Tag: coronavirus

Let’s look after one another for the good of the city

Edinburgh’s council leaders have urged the public to be considerate of one another and of their surroundings to help the city respond to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Adam McVey and Cammy Day have called for residents to treat frontline staff working to deliver vital services to the city with compassion, while praising the community-mindedness of those looking out for vulnerable neighbours and encouraging adherence to social distancing guidelines.

They have also appealed for people to take responsibility for litter, dog fouling and bulky items being disposed of, particularly at this time, when limited waste and cleansing resources must be prioritised for essential bin collections.

While certain services have been reduced as a result of the pandemic, thousands of people across the Council are still helping to keep the city moving.

They include school staff providing care for children of key workers, waste collection crews, cleaners and carers as well as parks officers working to close play parks to reduce social interaction and parking attendants making sure the roads network is clear of obstructions.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “We’re working together as a city with the common purpose of keeping everyone safe and well, and it’s particularly heartening to see so many people looking out for one another, encouraging social distancing and showing their support for the people leaving their homes every day to provide crucial services regardless of the circumstances.

As well as the amazing support provided by NHS staff and other emergency services, there are thousands of people making every effort to serve the people of Edinburgh, from the teams picking up our bins and crews out gritting our roads and pavements overnight to the cleaners keeping key buildings open and housing officers helping to find safe places for people experiencing homelessness.

“I know we all recognise the great job being done, and I understand some of frustrations people will feel, but I would urge everyone to get behind the effort of key staff and give them our support during this difficult time – by being kind to each other we can make this unfortunate situation a little easier for everyone working so hard for us.”

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “These are particularly challenging circumstances, and I want to thank the thousands of people who are going the extra mile to deliver essential services, to care for our most vulnerable residents and to share positive messages.

“Of course, we’re all adapting to significant changes, and it’s taking time to adjust, but we do need the public to help us to continue delivering services under increasing pressure. We must prioritise limited resources so by taking responsibility for things like rubbish and dog fouling when you do head out of the house, by treating frontline workers with respect and staying at home as much as possible, we really can get through this together.”

Several service changes have been implemented by the Council this week to help limit the impact of the coronavirus outbreak in Edinburgh. These include the suspension of pay and display parking charges, closing play parks and games areas and establishing Council Resilience Centres.

Further information on services, support and how to report any concerns can be found on the Council website. If you’re experiencing an emergency or critical situation, please call 0131 200 2000.

Coronavirus: Helping each other in Drylaw

Through Spartans and Social Bite, one hundred free packed lunches a day are on offer to people living in Drylaw. This service will start on Monday (30th March) and will be available Monday – Friday every week.
If you know an individual or family who might benefit from this offer please get in touch with  Allan.Hosey@ea.edin.sch.uk 
NB: Please discuss this offer with the individual or family before nominating them.

The packed lunches will be delivered with appropriate social distancing in place.

Unfortunately, due to the limited number of packed lunches available, we will not be able to meet all demands for this service.

This initiative is part of a North Edinburgh-wide effort which has swung into action over the last ten days. Staff and volunteers from a host of community organisations have joined forces to ensure that our area’s most vulnerable people don’t go without essentials during these most difficult of times.

Would you like to play your part and help out? More volunteers would be warmly welcomed – to find out what’s involved contact Allan (email above)

Mental health advice from Anxiety UK

The constant barrage of new developments regarding the current outbreak of COVID-19 (also known as coronavirus) can cause particular challenges for people living with anxiety, stress and/or anxiety-based depression especially those that have health anxiety and/or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – OCD.

Whilst there’s plenty of advice on how to protect yourself and limit the risk of exposing yourself to the virus, little has been said about the effect a problem of this nature- can have on our mental health and specifically those who have pre-existing mental health issues such as anxiety disorders.

It is well established that for many that live with anxiety, a common characteristic is that of having an ability to tolerate uncertainty.  The current situation with coronavirus has clearly created a lot of uncertainty which might be difficult for those with pre-existing anxiety conditions such as health anxiety to manage.

For such individuals the whole situation may feel extra daunting and worrying and with the extensive media coverage that the subject has attracted, it’s understandable that some people may feel overwhelmed and begin to catastrophise – imagining the worst case scenario.

One thing that might be helpful for those experiencing anxiety to remember is that whilst no-one knows exactly what might happen, the good news is that most services and businesses will already have a contingency plan in place to ensure that they are able to continue operating as close to normal as possible.

Anxiety UK also has a robust business continuity plan in place which will allow us to keep supporting those that need our help.

Our services will not be disrupted and anyone who needs further assistance around any aspect of anxiety can contact us via our support email support@anxietyuk.org.uk or by calling the helpline on 03444 775 774 between the usual opening hours of 9.30am – 5.30pm.

Health anxiety can make any kind of symptom feel like the worst case scenario, however taking on board the below tips should help those experiencing health anxiety to feel in control and manage their anxiety:

Firstly, try to limit your exposure to news sources which are covering the coronavirus issue as this only serves to feed fear.

Ensure that you have some mental ‘downtime’ woven into your daily schedule.   Mindfulness practice can be incredibly helpful with apps such as the Headspace app (available to all Anxiety UK members at no additional cost) assist with keeping us in the here and now as opposed to allowing our minds to think about future scenarios which might never happen.

If you are feeling concerned or overly worried about it there are some techniques you can use to help manage your anxiety such as simple breathing or (short-term) distraction exercises and mindfulness.

A free guide is available to download here https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/products/booklet/breathing-and-relaxation-guide/

Try practising the APPLE technique which encourages you to Acknowledge, Pause, Pull back, Let go and Explore: 

Acknowledge – Notice and acknowledge the uncertainty as it comes to mind.

Pause – Don’t react as you normally do. Don’t react at all. Just pause and breath.

Pull back – Tell yourself this is just the worry talking, and this apparent need for certainty is not helpful and not necessary. It is only a thought or feeling. Don’t believe everything you think. Thoughts are not statements or facts.

Let go – Let go of the thought or feeling. It will pass. You don’t have to respond to them. You might imagine them floating away in a bubble or cloud.

Explore – Explore the present moment, because right now, in this moment, all is well. Notice your breathing and the sensations of your breathing. Notice the ground beneath you. Look around and notice what you see, what you hear, what you can touch, what you can smell. Right now. Then shift your focus of attention to something else – on what you need to do, on what you were doing before you noticed the worry, or do something else – mindfully with your full attention.

If you feel that you need more targeted and 1:1 support for your anxiety, here at Anxiety UK we have a range of services which you might find helpful including talking therapy support services: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), counselling and clinical hypnotherapy – all accessible at reduced rates.

For more information on health anxiety in general, you can download our fact sheet here – https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/products/anxiety-condition/health-anxiety/health-anxiety-fact-sheet-instant-download/

Letters: Our NHS

Our NHS is under extraordinary pressure and strain and I implore our government and people to help support our front line staff. 
The front line workers are the only people who have to treat people infected with this virus on a personal level. The rest of us just have to stay two metres apart or at home.
We know that our front line staff do not have the protective facilities they need. It is wrong that they have to work in danger and compromise their health and safety while serving the public.
Therefore, I am pleading to the government to ensure our front line staff whether nurses, doctors, police or care workers, have protective masks, clothing and have access to testing kits.
We have seen in Italy and Spain the difficulties that staff have faced and many have lost their lives. This must not happen here, so please protect our front line staff and make sure they have the facilities they need to survive and do the invaluable work they are doing for the public.
#protectthefrontlinestaff
#coronavirus
Foysol Choudhury MBE
Chairman: Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council | Chairman: Bangladesh Samity Edinburgh. | Founder / Director: Edinburgh Mela. | President: The Guild of Bangladeshi Restaurateurs, Scotland. | General Secretary: Council of Bangladeshis in Scotland. 

 

Lord Provost: We’ll get through this together

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost FRANK ROSS shares a message of thanks to Council staff, NHS workers and people of Edinburgh:

“This is an extremely unsettling time for everyone. Unprecedented is often the word on all of our lips as we find ourselves facing a global health and economic crisis. I send my deepest condolences to those who have lost loved ones, and my best wishes to all who have been affected. 

I’m sure I speak on behalf of everyone in the city when I express our enormous gratitude to the staff of NHS and health workers, who are doing an incredible job in the most challenging of circumstances. Last night, Edinburgh joined communities across the country in a nationwide round of applause, paying tribute to the NHS staff working hard to treat coronavirus patients. It was a truly moving moment.

Edinburgh is now feeling the effects of the pandemic, but I believe if we take the right actions now, we will slow the spread, reduce the impact and save lives. I’d like to thank everyone who has followed the rules and stayed at home.

I’m aware that we all have serious concerns about the impacts of coronavirus and what it will mean for your family, your health, your job and your family finances.

I want to reassure you that the Council is completely focussed on preparing for what lies ahead over the next days, weeks and months. We’re doing everything we can to keep vital services running and keep residents informed and supported.

I would like to thank all local authority workers for their ongoing commitment and hard work at this difficult time. The attitude and willingness to adapt to make sure key services are delivered for the people of Edinburgh is humbling and won’t be forgotten.

As key workers and service providers across the city work to keep Edinburgh moving and help those who need it most – there are some important things that we can all do to make a big difference in our communities.

I implore you to listen to and act on the advice to stay at home, as far as possible. We must follow the advice from the experts. It helps us to protect those most vulnerable to the virus and those essential workers who continue to support the city. We must do everything possible to reduce the amount of people becoming ill and dying, or we risk our NHS being overwhelmed and unable to cope.

If you do go outside please practice social distancing, go on your own or with one or two others in a small family group. Parks and beaches should not be busy. And of course, if you believe you have any of the symptoms (high temperature or fever, cough, shortness of breath) please abide by the isolation guidance and stay indoors. I’m not exaggerating when I say, lives depend on it.

It’s important that we look out for our family, friends and neighbours, in particular, the elderly and the isolated. These are troubling times and a friendly word or help with a chore can go a long way. It has been fantastic to see some the great work of local people and projects rallying together in communities.

Misinformation is also a concern of mine – we often receive and share pieces of advice that we’ve heard from a friend of a friend who is in the know and I urge you to practice good information hygiene as well as personal hygiene.

Before sharing what you’ve heard, ask for a source of the information as this could easily be false or taken out of context. Get your information from recognised sources and the updates provided by NHS and Scottish Government.

This is undoubtedly the biggest challenge we’ve faced in a very long time as a nation, but we will get through this together.

There is a lot of information and support available to help you. Please visit our information pages and follow @Edinburgh_CC for up to date information.

Stay safe and stay connected.”

Social Distancing: what you need to know

Businesses and the public in Scotland are now required by law to follow necessary social distancing measures to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The Scottish Government is using powers from the UK Coronavirus Bill to make it a criminal offence to flout the strict public health guidance that is helping save lives.

To enforce social distancing, people in Scotland are being asked to only go outside if they have a ‘reasonable excuse’.

These include shopping for necessary food, household and medical supplies, travelling to and from work where working from home is not an option, and daily exercise that adheres to social distancing guidance.

Enforcement can be used against businesses and venues that have been told to close, including drinking establishments, entertainment venues, and indoor leisure and sports facilities.

Police Scotland can issue penalty notices of £30, rising to £60 if not paid within 28 days, where they have reason to believe there has been an offence under the regulations.

These penalties are doubled for each repeat offence up to a £960 cap, with no reduction for early payment. Due to the exceptional nature of these powers, the regulations will be reviewed at least every 21 days to ensure they are still necessary.

Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said: “There has been a huge effort by the people and businesses of Scotland to respond to the unprecedented situation we face dealing with the coronavirus.

“I would like to thank everyone who is playing their part by staying at home to ensure the social distancing measures we have introduced help stop the spread of the virus.

“While the majority of people are doing the right thing, these regulations provide the police with emergency powers to enforce social distancing where necessary.

“It is only because of the unprecedented crisis we are facing, and to save lives, that these powers are being introduced. They are temporary and will be kept under review.

“I urge the people of Scotland to continue their outstanding collective effort and follow the rules that have been laid down.”

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone QPM said: “I thank the overwhelming majority of people who are complying with very clear guidance to stay at home.

“I expect the public to continue to do their duty and contribute to the national effort to keep people safe from the spread of coronavirus.

“This is a challenging time for people who have to adjust their daily habits and everything we do will be done in a fair, reasonable and proportionate manner.

“Those who persistently and blatantly defy the law must know we will enforce the law.”

The Scottish Government has issued specific guidance on staying at home and away from others to help protect the NHS and save lives.

Guidance for the public

A non-exhaustive list of reasonable excuses for when people can leave their home includes:

  • shopping for food
  • essential household and medical supplies
  • exercise once a day
  • medical assistance
  • travel to work where work at home is not an option
  • attending a funeral of a member of their household, a close family member or in the event that no family or household member is attending the funeral, of a friend
  • providing care or assistance to others
  • and meeting legal obligations or accessing critical public services

The regulations include powers to enable Police Scotland to enforce restrictions on movement of people outside their place of residence and to disperse gatherings.

This includes the ability to remove people who are outside their home without a reasonable excuse if the police officer has reason to believe it is a necessary and proportionate means of ensuring compliance.

Marie Curie in Scotland caring on the frontline

The charity Marie Curie is geared up to care for hundreds of additional dying patients requiring end of life care, in order to relieve the unprecedented pressure on the NHS during the Coronavirus crisis.

Marie Curie in Scotland needs to raise over a quarter of a million pounds a week (£2.5 million UK-wide) to continue to run its essential frontline services, at a time when its ability to generate this money has been seriously compromised.

Given the choice, people overwhelmingly say they would prefer to die in their own home, or in a hospice, rather than a hospital. 

People who are dying are able to leave hospital quickly, if the right package of care is in place and it is safe to do so. Marie Curie are experts in providing that care.

Now more than ever, dying people who do not want to be in hospital need to be moved to a more appropriate setting, as precious beds in critical care units are urgently required for patients who need lifesaving treatment for Coronavirus.

Marie Curie can help, but only if it continues to raise the donations it needs to fund its vital work. 

Marie Curie Head of Community Fundraising in Scotland Debbie Mooney said, “This is a stark warning that Marie Curie desperately needs more donations if it is to continue caring for dying people and help the NHS cope with the Coronavirus crisis.  

“The people of Scotland are known for our generosity and kindness, which we’ve seen in abundance over the last few difficult weeks. We need the public to rally around our hospices and nurses now and give whatever they can. It has never been more critical.”

Marie Curie’s Chief Executive Matthew Reed said: “At this time of national emergency, Marie Curie Nurses and frontline staff are needed more than ever as the NHS is put under ever greater strain. We’re ready and geared up to help, with hospice beds and nurses on standby.    

“Sadly, some people’s lives will be shortened by Coronavirus, so the need for end of life care will be greater. Marie Curie can meet this need, and in doing so will help free up intensive care beds needed for Coronavirus patients.

“But just as we want to help, our income has been decimated.  We need donations urgently to keep our Nurses and Hospice staff on the frontline.

“Unlike other healthcare providers, Marie Curie is reliant on donations from the public to survive. Every week the charity needs to raise £2.5million to care for the tens of thousands of people who require nursing and hospice care.  

“At the moment, our ability to fundraise is seriously compromised. Events are being cancelled, and we’ve had to close our Shops.  That is why we have launched an emergency appeal to make up the shortfall, and ensure the charity can care for more dying patients, support the NHS and ultimately save lives in the weeks and months ahead.”

Matthew added: “We are all in this crisis together and already we are seeing how the public in this country is rising to support each other and the most vulnerable.  Please donate now.”

  • Text NURSE to 70633 to help us reach the families who need us. Texts cost £5 plus 1 standard rate message. 98% is received by Marie Curie. To unsub text OUT to 78866. Thank you.

If you, or someone you know, is affected by a terminal illness and concerned about Coronavirus, our Support Line team are ready to help with the information you need when you need it. Call free 0800 090 2309*.

Due to increased demand, Marie Curie has extended its service to 7 days a week: Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm. Your calls may be recorded for training and monitoring purposes.

You can also find more information on our website: mariecurie.org.uk/coronavirus  

UK pledges £544 million to find coronavirus vaccine

The UK government has pledged an additional £210 million of support to accelerate work to find a coronavirus vaccine, in an announcement following a virtual summit of G20 leaders.

The UK has now pledged £544 million in total which makes it the biggest contributor to Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) – the international coalition to find a vaccine.

Announcing the additional funding, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “While our brilliant doctors and nurses fight coronavirus at home, this record British funding will help to find a vaccine for the entire world. UK medics and researchers are at the forefront of this pioneering work.

Acting High Commissioner to India Jan Thompson said: “This important announcement demonstrates the UK’s continued commitment to finding a coronavirus vaccine alongside our key international partners.

“We already have a strong record of research collaboration with India; at a time like this, international collaboration is more important than ever.”

The additional package of funding will go towards producing rapid tests for coronavirus and testing and developing medicines to treat the disease, for use in the UK and around the world.

Quickly identifying those with coronavirus and having the means to treat those most affected will be pivotal in bringing down the number of people killed.

Few days are without incident for a Prime Minister in these turbulent times, but this was a particularly eventful day for Boris Johnson, who had earlier announced to the nation he had succumbed to the coronavirus. 

In a video message, he said:

‘Hi folks.

I want to bring you up to speed on something that’s happening today which is that I’ve developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus. That’s to say – a temperature and a persistent cough.

And, on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, I’ve taken a test. That has come out positive.

So I am working from home. I’m self-isolating. And that’s entirely the right thing to do.

But be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus.

And I want to thank everybody who’s involved, I want to thank, above all, our amazing NHS staff. It was very moving last night to join in that national clap for the NHS.

But it’s not just the NHS, it’s our police, our social care workers, teachers, everybody who works in schools, DWP staff.

An amazing national effort by the public services. But also by every member of the British public who’s volunteering, an incredible response – 600,000 people have volunteered to take part in a great national effort to protect people from the consequences of coronavirus – I want to thank you.

I want to thank everybody who’s working to keep our country going through this epidemic.

And we will get through it.

And the way we’re going to get through it is, of course, by applying the measures that you’ll have heard so much about.

And the more effectively we all comply with those measures, the faster our country will come through this epidemic and the faster we’ll bounce back.

So thank you to everybody who’s doing what I’m doing, working from home, to stop the spread of the virus from household to household.

That’s the way we’re going to win, we’re going to beat it, and we’re going to beat it together.

Stay at home, protect the NHS, and save lives.’

Hospital workers check in to city hotel

FRONTLINE workers leading the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Edinburgh are booking in to the city’s largest independent hotel after it committed to offering free rooms and meals.

Since opening its doors on Friday evening to help clinical and medical staff at the capital’s hospitals, Ten Hill Place witnessed more than 232 room nights booked over the weekend into Wednesday, accommodating guests over the coming weeks.

The hotel, owned by The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) and operated by Surgeons Quarter, is located less than a mile from the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and three miles from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

It is now calling on even more workers to make use of its 129 bedrooms – and as well as offering a continental packed breakfast it is also now including a free evening meal courtesy of its award-winning catering team.

The huge effort has drawn praise from the RCSEd President, Professor Michael Griffin, regarded as one of the UK’s leading surgeons. He said: “COVID-19 is unlike anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes – and I know the strain it is putting across all aspects of our wonderful health service.

“The team at Ten Hill Place are giving tired workers vital respite to allow them to focus on caring for the country.

“The decision by Scott Mitchell, supported very strongly by myself and our team, to open the Hotel up to healthcare workers who are finding it difficult to get in on public transport was a brave but generous one.  We are helping them to help us, our families and our friends as they fall ill from any condition, not just COVID-19.

“We simply can’t put a value on this. The work Surgeons Quarter has been doing is truly outstanding and admirable – everyone at the College is extremely proud.”

Scott Mitchell, Managing Director at Surgeons Quarter, said: “This is a really challenging time for everyone in the world.

“We are happy to be able to play a small part in helping to make the lives of our heroic Medical and Clinical workforce at the frontline of Scotland’s response to COVID-19 that little bit easier.

“We have been taken aback by the positive response to opening the hotel to NHS staff and the wider Medical and Clinical workforce and want to encourage those who are able to take advantage of our city centre location to get in touch.

“Ten Hill Place has 129 hotel rooms which are available to a variety of key workers carrying a valid hospital photographic identity card or similar.  Please contact the hotel on 0131 662 2080 or by email at reservations@tenhillplace.com to make your booking.

“We look forward to continuing to welcome and looking after our NHS staff and wider Clinical and Medical workforce over the next few weeks.”

As well as the commitment to hospital staff, the RCSEd has engaged with the Chief Medical Officer to declare its willingness to temporarily convert the hotel, should hospitals overflow.

Surgeons Quarter has also pledged to pay all 76 salaried and contracted staff over at least the next three months, while adding discretionary sick pay at full levels.

Surgeons Quarter promotes, sells and manages all commercial activities held within the RCSEd campus. All profits support the charitable aims of the College which are education, assessment and advancement in surgical standards worldwide.

Ten Hill Place Hotel can be contacted on 0131 662 2080 or reservations@tenhillplace.com

Update on Tesco response to Coronavirus

We wrote to you last week setting out the measures we are taking to provide more of the food that people need, in a safe and clean environment (writes Tesco CEO DAVE LEWIS).

Our colleagues have risen brilliantly to the challenges of recent days, but this challenge is unprecedented and inevitably, despite our hard work and best intentions, not everything has or will go exactly to plan. But we’ll take learnings, we’ll be informed by the latest guidance from the Government, and we’ll keep going.

Importantly, we need your help to do this.

With that in mind, following the Prime Minister’s recent announcement, we wanted to write and update you on the measures we continue to take, and what new things you will begin to see in our stores in the next few days.

Food for all

  • To ensure more people have access to everyday essentials, we have introduced a store-wide restriction of 3 items per customer on every product line and removed multi-buy promotions.
  • In product areas where demand is particularly high, we have simplified our range to get more of the most popular products on shelves.
  • We have introduced a special hour in stores for NHS workers as a thank you for all they are doing. On Sundays, they can browse our large stores and select their shopping an hour before the checkouts open. All we ask is, if you’re an NHS worker, that you bring a form of ID to store, such as an NHS staff card. We have listened to feedback and are looking at how we can extend this to include extra days from next week.
  • To ensure our more vulnerable and elderly customers can shop for what they need in our large stores, we have prioritised one hour every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning between 9-10am.
  • We know that it’s difficult right now to get a delivery slot for online shopping. We are at full capacity for the next few weeks and we ask those who are able to safely come to stores to do so, instead of shopping online, so that we can start to free up more slots for the more vulnerable.
  • We are looking at every opportunity to increase the number of slots available. As we increase our capacity, we will also set aside more of these slots for our most vulnerable customers.
  • We have more stock coming into stores every day, with up to double the usual amounts of key essentials arriving – but we need everyone’s help: please buy only what you need, so that there is enough for everyone.

Safety for everyone

To ensure we are doing everything possible to reduce the risk of infection for our customers and colleagues, we will begin to introduce new social distancing measures in stores in the coming days:

  • Floor markings in our car parks will help you to maintain safe distances when queuing.
  • Where necessary, we will limit the flow of people coming into our stores to ensure they don’t get too congested.
  • Hand sanitisers are being placed around our stores for customers and colleagues to use, as well as extra cleaning products to wipe down your trolley or basket.
  • In some stores, we will introduce directional floor markings and new signage, to create a safe flow around the store.
  • New floor markings will help you to keep a safe distance from others while waiting to pay.
  • We are installing protective screens at our checkouts.
  • Where possible, we will create separate entrances and exits to our stores, so that it’s easier to keep a safe distance from other shoppers.

Supporting our colleagues

  • We are fully supporting our team of more than 300,000 Tesco colleagues, many of whom will be affected by this situation personally or will need to care for their own loved ones. The countless messages of gratitude I’ve received are testament to the incredible job they are doing, at a time when our stores have never been busier. Your small gestures and kind words really do go a long way.
  • We have almost 3,000 colleagues over the age of 70 and we are fully supporting them, as well as our vulnerable and pregnant colleagues, with 12 weeks’ fully paid absence.
  • Colleagues who are in isolation are receiving full pay from their first day of absence, so that nobody finds themselves in a situation where they have to work when unwell.
  • To help support our team, we are recruiting an additional 20,000 temporary colleagues. We’ve already appointed 12,500 new colleagues, but we will need more. We are also bringing in 8,000 new colleagues in driving roles, and we are training them as fast as we can.

It’s a challenging time for the whole country, but we are committed to playing our part in feeding the nation and to keeping everyone safe.

We also need your help to change the way you shop with us, so here are a few simple requests to help us serve you better:

  • Please check your store’s opening hours in advance.
  • Before you leave home, please bring enough bags for your shop. If it’s raining, don’t forget an umbrella too, in case you need to queue outside the store.
  • Try to shop with no more than one other person, which will help to reduce the number of people in-store at any one time.
  • Please use our cleaning stations to wipe your trolley, basket, or Scan as you Shop handset.
  • If possible, use card or contactless payments.
  • Please avoid shopping during our dedicated times for vulnerable and elderly people, and NHS workers, and be kind to our colleagues as they’re working hard to serve you; we’re all in this together.

We want to thank our suppliers, our colleagues – and especially you, our customers – for understanding and helping.

We know these are some big changes, and we will all need to do our very best to adjust. We will continue to update you as things change.

Together, we can do this.

Dave Lewis

Tesco CEO