coronavirus – Page 105 – The NEN

North & Leith leads the way in rejecting Michael Gove’s reckless statement

Edinburgh North & Leith leads the way as petition to delay Brexit negotiations until after the Coronavirus Outbreak has passed breaks the critical 100,000 threshold.

It might seem like a no-brainer to most that when negotiators cannot meet face to face and when civil servants across Europe are busy fighting the biggest threat health to health for 100 years that the “lesser” matter of negotiating a good trading deal with the EU should be set to one side until it can be given the serious attention that “one of the easiest in human history” clearly now requires if it is to be anything short of an economic catastrophe.

But with UK citizens supporting such a delay by almost 2:1 Boris Johnson’s government still ploughs on, apparently deaf and blind to the enormous damage which hammer an already weakened post-Covid UK economy.

Now a petition has reached the threshold which requires the Petitions Committee of the Westminster Parliament to give serious consideration to whether such a delay should be debated. And an Edinburgh constituency, Edinburgh North & Leith has led the charge with more signatures than any other constituency in the UK.

If a delay is itself a no-brainer, then a debate to consider it should be automatic but Conservative instransigence makes even that unlikely. They don’t even want to talk about it. That makes the likelihood of a No Deal crash all the more likely.

If the debate does go ahead, then it will, at least give Opposition politicians the opportunity to question why a government which is supposed to protect the country seems determined to inflict further chaos, unemployment and slash GDP by over 9% on a country which is already staggering after coronavirus.

Signatures will continue to be collected despite reaching the critical threshold. If you would like to add yours go to https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300412

European Movement in Scotland

Council announces back to school plans

Detailed arrangements are being put in place by the City of Edinburgh Council to ensure the safest return possible for pupils and staff when schools reopen in August.

Following the announcement by the Scottish Government last month, all pupils will return on Wednesday 12 August, a week earlier than programmed.

In accordance with national guidance, social distancing, hygiene regimes and risk assessments will be essential to keep children and staff safe, with the result that not all children will be able to return to school at the same time.

As such, schools are planning that 33% of their pupils will be in school at any one time. Every pupil will have a mix of teaching in school and learning at home and the days they attend will be determined by their school.

Teaching will take place from Mondays to Thursdays with all children attending for whole day and Fridays used by staff to support home learning. Limited key worker childcare support will continue throughout the week including Fridays during normal school hours.

Nursery and primary children will be grouped together to enable family members to attend school on the same days. In secondary schools, pupils will be grouped together either by year group or family group depending on the individual arrangements made by their school.

Pupils at special schools will be in for 50% of the week with the majority offering two full days in school and the rest as home learning.

Individual schools will be in direct contact with parents/carers to let them know final details of the arrangements for pupils.

Education Convener, Councillor Ian Perry, said: “The past three months have been very challenging for the world of education and I want to thank parents, carers and staff in our schools who continue to support our children with home learning and keyworker learning and childcare.

“The health and wellbeing of our children, young people and staff has been at the forefront of our planning for their return to their schools in August. We believe these plans represent the safest return to school as possible for them and in a way that best supports the quality of their learning and their safety

“We are making sure the guidance and advice from both Health Protection Scotland and Scottish Government is being strictly followed when it comes to social distancing, hygiene regimes and risk assessments – it’s essential that we keep our children and staff safe.

“This new blended model is an improvement on the current home learning arrangements, and I want to reassure parents that where possible we review, refine and improve our approach so we can maximise the proportion of in-school learning.”

Education Vice Convener, Cllr Alison Dickie, said: “School recovery lies at the heart of helping our city back on its feet, and I want to begin with a thank you to our teachers and parents and especially the wonderful children and young people of our city.

“This has been an unprecedented time for all of them and I am acutely aware of those who already faced challenges on a daily basis, and to whom school is at times a haven. They are at the heart of our plans.

“Children and young people have missed their teachers, and their teachers them. They have missed their friends and the inspiring and holistic learning environments of our modern classrooms. It’s important too that we build on the home aspect of our blended learning, so that our children feel fully connected and supported.

“Lockdown has also reminded us that learning is wider than just the classroom, and this is an opportunity to realise the full potential of community learning. From our youth workers and After School Clubs, to a range of third partners and community organisations, all have a part to play in this recovery process.”

As schools are starting a week earlier than planned, the summer holidays in 2021 will begin one week earlier, with the school year finishing on Friday 25 June.

Are Scotland’s Businesses Ready to Return to Work?

A LEADING employment lawyer is warning businesses that complying with COVID health and safety workplace guidance to allow employees to return to work is much more than a box-ticking exercise.

With employers looking to begin a return to work for staff over the next few weeks and months, it is imperative they comply with the latest health and safety guidance or risk potential claims against them.

Gilson Gray is warning employers that there is much more to health and safety regulations than handwashing and face masks.

The advice comes as the firm launches what is believed to be the first product of its type to help both employers and employees understand what is required to work safely out of lockdown

Graham Millar, Employment Law Partner at Gilson Gray, said: “The perception might just be that we all need to wash our hands, use hand sanitiser and maybe wear masks – but in reality, these rules will change the entire workplace.

“This isn’t just a box-ticking exercise, it’s up to employers to consider how their business operates and look at where there could be a transfer of infection.

“This involves looking at all the things that would have been overlooked before: if you have the same ten people in the office with only two toilets, using the same printer and kitchen, coffee machine – how are you going to deal with this? The masks and hand sanitisers are the easy part.”

Breaches could lead to fines or, at worst, claims for compensation if an employee contracts COVID-19 in the workplace and becomes seriously ill or dies.

Graham believes the best way for employers to ensure they have a good plan in place is to have a very clear understanding of the new rules and what they realistically mean for their employees – and to have those employees fully signed up to them.

Graham said: “The mindset the courts have taken over the past six or seven years is that it’s no longer good enough to just have a policy in place. The focus is now on how well your employees understand and appreciate your policies.”

To help businesses navigate this new health and safety minefield, Gilson Gray has created a new affordable online training programme, COVID-19 Workplace Protection Training.

Developed with UK training specialists Apex Training, the programme covers everything business owners need to know about COVID health and safety measures – based on Government advice, NHS advice, and WHO guidance. It will be updated as needed in line with government guidelines.

Graham added: “It’s something employers can roll out to all of those employees, including those on furlough, so they can understand and prepare for the measures employers will be putting in place when they return to work.

“It’s a tool any sector can use, and covers everything employers and employees need to know about COVID, social distancing, and staying safe in the workplace.

“The big win here is that both employers and employees can receive a certificate on completion of the training to show they have understood and are complying with all the correct guidance.

“It should be a vital safeguard for both employer and employee.”

The training course depends on the size of the company, ranging from £25 per person to £15 per person. For businesses with more than 100 staff, Gilson Gray can ensure this is adapted into existing online training, if appropriate.

The 80-minute course can be undertaken at an individual’s desk and ends with an online exam, after which they receive an email confirming their results and certification. There are also separate sections tailored to specific sectors.

Each employee will be given a separate link and the managers are given details on completion and whether or not the employee has passed the assessment.

Established in 2014, Gilson Gray has become one of Scotland’s most prominent legal and property firms, boasting one of the widest service ranges in the country.

Gilson Gray has grown to 150 staff across six offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and East Lothian, each of which offers Gilson Gray’s full range of property, legal and financial services.

Managing Partner Glen Gilson is regarded as one of the leading figures in Scottish law and has been recognised as Managing Partner of the Year twice in the past six years.

For more information on Gilson Gray and its services, please visit: http://gilsongray.co.uk/

Morrisons extends NHS 10% discount to September

– Initial 12 week discount for NHS Heroes will be extended until the end of September –

– The move is a thank you to hard working NHS staff during the battle against the coronavirus –

Morrisons is to extend the 10% discount that NHS heroes receive on their grocery shop until the end of September.

The discount was first introduced in April and aims to support the 1.5 million NHS staff through the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. It is a thank you from Morrisons.

NHS staff are continuing to put themselves at risk and face numerous challenges during the Coronavirus emergency.

Morrisons is therefore to extend the discount until September 30th when it will be reviewed.

For the first time, NHS workers will also be able to gain the discount if they are ordering a home delivery through Morrisons.com. They simply have to sign up for the Morrisons NHS Club to receive the discount.

David Potts, Morrisons Chief Executive said: “We want to thank everybody in the National Health Service for playing their part in the ongoing battle against the coronavirus.

“We hope this measure combined with our dedicated hours for NHS staff will make life a little easier at this very challenging time for them.”

To benefit from the 10% discount staff need to present their NHS ID card in all Morrisons stores.

To make sure NHS staff can get hold of the groceries they need, Morrisons have also introduced an NHS hour at the beginning of every day from 6am-7am. On Sundays, the majority of stores open at 9am for hard working NHS workers to shop.

#ItsMoreThanOurJob

Social Distancing and Sight Loss

Guide Dogs Scotland calls for public to ‘keep two meters distance but don’t disappear’ – to help those trying to social distance without sight

Just 22% of the public ‘completely comfortable’ offering to help someone with sight loss while social distancing is in place.

As lockdown starts to ease and Scotland anticipates fewer restrictions around travel and socialising, the charity Guide Dogs Scotland reports that lockdown being lifted doesn’t mean greater freedom for everyone.

Guide Dogs Scotland has highlighted a new set of challenges for people with sight loss to overcome – with social distancing measures limiting independence and increasing isolation.

Guide dog owner Jonathan Attenborough (above) from Perth explains: “Social distancing is the most challenging aspect for me in the whole Covid-19 situation. Not being able to socially distance is a major challenge to my independence and keeping myself safe.

“I’m less confident getting out and about than I was. Now that lockdown is lifting, other people are trying to get their life back to what it was, but it’s a whole new world for people with sight loss. It’s a lot for us to adjust to and it would really help if people have an awareness of how they can play their part.”

Research conducted by the charity in the first week of June found that just 22% of the UK general public would feel ‘completely comfortable’ offering to help someone with sight loss while social distancing measure were in place.

Reasons for a lack of comfort amongst this group included not knowing how to help from two meters away (50%) and being concerned about making physical contact (37%).

These concerns are valid – the support people with sight loss have previously relied on, such as sighted guiding which can involve taking someone’s elbow, is not compatible with social distancing. This has left people with sight loss concerned about accessing essential services such as supermarkets and public transport.

The research also found that although 78% of GB adults understood that those with sight loss would face additional challenges while social distancing, 65% hadn’t considered this prior to taking the survey.

https://youtu.be/Nb0HTtBo0UU

To help combat the increasing isolation felt by those with sight loss during lockdown, Guide Dogs is launching a campaign called ‘Be There’, which gives guidance to encourage the public to feel confident in their ability to offer support whilst maintaining social distancing:

1 – Keep your distance, but don’t disappear – People with sight loss may find it challenging to social distance, so if you see someone with a guide dog or a long cane then you can help them by making sure you keep 2m away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t also offer your help.

East Dunbartonshire guide dog owner Deborah Roberston said when other people have said hello or offered support, it’s been helpful to her and guide dog Rye.

“I do feel more vulnerable going out with it being so much quieter around me, it can be disorientating and I am less confident getting out and about than I was,” said Deborah. “I’m a confident person but I feel more vulnerable out now – when I do hear footsteps I get worried that the person might be coming too close to me, or I might be going too near them.

“People in the neighbourhood who know me, know it’s okay if they let me know they are there and that they’re stepping out of the way.”

2 – Say hello and offer your help – Simply by letting someone with sight loss know you are nearby; you are giving them the opportunity to ask for any help if they need it. People often feel unsure about their ability to help someone with sight loss, but their request could be a simple as finding out where a shopping queue starts, or if there is a safer place to cross a road.

West-Lothian guide dog owner Monica McGill said social distancing measures is making the prospect of shopping a daunting one for her and guide dog Sadie.

“The thought of going out shopping is very challenging,” said Monica. “I’m told that every shop has put visual signs on the floor – I would have a very hard job following that and where I am in the shop in terms of finding specific things.

“If staff were on hand to provide verbal assistance, and feel confident in speaking to someone with sight loss, it would be a great help.”

3 – Describe the scene – We’ve all had to adapt to unusual sights during lockdown – people standing apart in long lines outside of supermarkets for example. But those with sight loss haven’t always witnessed this to the same extent, which can be isolating and confusing.

By describing what you can see to someone with sight loss, you can help them to understand the environment and navigate accordingly.

Guide dog owner Jonathan Attenborough explains: “I don’t always know there is a queue because my dog Sammy takes me to the door of the shop, not the end of the queue. Shops have introduced visual indicators and one-way systems and if you can’t see they’re a major challenge.”

As part of a separate survey, people with sight loss had previously told Guide Dogs that concerns about travelling once lockdown restrictions begin to be lifted included their ability to social distance whilst using transport (84%) and access to support whilst using transport (61%).

Guide Dogs Regional Head of Operation for Scotland, Wendy Rankin said: “Lockdown being lifted isn’t the start of greater freedoms for everyone. In the past couple of months, we have consistently heard that people with sight loss are concerned about social distancing – even the most confident are lacking confidence in the new environment.

They are concerned that people will avoid them and be less willing to help and have told us that not knowing what the new environment looks like is making even doing normal routes a stressful experience.

“In addition to informing the general public how they can help, we’re also asking the Scottish government, transport operators and business leaders to work with us and the wider sight loss community to ensure that the communities we’re creating in the “new normal” are inclusive communities for everyone, including people with sight loss.”

For support or further information, please visit www.guidedogs.org.uk.

Council to place 500 staff on furlough

As the City of Edinburgh Council announces 500 staff will go on furlough, UNISON has stepped up to ensure they are protected and has called for long term investment to protect local jobs and services after years of cuts.

Tom Connolly, UNISON City of Edinburgh branch secretary, said: “Our members have responded heroically to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis – providing support to the most vulnerable members of our communities, looking after the children of key workers and collecting our refuse to name but a few examples.

“As we begin to move out of lockdown our communities will need even more support than ever before. After years of cuts, only sustained long term investment will protect jobs and services at Edinburgh City Council.”

The union has ensured that furloughed staff will continue to get full pay and pensions contributions.

Tom Connolly added: “It is regrettable that UNISON members may be finding out about the councils furlough announcement through the media.

The unions had initial contact from the employer on Monday (8 June) about the proposal to furlough groups of staff. Immediate reassurance was sought and given that every member of staff would continue to receive full pay, full pension contributions, and all other benefits associate with their job during the period of furlough.

“It was also recognised that by using the furlough scheme in what had to be specific income generating sectors, and had needed to be closed down due to COVID-19, the council would benefit financially by the sum of £500,000 .

“We continued in dialogue with the employer up to late on this afternoon and are fully confident that our members affected will be fully protected, we would accept nothing less.

“What is clear, our council has suffered year in and year out from the constant cuts to funding from both the Westminster austerity agenda and real term cuts to local government funding from the Scottish government. The huge responsibilities placed on local government by the pandemic has massively impacted on an already precarious financial position.

“The issue of funding for council services now and in the future must be addressed and all costs associated with the provision of added services resulting from COVID-19 should be fully met by the Scottish Government.

“As we begin to move out of lockdown our communities will need even more support than ever before. Only sustained long term investment will protect jobs and services at Edinburgh City Council.

“Negotiating on behalf of and supporting our members during this time of crisis has been of paramount importance to UNISON and that is what we will continue to do.”

MSP welcomes news that tourism and hositality could resume next month

Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, has welcome the news that tourism and hospitality businesses in the capital may be able to reopen on July 15th.

The announcement was made by the Rural Economy and Tourism Secretary, Fergus Ewing, in The Scottish Parliament yesterday (see below).

The provisional date of 15 July has been set for when tourism businesses may be able to resume operations, dependent on public health advice and progression to Phase 3 of the Scottish Government lockdown route-map.

A new Scottish Recovery Tourism Taskforce has been set up to prepare for this and assist with the ongoing reset of the sector. The taskforce will look at the sector’s recovery needs as well as actions being taken by the UK Government and the development of a new domestic visitor marketing campaign.

Commenting, SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald, said: “The tourism and hospitality sectors in Edinburgh are vital to the city’s economy and there is no doubt that they have bene some of the hardest hit by lockdown.

“I very much appreciate the support that has been given by governments to both sectors to help get them, and their employees, through these unprecedented times.

“Whilst there is absolutely no guarantees that at this stage, this provisional announcement of 15^th July is very welcome news for so many in the sectors.

“It is going to take a long time for the industries to recover but I am glad that The Scottish Government recognise this and are doing all they can to support the industries through this incredibly difficult time.”

Sector prepares for return to business

Further measures have been announced by Tourism Secretary Fergus Ewing to support Scotland’s vital tourism industry.

A new Scottish Recovery Tourism Taskforce will assist with the ongoing reset of the sector – and a provisional date of 15 July has been set for when tourism businesses may be able to resume operations, dependent on public health advice and progression to Phase 3 of the Scottish Government lockdown route-map.

The taskforce will look at the sector’s recovery needs as well as actions being taken by the UK Government and the development of a new domestic visitor marketing campaign.

The taskforce is in addition to the £2.3 billion package of support for businesses across Scotland which includes measures specific to the tourism and hospitality industry such as a full year’s non-domestic rates relief and specific grant schemes which are not available elsewhere in the UK.

Mr Ewing made the announcements during a statement to Parliament yesterday. He said: “The coronavirus pandemic has presented challenges across the entirety of the Scottish economy, but it is very clear there are exceptional circumstances facing this sector that must be recognised.

“We have acted as quickly as we can to address the significant financial challenges faced by businesses and provide a comprehensive package of support. We are also pushing the UK Government to do more, including a review of VAT rates and to consider extensions to schemes such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

“I’ve been engaging with businesses since the beginning of the outbreak and I have heard their calls for more clarity which today I can provide. Businesses should start to prepare for a provisional return to trading – with appropriate safety guidelines – on the 15th July 2020.

“This date cannot be definitive and is conditional on public health advice and progression to Phase 3 of the route map. Businesses must now use this time to satisfy the necessary regulations and adapt to the new way of living.”

Six in ten nervous about returning to work following lockdown

‘We are personally urging CEO’s to review their thought processes and empower their staff to work from which ever location makes them feel safest and most comfortable’ says Ruari Fairbairns

A nationwide YouGov survey, commissioned by One Year No Beer, has revealed that 60% of the UK workers who are no longer travelling to their usual place of work and now working from home are nervous about returning to work following lockdown.

The survey also identified that women surveyed appear to be considerably more nervous with 70% of them opening up about their fears of returning to the workplace, opposed to 49% of men.

61% of 18-34 workers who are not currently in their usual place of work agreed that they were nervous about returning and surprisingly fears were lowest amongst those aged 55 years and over.

Geographically, Midlands came out on top with 72% of all workers no longer travelling to their usual place of work nervous about returning to work, and those most relaxed about getting back to old routines were workers residing in the South (51%).

Whether people had children in their household or not seemed to have little impact on their attitudes towards returning to work with 63% of those with children in the household opening up to anxiety around returning to the workplace, compared to 60% of those with no children in their household.

Ruari Fairbairns, founder and CEO of One Year No Beer, comments, “As the CEO of a company that operates its entire workforce remotely, I’m not sure why there is such a sense of urgency from employers to get their staff back into the work place, especially if they still feel so uncomfortable returning to work at this stage of the pandemics lifecycle.

“With so much access to technology and productivity software, there is no need to be sitting in an office with each other right now (or ever) and the flexibility and freedom that working from home affords, by far outweighs any benefits of working in an office.

“We are personally urging CEO’s to review their thought processes and empower their staff to work from which ever location makes them feel safest and most comfortable.”

The same survey also revealed that nearly three-quarters of UK drinkers were drinking the same (45%) or more (29%) during lockdown, leaving only 25% drinking less. 18% believed they would emerge from lockdown drinking more than they did pre-lockdown.

Fairbairns continues, “I think a lot of people will have formed habits during this time they wouldn’t have before, and some may be challenging to shake.

“In hard times it’s easy to let things creep in that you wouldn’t normally do and if people are anxious about returning to work, the concern here is that they will start to lean more so on alcohol as a coping mechanism.”

Passionate about transforming the world’s relationship with alcohol and helping people, ‘Live Life Better’ One Year No Beer is a digital network, which has been designed to transform behaviour and support mental health.

Fairbairns concludes: “At One Year No Beer we focus on the habit-changing process, rather than just deleting alcohol from your life.

“We’ll help you break down and rebuild new habits as well as develop a new mindset that gives you complete control, something that will last way past finishing your challenge.”

For more information visit https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/

Lucky for some! Cash for 13 swimming clubs

The Swimathon Foundation is delighted to announce the award of grant funding to 13 Scottish swimming clubs, swimming schools and independent aquatic organisations, through its Covid-19 Relief Fund.

The Foundation has been overwhelmed by the number of applications received and has taken the decision to boost its original commitment of £30,000 to £50,000 to cover these grants across the United Kingdom for small swimming and aquatic organisations who have suffered short-term financial hardship due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Long time Swimathon supporter and former Commonwealth and World champion, Mark Foster, said: “It is fantastic to see the Swimathon Foundation support the swimming community at this difficult time.

“These grants will be a lifeline to many people and will play a crucial role in helping to support local clubs and individuals who do so much to keep swimming communities active. Swimathon has been a force for good in swimming communities all across the UK for over 30 years and it is fantastic to see the Swimathon Foundation support people in their time of need.”

Anthony Kendall OBE, Chair of the Swimathon Foundation echoed these sentiments: “In these difficult times for all swimming organisations, the Swimathon Foundation has been determined to play its part in supporting those smaller, local groups that are the foundation of swimming participation throughout the UK.

“We have been taken aback by the number of people who need help during these unprecedented times and that is why we have increased our overall donation to £50,000. Swimming is a vital community activity and we are proud to play our part.”

Sharon Macdonald, Director of Development for Scottish Swimming said: “We are delighted that 13 clubs in Scotland have benefitted from the Swimathon Foundation COVID-19 Relief Fund.

“The fund will help many clubs during this challenging time to make up for losses incurred due to clubs not operating normally. It is an essential fund to support clubs to get through this difficult time and be ready to meet their members needs when pools re-open.”

The Swimathon Foundation has awarded 101 grants across the United Kingdom to small swimming and aquatic organisations at the heart of the swimming community.

One of the organisations that the Swimathon Foundation is supporting include the Carnoustie Claymores based in Angus, who have been keeping members active by running regular quizzes, land training and challenges via Zoom.

Without additional funding, they have been left unable to pay their coaches and having subsidised the membership fees of some of their members due to the impact of coronavirus on many families, are running at a serious loss.

The Swimathon Foundation is a remarkable ‘force for good’ in communities all across the UK. Its main pool-based ‘Swimathon’ has raised over £50 million for charities since it was started some 33 years ago.

‘Swimathon’ is the UK’s biggest pool-based recreational swimming event. It takes place annually at some 600 pools across the UK and some 750,000 people have taken part since the first event in 1986. As a result of coronavirus, this year’s event is now scheduled to take place later in the year.

For more information about The Swimathon Foundation, visit www.swimathonfoundation.org.

BAME community and coronavirus: we need answers

A recent publication released by the government states that BAME communities – including the Bangladeshi community – are disproportionality impacted by COVID-19 (writes Foysol Choudhury).

My community would like to know: how many Bangladeshi people have actually died from Covid-19? Where is the evidence regarding why they died?

We are asking for factual information to relay back to the communities as misinformation has a detrimental impact on people’s mental wellbeing, which has become clearly apparent from speaking to the local BAME community members.

As an organisation and as community activists, it is our job to ensure our communities are given the current and correct information in a manner they understand. Failing this causes paranoia, worry and stress. This is very detrimental for those people who already have underlying health issues and mental condition such as depression and anxiety.

Public Health Scotland published some interim data about two weeks ago that suggested that there was no evidence of disproportionate impact on BAME communities in Scotland. A few weeks ago it was mentioned that Black people are at higher risk of dying from Covid-19. Why?

Information given in the media relating to BAME people should be based on science facts and provide clear explanations to why BAME people are at higher risk of Covid deaths.

Is it due to the lack of PPE provided for front line workers, or poorer working conditions and poor health? Why are certain ethnicities more at risk? In particularly, those who are working as carer, patient handlers, porters, cleaners etc.

“An analysis of survival among confirmed COVID-19 cases and using more detailed ethnic groups, shows that after accounting for the effect of sex, age, deprivation and region, people of Bangladeshi ethnicity had about twice the risk of death than people of White British ethnicity.

People of Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, Other Asian, Caribbean and Other Black ethnicity had between 10 and 50% higher risk of death when compared to White British.”

If this is the case, where are the UK statistics? What is the government proposing to do to eliminate such disparities? I am keen to get Scottish Covid 19 related data on BAME communities; test results, hospital admission, death and suspected infected.

It is the responsibility of the government to release true, reliable statistics – not to create fear and division in the community by releasing data that has no scientific evidence.

As a member of the Bangladeshi community, I am fully aware of community members going through many difficulties during this pandemic. I am also fully aware of only a few Covid-19 related deaths in Scotland.

It is shocking to hear that Bangladeshis are apparently at a higher risk of this disease. Please provide the data requested so that the community can protect themselves.

Foysol Choudhury MBE

Chairman, Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council

Action Against Inequality

A new expert group will work with the Scottish Government to provide a clearer picture of the impact on minority ethnic communities of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Following indications that minority ethnic communities may face higher risks from COVID-19, the group will consider evidence and data being gathered by the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland, National Records of Scotland and the NHS, and advise on policy actions to mitigate any disproportionate effects.

As part of its immediate response to the pandemic, the Scottish Government has provided more than £500,000 to organisations working specifically with minority ethnic communities across Scotland.

Equalities Minister Christina McKelvie said: “The Scottish Government is deeply concerned by reports that suggest people from ethnic minorities have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 both in terms of health and wider social and economic impacts.

“Although the current analysis in Scotland appears to show that there is not a higher level of COVID-19 cases than would be expected, I understand that many people will be anxious about protecting themselves and their families. I want to reassure them that we are taking this issue extremely seriously.

“We are working to better understand the data on how the pandemic is impacting on our minority ethnic communities in Scotland so we can take the appropriate action and this new group will use their expertise to challenge, inform and shape future work.

“Equality and human rights issues such as this are at the heart of our policy response to the impacts of COVID-19, and in particular in our recovery and renewal work. This is part of our wider work to advance race equality, backed by over £2.6 million in the last year.”

Angela Leitch, Chief Executive, Public Health Scotland said: “Understanding whether minority ethnic communities are at greater risk from COVID-19 is a crucial part of our response to the virus, particularly in light of reports from other parts of the UK and across the world.

“Public Health Scotland is undertaking work to review the available evidence understand emerging patterns including comparisons between the situation in Scotland and other parts of the UK.

“We are also working with National Records of Scotland and the Scottish Government to analyse and report on the impact of COVID-19 by ethnicity. Working with other members of the expert group, our evidence and data will enable the development of an effective evidence-based response and ensure the health of all of Scotland’s communities is protected.”