Over 10 million people in the UK receive COVID-19 top-up vaccines

More than 10 million people have now received their COVID-19 booster or third jabs, ensuring vital protection over the winter months.

  • More than 10 million people have received a COVID-19 booster or third jab
  • Eligible people can now book a booster appointment a month in advance to speed up vaccination programme
  • People are urged to get their booster to top up their protection during the winter

More than 10 million people have now received their COVID-19 booster or third jabs, the latest figures show, ensuring the vital protection they have secured from their first two doses is maintained over the winter months.

A total of 10,062,704 people have received their booster and third jabs in the UK. 45,836,791 people have received two doses (79.7%) and 50,234,416 people have received one dose (87.4%). Seven in 10 over 80s in England are already vaccinated with top-up jabs.

The National Booking Service will be updated tomorrow (Monday 8 November) to allow those eligible for a booster vaccine – people over 50 and those most at risk of COVID-19 – to pre-book their jab five months after their second dose.

People will still receive their vaccine six months after their second dose, but the change will speed up the vaccination programme by allowing people to receive a jab the day they become eligible, rather than waiting for a convenient appointment.

People will also be able to book by calling 119 and can get vaccinated at hundreds of walk-in sites across the country six months after their second dose without an appointment. Those eligible can use the NHS online walk-in finder to locate the most convenient site.

More than one million people in London, Midlands, North East and Yorkshire, North West and South East have received the top-up jabs. Elsewhere:

East of England – 996,164 Midlands – 1,552,387 North East and Yorkshire – 1,388,202 North West – 1,126,027 South East – 1,392,592 South West – 956,896 London -1,026,423

COVID-19 booster vaccines have been delivered or booked in at every older adult care home in England where safe to do so, with almost nine in 10 care homes already visited.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “More than 10 million people across the UK now have the vital protection boosters provide, further building our wall of defence against this awful virus.

“This a phenomenal achievement and I want to thank everyone working on the rollout and everyone who has come forward for their jab.

“We know immunity begins to wane after six months, and booster jabs will ensure our most vulnerable are protected over the winter.

“Please do not delay – get your vaccines as soon as you can to protect yourself and your loved ones this winter so we can keep the virus at bay.”

The colder weather traditionally leads to increased transmission of viruses and will be challenging for the NHS.

Vaccines give high levels of protection but immunity reduces over time, particularly for older adults and at-risk groups, so it is vital that vulnerable people come forward to get their COVID-19 booster vaccine to top-up their defences and protect themselves this winter.

The latest evidence from SAGE shows that protection against symptomatic disease falls from 65%, up to three months after the second dose, to 45% six months after the second dose for the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, and from 90% to 65% for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. Protection against hospitalisation falls from 95% to 75% for Oxford/AstraZeneca and 99% to 90% for Pfizer/BioNTech.

Although the vaccine effectiveness against severe disease remains high, a small change can generate a major shift in hospital admissions. For example, a change from 95% to 90% protection against hospitalisation would lead to doubling of admissions in those vaccinated.

The booster programme is designed to top up this waning immunity. Early results from Pfizer show that a booster following a primary schedule of the same vaccine restores protection back up to 95.6% against symptomatic infection.

Vaccines Minister Maggie Throup said: “We are making brilliant progress with the COVID-19 booster programme and that’s testament to the tireless dedication of the NHS, and GPs, pharmacies and their teams.

“Booster vaccines will ensure those with increased risk of complications from COVID-19 maintain strong immunity during the winter and I urge everybody to take up the offer as soon as you become eligible.”

Last month, clinical guidance was updated to enable boosters to be given slightly earlier to those at highest risk, where this makes operational sense to do so.

This includes care home residents who may have received their second doses at different times to be vaccinated in the same session, as long as it has been five months since their second dose. It may also help with other vulnerable groups, such as housebound patients, so that they can have their flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time.

Vaccine confidence is high with data from the Office for National Statistics showing nearly all (94%) of those aged 50 to 69 say they would be likely to get their COVID-19 booster if offered, with the figure rising to 98% for those over 70.

Flu is another winter virus that can be serious. To give people the best protection over winter, those eligible for a free flu vaccine should come forward and book an appointment at either their GP practice or their local pharmacy, or take it up when offered by their employer or other healthcare provider.

Dr Nikki Kanani, NHS deputy vaccination programme lead and GP said: “Over ten million lifesaving top-up vaccinations is a fantastic achievement in just seven weeks by the NHS vaccination programme thanks to our staff.

“A record 371,000 boosters and third doses were chalked up in England alone yesterday, taking the total delivered to almost 8.5 million, as hundreds and thousands of people come forward every day to maximise their protection.

“With winter fast approaching I urge anyone who has not yet had a booster – or indeed a first or second dose – to not delay any further in protecting themselves and their loved ones against this deadly virus.”

People can now walk-in without an appointment to get their top-up vaccination and from tomorrow can book in an appointment a month in advance of becoming eligible – so there is no excuse to not get the lifesaving vaccine and people should do so as soon as they can.

The UK Government has launched a nationwide advertising campaign, encouraging people eligible to get their booster and flu jabs to protect themselves and their loved ones and help reduce pressures on the NHS. This includes outdoor billboards, broadcast and community radio and TV.

The offer of a first and second COVID-19 vaccine remains open to anyone who is eligible. Vaccines are available free of charge and from thousands of vaccine centres, GP practices and pharmacies.

There are more than 500 extra vaccination sites now compared to April this year, with 1,697 vaccination centres in operation in April 2021, and over 2,200 vaccination centres in operation now.

Vaccines are also available for those aged 12-15 to offer the best possible protection this winter in schools, as well as more than 200 vaccine centres.

Police Scotland: COP26 has been a ‘widely positive experience’

As COP26 arrives at its half way point, Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie looks ahead to the second week while praising both protesters and police.

Assistant Chief Constable Ritchie said yesterday: “For such a highly significant event, to reach the end of the first week with fewer than 50 arrests being made is testament to the fact the relationship between protesters and the police has been largely non-contentious.

“Despite today being a rest day at the conference, Police Scotland has, once again, engaged positively with protest organisers and attendees at a number of events across Glasgow, with minimum disruption to the wider community.

“As you’ll no doubt know, Police Scotland has spent more than 18 months preparing for COP26, and a great deal of effort has gone into ensuring our policing plan is robust but reactive, but also welcoming while balancing the right to protest with the rights of our communities.

“All of our work is underpinned by human rights and a great deal of effort has been taken to ensure our response to COP26-related  incidents and events is necessary and proportionate, and that our ethos and values of integrity, fairness and respect is shared by both our own officers and our mutual aid colleagues who have travelled to Scotland from across the UK to support us.

“This event has already provided us with some unique challenges, but our officers and staff have risen to face them, and the broadly good nature of the members of the public we are interacting with has made this a widely positive experience.

“I very much hope this atmosphere continues into the second week ahead of COP26 coming to its conclusion next weekend.”

COP26: “One week left to deliver for the world” says Prime Minister

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is urging countries to keep up the momentum on the fight against climate change in the week ahead at the COP26 summit.

The first week of COP26 saw around 120 leaders gather for the World Leaders Summit as well as negotiators, officials and ministers come together to make progress on the shared goal of limiting global temperatures to 1.5 degrees.

Progress has been made so far includes:

  • New commitments to net zero by middle of the century means 90% of the world economy is covered, triple the figure when the UK took on the COP Presidency.
  • More than 120 countries, covering 88% of the world’s forests, have agreed to end and reverse deforestation. Countries representing more than 70% of the world’s economy are committed to delivering clean and affordable technology everywhere by 2030 in the most polluting sectors.
  • Over 100 countries have agreed to cut their emissions of methane by 30% by 2030.
  • New commitments to increase finance to support developing countries to deal with the impacts of climate change and implement ambitious emissions-reductions plans.
  • More than 20 countries have made commitments for the first time to phase out coal power, including five of the world’s top 20 coal power-using countries, and at least 25 countries and public finance institutions commit to ending international public support for the unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022.
  • 45 nations have pledged urgent action and investment to protect nature and shift to more sustainable ways of farming, as well as over 100 countries now signed up to protect at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030.
  • The views of over 40,000 young climate leaders have been presented to ministers, negotiators and officials.

Marking the halfway point in the summit, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “There is one week left for COP26 to deliver for the world, and we must all pull together and drive for the line.

“We have seen nations bring ambition and action to help limit rising temperatures, with new pledges to cut carbon and methane emissions, end deforestation, phase out coal and provide more finance to countries most vulnerable to climate change.

“But we cannot underestimate the task at hand to keep 1.5C alive. Countries must come back to the table this week ready to make the bold compromises and ambitious commitments needed.”

Attention turns to negotiations this coming week. The UK Government says these negotiations are incredibly complicated, and notoriously hard. Teams from the UK and 195 other countries plus the EU will work to reach collective agreement on more than 200 pages of text.

They will be negotiating the issues left open by the Paris Agreement in 2015, like the process for tracking how all countries are keeping their climate commitments and how we create a fairer global system so no nation is disadvantaged by being more ambitious on cutting emissions.

Everyone has to agree, or nothing is agreed. But the progress in the first week of COP has put us in a strong position, the UK government believes.

The UK’s COP26 Presidency programme continues this coming week, with the spotlight put on transport, adaptation, gender, science, and cities and regions.

The UK has been leading the way and setting a high bar for other countries to follow – including being the first major economy to commit in law to net zero, setting one of the most ambitious targets to cut emissions by 68% by 2030, phasing out coal power by 2024, ending the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, halting deforestation by 2030, and providing £11.6bn in finance – with an extra £1bn if the economy grows as forecast – to countries on the frontline of climate change.

FIRST MINISTER: ‘STILL A LONG WAY TO GO’

Those least responsible but most affected by climate change must be heard at COP26, the First Minister has said as the second week of negotiations gets underway. Nicola Sturgeon said governments must use this week to deliver on more and fairer financial support for Global South countries.

The First Minister will meet with an interfaith group of representatives today as part of a series of meetings with Global South leaders this week.

They are expected to discuss the important role that faith and belief communities play in fostering community cohesion and how this can contribute to tackling climate change – as well as sharing their views on the current negotiations.

Following that, the First Minister will take part in a presentation with representatives from Malawi and Tanzania as part of the Glasgow Climate Dialogues, a series of talks co-hosted by the Scottish Government and Stop Climate Chaos Scotland that set out climate priorities from the Global South for COP26.

Later this week, the First Minister is expected to meet with delegates from island states and regions to discuss the particular challenges experienced by those communities and how countries in the Global North can show solidarity with them.

The First Minister said: “Some progress was made last week with commitments on forestry, methane, coal, and pledges that, if delivered, could reduce the gap between the 1.5 degree target that science says we must hit, and the 2.7 degree trajectory we are currently on, but there is still a long way to go to deliver a fair and just outcome for all countries at COP 26.

“The next five days are critical to countries in the south who need fair financial support now to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of the climate emergency and who need to see clear steps taken to keep the target of capping temperature increases at 1.5 degrees alive.

“On the day where adaptation, loss and damage as a result of climate change are at the heart of COP, I am determined to do what I can to ensure leaders and negotiators hear the voices of those most impacted by the climate emergency.

“It is why we have committed to doubling our world-first Climate Justice Fund to £24m, and announced a £1m partnership to help some of the world’s most vulnerable communities tackle structural inequalities and recover from climate induced loss and damage.

“Over the next five days the world will be watching to see if the sense of optimism that has built up through last week can be turned into real action by countries around the world to tackle the climate crisis.”

Merry Crustmas from Morrisons!

Customers’ hopes of a white Christmas have been answered this week as Morrisons launches its new festive pizza range – including a Chocolate Gingerbread pizza (£2.89) hand-topped with snow-shaped marshmallows to create a mini snow scene.

The decadent toppings make for the ultimate dessert pizza, with salted toffee sauce, milk chocolate chips, mini white mallows, double chocolate chunk cookie dough and six mini gingerbread men. A luxurious choice for sweet pizza lovers and perfect for sharing with friends and family.

Available from Morrisons in-store pizza counters, the pizza is part of a new limited-edition range for customers to enjoy in the run up to Christmas. 

New festive flavours include The Caramelised Biscuit pizza (£2.89) which has been created with biscuit and pizza fans in mind. The 10-inch pizza base is coated with a generous serving of caramelised biscuit spread and topped with white chocolate chips and caramelised biscuits.

And for those who can’t wait until the 25th for their Christmas dinner, the Pigs in Blankets pizza (£3.89) is topped with classic Pigs in Blankets, chicken and cranberry sauce – on a 14-inch stonebaked base with tomato sauce and cheese. The ultimate way to enjoy these festive favourites ahead of the big day.

Mark Pearson, Buying Manager at Morrisons, said: “Our customers love Christmas and they love pizza. So we challenged our foodmakers to come up with three festive flavours to spread some Christmas cheer amongst customers and get everyone excited for the festive season.” 

The new Christmas pizzas will be available at pizza counters in Morrisons stores across the country. The Pigs in Blankets and Chocolate Gingerbread pizzas are available until Friday 24th December, priced at £3.89 for Pigs in Blankets & £2.89 for Chocolate Gingerbread Pizza.

The Caramelised Biscuit pizza will be available from Monday 15thNovember until Sunday 28thNovember, priced at £2.89. 

For more information visit www.morrisons.co.uk. 

MCU vs DCEU: Which Marvel/DC movie come out on top with the highest IMDB ranking?

  • Avengers Infinity War and Avengers Endgame hold the top two spots with the highest IMDB ratings of 8.4 out of the MCU movies and DCEU movies.
  • Zack Snyder’s Justice League released in 2021 holds the third spot with a IMDB rating of 8.1.
  • Zack Snyder’s Justice League is the only DC movie with a high IMDB.

The new study was conducted by creative resource Design Bundles, which analysed every film in Marvel’s cinematic universe and DC’s extended universe to discover the top 10 based on IMDB ratings. 

The movies with the joint highest IMDB rating are Marvel’s Avengers Infinity War, and Avengers Endgame, which each score a rating of 8.4 on the film review site. The movies, released in 2018 and 2019 respectively by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures are separated in their popularity by the number of Google searches they receive each month.

The study found that Avengers Endgame, Marvel’s final instalment in the trilogy receives an average 267,000 Google searches per month – more than five times as many searches as the second instalment, which generates an estimated 51,000 Google searches per month.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is the third highest rated movie on the list, with an IMDB rating of 8.1 after being released in 2021 by Warner Bros. This ‘Snyder’s cut’ version of Justice League receives 22,000 Google searches per month.

Marvel/DC Movies and IMDB Ratings Data Table:

Movie:Year of Release:Distributor:IMDB Rating:Search Volume:
Avengers: Infinity War2018Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures8.451,000
Avengers: Endgame2019Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures8.4267,000
Zack Snyder’s Justice League 2021Warner bros8.122,000
Marvel’s The Avengers2012Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures835,000
Guardians of the Galaxy 2014Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures8150,000
Iron Man 2008Paramount Pictures 7.9177,000
Thor: Ragnarok2017Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures7.992,000
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings2021Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures7.947,000
Captain America: Civil War2016Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures7.814,000
Captain America: The Winter Soldier2014Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures7.713,000

The original and beginning of the Avenger trilogy, Marvel’s The Avengers, is the fourth highest rated movie on IMDB with a rating of 8. The film was released in 2012 by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and receives 35,000 Google searches per month.

Guardians of the Galaxy takes the fifth highest IMBD rated movie spot, also scoring 8, and receiving 150,000 Google searches per month.

The sixth highest rated movie from the Marvel and DC stables is Iron Man with an IMDB rating of 7.9. The film was was released in 2008 by Paramount Pictures and still receives 177,000 Google searches per month.

Thor Ragnarok and Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings are in seventh and eighth with an IMDB rating of 7.9 each. The third dedicated Thor film was released in 2017 and receives 92,000 Google searches per month.

Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which is the most recent Marvel release following its September 2021 premiere, and it has already achieved a 7.9 rating on IMDB, with 47,000 Google searches per month.

In ninth is Captain America Civil War which was released in 2016 and has an IMDB rating of 7.8. The movie has also received 14,000 Google searches per month.

Finally, in tenth place is Captain America the Winter Soldier, which was released in 2014 by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and has an IMDB rating of 7.7. The last instalment of Captain America receives 13,000 Google searches per month.

A spokesperson for Design Bundles commented on the study: “The Marvel and DC rivalry is decades old, but when it comes to films, this data shows that Marvel is the clear winner, with nine of the top ten highest rated films.

“It’s also fascinating to see the average number of monthly searches for each movie, with Avengers: Endgame proving to be the most Googled by a considerable margin. The ‘Snyder’s cut’ version of Justice League is the sole representative for DC, but they will be hoping that upcoming films such as Black Adam, starring The Rock, will help break Marvel’s dominance of the top ten.”

The study was conducted by Design Bundles, which offers high quality premium design resources and a marketplace which allows graphic designers to register and sell their products.   

St James Quarter adds iconic Duck & Waffle restaurant to line up

St James Quarter is set to welcome the acclaimed Duck & Waffle restaurant – with prestigious locations in London and Hong Kong – for its Edinburgh debut in 2022.

The all-day restaurant will be located on level 4, occupying 8,400 sq ft, including a terrace overlooking the entrance, joining the other mouth-watering culinary offerings already located within The Quarter.

Directly accessible from Register Square and reflecting the brand’s signature culinary style, Duck & Waffle Edinburgh will deliver its playful take on traditional British cuisine with broad European influences emphasizing local, rustic, seasonal and sustainable ingredients to the Scottish capital, with dishes designed for sampling and sharing.

Following a hugely successful first phase launch, the signing is a demonstration of the global appeal of St James Quarter, as the mixed-use district continues to establish its place as the number one dining destination in Scotland.

Ed Corrigan at St James Quarter, said: “For a brand of the calibre of Duck & Waffle to choose St James Quarter for its first UK restaurant outside of London is a massive coup for Edinburgh, underlining not just the strength of the city’s international appeal, but St James Quarter’s growing reputation in the market.

“It adds to a stellar food offer that will cater for all of our visitors, from the casual diner to the serial foodie – we absolutely cannot wait for this opening.”

Shimon Bokovza, Managing Partner & Brand Visionary of Duck & Waffle added: “Duck & Waffle was born in London and we’re proud to spread our wings to Edinburgh’s anticipated St James Quarter as we expand globally.

“We’re eager to participate in the city’s love for culture and the arts through our own contribution of culinary creativity and epicurean community.”

Duck & Waffle will join the likes of SUSHISAMBA, Bonnie & Wild, Ka Pao, Black Sheep, Bross Bagels, Salerno Pizza, Wingstop, Thai Express Kitchen and Pho as St James Quarter continues to strengthen an already formidable line up of dining options.

A game-changing mixed-use development being delivered by Nuveen Real Estate, St James Quarter completes the distinctive offer of Edinburgh with over 80 new brands, an enticing mix of restaurants and bars, W Edinburgh, a boutique Everyman Cinema, a Roomzzz Aparthotel, and an unrivalled guest experience providing customers with an enviable events programme in a range of new and attractive public spaces.

Complementing an unrivalled shopping offer – which includes a host of brands including & Other Stories, Mango, Zara, Bershka, Pull & Bear, Stradivarius, Russell & Bromley, Miele, Next, H&M, JD Sports, John Lewis, and many more – St James Quarter will be a premier food and drink destination providing a truly diverse offer – from fast food, fresh food, to family and  restaurant dining including Bonnie & Wild as the anchor for the development’s new concept food hall, Five Guys, and The Alchemist. The offer will be available over a number of locations throughout St James Quarter, each with its own unique look and feel.

NHS 24 are winners at Herald Digital Transformation Awards

NHS 24 is delighted to have been awarded the top prize for Best Use of Technology in Healthcare at the Herald Digital Transformation Awards 2021.

These awards focus on, and celebrate, how organisations across all industries and sectors have successfully adopted digital technology into their daily practices.

Best Use of Technology in Healthcare

The NHS Inform COVID portal has offered trusted advice 24/7/365 throughout the pandemic. Anyone with a digital device has had access to answers at their moment of need. More than 27 million sessions have delivered timely, safe and accurate information to the public, at their fingertips, day and night.

Dr Laura Ryan, Executive Medical Director at NHS 24 said: “In a period where we have seen incredible pressure on NHS services to continue to deliver the highest quality of care, we are delighted that the NHS inform digital platform, which has had 44 million hits from members of the public since the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic, has been considered for this award.

“The team behind this work have been innovative, creative and responsive to respond to health and wellbeing needs, and we are delighted that they are being recognised in this way.

“We know that the mental health campaign and the Covid-19 portal on NHSinform.scot have provided safe, up to date information and advice to millions of Scots throughout since early 2020.

“This recognition encourages us as we continue to develop innovative online support alongside our telephone services with a clear focus on accessibility and choice for the public when they use our services.”

Winners were announced at a virtual ceremony on 4 November 2021

Good Food Nation? Holyrood commitee launches consultation

An inquiry to consider the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill has been launched by Holyrood’s Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee.

The Bill requires Scottish Ministers and certain public bodies (referred to in the Bill as ‘relevant authorities’) to create Good Food Nation Plans which are intended to ensure greater policy coordination and to set out the outcomes to be achieved; clear actions for Scottish Government and public bodies to take; and indicators through which progress will be measured.

The Committee’s focus is to ensure the Bill provides the best framework to make the Scottish Government’s vision of Scotland as a Good Food Nation ‘where people from every walk of life take pride and pleasure in, and benefit from, the food they produce, buy, cook, serve, and eat each day,’ a reality*.

Speaking as the inquiry was launched, Committee Convener, Finlay Carson MSP, said: ““Food plays an integral part in all our lives and can have a transformative impact on people’s health and wellbeing, as well as being a key part of our economy, so it’s important that we get this right.

“This Bill provides an opportunity for policy coordination across the public sectors to help create a food system that works for the people of Scotland.

“We want to hear the views of interested individuals and organisations from right across Scotland to fully understand the impact the Bill will have. Will the proposals set out in the Bill legislation help the Scottish Government achieve its aims?”

The Committee has launched a survey looking for views which closes on Wednesday 5 January.

You can submit views here https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/bills/good-food-nation-scotland-bill/overview*

*Scottish Government discussion document ‘Recipe for Success: Scotland’s National Food and Drink Policy – Becoming a Good Food Nation’.

Stop Cambo! Shetland Doctors demonstrate against oil extraction

Doctors in Shetland have led a climate demonstration calling on the UK Government to cancel the planned development of the Cambo oilfield, which lies under the north Atlantic seabed just 150 miles to the west of the islands.

The UN Secretary General, António Guiterres, exclaimed that the climate crisis had reached “code red for humanity” and said that countries must end all new fossil fuel exploration and production, shifting fossil fuel subsidies into renewable energy. Despite this warning, the UK government has recently doubled down on its commitment to exploit the Cambo field.

Doctors are concerned as research shows that heating of the earth’s climate could jeopardise food security for billions of people, leading to mass starvation across huge swathes of the planet. Despite being a wealthy country, the UK is vulnerable as it currently imports most of its food from overseas.

Local consultant paediatrician Dr Alex Armitage said that he felt a professional duty to join yesterday’s demonstration and push for more urgent action.

“To reach net zero we must have a complete transformation of our society now. If we do not, I fear that children that I see in my clinic will face unimaginable horrors in their lifetimes,” he said.

“It feels difficult in Shetland coming and making a public stand against the fossil fuel industry, which employs many people locally and has brought prosperity to Shetland. However, the need for urgent decarbonisation is clear.

“We live in one of the windiest places in the northern hemisphere, in Shetland we have a huge opportunity to rapidly transition our energy economy into renewables. Opening up the Cambo oilfield shows a glaring lack of climate leadership from the government”

Dr Deepa Shah, GP for the South Mainland, explained how moving to a low carbon economy could benefit public health: “Action on climate change through decarbonisation of our lifestyles will not only improve the health of our planet but will also lead to significantly better mental and physical health for my patients.

“This will come about through healthier diets, more active travel, better insulated homes and a corresponding reduction in fuel poverty.

“Taking action on climate change means both a sustainable future on this planet for our children and also longer, healthier lives for ourselves”

The health workers led yesterday’s march from Lerwick health centre to Lerwick Town Hall.

Pictures: Hans Marter and Alex Armitage

Police Scotland welcomes a reduction in incidents over Bonfire Night

Local resources and specialist national teams from Police Scotland have again come together to deploy on Bonfire Night, with the organisation recording 20 per cent fewer calls and reported incidents in comparison to last year.

A policing plan under the name Operation Moonbeam was introduced in 2018 in response to significant public disorder and anti-social behaviour the previous year. This had included targeted attacks on the blue light services responding to emergency calls during the Fireworks Night period.

Throughout Thursday, 4 November, and Friday, 5 November, 2021, 649 calls were received by police in relation to fireworks, and a further 105 regarding fires. In 2020 these figures were 798 and 153, respectively.

Operation Moonbeam lead, Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs said: “Due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, again, there were fewer organised events this year.

“It is very encouraging that we saw a reduction in calls during this traditionally high-demand period. I want to thank everyone who heeded our advice to enjoy themselves in a safe and responsible manner.

“However, unfortunately a number of police officers as well as colleagues from the other emergency services were targeted by a minority of people intent on causing disorder. I utterly condemn this behaviour.

“Thankfully, none of those affected sustained serious injuries but no-one should have to face violence in the course of their duties. These kind of incidents put intense additional pressure on the emergency services and impact our officers’ ability to respond to other people in need.

“We will continue to thoroughly investigate these incidents in the coming days so as to identify those involved.”

Assistant Chief Officer Stuart Stevens, Director of Service Delivery for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Attacks on our firefighters are completely unacceptable.

“This type of behaviour not only prevents our crews from bringing any emergency to a safe and swift conclusion, but it can impact on our emergency service colleagues – including the police when they must escort us at the scene.

“This type of behaviour is, of course, carried out by a very small minority and we once again thank our communities for their continuing support and working together with us to stay safe.”