The city council is exploring extra measures for promoting footfall to the Capital’s local businesses.
Detailed in a report to be considered at Tuesday’s Full Council meeting (28 July), additional ideas for supporting business include a multi-media promotional campaign to encourage residents and visitors to shop local, floral planters to enhance local high streets and the option of ‘green deliveries’ for people unable to shop in person, thanks to the use of cargo bikes.
Subject to funding, these could form the latest moves in a string of immediate measures developed or supported by the Council to address local priorities as lockdown restrictions ease.
This work to help businesses in Edinburgh bounce back after lockdown has already included:
– Supporting businesses to gradually re-open safely with a ‘Ready, Set, Go’ advice service, including guidance provided to 20,000 business owners
– A more flexible approach to licensing to help more businesses apply to use outdoor space
– Accelerating plans to use the Council’s supply chains to better support local business and stimulate economic growth
– Creating more space for people to travel to businesses safely and enjoyably through the Council’s Spaces for People initiative, with priority being given to support walking, cycling, wheelchair use and prams
– Supporting planned promotional activity with the Edinburgh Tourism Action Group to gradually market the City as an attractive place for shopping, dining out and visiting with a £55,000 contribution from the Council
– Working on a Champions network to enable Council officers to engage directly with local businesses on what further support the Council could provide.
All of the above measures are part of the Council’s work to prioritise a sustainable economic recovery – a key strand of Edinburgh’s strategy to adapt and renew as the city emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Other measures taken include enhancing the support offered to those who have become unemployed as a result of Covid-19 as well as accelerating the building of affordable homes across the city, alongside sustainable regeneration at strategic locations.
Adam McVey, Council Leader, said:“We’re starting to see more and more local businesses re-open their doors to customers and it’s fantastic to see Edinburgh full of life and activity once again.
“We’ve put a lot of measures in place to help our City with this transition out of lockdown so that it is as safe, accessible and enjoyable as possible, and we’re continuing to advise thousands of Edinburgh-based business owners on how to operate in line with national guidance.
“This remains a challenging time for our small businesses but I’m confident that we can build on the momentum we’ve seen recently. The report responds to calls being made by local businesses for extra measures and is part of our plan to work hard with the business community to drive footfall back to our local high streets in the coming months.”
Cammy Day, Depute Leader, said:“So many businesses rely on visitors for an income but we recognise the sector will need time to recover. That’s why it’s so important we do what we can to help kickstart local footfall to businesses and explore even more promotional activity tailored to our town centres.
“This report highlights just how many steps we’ve already taken to support local businesses, and I’m looking forward to seeing us build on this even further. The Edinburgh Tourism Action Group is also developing a targeted tourism campaign which we hope will help to draw local people back into the City as we gradually leave lockdown, helping us see the return of our visitor economy.”
Funding of £50 million will be ring-fenced for the recruitment of approximately 850 extra teachers and around 200 additional support staff as local authorities plan for the re-opening of schools.
Addressing Parliament, Education Secretary John Swinney also pledged that £20 million will be allocated to help councils with additional costs associated with new health protection measures, school transport, enhanced cleaning and other essential logistical issues.
A further £3 million will be invested in youth work to support education recovery. The funding breakdown is part of a £100 million package of support announced by Mr Swinney in June.
Clear guidance for schools and councils is being developed by the Education Recovery Group (ERG) to help them prepare for the start of the new term in August.
The Scottish Government will announce a final decision on the re-opening of schools on 30 July.
Mr Swinney said: “I want to express my appreciation to parents and carers for their support to young people, to the teaching and wider workforce across Scotland for their efforts to sustain education and to children and young people for their resilience during this difficult period.
“All of the school workforce have a crucial role to play in our education recovery mission, and it is vital that they are supported to do so.
“The ring-fenced £50 million funding to recruit more teachers and support staff will enable schools to intensify support for children and young people as they return to full time face-to-face education and help to mitigate for learning loss. The final numbers will be dependent on the precise mix of staff recruited and the needs of children and young people.
“The £20 million funding recognises the extremely valuable work of our school cleaners, facilities management and school transport staff, who are essential to the successful delivery of education in Scotland and to whom I want to pay tribute today.
“I also mentioned in my statement on the 23 June that we would be seeking the assistance of the youth work sector in supporting those families and communities who need it most.
“The sector will receive £3 million of investment because it has continued to support and engage children and young people throughout the pandemic, including using digital technology and outreach work to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on children and young people’s mental health, learning and development.
“While this funding should provide local authorities with the assurance they require to progress plans immediately, we will continue to work with COSLA to understand the additional costs associated with the school re-opening guidance that each local authority is facing, and how these can be addressed alongside any loss of learning.
“We are currently developing guidance, with our partners in the ERG, on health mitigations and precautions that will be in place to allow schools to fully re-open in August and a final decision on school re-opening will be announced on 30 July.”
Today Education Secretary @JohnSwinney updated @ScotParl on the progress towards safely reopening schools in Scotland.
A final decision on schools re-opening will be announced on 30 July.
Responding to the Scottish Government’s funding of more teachers, a spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition said: “We welcome the recruitment of new teachers and additional support staff to help cope with the new demands of Coronavirus when children return to school next month.
“For those with additional support needs, the impact of returning to school will prove particularly disruptive but we need to go beyond the recruitment of additional support staff alone, which of course helps greatly. What is required is a tailored transition plan so those with ASN get the smoothest possible return to school.
“This requires every teacher or member of staff looking at the individual child, their circumstances and needs and making sure their return to school is as seamless as possible
“That individualised approach might mean going back to school early, having a little more time to figure out what classroom spaces look like or might be about teaching strategies and thinking about how to engage the children.”
The EIS has welcomed the Scottish Government’s confirmation of ring-fenced funding to support the recruitment of an additional 850 teachers across Scotland – but warned that more will be needed to support young people in education recovery following the COVID-19 shutdown.
EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The confirmation of ring-fenced funding to support the recruitment of an additional 850 teachers is a welcome step in the support required for educational recovery in schools across Scotland.
“It is essential that local authorities make use of this funding to recruit more teachers from all those currently available and seeking work – including newly qualified teachers, recently qualified teachers, and teachers on supply and temporary contracts. The EIS would urge the Scottish Government to clarify that this additional funding is open to employ qualified teachers from all of these categories.”
Mr Flanagan added: “The EIS is clear that more will be needed to ensure that all young people receive the support they require to recover from the impact of the school shutdown and, as well as urging the Scottish Government to consider additional funding, we would encourage local authorities to use some of the flexibility open to them around attainment challenge funding and the pre-allocated monies for the now suspended expansion of pre-5 entitlement to further boost school staffing.
“Being away from the school environment for such a prolonged period will have had a detrimental impact on many young people’s education. Supporting recovery from this traumatic experience must be the top priority for all in Scottish education.”
Mr Flanagan concluded: “Clearly, with less than 3 weeks until schools are set to re-open, it is vital that local authorities act quickly to ensure that the promised additional teachers and support staff are recruited prior to the start of term.
“It also remains essential that the process of re-opening schools is managed safely, with updated risk assessments to be carried out and all necessary mitigations – such as enhanced cleaning regimens, adequate ventilation and facilities for regular hand-washing – to be in place in all schools prior to them re-opening.”
Local government umbrella bodyCOSLA’S reaction to the Deputy First Minister’s Statement was one of disappointment, sayingit is a ‘roadblock to progress’.
Councillor Stephen McCabe and Councillor Gail Macgregor said: “Local Government’s number one priority is the safe return to education next month. We have sought to work closely with the Scottish Government, Trade Unions and parental organisations through the COVID-19 Education Recovery Group to agree an approach which meets the needs of all involved in supporting children and young people during the pandemic.
“Even with the welcome additional financial support from the Scottish Government we have received to date, councils are facing a budget gap of over £500m for 2020/21 before the additional costs of a safe return to school are taken into account.
“That is why the Deputy First Minister’s commitment of just £20m to support the return of schools this afternoon is a disappointment.
“We are currently awaiting updated guidance as such it is not clear at this time what the additional costs for classroom cleaning, supporting vulnerable pupils, providing school meals, school transport and PPE are, or if vital resources can be found before schools return. T
“Today’s announcement throws up a considerable roadblock on the progress towards schools re-opening safely, and presents significant additional financial risks for councils.
“Whilst we are pleased we are close to agreement with the Scottish Government on an additional £50m to be invested in teachers and classroom support, priority must also be given to ensuring a safe, clean environment for all staff and pupils to work in.
“However, we remain willing to work with the Scottish Government on this issue to make sure that we protect and support the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s children and young people and our staff when they return to school.”
LOVE Gorgie Farm (formerly Gorgie City Farm) has opened its facilities to schools across Edinburgh and the Lothians looking for outdoor spaces for educating pupils.
Operated by education and social care charity LOVE Learning, the urban farm will host a range of programmes for schools to embrace outdoor learning, reducing physical interactions, amid their return to full time classes on 12th August.
The outdoor services range from learning workshops featuring sport and other activities, to outdoor space for classrooms, as well as different environmental programmes within LOVE Learning’s Earth School that combine nature and educational practices.
The Earth School will help develop an informal learning setting for children of all ages by focusing on projects where natural spaces are used for pupils to learn through outdoor experiences.
Through their learning programmes, LOVE Learning aims to assist in these changing times at the same time as enhancing all-inclusive practices involving nature and expanding these to mainstream activities for pupils of all ages.
LOVE Learning’s portfolio of programmes has already been welcomed by councils as a suitable alternative for school-based teaching. It not only provides safe spaces where physical interaction is reduced, but also engages them in more outdoor learning activities.
The LOVE Gorgie Farm site will cater to requirements of all types of schools, such as primary and secondary schools as well as special schools.
As a Scottish Qualifications Authority accredited centre, LOVE Learning will also offer training opportunities for teachers and facilitators looking to become skilled and confident in leading children through their learning process in outdoor experiences.
Lynn Bell, CEO of LOVE Learning said: “Due to the effects of this pandemic we have seen a rise in the demand of outdoor learning spaces and services. LOVE Gorgie Farm will assist in the provision of spaces to make it easier for schools to cope with the challenges presented by Covid.
“Our Earth School aims to bring pupils from all ages closer to nature, encouraging new generations into seeking to care about all living beings. At the same time, our provision of learning that reduces physical interactions will ensure both teachers and pupils are in a safe environment.
“We will also train educators into being confident with outdoor learning techniques and help schools and teachers embrace alternative teaching styles through our accredited training hub”
Hotel QE2 has now been open in Dubai for just under two years. She’s a little bit of Britain fighting her corner in the world’s toughest hotel market.
The QE2, the most famous ocean liner in the world, now has a new home in Dubai. And, a new life as a floating hotel. This magnificent vessel is bigger than Titanic and has transported rockstars and royalty, and sailed over 6 million miles, circumnavigating the globe 25 times.
Hotel QE2 has now been open in Dubai for just under two years. She is a little bit of Britain fighting her corner in the world’s toughest hotel market.
With a multimillion pound refurbishment ongoing, and a new team at the helm, will it be sink or swim for Hotel QE2?
QE2, Bigger than Titanic, she’s transported rockstars and royalty, and sailed over 6 million miles, circumnavigating the Globe 25 times before she was retired.
EPISODE 1: In today’s episode …
At 52 years of age, Hotel QE2 is one of the oldest landmarks in Dubai. Millions have already been spent on her refurbishment, but she’s still only 40% complete.
With more than 100 five-star hotels, competition in the Dubai hotel market is fierce. Designer Chris needs to launch new superior suites on the ship’s top deck to keep up. The first VIP guests are due to check into them in just a few days. But the rooms are far from ready.
Not only that, but there’s a glamorous new arrival coming to town. The QE2’s bigger and younger sister, the Queen Mary 2. And it’s Queen Mary 2 passengers who are due to be checking into the new rooms. But first, QE2’s Head of Tours Peter is hoping to a sneaky peak at the new rival to size up the competition.
Meanwhile, Executive Chef Dino and his team have a big event booked in: a traditional Burns night supper for 200 guests. The QE2 was built on the Clyde, so it’s a matter of pride to get everything absolutely right. But where do you find haggis in the UAE??
And there’s an even bigger headache on the horizon. The Burns Night shindig is due to be held in the historic Queens Room, which played host to her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, back in the day. But it’s also undergoing a bit of a facelift – which also isn’t finished …
Can the QE2 team pull out all the stops to get everything ready in time and impress the best?
QE2: The World’s Most Luxurious Hotel starts tonight at 9pm on Channel 5
Fort Kinnaird has gifted bundles of popular children’s books and engaging activity booklets to the Venchie Children & Young People’s Project in Edinburgh to support families in need during the coronavirus pandemic.
300 children’s books have been shared with local families, including Gargantis by Thomas Taylor and Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, along with free activity booklets filled with fun and educational worksheets based on familiar fictional characters such as Alex Rider, Judy Moody and Maisy Mouse.
Susan Heron from Venchie Children & Young People’s Project said: “It’s been great to watch so many of our local families get excited about the activity booklets and choosing brand new books to take home.
“This has really meant a lot to us and we know just how much of a difference they will make to children in our local area.”
This new initiative is led by Fort Kinnaird’s co-owner, British Land, and the National Literacy Trust. It follows a long-running partnership to help encourage children to enjoy reading outside of the classroom and to provide them with the resources to do so.
Recent research from the National Literacy Trust reveals that children who own their own books are happier. Yet, 1 in 11 children and young people in the UK don’t have a book of their own at home.
With many children not attending school due to Covid-19, this project aims to help tackle the problem and give local families brand-new books and educational materials.
Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said:“Encouraging children to love to read and giving them access to their own books is so important, especially at this particularly difficult time.
“We’re really pleased to be able to continue to work with the National Literacy Trust to support amazing local organisations such the Venchie Children & Young People’s Project.”
As part of British Land’s partnership with the National Literacy Trust, families in Edinburgh also have free access to virtual storytelling sessions which support children’s listening and creative skills and help to spark a love of stories.
The ‘Young Readers Story Club’ videos feature professional storytellers sharing different stories each week, including award-winning children’s poet Dominic Berry and the storyteller Amanda Edmiston.
St Francis’ RC Primary School, Castleview Primary School and Niddrie Mill Primary School have be given exclusive ‘first look’ access to the videos before they are made available for local families to view on the National Literacy Trust’s Family Zone website.
Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, said:“Books have the power to enrich children’s lives – they fuel imaginations, help children learn new things and support mental wellbeing – yet hundreds of thousands of children across the UK are missing out on these benefits at a time when they need them most, simply because they don’t have a book of their own.
“By bringing the magical world of stories into children’s homes through brand new books, activity booklets and incredible storytelling videos, this initiative will provide much needed inspiration and comfort during a time of uncertainty.”
Prospective puppy and kitten owners warned of risks of being ‘Petfished’ when buying a pet online following lockdown demand surge
Vets, charities and animal-loving celebrities have joined forces with a government campaign to warn prospective pet owners against unknowingly buying puppies, kittens, cats and dogs from unscrupulous sellers amid a rise in demand for pets since lockdown.
An open letter, signed by celebrities including Kirsty Gallacher, Paul O’Grady, Amanda Holden and David Gandy, and supported by charities including Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, the Blue Cross, Cats Protection, Dogs Trust and the RSPCA, is calling on the public to research sellers thoroughly online before buying.
These warnings follow continued demand for pets since lockdown eased, with online marketplace Preloved reporting that the number of pet listing has increased by nearly 50% since March. They are anticipating a further boom in adverts throughout the summer.
Pets4Homes has also said that they are experiencing not only a six-fold increase in new user accounts, but an average of 155 views per new pet advert. Both Preloved and Pets4Homes are supporting the government’s Petfished campaign, which urges people to stop and ask: ‘Who’s the person behind the pet?’.
Despite a huge 125% increase in adverts posted across online marketplaces during lockdown for puppies, kittens, dogs and cats, demand continues to outstrip supply. However, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has advised that vets are dealing with ongoing cases where owners have been sold sick puppies and kittens by unscrupulous dealers as a result of new owners not researching sellers before buying their new pet.
Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said: “Prospective pet owners must beware of sinister sellers out there who breed animals purely for profit with zero concern for their welfare. The devastating consequences include crippling vet bills and, in the worst cases, animals having to be put down.
“It’s vitally important that people not only research the breed of animal they want but also the person selling it to them.”
Animal Welfare Minister Lord Goldsmith said: “At this time when more people are looking for pets it is more important than ever that buyers do their research and ensure they go to a reputable seller.
Following the introduction of Lucy’s Law earlier this year, everyone must now buy directly from breeders or consider adopting from rescue centres. So please look out for the warning signs and report any suspicious activity.”
TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, who has two dogs, British bull dog Betsy and French bull dog Bertie, said: “My dogs mean the world to me and pets bring joy to so many. It’s shocking to hear the lengths deceitful sellers go to when selling pets and sadly this can mean animals come from low-welfare conditions with distressing consequences.
“As pet lovers, we should take responsibility by always researching the seller before buying a new pet to ensure our four legged friends live happy and healthy lives.”
The letter, also signed by former international rugby players Chris Robshaw and Sam Warburton, is part of the government’s ‘Petfished’ campaign - a play on ‘catfishing’, where a stranger creates a fictional online persona to lure someone into a relationship - deceitful pet sellers use a similar tactic to ‘Petfish’ unsuspecting buyers.
Following Lucy’s Law – meaning it is now illegal to sell a kitten or puppy you haven’t bred - the Petfished campaign calls for consumers to remain vigilant, always researching the seller before visiting, reporting suspicious adverts and crucially be prepared to walk away and report suspected cases of animal abuse to the RSCPA or, if witnesses, the police.
British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) President Ian Ramsey said: “Vets are continuing to see many owners who have been sold very sick puppies by unscrupulous dealers simply because new owners have not researched the seller before buying their pet.
“As a result, vets see first-hand the distress and upset this can cause owners. We would urge anyone thinking of buying a puppy or kitten to check their pet is coming from a responsible seller before making a decision to buy.”
To avoid being Petfished, the public are being urged to spot vital red flags when researching sellers, with the help of the acronym S.P.O.T:
Seller
Put the seller’s name and phone number into a search engine – avoid those with multiple adverts.
Parent
Make sure you see puppies and kittens in their home with their mother.
Old enough
Check puppies and kittens are at least 8 weeks old before you take them home.
Treatment
Ask to see the animal’s health records and avoid sellers who can’t provide them.
Anyone looking to buy a pet can get tips and advice on the Petfished campaign website by searching ‘Get your pet safely’ or visiting getyourpetsafely.gov.uk
Three people in West Pilton are celebrating today after winning £1,000 each thanks to their lucky postcode.
The Ferry Road Avenue neighbours netted the windfall when EH4 4BL was announced as a Daily Prize winner with People’s Postcode Lottery on Wednesday 22nd July 2020.
People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Danyl Johnson sent his well-wishes to the winners. He said: “What great news to start your day! Congratulations to our winners, I hope they enjoy their winnings.”
A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £500 million to date for thousands of good causes in Britain and beyond.
This draw was promoted by Save the Children which has received over £10.1 million in funding from the players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Save the Children connects parents, teachers, and childcare experts to build a brighter future for children across the UK. It works to give children the support they need from the very start of life.
Many good causes close to the winners have also benefitted from players’ support, and local charities can next apply for funding in August.
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Wednesday 22 July):
Good afternoon, and welcome to today’s briefing. I want to start with the usual update on the most recent Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.
An additional 10 positive cases were confirmed yesterday – that takes the total now in Scotland to 18,484.
The Health Board breakdown will be available later as normal.
However, the provisional information I have is that three of these 10 cases are in Lanarkshire where we are dealing with an outbreak, which I’ll say more about shortly. At this stage, we know one of these three is associated with the outbreak.
From today, as well as reporting the overall number of positive cases – which can fluctuate in line with the number of tests carried out – I will also report the percentage of people tested who have been newly identified as positive.
For context, the World Health Organisation suggests than an indication of the epidemic being under control is less than 5% of samples testing positive over a two week period.
The 10 cases being reported today in Scotland represent 0.3% testing positive.
The 22 cases reported yesterday, represented 0.8%.
I can also report that 295 patients are currently in hospital with confirmed Covid. That is eight fewer than yesterday. As you may remember from yesterday’s briefing, we will now report figures for confirmed cases only.
A total of three people last night were in intensive care with confirmed Covid-19. That is one fewer than yesterday.
I am glad to say that during the last 24 hours, no deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test as having Covid-19. The total number of deaths, under this particular measure, therefore remains at 2,491.
In addition, the National Records of Scotland has just published its regular weekly report, which is more detailed than our daily figures. Like the daily figures, it includes deaths of people who have been confirmed by a test as having COVID.
However it also covers cases where the virus has been entered on a death certificate as a suspected or contributory cause of death – even if its presence was not confirmed by a test. That is a wider measure, and therefore it captures more cases.
The latest NRS report covers the period to Sunday 19 July. At that point, according to our daily figures, 2,491 deaths of people who had tested positive had been registered.
However, today’s report shows that, by Sunday, the total number of registered deaths with either a confirmed or a presumed link to the virus was 4,193. Of those, six were registered in the seven days up to Sunday. That is a decrease of seven from the week before.
Three of those six deaths were in care homes, which is a reduction of four from last week.
The total number of deaths recorded last week – from all causes – was 32 higher than the five year average for the same time of year.
We will of course see if there are any causes for concern there, but it is worth remembering that the total number of deaths is always likely to fluctuate a bit. Last week’s figures follow on from a three week period, when the total number of deaths was below the five year average by 18, 35 and 49 respectively.
Last week was the twelfth week in a row in which the number of deaths from the virus has fallen. In addition, the total weekly number of Covid deaths now is the lowest we have seen since we started to record them in this way.
Today’s report shows once again that Covid has been driven to very low levels in Scotland.
However the figures also remind us that more than 4,000 people have lost their lives to this virus.
We must always remember that each of those deaths, was of a unique and irreplaceable individual. I want to send my condolences to everyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one.
I also want, as I always do, to send my gratitude our health and care workers for the extraordinary job they continue to do.
I want to talk about two issues this afternoon. In a few minutes, I will go over some of the changes to lockdown rules which we have previously announced come into effect today.
However before I do that, I will give a brief update on the latest information we have about the Covid outbreak in Lanarkshire, based around the Sitel call centre.
Since Sunday an intensive contact tracing operation has been underway.
All staff at Sitel have been told to isolate at home for 14 days, and in addition all staff have been asked to come forward for testing. As of this morning, around 390 test results, out of around 400 tested overall, have been returned.
As of now, 15 positive cases have been identified of people who work at the site, and a further five additional positive cases have been identified through the tracing of family members and close contacts.
Contact tracing has also confirmed that a number of Sitel staff who have tested positive also had links to other locations, prior to becoming aware of the outbreak.
Environmental Health officers have checked on those locations. They are satisfied that precautions such as protective equipment and cleaning were in place, and that the risk of transmission is therefore low. Close contacts from these locations have also been advised to isolate.
I want to take the opportunity today to thank the five locations – which are Owen’s Bar in Coatbridge; The Railway Tavern and Merlin’s Bar in Motherwell; Costa Coffee in Carfin; and END clothing in Glasgow – for their co-operation.
I would also ask people who might have attended those locations in the last week or so to be extra vigilant, to follow all guidance and to isolate and book a test if you do experience any symptoms. I am saying this not because I think there is a real concern in transmission there but simply as an added precaution
This outbreak should be a very clear reminder to people that Coronavirus has not gone away. It does not take much for very small numbers of cases to become much bigger numbers – and while Test & Protect and our local public health teams are working incredibly hard to contain any outbreaks, it is not just their job. I think that’s an important point for all of us to remember, each and every one of us has a job to do to keep the virus at bay.
The second point I want to cover is to confirm that – in line with the timetable set out in our routemap – more services are reopening today.
From today, universities and colleges can institute a phased return to on-campus learning.
Further personal retail services – such as beauticians and tailors – can re-open, with enhanced hygiene measures in place.
Motorcycle instruction, tractor driving instruction and car theory tests can also resume from today.
And finally drive-in live events – such as comedy and theatre shows, concerts and bingo evenings – can also take place from today
Today’s steps represent a further cautious re-opening of sectors, and cautious resumption of services. As always, there are some risks attached to them, but we believe that with the appropriate mitigations in place, these risks can be managed.
As many of you will know, the regulations currently require us to review the lockdown restrictions every three weeks. The next review is due next Thursday, a week tomorrow, so I now is the right time to inject a note of caution.
Phase 2 of our emergence from lockdown took exactly three weeks. But as I indicated two weeks ago this current phase, phase 3, is likely to last considerably longer.
The changes we have made over the last two weeks have been really significant, including the opening of our tourism sector and indoor hospitality, so we have to carefully monitor the impact of that and the number of new coronavirus cases we are seeing each day.
Examples like the outbreak in North Lanarkshire show what can happen when people are mixing indoors and when guidance is perhaps not rigorously followed.
At a time when the virus is picking up again in a number of European countries, we need to be confident that it is safe to change restrictions further.
Our main focus right now, I think it is a priority, is on keeping the virus at a low enough level to enable schools to fully and safely re-open from the 11th of August.
That would be a further significant change. In addition, we have said already that if possible, we would like to remove the requirement for shielding from 31 July. I will say more about changes for shielding people tomorrow.
These two aims – allowing people who have been shielding to live more normally, and enabling children to go back to school full time – are really important priorities. And to be frank they are only achievable, if levels of Covid in the community remain very low.
Now obviously, we will continue to review the data for new cases and hospital admissions, among other things and our final decisions will be made next week. If there are steps we can take, then we will – we cannot leave restrictions in place for longer than is judged to be necessary.
However I want to flag up now that it is possible that we may not be able to make any changes next week beyond confirming the return of schooling and a pause in shielding.
So for those businesses who are still waiting for a date to restart, I thank you for your ongoing patience. I fully understand how difficult any further delay is for you, but I also hope you will understand why we need to prioritise re-opening schools.
I also want to underline that we are making changes at a pace and at a level that we think is right and safe for our current circumstances here in Scotland.
Announcements made for other parts of the UK do not automatically apply here.
For example I want to underline that the UK government’s encouragement to those who can work from home in England to nevertheless return to workplaces, does not yet apply in Scotland.
Working from home, where that is feasible, remains the default and preferred position and we expect employers to continue to support people to do that. We will be publishing new guidance on home working shortly.
The cluster of cases I have just talked about – around a call centre in Lanarkshire – is a salutary reminder that transmission of this virus can occur in workplaces and spread relatively easily.
Our position remains that non-essential offices and call centres should remain closed, until we judge it is safe to make this significant change for Scotland.
These notes of caution link to the point I want to end on.
It continues to be the case that the only way in which we can take further steps out of lockdown safely, is if we continue to suppress the virus. And achieving that – now, more than ever – comes down to the individual decisions that each and every one of us is making.
I know how difficult it is to maintain two metre distancing when you are meeting people you haven’t seen for three or four months – especially with family members and close friends, the human instinct to hug and be physically close is a very strong one.
But staying that bit further apart can make all the difference – it makes you less likely to get the virus, and makes you less likely to transmit the virus.
The choices we all make as individuals – on physical distancing, on wearing face coverings, on washing our hands – these will decide how quickly all of us can make further progress out of lockdown together.
And so I want to close once again by emphasising Facts – the five key things all of us should remember in everything we do.
Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport.
Avoid crowded places.
Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
Two metre distancing remains the rule – it is the one measure we all need to remind ourselves to constantly comply with
and self-isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms. Go to https://www.nhsinform.scot and book a test immediately
If we all stick to this we have a real chance of getting the virus back under control and accelerating progress back to something much more normal than life has felt in the past few months. My thanks again to everybody who is co-operating and playing their part.
