imposes conditions on someone due to their immigration status and restricts access to welfare, housing, and financial support.
The projects receiving support focus on access to essentials, including food, clothing, essential travel and digital access. Outreach and advocacy support will also be delivered to help people understand and access essential services and maintain support networks.
The Scottish Government has repeatedly urged the UK Government to suspend its policy to enable people to access public services and health advice during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This is a second round of funding and brings the total grants awarded through the Immediate Priorities Fund specifically for NRPF support during COVID-19 to £553,174.
Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “These projects are part of the Scottish Government’s efforts to provide support for everyone living in our communities during COVID-19 and contribute to our overall response to the pandemic.
“The Scottish Government as well as many stakeholders have urged the UK Government to lift No Recourse to Public Funds restrictions during the pandemic, so far without success.
“Given the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, it is crucial that people can access public services and also health guidance, the majority of which is provided online, keep in touch with friends, family and networks and access the accommodation and support they need to be safe.”
The six organisations receiving funding are:
Community InfoSource
Govan Community Project
Refugee Survival Trust
Refuweegee
Positive Action in Housing
The Welcoming
All are based in Glasgow, except for The Welcoming, which is in Edinburgh.
The funding support is for a 12 week project proposed by the grant recipient in response to the immediate needs of people who have limited support options due to NRPF restrictions.
Under the first round of grants, £274,390 was distributed between the six organisations to support 12 week projects which ran between April and July.
Further support is available to people subject to NRPF through wider COVID-19 response, including:
the £350 million Communities Funding Package announced in March (which the Immediate Priorities Fund is part of) provided funding to local authorities and third sector organisations to support people across communities. This new funding is not restricted by NRPF.ince 23 March, the Scottish Government has provided more than £1.5 million to third sector organisations to enable them to provide emergency hotel accommodation and support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This includes people who are rough sleeping or have NRPF.
£20 million has been made available to local authorities as a flexible fund to tackle financial insecurity. This is not restricted under NRPF and Local Authorities can use this funding to support people unable to afford essentials like food or fuel; they can also top-up Scottish Welfare Fund and Discretionary Housing Payment allocations.
a discretionary payment, equivalent to the Self Isolation Support Grant, can be provided to people with NRPF who are working on low incomes and would lose earnings where they need to self-isolate.
Aberlour report reveals a level of poverty that is ‘fundamental and absolute’ with majority of families requesting emergency cash to buy food, utilities and clothing
6 in 10 families who applied to the fund could not afford to feed their children
1 in 2 families could not afford to heat their homes
Scottish children’s charity, Aberlour has published a new report which warns thousands more families are at risk of falling into poverty due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aberlour issued the warning after the true extent of increased demand on its Urgent Assistance Fund was revealed in the new report, which was prepared by Professor Morag Treanor from the Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) at Heriot-Watt University.
Between March and August this year the charity gave out over £370,000 in emergency cash grants, with demand for the fund increasing by over 1,000% based on the same time period last year, while the value of grants given out increased by 52%. In total 3,264 children were supported by the fund.
Analysis of the cash donations has revealed that applications for funding came from 31 of the 32 Local Authorities across Scotland[1] from families that were desperate for help, with the majority of applications coming from the Glasgow area. Almost all of the applications received were for basic essentials from families who were unable to afford to feed their children (60%), unable to afford to keep their homes warm (50%), and who couldn’t afford to clothe their children adequately (29%).
The report also found that 71 per cent of the applications were made by single parents, despite single parent families only making up 25 per cent of the population in Scotland[2]. Meanwhile, Aberlour found the number one reason for families requiring emergency cash was because of parental mental health issues (17% of families), which shows the hugely negative impact the pandemic is having on people’s mental health.
Other applications were for bedding, baby supplies or to replace essential white goods in the home including fridges, washing machines and cookers.
The recent labour report release by the Office of National Statistics (on 10 November) has found that the UK’s unemployment rate rose to 4.8% in the three months to September, up from 4.5%, and redundancies rose to a record high of 314,000 during the same period pushing more families towards the edge of poverty.
This November Aberlour has launched its urgent ‘Surviving Winter Appeal’ to raise funds that will go towards tackling poverty and inequality across Scotland.
SallyAnn Kelly, Chief Executive of Aberlour Children’s Charity warned:“When the lockdown started, we feared that it would have a devastating impact on families living in or on the edge of poverty. This has sadly proved to be the case.
“While our services have continued to support children and families throughout Scotland, and our supporters have donated magnificent sums to our Urgent Assistance Fund, we need to continue to raise more money to sustain our vital work and reach more families at risk of falling through the cracks.”
Professor Morag Treanor from the Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) at Heriot-Watt University who wrote the report, said:“What is striking here is that all of the applications made to the Urgent Assistance Fund were for basic essentials that are needed to survive.
“This demonstrates that there is a level of need across families in Scotland that is really quite fundamental and absolute, and on a higher scale than we have seen for some time.”
A family support worker, who referred many families to Aberlour, said:“It was particularly tough for the families referred to Aberlour who had been doing quite well and managing fine financially, and never had to worry about the benefit system.
“All of a sudden, they or their partner lost their job, and they couldn’t afford to pay the bills or put food on the table. That for them was a huge shock; when you have gone from managing, feeling really quite confident about your monthly budget, and then that just falls down overnight.
“It wasn’t just the financial impact, but the emotional impact too. One parent came to us and asked, how do I feed my children?! I have no money left. That was the biggest change from COVID, families who have never struggled before, their worlds were suddenly torn apart.”
Case study – Sue’s story
Sue lives in Falkirk with her husband and six children. Sue first found out about Aberlour three years ago. Her son Luke, who was only 11 at the time, was having problems at school.
He has ADHD and autism, and it was clear to her that he wasn’t getting the support he needed with his education. No one was listening to her, until Angela, a Support Family Worker from Aberlour stepped in. Angela’s job is to help children like Luke and their families with whatever issues they may be facing, before they get out of control.
Together, Angela and Sue worked with the school so Luke could have the same opportunity to thrive as every other child. As Aberlour says, “A bad start shouldn’t mean a bad end”. Luke’s situation began to improve, and he started to do much better.
Then COVID hit.
Now Sue didn’t just have to deal with Luke’s issues – she also had to worry about where the next meal was coming from. Her husband was furloughed, so their income took a heavy hit.
Bills and debts began to mount up, and feeding the children became a big challenge. Her family tried to help with the grocery shops whenever they could, but they were forced to start using a foodbank. The family also started to struggle to find enough money to keep the electricity meter topped up, and the warning beep was a constant reminder that money was about to run out.
It was then Sue decided to get back in touch with Angela. She helped Sue access an emergency cash grant from Aberlour’s Urgent Assistance Fund, which meant she was able to buy food to feed the children and top up the electricity meter to keep them warm. They are also working together on a longer-term plan to get on top of the family’s finances.
Sue said: “Before lockdown things were starting to get back on track for us. Don’t get me wrong, we still had our ups and downs but we were coping and Luke was doing much better.
Then, when COVID hit, things quickly started to get worse. I was embarrassed about what people would think when I started using the food bank, and on top of that with the whole family at home and a new baby to keep warm our utility bills were much bigger than before. I just felt hopeless.
The help we got was absolutely fantastic. I can’t think how I would have done it without Aberlour. It’s more than just help for the children, it’s emotional help for us as well. I know that Angela will always be there at the end of the phone. She was there for us before the pandemic, during lockdown, and I know she will still be there whenever I need her help in the future.”
UK Government concludes negotiations with Moderna to secure access to 5 million doses of its promising coronavirus vaccine
vaccine could be delivered to the UK from Spring 2021, if approved by the medicines regulator
deal increases total number of doses secured by the UK to 355 million, as part of the government’s strategy to build a diverse portfolio of promising vaccines
The UK government has completed negotiations with biotech company Moderna to secure access to 5 million doses of its promising vaccine, enough for around 2.5 million people, the Business Secretary announced last night.
If it meets robust standards of safety and effectiveness and approved by the medicines regulator, the vaccine could be delivered to the UK and Europe as early as Spring 2021 with the potential for the government to procure more doses next year.
This would follow the first deliveries of the Pfizer/BioNTech and the Oxford University/AstraZenece vaccines which, once final data from their phase 3 clinical trials has been published and if they receive regulatory approval, could be available before the end of the year.
The agreement is part of the government’s strategy to develop a diverse portfolio of vaccines, increasing the UK’s chances of securing access to a promising vaccine. Today’s deal means the government has put in place agreements with 7 different developers and has secured 355 million vaccine doses, giving the UK the best possible chance of protecting the public from coronavirus as soon as possible.
The news comes as Moderna today publishes initial data showing that its candidate is nearly 95% effective in protecting against COVID-19, with no safety issues identified to date. The safety data is still to be released by Moderna to show whether the vaccine is both safe and effective.
Until a vaccine is found to meet robust standards of safety and effectiveness, the public must continue to take necessary actions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, including following the Hands, Face, Space guidance and other public health advice.
Business Secretary Alok Sharma (top) said: “Today’s announcement is on top of the 350 million doses the UK has already secured from a range of other vaccine developers, putting us towards the front of the international pack on a per capita basis.
“The speed at which scientists around the world have worked on a vaccine has been incredible, and it is thanks to their ingenuity that we are on the cusp of one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs in recent years.
“While this is exciting news, I urge the public to not be complacent – we are at a critical point in the pandemic and in order to save lives we must continue to follow guidance by maintaining social distancing, wearing face masks and washing our hands regularly.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Today’s announcement is excellent news and an encouraging step forward in our fight against COVID-19.
“We have moved swiftly to secure 5 million doses of this hugely promising vaccine meaning we are even better placed to vaccinate everyone who will benefit should the rigorous safety standards be met.
“But we are not there yet. Until science can make us safe, we must remain vigilant and keep following the rules that we know can keep this virus under control.”
Moderna is currently conducting phase 3 clinical trials of its vaccine and is using mRNA vaccine technology.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has started a rolling review of Moderna’s vaccine. MHRA will carefully and scientifically review the safety, quality and effectiveness data once it has all been submitted to determine how it protects people from COVID-19 and the level of protection it provides.
The data must include results from the lab and clinical trials; manufacturing and quality controls, product sampling, and testing of the final product.
Once they have thoroughly reviewed the data, the MHRA will seek advice from the government’s independent advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines. They will critically assess the data too before advising the government on the safety, quality and effectiveness of any potential vaccine.
The MHRA is globally recognised for requiring the highest standards of safety, quality and effectiveness for any vaccine.
Chair of the government’s Vaccine Taskforce Kate Bingham said: “Today’s news from Moderna is very encouraging. The Moderna mRNA vaccine has posted excellent efficacy data to date from its initial phase 3 readout. The vaccine uses mRNA technology demonstrating that these novel vaccines are showing early promise in being effective against COVID-19.
“The government has now signed agreements with seven vaccine developers to secure the most promising vaccines for the UK. The government’s Vaccine Taskforce are pursuing a portfolio approach to obtaining vaccines for the UK across different vaccine formats, to maximise the chances of finding safe and effective vaccines.
“We will continue to monitor the field of promising vaccines, and are very encouraged by the effectiveness shown by these early frontrunners, but we must remain vigilant to the fact that no vaccine is yet approved for use by regulators.”
Lawyer, author and property investment expert Julie Condliffe is reaching out to landlords, letting agents and property investors with a free legal consultation helpline to support them with expert legal advice amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
With provisions made by the UK government only assisting tenants in rented accommodation, many landlords have been left significantly out of pocket by unpaid rents and are unsure of what legal steps they are able to pursue in order to regain control of their property portfolios.
Due to her extensive legal expertise and personal experiences, Ms Condliffe recognises that it is not only tenants who are finding it difficult to get by, and hopes to change the conversation around property development by assisting landlords who need help.
Although the Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly been tough for tenants across the UK, many landlords have voiced concerns that public sympathies and government support has been unfairly weighted towards those living in rented accommodation with little support provided to landlords that often rely on rents as a main source of income.
Not only does Ms Condliffe seek to challenge the notion that landlords are able to weather the Covid-19 without the payment of rents, she has also taken practical steps to help offer timely, relevant and professional legal advice to any UK landlord with a free telephone consultation.
Backed by a team of specialist solicitors at Creative Legals, Julie wants to level the playing field by using her standing within the legal community to champion the creation of a new specialist landlord support system.
The Julie Condliffe free legal consultation helpline is available during the lockdown period from 2 November to 2 December 202 and is designed specifically for landlords, letting agents and property investors to meet the gap in the existing market for targeted legal advice catering to landlords.
Julie Condliffe said: “Although I have experienced homelessness myself in the past, it is apparent that the plight of the average UK landlord is vastly under-represented and many landlords have been left in severe financial distress.
“Government assistance mainly focuses on tenants as the vulnerable party in any dispute and have therefore been provided with some assistance to help them through the pandemic. Yet landlords are in a far less favourable position with minimal assistance offered. I want to encourage landlords who are finding themselves in difficulty to use my free legal consultation helpline that they can engage with the expert team at Creative Legals and discuss their own unique circumstances.
“Every case is different, yet there are always ways through even the darkest and most difficult of problems in the property investment sphere.”
To find out more about the Creative Legals team or to book a free, legal consultation visit https://creativelegals.co.uk/
Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids Mission Christmas appeal has formally launched, despite the ongoing challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A team of charity workers and volunteers are working behind the scenes to ensure no child in Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and Falkirk, go without a present this Christmas.
Last year, through a combination of gift drop-offs and cash donations, more than £1.1 million worth of toys were handed out, helping 25,386 children in the region.
This year, a reduced number of donation points are available at leading retailers throughout the east of Scotland. Anyone who wants to help, but is unable to visit a physical drop-off point can donate via the Radio Forth Cash for Kids website.
At the Cash for Kids Mission Christmas HQ in Edinburgh’s Gyle Shopping Centre, a raft of new measures have been adopted, including innovative fogging machines and a larger site, aimed at creating Covid-secure conditions and helping as many young people as possible.
Emma Kemp, Regional Charity Manager at Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids, said:“This year has been overwhelmingly challenging for Cash for Kids as we try to continue helping families throughout the region, while ensuring that our team members and volunteers remain safe.
“But, despite the obstacles, we’ve been absolutely determined to continue with Mission Christmas. The impact Coronavirus has had on vulnerable families has been profound, so our 2020 appeal is arguably more important than ever before.
“It’s been amazing seeing everyone pull together and come up with innovative solutions to ensure that – once again – every child in Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and Falkirk wakes up to a present on Christmas Day.
“We’d urge everyone to do their bit, either through gift drop-offs or cash donations, and let’s end 2020 on a positive note.”
The campaign may have only just launched, but business leaders have already stepped forward to offer their assistance. One of the first is Edinburgh-based Saltire Roofing & Building, who have donated £500 to the campaign.
Saltire Roofing Managing Director, Steven McIntosh, said:“Saltire Roofing & Building proudly supports Cash for Kids Mission Christmas every year, and we’re first to donate to the appeal this year because we know how much it matters. COVID-19 has impacted on all our lives and delivering this year’s Mission Christmas will prove a significant challenge.
“Thousands of local children will still be wishing to wake up to a present from Santa, and we cannot let them down. If you can donate, please do so now, and together we can bring some happiness to the children who need it most this Christmas.”
UPDATE: Police are pleased to report that 35 year old Lauren Weeks, who was reported missing from Edinburgh has been FOUND. Thanks to everyone who shared the appeal.
Police are re-appealing for the public’s help as part of their efforts to trace Lauren Weeks (35) who has been reported missing in Edinburgh.
Enquires have now revealed that Lauren was in the York Place vicinity on Thursday (12 November).
New images are being released as Lauren’s hair may now appear to be darker than originally posted.
She is described as a white female, 5’7” tall, slim build, long blonde/brown hair. She is believed to be dressed all in black wearing a high quality windproof jacket, skirt and ankle boots. She is believed to be carrying a large grey mountaineering style backpack, a dark green duffle bag and a dark green sleeping bag.
Anyone who may have seen Lauren, or who has any information on her whereabouts, is urged to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 1155 of 12/11/2020
· ‘The Chips Are Down: Save Our Casinos, Save Our Jobs’ campaign is urging First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon to lift restrictions and allow casino venues to reopen in Level 2
· More than 700 people employed by the casino industry face job uncertainty whilst venues stay closed
After weeks of closure and with hundreds of jobs at risk, the casino industry in Scotland has joined forces to urge the Scottish Government to change its current tiering restrictions which are forcing venues to remain closed.
11 casino venues in Scotland which support more than 700 jobs in Aberdeen, Dundee Edinburgh and Glasgow, have launched a petition encouraging its customers to write to the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, to enable the recovery of the sector by allowing casinos to open in Level 2.
Led by Scotland’s largest casino operator, Grosvenor Casinos and with the support of Genting Casinos, Caesars Entertainment and trade association Betting and Gaming Council, ‘The Chips Are Down: Save Our Casinos, Save Our Jobs’ campaign points to the belief that the casino industry is being unfairly singled out.
Whilst pubs, bars, restaurants and cinemas are able to continue to trade in Level 2 or below, the shutters came down on casino venues when the Scotland Strategic Framework was announced, putting jobs and livelihoods at risk.
Casinos are stressing the urgent need for the Scottish Government to lift the current restrictions imposed and allow venues to open in Level 2, and are asking the government to better understand the evidence which clearly points to casinos as ultra-safe venues.
Jonathon Swaine, Managing Director of Grosvenor Casinos, said: “We cannot stress enough how damaging it is that casinos across Scotland are being imposed with these arbitrary restrictions.
“As an industry we provide ultra-safe venues for colleagues and customers to visit. There is not a shred of scientific evidence which supports the decision to keep casinos closed in Level 2 while other hospitality venues are able to stay open.
“If Scottish casinos are forced to remain closed it will have a devastating impact on those customers who enjoy their local venues as a community hub, on team members who will lose their jobs, on the local suppliers it serves, on the charities that they are proud to support, as well as on the wider economy which will lose millions of pounds in tax receipts.”
Out of 30,000 unique admissions through the doors since reopening in August, there has been just one recorded case of coronavirus transmission within any casino in Scotland, with 87% of casino customers saying that they feel safe in a casino compared to other entertainment and hospitality venues.*
Casino businesses have invested millions of pounds to ensure venues are safe for its colleagues and customers to play, installing PPE such as plexiglass screens between gaming tables, ID scanning technology upon entry, hand sanitiser stations and social distancing signage throughout venues.
The casino industry in Scotland contributed £30m in tax a year to the UK economy, but the continued and unjustified closure of casinos in Scotland is threatening to shut their doors for good.
Michael Dugher, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “Casinos in Scotland safely re-opened in August, with excellent anti-Covid measures in place, and there is absolutely no evidence that they contribute to the spread of virus.
“Closing them makes no sense, especially when other parts of the hospitality sector are being allowed to stay open. That’s why the industry is rallying together to urge the Scottish Government to think again, remove casinos from Level 2 and let them get back to business.”
To add your support to ‘The Chips Are Down: Save Our Casinos, Save Our Jobs’ campaign petition and for more information www.savecasinossavejobs.com
MSPs call for action to tackle ‘institutional racism’ in public sector employment
MSPs have called for public bodies to be compelled to publish employee ethnicity pay data to address “institutional racism” and tackle the “unacceptable” levels of unemployment and in-work poverty among minority ethnic communities in Scotland.
Holyrood’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee, which has been investigating what actions are being taken to make sure minority ethnic communities have parity of employment and career progression, urged public authorities to produce an action plan to increase the number of people they employ from minority ethnic communities and reduce the ethnicity pay gap in their organisations.
The focus of the Committee’s inquiry was employers covered by the Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010, which includes large employers like local authorities, health boards as well as other public bodies.
Removal of the barriers faced by black and minority ethnic groups in accessing employment opportunities is key to addressing inequalities in housing, health, education, and participation in public life.
The Committee heard evidence that, despite various initiatives, recruitment, retention and progression of minority ethnic groups in the workplace had regressed over the last two decades and that there was a resistance on the part of employers to acknowledge the existence of institutional racism and its effects.
MSPs made a series of recommendations to address the issues highlighted by the inquiry. In a report published today, the Committee called for more use of “positive actions” to address under-representation of minority ethnic communities in the public sector workforce, and new regulations to require public bodies to publish their ethnicity pay gap, with an action plan to deliver identified outcomes with associated timescales.
Committee Convener, Ruth Maguire MSP, said:“The inquiry heard evidence that unemployment and in-work poverty remains disproportionately higher for people from minority ethnic communities than it is in the majority of the population. We are seriously concerned by the lack of progress in tackling this issue.
“It is extremely disappointing and frustrating that we regularly have to revisit this issue, and it’s little wonder that during our inquiry we heard many witnesses and representatives of black and minority ethnic communities refer to ‘consultation fatigue’.
“From the evidence we heard, there is a sense that many employers prefer to look outwards rather than inwards; as though the issue lies with the minority ethnic communities, when the reality is that the issue lies with the public authorities themselves.
“It is evident that a key factor within this is the failure of the leaders of public authorities to acknowledge the existence of institutional racism and, in so doing, failing to act to deliver a culture shift within their organisations.
“The Committee is unanimously of the view that, despite all the mechanisms at the disposal of public authorities, including their equality duties and responsibilities, the ethnicity employment gap remains unacceptable and much more needs to be done to reduce the ethnicity pay gap, so we see more minority ethnic people in senior positions.”
Ms Maguire added: “Leaders of public authorities need to be accountable for their organisations’ record on employment of ethnic minority people. They must demonstrate leadership in this area. Now is the time for them to take concerted, definitive action.
“To address the lack of progress to date and decades of damage, our report recommends that public sector employers prioritise employment from minority ethnic communities within their strategic plans. We also recommend the Scottish Government regulates to ensure public authorities publish their ethnicity pay gap figures and set out actions to deliver improvements within an agreed timeframe.
“We sincerely hope that our successor committee will not have to revisit this subject, unless it is to reflect on the result of positive action, accountability, and eradication of institutional racism in Scotland.”
A summary of written evidence in response to the Committee’s call for views has been published on its webpage. The committee also held oral evidence sessions throughout September 2020.
A new vaccine that protects against Covid-19 is nearly 95% effective, early data from US company Moderna shows.
The latest news follows last week’s breakthrough announcement from Pfizer, and, while testing is still to be done, it’s looking more and more likely that vaccines to help bring an end to the pandemic will be available over coming months.
This study, known as the COVE study, enrolled more than 30,000 participants in the U.S. and is being conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The primary endpoint of the Phase 3 COVE study is based on the analysis of COVID-19 cases confirmed and adjudicated starting two weeks following the second dose of vaccine. This first interim analysis was based on 95 cases, of which 90 cases of COVID-19 were observed in the placebo group versus 5 cases observed in the mRNA-1273 group, resulting in a point estimate of vaccine efficacy of 94.5% (p <0.0001).
Moderna says it is a “great day” and they plan to apply for approval to use the vaccine in the next few weeks.
“This is a pivotal moment in the development of our COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Since early January, we have chased this virus with the intent to protect as many people around the world as possible”, said Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna.
“All along, we have known that each day matters. This positive interim analysis from our Phase 3 study has given us the first clinical validation that our vaccine can prevent COVID-19 disease, including severe disease.
“This milestone is only possible because of the hard work and sacrifices of so many. I want to thank the thousands of participants in our Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies, and the staff at our clinical trial sites who have been on the front lines of the fight against the virus.
“They are an inspiration to us all. I want to thank the NIH, particularly NIAID, for their scientific leadership including through years of foundational research on potential pandemic threats at the Vaccine Research Center that led to the discovery of the best way to make Spike protein antigens that are being used in our vaccine and others.
“I want to thank our partners at BARDA and Operation Warp Speed who have been instrumental to accelerating our progress to this point. Finally, I want to thank the Moderna team, our suppliers and our partners, for their tireless work across research, development and manufacturing of the vaccine.
“We look forward to the next milestones of submitting for an EUA in the U.S., and regulatory filings in countries around the world, while we continue to collect data on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in the COVE study. We remain committed to and focused on doing our part to help end the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Bullying is any form of discrimination or behaviour intended to hurt or harm the reputation of another. It can happen face to face or online. Any type of bullying is unacceptable.
The reasons for bullying behaviour can be complex. It can harm people physically or emotionally. Victims feel hurt, threatened, frightened and left out.
Even though the actual behaviour might not be repeated, the threat that it might can be sustained over time, typically by actions: looks, messages, confrontations, physical interventions, or the fear of these.
Event Timetable:
Introductions
What is bullying
Prejudice
Children’s rights
Staying safe online
How to deal with bullying
Where to ask for help
Coping with feelings
Hosted by: ELREC’s True Colours and No Hate Network projects.
ELREC is a charity committed to promoting equality and opportunity for all. We aim to support and empower people with protected characteristics and tackle discrimination and prejudice.
True Colours project is led by young people and works against discrimination and pre-judice based bullying. We deliver workshops for young people on topics related to discrimination and hate crime.
No Hate Network group work on social media and aim to tackle arguments fuelling hate speech.
