Measures covering indoor events and hospitality to be reviewed in one week
Large outdoor events can resume without physical distancing or capacity limits from 00:01 on Monday 17 January, following a review of all measures in place to limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
To support the lifting of capacity limits on outdoor events, COVID certification will remain for these where more than 4,000 standing or 10,000 seated are in attendance, and all other events and venues previously covered. Organisers of all events with more than 1,000 attendees will be expected to check a minimum of 50% of attendees for certification of vaccination, exemption, or negative test.
From Monday, a person will need to show they have had a booster to be considered ‘fully vaccinated’ if their last vaccine dose was more than four months ago. The NHS Scotland COVID Status app will be updated from this Thursday and will include booster jags on the QR code for domestic settings. Updated paper and PDF certificates are already available on request from the NHS Inform website or helpline.
Cabinet will next review the state of the epidemic on Tuesday 18 January and consider whether it may be possible to lift capacity caps on indoor live events, including theatre performances and concerts, from 24 January, by which time the impact of the return to schools and workplaces following the festive period should start to show. Cabinet will also consider whether COVID certification should be required in a broader range of settings.
Local authorities will receive up to £5 million of additional support to ensure ventilation in schools and early years settings meets the latest COVID-19 safety guidance.
The funding is to improve air flow, such as adjustments to windows and doors, use of fan systems and use of air cleaning devices in line with existing safety guidance. This is in addition to Scottish Government funding of £10 million provided local authorities for ventilation and CO2 monitoring last year.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “We remain in a highly challenging phase of the pandemic. Case numbers are high, and the impacts of that are severe, and the future trajectory does remain uncertain at this stage.
“But, because of the efforts we have all made, we are in a better position than I feared would be the case when additional measures were announced in December, and I do hope we are now seeing signs of improvement.
“That is allowing us to start the process from Monday of lifting the additional restrictions – and I hope that next week I will be able to confirm the further steps in that process.
“In the meantime, we can all continue to act in a way that keeps things moving in the right direction. Get fully vaccinated as soon as you can – if you haven’t done so already, please do that and do it this week. Try to limit your contacts for a further period, and prioritise the contacts that matter most to you.
“If you are meeting other people socially, test before you go, every time, as close as possible to the time you will be seeing other people and remember to record the result whether that is positive or negative, and take all the other precautions that make a difference.
“‘Living with the virus’, a phrase that we hear more and more right now, is what we all desperately want to do. Unfortunately it doesn’t mean waking up one morning soon and find that COVID has disappeared or that we no longer need to think at all about mitigating the harm it can do.
“Hopefully, we are on a path from COVID being an epidemic to it becoming endemic – in other words, existing at more manageable and consistent levels.
“These are important issues for not just government, but for all of us – so as we prepare the revised strategic framework in weeks to come, we will consult with Parliament, business organisations and other partners across society.
“Our aim is to publish the revised strategic framework within the next few weeks.”
Scottish Rugby responded:
It’s disappointing news for the arts, however:
IMPORTANT CUSTOMER UPDATE from EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
Following the Scottish Government announcement on Tuesday 11 January, in which it was confirmed that indoor seated events continue to be limited to 200, we regret to announce that the following performances scheduled to play at the Edinburgh Playhouse have been postponed:
Waitress: 18th January – 22nd January
If you have tickets to these performances, you do not need to do anything at this time. You will be contacted from your point of purchase in the next few days with next steps.
Performances from 25th January onwards are still scheduled to go ahead as planned and any changes to this will be communicated as soon as possible if restrictions should be extended by the Scottish Government.
We thank you for your continued patience and understanding during this difficult time.
Scottish Fans Ask for a 3 Day Shift
“3 days will Make a Huge Difference”
The Scottish Football Supporters Association thank the First Minister and welcome the news that the cabinet have green lighted a return of fans above the short term limit of 500 imposed on 26th December.
Next week’s Scottish Premier League card can now take place in front of full houses starting with Celtic vs Hibs on Monday 17th and it means the early winter breakdown decision by our top 12 clubs has been commercially justified.
But as it stands the clubs below the Premier League and their fans face another weekend with restricted crowds.
The SFSA are aware that there is no strict science stipulating the 17th as the key restart date and ask that the First Minister, the Sports Minister and Cabinet revisit the decision urgently on behalf of all Scotland’s smaller clubs and their fans.
We ask that the date is brought forward to 14th of January instead of the 17th.
This will allow Ayr United, Dunfermline Athletic, Caledonian Thistle, Raith Rovers, Airdrie, Dumbarton and many other smaller clubs to allow their full fan communities back on Saturday. It will also allow for the top of the table clash in the Championship between Partick Thistle and Kilmarnock to have fans in attendance.
This simple change will bring financial benefits to clubs and communities and is we have been advised low risk.
Andy Smith, Chairman of the SFSA said: “A reprieve will make a huge financial difference to many of our smaller clubs and allow all their fans back and a normal Saturday in many communities.
“Too often Scottish Football overlooks the smaller clubs and their supporters when making big decisions. This is a chance to make a statement that football in Scotland is more than just the Premier League”.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: First Minister’s statement to Scottish Parliament – 14 December 2021
Thank you Presiding Officer, I will give a general update on COVID today, and share the latest information we have on the Omicron variant. I will also set out the further protective measures we consider necessary to help slow its spread while we accelerate the pace of booster vaccines.
Firstly, though, today’s overall statistics.
3,177 positive cases were reported yesterday – 11.3% of all tests carried out.
The number of PCR tests yesterday was actually slightly lower than in recent days, and I therefore want to appeal to people not to put off going for a PCR test if you have symptoms or a positive lateral flow. I know no-one wants to test positive or isolate at Christmas – but testing is a really vital part of our defence and there is no shortage of capacity. So, please do get tested.
541 people are in hospital with COVID – 20 fewer than yesterday.
But I can also confirm that we now know of two confirmed Omicron cases who are in hospital. Sequencing of other possible cases continues, and the actual total is likely to be higher.
38 people are in intensive care with COVID generally, which is one fewer than yesterday.
Sadly, a further six deaths have been reported, taking the total number of deaths under the daily definition to 9,725.
And I want again to send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one.
Presiding Officer
On Omicron specifically, our assessment is that it is spreading very rapidly.
The best indicator of this is the proportion of cases showing what is called the S Gene dropout.
For about 95% of all cases in Scotland, tests are currently processed in a way that allows us to know if the S gene is present or not.
This shows that Omicron cases are increasing exponentially – faster than any variant that has gone before.
When I made a statement to Parliament last week, around 4% of cases showed the S Gene drop out. By Wednesday it was 7%, on Friday it was above 15%.
Today, it is 27.5%
We estimate that the doubling time is two to three days – more rapid than anything experienced in the pandemic so far.
And we expect Omicron to become the dominant strain circulating in Scotland within days.
This matters because Omicron is significantly more transmissible than Delta.
The R number associated with Delta is around 1.
But the R number for Omicron appears to be well over 2 and it is possibly above 4.
Cases in Scotland in total have increased by a quarter in the past week.
They have risen in all age groups, except the over 85s. Omicron is already contributing to that increase.
But as it becomes the dominant strain, its much higher R number will also dominate, and that will drive a much steeper increase in cases.
That is why I warned on Friday that we are facing a likely tsunami of cases in the weeks ahead.
Now some are suggesting that Omicron may be milder in its impact on individual health than Delta.
Obviously, we all hope that is the case.
However, we don’t know it yet. Indeed, there is some initial evidence from Denmark that may suggest otherwise.
But even if it does prove to be milder, simple arithmetic means the challenge it poses will still be very significant.
Let me illustrate that.
In recent months, the proportion of Delta cases needing hospital care has been around 2%.
That means an average daily case number of around 2,700 – as has been the case in recent weeks – will result in around 400 hospital admissions a week.
But if cases rise significantly to, say, 10,000 a day because of Omicron’s greater transmissibility – and this is well within the modelled estimates in the evidence paper we published on Friday – then even if the hospitalization rate turned out to be half that of Delta’s at just 1%, we would see 700 hospital admissions a week.
The basic and very fact is this: a much more transmissible infection – even if milder in terms of severe illness – can still place a much bigger burden on the NHS.
More people infected will result in more severe illness and, tragically, more people will die.
A surging level of infection will also result in many more people being off work due to mild illness and isolation – so the impact on the economy and our ability to deliver critical services will also be severe. Indeed, we are starting to see these impacts already.
All of this explains why we must take Omicron extremely seriously. This is not a choice between protecting health and protecting the economy.
So let me turn to what, in the government’s judgment, we need to do now to mitigate this challenge.
In doing so, I ask everyone to think again in terms of a race between the virus and the vaccines.
Our vaccination programme is running fast – we are currently the most vaccinated part of the UK.
46% of the over 12 population have had booster jags already.
However, just as vaccines started to win this race, the virus learned to run faster.
That means we must deliver boosters even faster.
This is all the more important in light of early data telling us that the protection we have against Omicron infection with just one or two doses is significantly lower than it is for Delta – we need a booster jag to ensure a substantial level of protection against Omicron.
So we are taking steps now to get boosters into arms much faster.
Getting fully vaccinated is the best thing any of us can do to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and the country. So please, book your booster jag as soon as possible.
Speeding up vaccination is essential and I want to assure the nation today that it is the government’s top priority.
I will shortly set out more detail on exactly how we are going about doing it.
But while this is necessary, our judgment is that in the short term it will not be sufficient.
While we are speeding up vaccination, we must also try to slow down Omicron.
That is why we are also proposing today, albeit very reluctantly, some further protective measures. I am appealing to everyone to follow today’s advice, to help slow Omicron down while more of us do get our boosters.
Let me clear, we do not do this lightly.
I know how hard it is.
Please believe me when I say I would not be asking for yet more sacrifice if I did not genuinely consider this to be necessary in the face of a threat that is very real.
So let me set out now what is being asked.
Firstly, we want to keep businesses open but to help achieve this we are asking them to step up the protections in place in their premises.
We intend to amend regulations to put a legal requirement on those running businesses or providing services to take measures which are reasonably practicable to minimise the risk of transmission.
We will issue guidance this week to make clear what that means for different sectors.
For example in retail, it will involve a return to the kind of protections in place at the start of the pandemic – for example measures to avoid crowding and bottlenecks.
This will include physical distancing, measures to control the flow of customers and protective screens.
For hospitality, it will mean, for example, measures to avoid crowding at bars and between tables, and a reminder of the requirement to collect contact details of customers to help with contact tracing.
For employers more generally, the guidance will make clear that enabling staff who were working from home at the start of the pandemic to do so again is now a legal duty.
I am hugely grateful to employers who are already allowing staff to work at home where possible, but we are not yet maximizing the impact of home working to reduce the overall number of contacts we are having.
We recognise of course that there are people who cannot work from home – for example those who work in manufacturing, hospitality and key public services.
We are asking anyone in this position to test regularly before going to work.
We have extended the workplace testing scheme, which delivers lateral flow kits twice a week to all businesses who have signed up to it. I would encourage, urge indeed, any business with 10 or more employees to join up, and encourage staff to test regularly.
We will also be reinforcing the rules and public health messaging on the importance of wearing face coverings, and wearing them properly.
Presiding Officer, My hardest request today is of the general public.
I want to be clear, I am not asking anyone to ‘cancel’ Christmas – but in the run-up to and in the immediate aftermath of Christmas, I am asking everyone to reduce as far as possible, and to a minimum, the contacts we have with people in other households. I will say more about Christmas Day in a moment.
We are not banning or restricting household mixing in law as before. We understand the negative impact this has on mental health and wellbeing.
But we are asking everyone – and we will issue strong guidance to this effect – to cut down as far as possible the number of people outside our own households that we are interacting with just now.
This will help break transmission chains.
So my key request today is this – before and immediately after Christmas, please minimise your social mixing with other households as much as you can.
To help protect yourself and others, we're asking everyone to minimise mixing with other households.
If you do socialise, we strongly advise you keep to a maximum of 3 households at any one time.
However, if you do plan on socialising – either at home or in indoor public places – we are asking that you limit the number of households represented in your group to a maximum of three. And make sure you test before you go.
I know this is a tough thing to ask people to do, especially at this time of year. So I want to be clear why we are making this request.
One of the things we have already learned about Omicron is that it has a very high attack rate.
That means if just one person in a gathering is infectious, that person is likely to infect many more people in the group than is the case with the Delta variant.
So by reducing the numbers of people and households gathering together, we help limit the extent of its spread.
Turning to Christmas Day specifically – or Christmas Eve or Boxing Day or whenever you have your main family celebration – we are not asking you to cancel or change your plans, and we are not proposing limits on the size of household gatherings.
Places of worship will also remain open, with appropriate mitigations.
But we will issue guidance to help you make Christmas safer.
Reducing your contacts in advance of and after Christmas as I have just strongly advised will help do this.
Keeping your celebrations as small as your family circumstances allow is sensible too.
Make sure everyone in your gathering is vaccinated and has done a test in advance.
Keep rooms ventilated and follow strict hygiene rules.
Presiding Officer, I know how much I am asking of everyone today, after a difficult and painful two years.
I would not be doing so if I did not believe it to be absolutely necessary.
Indeed, it could be argued that we should be going further – which is why I need to also explain a significant limitation on our ability to act in the way we think necessary to protect public health.
In this context, I am not seeking to make a political point – simply to set out the factual position.
Many of the protections that help curtail COVID come at a financial cost to individuals and businesses – so wherever we can, we put in place financial packages to protect people’s health, jobs and livelihoods.
However, the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments do not have the ability to borrow to meet the COVID funding challenge.
UK funding arrangements mean we rely on the Treasury to do so on our behalf. And the Treasury has responded well throughout this pandemic.
And although Scottish taxpayers foot our share of the bill, money only flows to the devolved governments when the UK government makes decisions.
Financial support is not triggered if the devolved governments take decisions we consider appropriate for public health reasons – even though it is our responsibility to do so.
So because the UK government is at this stage not proposing any further protections – a position I do not agree with – there is no funding generated to compensate businesses for any protections we think are necessary and wish to put in place. (NOTE: SEE BELOW – Ed.)
That is not acceptable in current circumstances and, with the Welsh and Northern Irish governments, we are pressing for a fairer approach that takes account of our devolved responsibilities for protecting public health.
But for now, this is the situation we are in, and it means our public health response is curtailed by lack of finance.
There are further steps we could and would have considered today – particularly around hospitality – had we the financial ability to do so. But we don’t.
However, I can confirm that with some considerable difficulty, we have managed to identify within our own resources around £100 million that we will use to help businesses, mainly those in hospitality and food supply, and in the culture sector, affected by our advice last week on work Xmas parties and further affected by what I have said today.
The Finance Secretary and her officials will be engaging with affected sectors immediately to consult on and confirm the details of support.
We will work to make money available as soon as possible. Businesses who previously received support through the Strategic Framework Business Fund will be contacted directly.
We have also identified an additional £100 million to ensure the Self Isolation Support Grant is available for those who need it, given the expected increase in the number of eligible people who will be asked to isolate.
Making this money available will involve difficult reprioritisation – but we recognise the importance of providing as much help as we possibly can.
However, this is the limit of what we are able to do within our own resources. I know it does not go far enough in compensating businesses for what we are asking of them now – and, of course, no government can rule out having to go further in the weeks ahead. So we are continuing to press the UK government to increase support to enable us to respond adequately to the public health challenge in the weeks ahead.
Presiding Officer, I will turn now to our actions to speed up delivery of booster vaccinations.
Anyone aged between 40 and 60 who hasn’t already booked an appointment, has now received an invitation to do so.
In addition, since yesterday, all 30 to 39 year olds have been able to book their booster jags online.
And I can confirm today that 18 to 29 year olds will be able to book online from tomorrow.
Our aim is that by 31 December everyone over 18 will have been able to book a booster appointment.
It is not possible to guarantee that absolutely everyone over 18 will have been vaccinated by 31 December. For a variety of reasons, some appointments will run into the new year.
For example, some people will not be eligible by the end of December because it will still be less than 12 weeks since their second dose. Some people have not yet come forward for a first or second dose and despite our best efforts, some will not come forward to book a booster either.
In addition, despite the strenuous work underway, we know that some capacity challenges between now and the end of the year are inevitable – for example, vaccinator staff absences due to COVID.
However, notwithstanding all of that, we are aiming to reach as close as possible to 80% uptake by the end of December, with the balance of appointments taking place in January.
I do not underestimate the challenge of this. Vaccination teams are already making a herculean effort and we are asking a great deal of them.
In addition, reaching that level of uptake depends on people continuing to come forward to get jags even over the holiday period.
So, this will not be easy – we know that – but we are working on the basis that the higher we aim, the further we will get.
Let me now therefore set out the steps we are taking to create the additional capacity needed.
Firstly, given its vital importance against Omicron, we will prioritise the COVID booster programme over the remainder of the flu vaccination programme for the next few weeks. This will allow many more booster appointments to be made available.
Let me stress, though – and this has informed our clinical advice – that for those in the highest risk groups for flu uptake of the vaccine this year is already high – for over 65 year olds, it is 88%, which is higher than last year.
Secondly, and in line with advice from the UK Chief Medical Officers, the requirement for people to wait in a vaccine centre for 15 minutes after they receive an mRNA vaccine is being removed. This will speed up vaccination times and enable many more appointments.
Thirdly, health boards are working to offer additional drop-in capacity within local centres.
Additional venues for vaccination are also being identified. This will include mass vaccination centres in areas where this is considered appropriate.
In terms of human resources, we plan to extend the number and role of volunteers, to ensure that clinical staff can spend as much time as possible supporting the administration of vaccines.
We will continue to expand the size of the overall vaccination workforce as much as possible and make full use of any military support that is available.
We will, of course Presiding Officer, keep parliament updated on the delivery of these plans.
However, at this stage, I want to again thank everyone working so hard to design and deliver the biggest and most important logistical project in our peacetime history.
Let me also stress that, while the focus of my statement today is on boosters, if you haven’t had your first dose yet, please do book it now. It is more important than ever to do so.
In the new year, we will also complete second doses for 12 to 17 year olds.
And I hope, very much hope, that we might also, soon, get regulatory approval to offer vaccination to under 12s.
Presiding Officer, Before I close today, there are some further issues that I want to highlight.
Firstly, let me reiterate the changed advice on self isolation. For now, household contacts of a person who tests positive for COVID, are being advised to self-isolate for 10 days. This advice applies to everyone in a household regardless of age, vaccination status or PCR test result.
Businesses and organisations providing vital services can apply for an exemption to allow essential workers to return to work, subject to them being symptom free and taking certain precautions, including daily lateral flow tests.
Second, beyond this advice, we are not recommending that entire school classes are required to isolate when a pupil tests positive. The advice on school isolation will continue to be risk-based.
More generally, a key aim is to ensure that schools stay open if at all possible to minimise further disruption to education.
However, it is vital that schools are safe for pupils and staff.
To help achieve this, we continue to ask secondary school pupils and all staff to take lateral flow tests regularly – including during holidays and before returning after the break – and to wear face coverings.
In addition the Advisory Subgroup on Education is meeting today to provide further advice on how schools can operate safely in the new year. We will send this advice to schools by the end of this week.
Thirdly, we will continue to consider appropriate protective measures for people in institutional settings – such as care homes – while ensuring that visits can continue.
Last week we recommended that care staff take lateral flow tests on a daily basis.
We are also now recommending that individual visits in care homes should not involve any more than two households visiting any patient at a time. And we are asking anyone visiting a care home to test before every visit.
For hospitals, we are recommending that no more than two people visit a patient at any one time. And again, we are recommending a lateral flow test before each visit.
Finally Presiding Officer, I fully understand that Omicron will be especially concerning to people on the Highest Risk List. I therefore want to give an assarance to all of you that the Chief Medical Officer will be writing to all of you shortly with further advice and assurance.
Presiding Officer,It is an understatement to say this is not the update I wanted to be giving just a few days before Christmas.
And I am painfully aware that it’s not an update anyone wanted to hear.
However, we have a duty to take decisions – no matter how difficult or unpopular – that will get us through this as safely as possible.
I will not shy away from that responsibility.
The fact that I am asking for further sacrifice today underlines how severe we think the risk posed by Omicron might be.
So please do follow the advice I have set out today.
And while this is, without doubt, a very difficult juncture in the course of the pandemic, please remember that vaccination does still put us in a better position than last year.
Also, hard and wearying though this is, we are not powerless in the face of the virus.
We know the steps we can take to slow it down.
So I will stress again what we need to do:
Firstly, please get fully vaccinated as soon as possible.
Secondly, please test regularly.
If you are going to meet other people – and our advice, remember, is to minimise this as much as possible – take a lateral flow test before you go, every time.
The tests are easy to take and, despite an issue with online ordering yesterday, they are easy to get hold of. Tests can be collected from local pharmacies and testing centres without a booking, and the online portal is open again today.
Wear face coverings on public transport, in shops, and when moving about in hospitality settings. And make sure your face covering fully covers your mouth and nose.
Keep windows open if meeting people indoors – even at this time of year.
Follow all advice on hygiene.
Work from home whenever possible – this will soon become a requirement anchored in law.
And please follow the new advice I have outlined today.
Although it is guidance, please do not think of it as optional.
Cut down unnecessary contacts as much as possible. In the run up to and immediately after Christmas, please avoid socialising with people in other households as much as you can.
If you are socialising indoors at home or in public places, limit the number of households represented in your group to a maximum of three. And test before you go.
And please follow the advice we will give to keep Christmas Day as normal but as safe as possible.
We do face an extremely difficult period ahead – I cannot tell you otherwise. But I know we will get through it more safely, if we do right by each other, as we have done all along.
So please – get vaccinated, test regularly, and follow all the other rules and guidance that are in place for our own protection.
Let’s pull together again, and let’s help each other through.
BREAKING NEWS:
HM Treasury has announced that additional funding from the UK reserve will be made available to the governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to progress their vaccine rollout and wider health response.
The news was announced while First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was addressing MSPs at Holyrood this afternoon.
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 16 November 2021:
Presiding Officer,
I will give an update today on the latest Covid situation and also provide an assessment of the current course of the pandemic.
First, though, today’s statistics. 2,771 positive cases were reported yesterday – 12.8% of all the tests that were carried out. 779 people are currently in hospital with Covid – which is 8 more than yesterday.
And 57 people are receiving intensive care, which is the same number as yesterday. Sadly, a further 17 deaths have been reported over the past 24 hours and that takes the total number of deaths registered under this daily definition, to 9,406. And again, I want to send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one.
More positively, the vaccination programme continues to make very good progress.
I can confirm that 4,331,574 people have received a first dose and 3,930,317 have now had both doses.
In total, 88% of all those over 18 are now fully vaccinated with two doses.
In addition, 76% of 16 & 17 year olds, and 56% of 12 to 15 year olds, have had a first dose. Until now, of course only a single dose has been recommended for these age groups.
But, following yesterday’s updated advice from the JCVI, we are now preparing to offer second doses to 16 & 17 year olds.
I will say a bit more about the progress of the booster programme later.
However, it is worth pointing out that on first, second and booster and third doses, Scotland is currently the most vaccinated part of the UK.
That is down of course to the incredible hard work of everyone involved in organising and delivering the programme and I want to record my thanks to each and every one of them.
Today’s weekly update of course coincides with the latest three-week review point for the remaining Covid regulations.
And so I can confirm that at our meeting earlier today the Cabinet agreed to keep the current regulations in place, with no immediate changes.
However, we also considered – though we have not yet reached final decisions on – the possibility of future changes to the Covid certification scheme and I will say more about that shortly as well.
The numbers reported in recent days here in Scotland – which I’ll come on to talk about in more detail – illustrate the need for continued precautions.
So too does the challenging situation being experienced again across Europe.
Several European countries are currently dealing with a sharp increase in cases.
Infection rates in Germany have reached their highest level since the pandemic started. The Netherlands reintroduced some Covid measures last week. Ireland has done so today. And Austria has just introduced extremely tough restrictions on people who are not fully vaccinated.
All of this is a reminder that governments everywhere are grappling with the same issues and dilemmas that we are.
The threats posed by Covid are very much still with us – even though they have been mitigated by vaccination – and the race between the virus and the vaccines has not yet been won. The situation here in Scotland also bears that out.
However, before I give an update on the overall trends in Scotland, I want to say a few words about the impact of recent events in Glasgow.
I will reflect more generally on COP26 in a further statement to parliament later this afternoon..
However, while we can’t yet draw final conclusions, I can confirm now that there is no sign so far of any significant spike in cases associated with COP26.
Rigorous measures were put in place to minimise the risks of transmission.
For example anyone entering the main summit site – the Blue Zone – had to provide evidence of a negative lateral flow test result.
Information published earlier today by Public Health Scotland suggests that of the people officially affiliated with COP26, approximately 4 in every 1,000 tested positive for Covid through routine lateral flow testing.
This contrasts with survey data for the Scottish population as a whole which suggests that last week 12 people in every 1,000 had Covid.
And in total, since 15 October, 291 people with Covid across Scotland reported attending a COP-related event – that includes satellite meetings and demonstrations, as well as the main summit itself. That represents less than half of one per cent of all those who tested positive for Covid over the past month and reported through Test and Protect.
All of this at this stage, Presiding Officer, suggests that the mitigations that were put in place for COP were effective.
And I want to put on record my thanks to delegates for their compliance and indeed to everyone who worked so hard in the run up to and during COP 26 to secure the safest possible environment.
More generally across Scotland, we have seen a gradual increase in cases over the past two weeks – from just over 2,500 new cases a day, to approximately 3,000 cases a day as this stage.
It is important to note though that this headline figure masks some distinct variations between different age groups.
For example, cases amongst under 60s increased by 14% during the past week.
And much of this increase was in people under the age of 20.
By contrast, cases in the over 60 age group fell over the past week – by 11%.
Now this is likely to be due, at least in part, to the success of the booster programme, which of course is prioritised amongst the older population and I’ll say more about that shortly.
The decline in cases amongst older people may also explain why – despite the overall increase in cases – the numbers in hospital with Covid have reduced slightly in recent weeks.
Three weeks ago, 917 patients were in hospital with Covid. Today, there are 779. And the number of people in intensive care has fallen although very slightly during that time – from 59 to 57.
However all of that said the number of patients in hospital with Covid is still extremely high. If cases continue to increase then, notwithstanding the age profile, we are likely to see hospital admissions and occupancy start to rise again.
In addition, the NHS is currently treating people who are in hospital for care which had to be delayed by earlier Covid countermeasures.
And of course as we go further into winter, we can expect other seasonal pressures – for example, flu – to increase.
All of this means that the NHS is under extreme pressure. And we continue to work closely with health boards to address and mitigate these pressures as far as we can.
The vaccination programme, of course, continues to be critical in reducing the direct health harm caused by the virus.
I mentioned a moment ago that the decline in Covid rates in older age groups – and the fall in hospital admissions – may well reflect the impact of the vaccine booster campaign.
I can confirm that more than one million booster jags have now been administered.
And over 70% of the over 70s have now had a booster.
We know that a booster jag significantly increases the effectiveness of the vaccine – so this high level of uptake is extremely important, and we will continue to push it up as far as possible.
The programme took a further step forward yesterday with the launch of the online booking portal.
Everyone aged 50 to 59 – together with unpaid carers and household contacts of the immunosuppressed and anyone eligible for a vaccine who has not yet had an appointment – can now book online at NHS Inform.
Since yesterday morning, more than 54,000 people have made online bookings.
And more than 8,000 people have made bookings through the national helpline, which can be called on 0800 030 8013. That’s 0800 030 8013.
It is of course important to remember that boosters can only be given 24 weeks after someone’s 2nd jab.
Therefore, for many in the 50 to 59 age group, appointments will only be possible from December onwards.
It is also worth pointing out that people living in Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles and the NHS Highland health board areas will not use the online booking system, but instead receive information direct from their health board about local appointment arrangements.
As I mentioned earlier, the JCVI updated its advice yesterday.
In addition to recommending second doses for 16 & 17 year olds, it also recommended booster jags for people in their 40s.
I very much welcome this and the Scottish Government will now move to implement this new advice as quickly as we can. And we continue to work with health boards to ensure that the overall programme is delivered as rapidly as possible.
However it is worth taking stock of the situation as of now.
This winter vaccination programme is the largest and the most complex ever undertaken in Scotland.
However, since the first week in September more than 3 million flu and booster jags have been administered.
Take up rates have been encouraging. And this is providing vital protection as we head into winter. So, once again, I am hugely grateful to everyone helping get jags into people’s arms as quickly as possible.
And I also want to take this opportunity again to urge every single person who is eligible for vaccination – whether for a first or second jag, or a booster or 3rd jag – to take up the offer without delay. And get the flu jag too if you are eligible.
Getting vaccinated remains the single most important thing any of us can do to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our communities.
It is impossible to overstate how important it is to get vaccinated – so if you haven’t already, please do so now.
You could be saving your own life or the lives of your loved ones.
You will be reassuring others, including those most at risk – some of whom have clinical conditions that mean that they cannot get vaccinated themselves.
You will be helping those working in the NHS.
And you will be maximising our collective chances of getting through this winter without the need to re-introduce any restrictions.
Presiding Officer, in my view, choosing, without good reason, not to be vaccinated is deeply irresponsible. Getting vaccinated, on the other hand, is a civic duty and it is the most precious gift we can give to others at this time.
The vaccine programme is and will continue to be the bedrock of our efforts to control Covid.
However, other baseline mitigations remain in place and they are also important.
Lateral flow testing, as I mentioned earlier, appears to have been effective in limiting transmission during COP.
That should remind all of us that these tests are a really important way of detecting infection particularly in those without symptoms and therefore preventing onward spread.
So I would again encourage everyone to do a lateral flow test at least twice a week – and especially if you are attending events or mixing with people in other households.
The tests can be ordered free through NHS Inform, or collected from test sites and local pharmacies.
Face coverings also continue to be a simple and important mitigation – and remain a legal requirement on public transport, in shops and when moving around in hospitality settings.
Please also continue to work from home when that is practical.
I am today asking all employers to look again at whether more workers could be supported to do more work from home over the winter period.
Lastly, good ventilation is vital.
If any of us are having people visit our homes, we should open a window, even slightly, to let some air flow through the room.
Within the public sector we have taken significant steps to improve ventilation – for example funding for carbon dioxide monitors in schools.
And in September we announced the establishment of a £25million fund to help businesses improve ventilation.
This fund opens for applications next week. Businesses such as restaurants, bars and gyms will be able to claim back costs of up to £2,500 for measures like the installation of carbon dioxide monitors or improvements to windows and vents.
More information on eligibility has been published today on the Find Business Support website.
All of these basic mitigation measures are really important at this stage.
But of course, some of them are also valuable long-term investments.
For example, better ventilation won’t just reduce the spread of Covid – it will also help reduce the spread of other airborne viruses, now and in the future.
And there’s an important point here which is worth stressing.
When we talk – as many do these days – about ‘living with COVID’, it is important that we don’t think of this as simply giving in to the virus.
Instead, it is about making sensible changes that allow us to return both to greater normality and to better health.
Presiding Officer,
The final mitigation measure I want to talk about today is the Covid certification scheme.
It is the strong view of the Scottish Government that this – together with the other measures still in place – makes an important and proportionate contribution to stemming Covid transmission.
The value of certification is also recognised in other countries, many of which require certification for access to a much wider range of services than is currently the case in Scotland.
Wales, for example, expanded the scope of its own scheme yesterday. It now applies to theatres, cinemas and concert halls, in addition to the same range of venues as in Scotland.
The Cabinet discussed possible changes to the current certification scheme at our meeting this morning. We intend to take a final decision next Tuesday in light of the most up to date data.
In the meantime, later this week, we will publish an evidence paper and consult businesses on the practicalities of implementation should changes be made.
However, while final decisions have not yet been reached, I want to provide an update on the issues under consideration.
I should also say that we would provisionally intend for any changes we do decide to make to the scheme to take effect from December 6.
When the scheme launched on 1 October, we judged that it was not appropriate at that time – given the imperative to drive up vaccination rates – to include testing as an alternative to proof of vaccination. But we indicated that this would be kept under review.
So we will be assessing in the coming days whether, on the basis of current and projected vaccination uptake rates, we are now in a position to amend the scheme so that in addition to showing evidence of vaccination to access a venue, there will also be the option of providing evidence of a recent negative test result.
That is already a feature of many other countries’ certification schemes.
We are also considering whether an expansion of the scheme to cover more settings would be justified and prudent given the current state of the pandemic. Again let me stress that we have not at this stage taken a decision to extend the reach of the scheme.
However, to allow us to engage openly with businesses in the coming days about the pros, cons and practicalities, I can confirm that the kinds of settings that might be in scope would be indoor cinemas, theatres, and some other licensed and hospitality premises.
We would, of course, retain exemptions for those under 18; for those who cannot be vaccinated or tested for medical reasons; for people on clinical trials; and for those who work at events or in venues subject to the scheme. Exceptions would also be retained for worship, weddings, funerals and related gatherings.
I will give a further update on this in next week’s statement. And if we decide to propose any amendments to the regulations on certification, Parliament will have the opportunity to discuss and debate these amendments.
Presiding Officer,
I am acutely aware that many businesses want us to remove mitigations – including certification – not extend or tighten them.
I understand that. But all of our decisions are and must be motivated by a desire to keep people safe but also to get through what will be a challenging winter without having to re-introduce any restrictions on trade. We want if possible businesses to stay fully open over Christmas and through the winter, while also keeping Covid under control.
If an expansion of Covid certification can help us do that, it would be irresponsible not to consider it.
Presiding Officer
As the detail of this statement makes clear – and as the situation across Europe also shows – the need to carefully manage this pandemic still deprives us of any easy options.
While we hope very much to get through winter without re-introducing any further restrictions, as some other countries are now starting to do, we do have a duty to keep proportionate options under review and we will do so.
To assist with and give an insight into the factors guiding our considerations, we are also publishing an updated strategic framework today.
This covers in more detail many of the issues I have already summarized.
One of the points it reiterates is that all of us across society – individuals, businesses and other organisations – must continue to play our part in helping curb the spread of the virus.
For that reason, Cabinet Secretaries are continuing to work with COSLA, individual local authorities and businesses on the actions we need to take to reduce transmission – preferably without additional restrictions.
And I will close again by reiterating what we can all do to protect ourselves and each other.
So firstly, please do get vaccinated if you are eligible and haven’t yet done so. As I mentioned earlier, that includes going for a booster jag when you are invited.
It is never too late to get vaccinated. And it remains the single most important thing any of us can do right now.
Second, please test regularly with lateral flow devices. These, of course, can be ordered through the NHS Inform website, or collected from a local test site or pharmacies.
If you test positive, or are identified as a close contact, or have symptoms of the virus, please self-isolate and book a PCR test.
And third, please comply with the mitigations still in place.
Work from home when that is possible, wear face coverings in indoor public places – shops and public transport and when moving about in hospitality.
Wash hands and surfaces thoroughly.
And meet outdoors if that is possible. That obviously gets harder through the winter – but it is the case that outdoor environments are safer than indoors.
And when you are meeting indoors, try to open windows – anything to improve ventilation will help.
All of these precautions do still make a difference. They will protect us and those around us, and they will help to ease the burden on our NHS.
So I ask everyone to continue to stick with them and thank everyone for doing so.
‘So please – get vaccinated, get tested, and tighten up again on following the rules and guidelines’ – First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
Statement given by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Friday 27 August 2021:
Good afternoon. I’m joined today by Jason Leitch, the National Clinical Director. He and I will take questions shortly.
However before that, I’ll give a further update on where we are with Covid, starting with today’s statistics.
We are reporting another sharp rise in cases today. 6,835 positive cases were reported yesterday – that is by the far the highest number in a single day so far. It represents 14.2% of all tests carried out.
479 people are in hospital with Covid – 53 more than yesterday. And 47 people are in intensive care, which is the same as yesterday.
However, for some context, I should also say there was a record number of tests carried out yesterday. That doesn’t entirely explain and account for the rise, but it does give some important context.
Sadly, a further 4 deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours, which means that the total number of deaths registered, under our daily definition, is now 8,103.
As always, my condolences go to everyone who has lost someone as a result of the virus.
As of this morning, 4,095,463 people have received a first dose of the vaccine.
And 3,629,482 people have received a second dose.
The vast majority of people over the age of 40 – 95% of them – have now had two doses of the vaccine.
70% of 30 to 39 year olds have also had both doses. For 18 to 29 years, 74% have had first doses and 46% have had second doses and are ongoing in this age group.
And 44% of 16 and 17 year olds have now had their first jag.
Those rates of vaccination are positive and continue to give us optimism for the remainder of our path through this pandemic.
If we are fully vaccinated, we are somewhat less likely to get Covid – although, as I said on Tuesday, around a third of new cases at the moment are of people who have been vaccinated.
However, even more importantly, we know that being fully vaccinated makes us significantly less likely to fall seriously ill from Covid.
That is why the high number of new cases that we are seeing has not so far led to the same number of hospitalisations that we saw in previous waves of the pandemic.
That said, the case numbers that we are seeing at the moment are still a cause for concern.
In the last 7 days, we have reported more new cases than at any previous time in the pandemic. Case numbers have roughly doubled in that time.
It’s important to point out case numbers are rising across the UK just now – but after a period of slower increases in Scotland, the rise here is particularly sharp at the moment.
That is possibly – at least in part – a reflection of the fact that our schools return earlier, with the increased interactions that come with that.
And although vaccination has significantly weakened the link between a high volume of new cases, and serious harm to people’s health, it has not broken that link.
Even if a much smaller proportion of people who get Covid now need to go to hospital, basic arithmetic tells us that a small percentage of a very large number is still a big number.
Indeed, in recent days we have seen an increase in the number of people in hospital. To provide some context, last Friday, 312 people were in hospital with Covid – today’s figure is 479.
And of course people who do not go to hospital can still suffer serious illness – including through long Covid.
The potential health impact on individuals is a concern in itself.
It will also put our health service under further pressure – at a time when many staff have been working flat out for 18 months, and when we are trying to catch up with a backlog of other procedures.
At the start of the pandemic, “protect the NHS” was one of our key messages – it is still something that all of us need to bear in mind at this stage.
All of this is why, on Tuesday, I described our current position as fragile.
There is no doubt that the vaccines have allowed us to take a far less restrictive approach to dealing with the virus, than we did at earlier stages of the pandemic.
And we know that the measures which have been in place for much of the last 17 months have in themselves caused serious harm. They have disrupted schools, hurt the economy and affected wellbeing.
That is why – even although, if we are at all responsible, we can’t and shouldn’t rule anything out in the face of a pandemic, none of us want to go backwards to even limited restrictions.
But we cannot ignore the current surge in cases either. My job in times like these is not to be popular – it is to take any decisions, no matter how difficult, that are necessary to keep us safe.
In particular, we are currently watching closely to see whether – and to what extent – we might start to see a significant increase in serious illness and people being hospitalized.
I will continue to keep you updated in the days ahead. Though I want to be clear that some of the speculation you might be reading in the media just now is not accurate – for example, we are not currently considering a circuit breaker lockdown.
For the moment, though, I do need to stress the vital importance of everyone playing their part in limiting the spread of the virus. The more we all do this, the more chance we have of avoiding the need to re-impose any formal restrictions.
So we are asking businesses to ensure that they continue encouraging employees and customers to comply fully with Covid mitigations. That includes wearing face coverings in indoor public spaces where required.
Businesses should also, at present, continue to work with staff to support home working where at all possible.
It is of course vital for businesses – as it is for everyone – that we slow the spread of the virus, and avoid the need for further restrictions, and I am grateful to all of the businesses across the country who are doing so much to help achieve this.
In addition, of course, all of us as individuals have a really important part to play. All of us have some control here over transmission.
And there are three steps in particular that we must all take, to help to keep the pandemic under control. So I will close by emphasizing those once again and remind people how important it is that we all abide by these mitigations.
First, if you are eligible and haven’t yet done so, please get vaccinated. This remains the single most important thing we can all do to keep each other safe.
There are drop-in vaccination centres in every mainland health board area – and you can find out details of where they are, on the NHS inform website, or by following local health boards on social media.
So if you haven’t been vaccinated yet – or if you had your first dose 8 or more weeks ago, and haven’t had a second dose – you can turn up at your nearest centre and get the jag.
And if you have any doubts about vaccination, go along to a centre anyway – the staff and volunteers there will be able to answer your questions, and talk to you about the process.
Second, please test yourself regularly. If you do that, then if you have the virus but don’t have symptoms – you have a chance of finding that out before you go out to work or to socialise. Testing yourself therefore makes it less likely that you will inadvertently pass the virus to others.
You can order free lateral flow tests through the NHS inform website. The tests will then be sent to you in the post, or you can collect them from local pharmacies or test sites.
If you test positive through one of these lateral flow devices – or if you have symptoms of the virus – make sure that you self-isolate, and book a PCR test. Self-isolation remains a really important way in which we can all slow the spread of the virus.
And thirdly and finally, please follow the rules and public health guidance which are still in place.
That’s important for all of us. Even basic steps – wearing face coverings on public transport, and opening a window if you have someone in your house to make sure there is good ventilation – can still make a big difference.
So please remember it is still a requirement to wear face coverings in certain indoor public places, such as shops, public transport and when entering and moving about in hospitality settings. That’s a simple but important way in which we can protect each other.
And more generally, it is important in these current circumstances, we think about how often we’re socializing and with how many others, what risks we are running when we go out and about, and the basic steps that reduce those risks.
Meet outdoors as much as possible.
If you are indoors, avoid crowded places. And open the windows – the better ventilated a room is, the safer it is.
Even though it’s not the law any more, keep a safe distance from people in other households if you can – especially indoors.
Continue to minimise physical contact where possible – like handshaking, for example.
And wash your hands and surfaces regularly and thoroughly.
If we all comply with all of these measures, we will help limit the spread of Covid.
We will make ourselves and our loved ones safer.
And we can maintain the progress that we have made, and to keep on living more freely.
So please – get vaccinated, get tested, and tighten up again on following the rules and guidelines.
First Minister’s Coronavirus media briefing: Tuesday 30th March
Thanks for joining us again.
I am not able to give these Covid briefings just now as often as I have been doing because we are now in a pre-election period.
However I think that it’s important to give an update today, in advance of the changes that are due to take place over the weekend.
As things stand just now, I intend to give further updates at this time next Tuesday and on 20 April.
I am joined today by the Chief Medical Officer, Gregor Smith, and the National Clinical Director, Jason Leitch, who will help me answer questions.
However, I will start as usual with the latest statistics.
The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 411.
That represents 2.8% of the total number of tests, and takes the total number of confirmed cases in Scotland to 217,890.
109 of those new cases were in Lothian, 94 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde and 76 in Lanarkshire.
The remaining cases were spread across 7 other health board areas.
250 people are currently in hospital – that is 9 fewer than yesterday.
23 people are in intensive care, which is an increase of 1 since yesterday.
And 12 deaths were reported yesterday, of patients who first tested positive over the previous 28 days. That takes the total number of deaths registered, under that definition, to 7,596.
That reminds us of the heartbreak that this virus continues to cause. Once again, I want to send my condolences to all those who have lost a loved one.
I can also provide an update on our latest vaccination figures.
As of 7.30 this morning, 2,436,398 people in Scotland have received their first dose of the vaccine.
That is an increase of 26,572 since yesterday.
In addition, 12,180 people received their second dose yesterday, which brings the total number of second doses to 338,443
Virtually all over 65 year olds have now received a first dose of the vaccine.
So have:
98% of 60-64 year olds;
81% of 55 to 59 year olds;
and 57% of 50 to 54 year olds.
We remain on course to offer a first dose of the vaccine by the middle of April to all over 50 year olds; all unpaid carers; and all adults with particular underlying health conditions.
Those figures confirm the progress we have made in the last three months.
We are now averaging 539 new cases per day.
That is a decline of more than 3/4 since early January.
The number of deaths from Covid has fallen even more sharply. They are down by more than 80% in the last 2 months.
And, as you can see from the figures I have reported, the number of people in hospital and intensive care is also reducing.
However there are still no grounds for complacency. Indeed, we must continue to be hyper vigilant. For example the data suggests that the numbers of new cases in Scotland – having fallen throughout January and February – are now plateauing, rather than continuing to decline significantly.
Numbers fell very slightly last week – but they have risen in some other weeks recently.
As a result, hundreds of people in Scotland every day, are still getting the virus which remains very infectious and highly dangerous.
So we still face significant risks – and it is vital that we all continue to bear that in mind and act cautiously and carefully.
However, there is no doubt that we have made progress – both in suppressing the virus and in vaccination – and that is directly relevant to the decisions I am confirming today.
I am able to confirm today, that taking all of the recent data into account, the changes which I previously indicated that we hoped to make on 2 and 5 April can go ahead.
The first change will take effect from Friday, 2 April.
From that day, our current stay at home rule will be lifted. That rule currently applies across all of Scotland, except for some of island communities.
However the stay at home rule is being replaced by a requirement to stay local.
This means that the current travel restrictions – which prevent non-essential travel outside your local authority area – will remain in place for another 3 weeks.
I understand how frustrating those restrictions are.
I share that frustration – my family live in a different local authority to me.
And like anyone with loved ones in a different part of the country, I desperately want to see them in person.
But the requirement to stay local is there, for the moment, for a good reason.
At the moment, different parts of the country, have different levels of infection.
For example some parts of the central belt have far more new cases each day, than areas such as Highland, the Borders, and Dumfries and Galloway. And there are also different rates of infection within the central belt itself.
So while Covid levels remain high in some areas – and while a lot of people remain unvaccinated – we do not want the virus to spread from areas with relatively high prevalence, to areas with low rates of infection.
That’s why sticking to the stay local rule for another 3 weeks is really important.
All of the other immediate changes will take effect from next Monday, 5 April.
From that date, more students – particularly in colleges – will be allowed to return to on-campus learning. That includes many students who are taking qualifications in construction, in engineering, and in subjects such as hairdressing and beauty.
In addition, from Monday onwards, contact sports will resume for 12 to 17-year-olds. And there will be a limited reopening of some retail services.
All shops will be allowed to operate click and collect services from Monday – although you will need an appointment to pick up your goods.
Car showrooms and forecourts will also reopen. Again, you may need an appointment to get into showrooms, so please check that with the retailer before you go.
Homeware stores and garden centres will also be able to reopen – that’s something which I know will be appreciated by those retailers, and also by many customers, as we head towards the summer.
Obviously, we don’t want big crowds at any of these stores – so although they open on the 5th, think about whether you really need to visit them on Monday itself. If you can, wait until later in the week.
Going later in the week – or later in the month – might mean things are a bit quieter.
And of course, follow the advice and the instructions given by store staff. Those staff will be helping to keep you and the other customers safe.
Finally, from next Monday, hairdressers and barbers will also be allowed to reopen. I know that many people are already looking forward to their first professional haircuts of the year. But again, please make an appointment before you go.
These changes will I hope be widely welcomed.
But they are – quite deliberately – fairly cautious steps out of lockdown.
If you look across to Europe at the moment, many countries there are seeing a big rise in cases.
We don’t want the same thing to happen here if we can avoid it.
And in our view the virus is still too widespread, and too dangerous, to allow for a more rapid opening up.
However if the data permits, we do expect to be able to make further changes later in April.
First of all, once the Easter holidays finish, all secondary school children will return to school full time.
After that, we hope to ease restrictions further on 26 April. By that time, we expect to have offered a first dose of the vaccine to all JCVI priority groups – that includes everyone over the age of 50.
That is a significant milestone – since those priority groups are estimated to account for 99% of all deaths from Covid.
We hope that mainland Scotland will move from level 4 to level 3 on 26 April.
That means – for example – that we expect to end all restrictions on travelling within mainland Scotland on that day. We also expect to confirm a full reopening of retail premises, and a partial reopening of the hospitality sector.
We also hope that on the 26th, it will be possible to ease some of the rules on outdoor meetings.
I hope to be able to confirm those changes at a media briefing in three weeks’ time.
In addition, the Scottish Government will publish updated levels tables on our website, in the next few days. They will provide some more information about the changes we hope to make during April and May, and into the summer.
We will also update our guidance on the current restrictions on Friday and Monday, to take account of the changes I have just confirmed.
For now, however, the main point that I want to stress is that it will be more possible to relax more restrictions in the future, if case numbers remain under control.So when things open up slightly this weekend – please continue to stick to the rules.
Until Friday, stay at home – and from Friday onwards, stay local.
Remember that you must stay in your local authority, unless your travel is for an essential purpose.
Continue to work from home if you can. That remains the default position. And employers still have a duty – if they reasonably can – to support people to work from home.
Don’t meet up with other households in their homes. That is really important. We know that the virus spreads much more easily in indoor environments.
When you are outside – the maximum group size for adults is up to four people, from up to two households.
For 12 to 17-year-olds, the maximum group size is still four– but they can be from up to four households.
On any occasion when you do leave the house, remember FACTS.
wear face coverings;
avoid anywhere busy;
clean hands and surfaces;
use two metre distancing
and self-isolate and book a test if you have symptoms.
And Download the Protect Scotland app, if you haven’t already – and make sure that it is enabled when you are out and about.
These basic precautions are always important – but they perhaps become even more vital, as we start to do slightly more.
By following them – and by sticking to the rules – we can all keep the virus under control, while vaccination continues.
And we can all make it safer, for more restrictions to be eased in the future.
So please, stay at home – for now. Protect the NHS. And save lives.
Thank you, once again, to everyone who is doing that.
Updated guidance and indicative dates for return to competition
Scottish Hockey has released updated Phase 3 guidance and provisional dates outlining a staged return to competitive hockey.
It follows the Scottish Government announcement that from Monday 24 August full contact outdoor sports can take place for up to 30 people, following the guidance of sporting governing bodies.
With social distancing no longer required during on-pitch sessions, clubs can now focus on in-house games. Scottish Hockey’s Phase 3 Guidance outlines how this can be done safely and in line with Scottish Government guidelines.
From an indicative date of 5 September, local friendlies within your geographical district can be arranged where appropriate, when following guidelines, and is facility dependant.
This allows a build-up of activity from club to district to national level, focussing on a gradual build-up, local travel, while reducing the possibility of outbreaks in the return to competition.
Significantly, the provisional date for the return of Scottish Hockey competitions has been set for 3 October, subject to government guidelines and facilities.
Scottish Hockey CEO David Sweetman said, “I’m delighted we’re able to release this updated Phase 3 guidance and announce some provisional dates to work towards competitive match play.
“A phenomenal amount of work has got us to this stage, with clubs up and down the country doing incredible work to ensure their members return to the pitch safely, and Scottish Hockey staff working exceptionally hard to establish clear guidance and support clubs.
“We all still have to be cautious, take our time, and follow guidance to ensure Covid-19 is kept under control while we get back to enjoying the sport we love.”
Statement given by the Health Secretary Jeane Freeman at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh yesterday (Sunday 3 May):
Good afternoon and thank you again for joining us for today’s briefing.
I want to start – as I always do – by updating you on some of the key statistics in relation to Covid-19 in Scotland.
As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 12,097 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 170 from yesterday.
A total of 1,666 patients are in hospital with Covid-19 and that is a decrease of 8 from yesterday.
And a total of 99 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid 19. A decrease of 9 since the numbers reported yesterday.
It’s worth noting that this is first time that number has been below 100, since 29 March. That is obviously very encouraging news. It does show that the restrictions are working – but it also underlines why we need to stick with them.
So I want to thank all of you for the sacrifices you have made – and I know will continue to make. I know it is not easy, but I hope you are beginning to see as we do that those sacrifices are beginning to show results. And I of course want to thank everyone working in our intensive care units. Your efforts are having a hugely positive impact.
I can also confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 2,765 patients who had tested positive for the virus have been able to leave hospital. I wish all of them well.
However I also have to report that in the last 24 hours, 12 deaths have been registered of patients who have been confirmed through a test as having Covid-19 – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 1,571.
As I have said previously at these Sunday briefings, these figures should be treated with some caution. Although deaths can be registered at weekends, registration numbers are usually relatively low. And that should be taken into account when looking at today’s figures.
But as always I am aware that these are not just numbers. Each one was a person who’s death is a source of grief to many. Each one, is a life lost.
So, I want to send my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one, to this virus.
As Health Secretary, I also want to thank, as I do every day all those working in our health and care sector. I’ve already mentioned ICU workers. But our thanks is due to all staff – the doctors and the nurses, the paramedics, care home staff, porters, cooks, healthcare assistants, cleaners and many, many more.
Your efforts are essential to the health of our country. And all of us owe you a huge debt of gratitude.
I want to update you today on two areas. The first is mental health.
And I am pleased to be joined by Dr John Mitchell, who is a Consultant Psychiatrist and our interim Principal Medical Officer. And as you will see I am also joined by Professor Jason Leitch, our National Clinical Director.
The Scottish Government is already taking significant action to support people’s mental health, during this period.
Today I am announcing a further package of support – to address the challenges, faced by specific groups.
There are some aspects of this crisis – the changes to routine and general anxiety – which are tough for all of us. But we know that they are especially tough for autistic people, their parents and carers.
So we are providing an additional £200,000 for Scottish Autism and the National Autistic Society.
This funding will allow the National Autistic Society to turn many of its face to face services – for example the social groups it runs – into online services. This will help parents and carers, and autistic people, to keep in touch – so that those facing similar challenges can support each other, even if they cannot meet each other. They can be together even when physically apart.
And the funding for Scottish Autism is for their Autism Helpline – I’m going to read the helpline number out in a few moments, for anyone who wants to make a note of it.
The helpline is already a trusted source of advice and support for the people who need it. Our funding will increase its capacity to help people, at a time when there is a high demand for its services.
The helpline is available 7 days a week, from 8am to 8pm, and the number is 01259 222 0222. That’s 01259 222 0222.
Our support will help organisations that provide help to those who need it most. And it will ensure that additional support is available – during an especially trying time – for autistic people, their parents and carers.
We are also want to enhance the help available to young people.
We know that – for many children and young people – this is a very unsettling time. It’s tough not being at school, not being able to see you friends, and spending so much time at home.
So I want you to know that it’s OK not to be OK.
Last month – we launched a new digital resource, which helps children and young people learn about the healthy use of screens and social media. The resource – called ‘Mind Yer Time’ – was developed by the Scottish Youth Parliament and the Children’s Parliament. And in the first ten days since its launch, it has had almost 13,000 views.
We are now going to do a bit more. We are providing £105,000 to the organisation Young Scot. That money will be used to develop a range of new digital content, on mental wellbeing.
The new content will be hosted on Young Scot’s own digital platform – as well as on social media channels like TikTok, Snapchat, and Youtube. And it will help to ensure that if young people need information or support – they know exactly where to get it.
I am also announcing today additional support for families.
We know that during this period, many people will feel their closest relationships under particular strain. That may be because you are spending more time with your partners, your children, your immediate family – or because you are seeing less of other family members, due to the lockdown.
So we’re providing £700,000 to The Spark – an organisation which specialises in relationship counselling.
The money will be used to expand the Spark’s Relationship Helpline service. And again, I’ll read that number out in a moment.
The helpline provides help to anyone experiencing relationship issues. And it can also refer people on, for more in-depth counselling, if that is required.
The number of the Relationship Helpline is 0808 802 2088. That’s 0808 802 2088. It’s free service. And will now be operational Monday to Thursday, between 9am to 9pm, and on Fridays from 9am to 4pm.
The most important message I want to get across today is simply this – help is there if you need it. The NHS Inform website can help you to find the services that are best for you. And the website ‘clearyourhead.scot’ has advice and tips on how to maintain your mental wellbeing. So please reach out –help is there for you.
The second issue I want to cover is our support for people with drug and alcohol issues.
We’ve already announced a number of measures to ensure that treatment and support services are not disrupted, during this crisis. As part of that, we have increased the availability of naloxone – a medication which reverses opiate overdose.
Under existing UK legislation, supplies of naloxone can be held by non-drug treatment services for use in an emergency, but not for onward distribution. In the current crisis that could present an obstacle to people receiving the treatment that they need.
So that’s why – today – the Lord Advocate has confirmed that – for the duration of this crisis – it would not be in the public interest to prosecute any individual – working for a service registered with the Scottish Government – who supplies naloxone in an emergency, to save a life.
I hope that statement provides confidence and certainty to relevant professionals, as they carry out their important work. And I hope it will further ensure that people can get the treatment they need, when they need it.
I am also announcing today new support for people who are in prison or about to leave prison.
We are providing £150,000 to enhance residential rehabilitation services. It will increase the number of residential places available, for people leaving prison.
And we are making up to £1.9 million available to support people in prison, who need opiate substitution therapy – or OST as it is known. That is currently around a quarter of Scotland’s prison population.
The funding will make a new treatment – called buvidal – available to people in prison. Unlike other substitutes, buvidal is administered as a 7 or 28 day injectable dose, rather than daily.
This change will help to relieve pressure on our prison service. It will ensure continuity of treatment, for people in prison. And it is a further way in which we are trying to provide the right support during this pandemic, to those who need it.
I want to close today by reiterating the public health guidelines.
You should stay at home – except for essential purposes such as buying food or medicine, and exercising.
If you do leave home, please don’t mix with people from other households and stay more than 2 metres away from other people.
If you have symptoms of Covid-19, you and your household should isolate yourselves completely. And everybody should continue to wash their hands regularly and thoroughly.
I know that these restrictions get only more difficult with time. But I want to emphasise that the sacrifices you are making are making a difference. We are not through this yet, but we are seeing hopeful signs and it is vital that we stick with it – and build on the work that your sacrifices have allowed us to secure.
By doing that together, we slow the spread of this virus, we protect our NHS, and we save lives. So I want to thank you, again, and I always will, for playing your part in all of this.
Grant Shapps announces measures to ensure transport boosts the national response to COVID-19 and paying tribute to the transport workers who have kept vital freight and passenger services running.
Good afternoon, and welcome to today’s Downing Street press conference.
I’m pleased to be joined today by Dr Jenny Harries.
Latest data
Before I talk about the latest steps we are taking to defeat coronavirus, let me update you on the latest information from the COBR data file.
I can report that through the government’s monitoring and testing programme, as of today (24 April 2020)
612,031 tests for coronavirus have now been carried out in the UK, including 28,532 tests yesterday
143,464 people have tested positive, that’s an increase of 5,386 cases since yesterday
17,049 people are currently in hospital with coronavirus in the UK, down from 17,615 on 22 April and down 10% on last week
and sadly, of those in hospital with the virus, 19,506 have now died – that’s an increase of 684 fatalities since yesterday
We express our deepest condolences to the families and friends of these victims.
We must not forget that each of these statistics represents a personal tragedy.
Transport importance
Despite the continued challenges ahead, as we prepare for the next stage in our battle to beat this pandemic, there are tentative signs we are making progress.
The main reason for that is the way Britain has responded to the guidance to stay at home and maintain social distancing over the past few weeks.
By respecting these measures, the whole country is slowing the spread of the virus. And by avoiding public transport, you’re freeing up space for critical workers who rely on buses and trains to travel safely.
The continued operation of both passenger and freight transport is critically important to our resilience as a country.
So today I’m announcing a new package of measures to ensure transport boosts our national response to COVID-19.
Freight
First, we’re announcing a far-reaching package to safeguard the flow of essential goods into – and across – the country.
Bringing in life-saving medicines, food and many other essential goods…..
Allowing us to meet the needs of our countries during this difficult time.
Operators on many of these routes have been under rising financial pressures due to falling demand.
Since many of them bring in crucial goods like medicines, raw materials and chemicals to purify water, it is important to guarantee the continuation of services.
And we’re making sure that air links to Belfast and Derry-Londonderry in Northern Ireland will also continue – these routes are particularly important for critical workers.
Thanks to the measures I’ve announced today, we are safeguarding 5 ferry and 2 air routes between Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and 26 different freight routes between Britain, France, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden.
Transport Support Unit
Second, we have launched a Transport Support Unit (TSU) dedicated to fighting this pandemic.
At the beginning of this crisis we reduced services like rail and buses, whilst securing their continuation to enable critical workers and others to make essential journeys.
Lower ridership means we have spare transport capacity which I have directed to be used for logistical tasks in the fight against this virus.
By making use of the people and the resources of the Department for Transport, its agencies and arm’s length bodies, we will be helping NHS trusts and local resilience groups to fight the pandemic.
We now have over 8,500 specialist volunteers from across the transport sector.
And around 9,000 vehicles which can support the national effort.
This includes 4 fixed-wing aircraft owned by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (one of them a Boeing 737), helicopters, ships and trains.
Together they will help move emergency patients and medical supplies, deliver personal protective equipment (PPE) to hospitals, and distribute food parcels to vulnerable people.
And vehicles from Highways England will act as mobile COVID-19 testing centres.
Network Rail is also making available its 7 regional distribution centres which can be used to support the effort.
This work is underway and I would like to thank all those taking part, like the Network Rail engineers who helped fit out the Nightingale hospital in Manchester.
As the country works hard to beat this virus, it’s vital we come together and help each other.
So, the Transport Support Unit is getting to work, helping frontline staff, and making full use of the significant resources at its disposal.
Drones
I have also given the green light to trials of drones delivering medical supplies.
Earlier this year, we awarded £28 million to Southampton and Portsmouth to develop a Future Transport Zone.
As part of that initiative, £8 million was earmarked for testing drones, and how they might be used for delivering goods in the years and decades ahead.
Of course, now we have an urgent need, so we’re making use of that testing programme as part of our response to COVID-19.
As a result, I have fast-tracked trials to begin next week to carry medical supplies and equipment to St Mary’s Hospital, near Newport on the Isle of Wight.
Trams
Finally, we have made funding available today to keep England’s trams operating.
This will keep open 5 light rail networks in Greater Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, West Midlands and Tyne and Wear …
Allowing essential local routes to remain open.
Once again ensuring that critical workers can travel during this crisis.
Transport workers
All these new initiatives build on the very considerable work we’ve seen across transport since this crisis began.
The government has taken widespread action to support the industry.
For example, we’ve stepped in to keep trains operating…
And to keep buses running.
We’ve worked with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and airlines to bring thousands of Britons home from abroad.
As of today, I can also confirm there are no British holidaymakers left stranded on cruise ships anywhere in the world.
To help motorists we’ve waived MOT renewals until the end of the outbreak, ensuring that vulnerable people are able to stay at home without the worry.
But I want to pay particular tribute to the transport critical workers who have gone above and beyond to keep vital freight and passenger services running…
To keep hospitals and chemists supplied with medical goods…
To ensure supermarkets are stocked with fresh food…
And to maintain deliveries of essential energy and fuel supplies.
From hauliers and train drivers to those keeping our ports and airports open.
Each and every one of us depends on the transport lifeline they provide.
They are part of the army of critical workers helping to fight this terrible scourge.
Five tests
But before we consider it safe to amend the guidance, we must be satisfied we have met the 5 tests set by the First Secretary.
To ensure….
That the NHS can continue to cope
That the daily death rate falls sustainably and consistently
That the rate of infection is falling
That the operational challenges have been met
And, most importantly, that there is no risk of a second peak
Concluding remarks
We don’t yet know when that day will come, but I do know it will arrive sooner if motorists and others continue to only make essential journeys.
The actions I’ve announced today will ensure that transport can continue to serve the nation during this crisis…..
Keep us supplied with everything we need to stay at home.
Yet also ensure that the infrastructure required to emerge from this pandemic stands-ready to serve us all when the time comes.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove opened the daily coronavirus press conference yesterday:
Good afternoon and thank you for joining us for our daily briefing in the fight against COVID-19.
I am joined today by Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer, and Professor Stephen Powis, the Medical Director of NHS England.
I would like first to update you all on the facts about the spread of COVID-19 and the steps that we are then taking in the battle against this virus.
143,186 people have now been tested for the virus.
Of those, 25,150 have tested positive.
And sadly, yesterday we recorded the highest single increase in the number of deaths as a result of COVID-19.
381 people died, meaning that of those hospitalised in the UK, the number who have passed away now totals 1,789.
Every death is the loss of a loved one, and our thoughts and prayers are with those who are grieving.
Overall, 10,767 people in England have been admitted to hospital with COVID-19 symptoms.
The largest number of those is in London, with 3,915 people in hospital care.
While in the Midlands, the number of those hospitalised is now 1,918 and accelerating upwards.
These numbers reinforce the vital importance of following the Government’s social distancing guidelines.
The more we restrict contact, the more we slow the spread of the infection, the more that we can help the NHS build the capacity needed to care for those most in need.
And that capacity is increasing.
More NHS staff are returning to the frontline and more testing is taking place to help those self-isolating come back and to protect those working so hard in our hospitals and in social care.
But while the rate of testing is increasing we must go further, faster.
A critical constraint on the ability to rapidly increase testing capacity is the availability of the chemical reagents which are necessary in the testing.
The Prime Minister and the Health Secretary are working with companies worldwide to ensure that we get the material we need to increase tests of all kinds.
And as well as increasing the number of staff on the frontline, and the tests which protect them, we must also increase the capacity to provide oxygen to those worst affected by the disease.
We have just over 8,000 ventilators deployed in NHS hospitals now. This number has increased since the epidemic began, thanks to the hard work of NHS professionals.
But we need more.
That is why we are buying more ventilators from abroad – including from EU nations.
And it’s also why we are developing new sources of supply at home.
Before the epidemic struck we had very little domestic manufacture of ventilators.
But now, thanks to the dedication of existing medical supply companies and the ingenuity of our manufacturing base, we have existing models being produced in significantly greater numbers and new models coming on stream.
Orders have been placed with consortia led by Ford, Airbus, the Formula 1 Racing teams including Mclaren, GKN Aerospace and Rolls Royce and Dysons.
And I can announce that this weekend, the first of thousands of new ventilator devices will roll off the production line and be delivered to the NHS next week. From there they will be rapidly distributed to the front line.
And as well as increasing the capacity for ventilation – which helps support those patients worst affected – we are also increasing the capacity to provide oxygen to affected patients at an earlier stage in the process of the disease, helping to avert, we hope, the deterioration of their condition.
A team led by UCL, working with Mercedes Benz, will produce 10,000 new CPAP devices to support affected patients and a team from Oxford University are also developing related technology.
And in our determination to prevent as many patients as possible seeing their condition worsen we are conducting rapid clinical trials on those drugs, including anti-malarials, which may be able to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on those affected.
But even as we seek to explore every avenue to slow the spread of the disease, to reduce its impact and to save lives, I am conscious of the sacrifices that so many are making.
That is why the Chancellor’s economic package is in place – to support people through a difficult time.
It is also why we we are working so closely with our colleagues in the devolved administrations to coordinate our response across the United Kingdom and I am grateful to them
As I am to the thousands of dedicated public sector workers – cleaners and social workers, prison and police officers, those in the Royal Mail and in our schools – and I want to thank them and also the leaders of the trade unions who represent them.
In this united national effort we also are delivering food and prescription drugs to up to 1.5 million of the most vulnerable who are self-isolating for three months.
And we will do more to help, working with the three quarters of a million people who have volunteered to help at this time. Many are already heavily involved in local community support schemes.
And we want to work with them to ensure that we support not just the 1.5 million most vulnerable to the disease but all those who need our help through this crisis, those without social support, those in tough economic circumstances, those who need the visible hand of friendship at a challenging time.
That is why my cabinet colleague George Eustice and the Food and Farming Minister Victoria Prentis will be leading work, with food suppliers, retailers, local authorities and voluntary groups to support our neighbours in need.
I also want to thank the men and women of the military who have stepped up their work as part of the ongoing response to coronavirus.
Three RAF Puma helicopters are now stationed at Kinloss Barracks in Moray. These Pumasare working closely with a Chinook and a Wildcat helicopter based at RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire, to meet any requests for assistance from NHS boards and trusts across Scotland and Northern England.
A second helicopter facility covers the Midlands and Southern England working out of The Aviation Task Force Headquarters at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire. Chinook and Wildcat helicopters normally based at RAF Odiham and RNAS Yeovilton respectively support the Southern areas.
And these helicopter facilities have been set up to support medical transports across Scotland and the rest of the UK. The task force is also available for general support such as moving equipment and personnel to where they are needed across the UK.
The Kinloss-based support follows last weekend’s use of an RAF A400M transport aircraft, working with the Scottish Ambulance Service, to evacuate a critically ill patient from the Shetland Islands to Aberdeen to receive intensive care treatment.
I am deeply grateful for everyone in the our armed forces and in the public sector who are doing so much to help in the fight against coronavirus
And, of course, all of us can continue to play our part in supporting them and the health service by
STAYING AT HOME
SUPPORTING THE NHS
AND SAVING LIVES.
Now I want to ask Stephen to run through the latest data from our Cabinet Office Coronavirus fact-file.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab gave the 30 March 2020 daily press briefing on the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic:
Good afternoon, welcome to Downing Street for today’s coronavirus press briefing. I’m joined by our Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance and Dr Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England.
Before Sir Patrick provides an update on the latest data from our COBR coronavirus dashboard, I just want to give you an update on the steps that we as a government are taking to defeat coronavirus.
Our step-by-step action plan is aiming to slow the spread of the virus, so fewer people need hospital treatment at any one time, thereby protecting the NHS’ capacity. At each point we have been following the scientific and medical advice and we’ve been very deliberate in our actions – taking the right steps at the right moment.
We are also taking unprecedented action to increase NHS capacity by dramatically expanding the numbers of beds, key staff, life-saving equipment on the frontline so that we give people the care they need when they need it most.
That’s why we are instructing people to stay at home, so we can protect our NHS and save lives.
I can report that through the government’s ongoing monitoring and testing programme, as of today:
134,946 people have now been tested for the virus
112,805 have tested negative
22,141 have tested positive
Of those who have contracted the virus, 1,408 have, very sadly, died. We express our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who have passed away and I think those figures are a powerful reminder to us all of the importance of following the government’s guidelines.
We must stay at home to protect our NHS and save lives.
I would like to thank all those involved on the frontline and in particular all of those in the NHS for their battle against the virus, the amazing doctors, the amazing nurses and all the support staff working day and night.
The thousands of other key workers – from our teachers to supermarket workers to our fantastic diplomatic network – who are all as a team working around the clock to get us through this unprecedented coronavirus challenge.
This is a united national effort and the spirit of selflessness shown by so many is an inspiration.
I now want to turn to what we’ve been doing to support British people travelling around the world.
Coronavirus hasn’t just challenged us at home, it is the greatest global challenge in a generation. And as countries work to secure their borders and stop the further spread of this deadly virus, we appreciate that an unprecedented number of UK travellers are trying to get home, and we’re not talking a few hundred or even a few thousand. We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of people travelling around the world.
But many travellers haven’t yet managed to get home. From young back-packers to retired couples on cruises. We appreciate the difficult predicament that they find themselves in.
We also recognise the anxiety of families here in the UK, who are concerned to get their loved ones home. It is a worrying time for all those who have been affected.
And I want to reassure them that this government, their government is working around the clock to support, advise and help British travellers get home.
I have spoken to more than 20 foreign ministers around the world in the last week or so to support this effort, to keep airports and ports open, and to facilitate access to them by British travellers.
Over the weekend, I spoke to foreign ministers from Australia, New Zealand, India and Brazil and Pakistan, and I also spoke to the Ethiopian Prime Minister, and in all of those cases urged them to work with us and keep commercial routes flying.
Given the scale and the complexity of this challenge, it inevitably requires a team effort. So the Foreign Office is working with other governments, and there is a particular focus on transit hubs, and we’re also working with the airlines to keep as many flights running as possible.
We have a lot more to do, but we have already helped hundreds of thousands of Britons get home.
The first priority has been to keep as many commercial flights running as we can, and that’s based on just purely the scale and the number of people who want to come home.
As a result of those efforts, and the cooperation we received from the Spanish government, we’ve enabled an estimated 150,000 UK nationals to get back from Spain. On other commercial routes that have come under pressure, we’ve worked with partner governments and airlines to get back 8,500 UK travellers back from Morocco and around 5,000 UK nationals from Cyprus.
That gives you a sense of the scale of the challenge and the numbers of British travellers abroad.
Now in circumstances where commercial flights can’t operate, we have already chartered flights, which proved necessary to return 1,400 UK nationals on flights, for example, from China at the outset of this crisis and more recently from Peru.
We’ve not faced challenges in getting people home from abroad, on this scale, in recent memory. Airports are closing down or preventing airlines from operating on a commercial basis. Local authorities have placed restrictions on movement that prevent people from getting to the airport. And the critical transit hubs that we rely on for long-haul flights are also shutting down, or in some cases, limiting their flights.
Some of these restrictions have been done with very little notice, some with no notice at all which makes it very difficult to respond. So, international collaboration is absolutely vital.
As I said, it is a team effort, in it involves government working with other governments and also with the airlines.
Under the arrangements that we are putting in place, we will target flights from a range of priority countries, starting this week.
Let me explain a little bit about how this will work in practise.
Where commercial routes remain an option, airlines will be responsible for getting passengers home. That means offering alternative flights at little to no cost where routes have been cancelled. And it means allowing passengers to change tickets, including between carriers.
So for those still in those in countries where commercial options are still available, don’t wait. Don’t run the risk of getting stranded. The airlines are standing by to help you. Please book your tickets as soon as possible.
Where commercial flights are no longer running, the government will provide the necessary financial support for special charter flights to bring UK nationals back home. Once special charter flights have been arranged, we will promote flights them through the government’s travel advice and by the British Embassy or High Commission in the relevant country.
British travellers who want a seat on those flight will book and pay directly through a dedicated travel management company.
We designated £75 million to support those flights and airlines to keep costs down and affordable for those seeking to return to the UK.
In arranging these flights, our priority will be the most vulnerable, including the elderly or those with particularly pressing medical needs, and also looking in particular at countries where large numbers of UK tourists struggling to get home.
UK travellers, if they haven’t already done so, should check Foreign Office Travel Advice and that advice is under constant review, and it can help travellers to find out more details of how to access the flights under this arrangement.
They should also follow the social media of the UK embassy or high commission in the country where they find themselves, so that they can be directed to accurate real time information, including from the local authorities.
For any questions that can’t be answered in that travel advice, or by the UK Embassies or High Commission, we also have our call centre working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
I know that it has been difficult for some travellers to get through. Just to give you a sense of volume: on average, we normally receive 1,000 calls a day to that call centre. Last Tuesday, we had nearly 15,000 – the highest on record.
So we’ve boosted our resources, we’ve redeployed people to assist in the call centre and we’ve tripled our capacity.
Yesterday, the call centre answered 99% of calls, and helped thousands of British travellers to get the answers they need.
So, for those stranded, or for families nervously waiting news and wanting to see their loved ones return home, we are doing everything we can. We have improved our advice and boosted the call centre, so travellers get better and swifter information.
We have put in place this arrangement with the airlines so that we can reach British citizens in vulnerable circumstances abroad where commercial flights aren’t running. And we’re working intensively round the clock with all of our partner countries and governments around the world to keep open the airports, the ports and the flights to bring people home.
We’ve not faced an international challenge quite like this before, but together we are going to rise to it.
And, of course here at home, we can all support our NHS by continuing to follow the guidance to:
