The City of Edinburgh Council and VOCAL, Voice of Carers Across Lothian, have announced a new Carers Recovery Fund.
Recognising the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on unpaid carers, the City of Edinburgh Council has committed to an investment of £250,000 to support unpaid carers. VOCAL will serve as the lead partner, managing the delivery of the fund.
Prior to the pandemic, 65,084 people in Edinburgh had caring responsibilities, 13.7% of the population. For many their caring role increased massively and it is estimated that across Scotland nearly 400,000 additional citizens took on caring responsibilities.
Research released for Carers Week by the Carers Week charities found that 71% of unpaid carers in Scotland have not had any breaks from their caring role during the pandemic.
Of those who got a break, over a third (36%) used the time to complete practical tasks or housework, and almost a quarter (24%) to attend their own medical appointments.
Three quarters (77%) reported being exhausted as a result of caring during the pandemic.
More than a third (36%) said they feel unable to manage their unpaid caring role.
The Carers Recovery Fund is an important step towards further investment in carers as the largest providers of care in our communities. The Fund will be allocated as a one-off payment to individual carers, and can be used to support carer health and wellbeing, enable carers to take a short break and to improve the financial wellbeing of carers.
Cllr Joan Griffiths, Carers Champion for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “I’m so pleased we’re investing £250k in this Carers Recovery Fund in recognition of the extra challenges and additional pressures they have faced during the pandemic.
“Many carers have been unable to get a break from their role and have suffered a loss of support networks so this one off investment recognises the dedicated, unheralded and unpaid work they do.
“This funding is really important in the current climate especially for young carers who have been badly affected by not being able to meet their friends through lost school time. Anything we can do to support them is welcome news and we look forward to working with VOCAL on this project.
“The Carers Recovery Fund is part of a wider £21m package boosting our work for core ambitions of the Council – tackling poverty and inequality, boosting sustainability and enhancing wellbeing for everyone here in Edinburgh.”
Sebastian Fischer, Chief Executive of VOCAL said: “We look forward to working with the City of Edinburgh Council to administer the new Carers Recovery Fund for unpaid carers across the city.
“As the Carers Week report has shown, many carers have not been able to access a break due to the pandemic. Now, more than ever, the health and social care system relies on unpaid carers.
“It is vital that their right to regular breaks is recognised. This investment is a statement of intent and will have a positive impact on the lives of individual carers across different caring roles.”
Community pharmacies across Scotland are extending access to rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) testing kits for people without COVID-19 symptoms.
The expansion, which began yesterday (Wednesday 9 June) is aimed at encouraging further uptake of testing among people with no symptoms and finding cases which would otherwise go undetected.
It builds on current efforts in place to improve access to rapid lateral flow devices (LFDs) for people without COVID-19 symptoms, by making it easier for people without access to digital services.
Free packs are available to be collected from participating pharmacies, with each containing seven devices which can provide results in around 30 minutes.
People with symptoms of COVID-19 should not enter pharmacies to collect self-test kits or use a LFD and must instead self-isolate immediately and book a PCR test at NHS Inform.
Heath Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Testing has a vital role to play as we move safely out of lockdown and this rollout of testing kits to pharmacies for the public to drop in and pick up helps build on our strategy to tackle COVID-19.
“It would be a mistake to think that the successful delivery of the vaccination programme means testing becomes less important. The evidence suggests vaccination provides strong protection, but does not yet guarantee you can’t still get the virus and pass it on.
“Around one in three people with COVID-19 do not show any symptoms and rapid lateral flow testing is already helping us identify new cases. The ability to quickly identify new outbreaks and put appropriate measures in place will remain at the heart of our strategy to help break chains of transmission.
“Regular, rapid testing is already available to people in a wide range of settings, including schools and communities where rates remain high and everyone should access testing regularly.”
People can find out which pharmacies are taking part by going to NHS inform, following a link and entering their postcode.
Anyone with symptoms, such as a cough, fever or loss of taste or smell should self-isolate immediately and book a PCR (polymarese chain reaction) test.
Rapid LFD test kits, which can be used from home for people to test themselves twice-weekly, are already available for pick-up without an appointment from many local walk-in, or drive-through test sites, or by ordering online, or by phone.
Professor Harry McQuillan from Community Pharmacy Scotland said: “The community pharmacy network across Scotland provides access to NHS services close to people’s homes at the heart of our communities.
“This distribution service further enhances the ongoing testing programme and builds upon the community pharmacy teams role in supporting Scotland’s public health response to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald, has praised pharmacies across the city for helping to rollout rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) testing kits for people without COVID-19 symptoms.
The expansion which began yesterday (Wednesday 9 June) is aimed at encouraging further uptake of testing among people with no symptoms and finding cases which would otherwise go undetected.
This is building on current efforts to improve access to rapid lateral flow devices for people without COVID-19 symptoms, by making it easier for people without access to digital services.
Among the many pharmacies who have voluntarily signed up to participate in the expansion are Colinton Pharmacy, MacKinnon Pharmacy, Lloyds Pharmacy Wester Hailes, Lloyds Pharmacy Calder Road, Gate 55 Sighthill Road, Colinton Mains Pharmacy, Lindsay and Gilmour Chemist Juniper Green, Calder Pharmacy, Oxgangs Pharmacy and Boots Pharmacy Buckstone Terrace.
SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald said: “This is very welcome news and I am sure will be a source of great help to so many people across the city.
“Rapid lateral flow testing is already helping to pick up news case so all efforts to increase LFDs will help even more. This, in turn, helps to identify new outbreaks and put in place mitigating measures to reduce transmission as quickly as possible.
“I would like to thank all the community pharmacies across Edinburgh Pentlands, and right across the city, who are participating in this rollout. Community pharmacies have, and continue to, play a key role in supporting Scotland’s public health response to the Covid-19 pandemic by providing access to NHS services close to people’s homes and lives.”
There are 1,258 community pharmacies across Scotland that are eligible to sign up for the service. Participation is voluntary and it is for pharmacy owners to opt-in to provide the service.
AlexCole-Hamilton challenges First Minister over disparity in Covid response
Liberal Democrat Heath Spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton has challenged the First Minister as to why Edinburgh residents have not been offered the same access to surge testing that Glasgow residents were, despite the rise in cases.
Edinburgh now has more cases per 100,000 of the population than Glasgow and several schools within the city have reported outbreaks.
Despite confirming yesterday that walk-in clinics will be provided for over 40s who have yet to receive their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine or anyone of any age waiting more than 10 weeks for their second astrazeneca dose, door to door surge testing, which has been available in areas of Glasgow for weeks is still not available in Edinburgh.
The First Minister was clearly dissatisfied with Mr Cole-Hamilton’s question, failing to answer and accusing him of “trying to divide and set people against each other.”
Mr Cole Hamilton commented:“It is really disappointing to see the First Minister refuse to engage constructively on such a vital issue. The Health Secretary used the exact words ‘Edinburgh is the new Glasgow’ in a discussion I had with him last week. On that basis it is not unreasonable that I would seek the same level of action for my constituents as people in Glasgow saw.
“I have welcomed the announcement that walk-in vaccination centres will now be available to those over 40 but it is not enough. As well as surge testing, we need to provide walk in centres for those aged 18 and over who are yet to receive their first dose of this vaccine.
“My first responsibility is to my constituents, and I will never apologise for using my place in Parliament to fight for their best interests.”
Vaccine drop-in centres for the over 40s will be launched across NHS Lothian as part of the battle against COVID-19.
Clinics will be rolled-out in mass vaccination sites, from today (Wednesday 9 June), for people aged 40 and over, who require a first or second dose of the Astra Zeneca vaccine.
Anyone over the age of 40, who have not yet had their first dose – for whatever reason – can attend the clinic without an appointment, while those who are waiting for their second dose can turn up as long as they received their first injection of the Astra Zenaca vaccine at least eight weeks before.
The clinics will run at Lowland Hall (Ingliston) and West Lothian’s Pyramids Vaccination centres from tomorrow (Wednesday) through to Sunday 13 June. Starting from June 14, they will run at every centre except Lowland Hall.
People will be seen on a first come first served basis, and the centres will run for 10 hours every day.
NHS Lothian has joined up with the British Armed Forces as part of this key stage to accelerate the programme and provide increased protection for more people as quickly as possible.
A total of 36 Army personnel have been deployed into Lothian to help deliver vaccines across all of the centres.
That extra capacity – which equates to more than 3,500, appointments each day – will allow the vaccination team to target people who have not yet had the vaccine and may also speed up the process for those waiting for a second injection.
Pat Wynne, Nurse Director of Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said the clinics, which will run for two weeks, were an important step. He said: “This is a really exciting step for us because it means we can reach a lot of people really quickly to help give them some protection, which is obviously vital to help beat new variants and keep people well.
“We are delighted to team up with the British Armed Forces again. Our teams have previously worked with them in two of our vaccination centres and we invited them to return to provide extra capacity across our centres as part of this race. They will join our teams at the routine appointment clinics and in the drop-in clinics.”
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “This is an excellent idea and people in Edinburgh and the Lothian’s, who are aged 40 and over waiting on their first or second dose, will welcome this move.
“NHS Lothian have used their initiative to launch vaccine drop in centres and they will be an important part of the strategy to speed up the vaccination process.”
The coronavirus crisis has had a huge impact on the nation’s activity levels, with 1.2 million more adults now classed as ‘inactive’ (up 2.6% to 27.1%) and less than half (44.9%) of children and young people meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines of 60 minutes a day.
The pandemic has also impacted the nation’s mental well-being, with new data from UK Coaching showing that nearly 9 in 10 coaches (87%) are concerned about the poor mental and physical health of participants. Additionally, nearly half of all coaches (47%) said one of the biggest challenges currently facing them is motivating people to return to sport and physical activity.
Coaches will be central to the nation’s restart, with research conducted by YouGov on behalf of UK Coaching revealing that 7 in 10 adults (70%) believe grassroots coaches and instructors are important in helping Britain become a fitter and more active society.
And the vital work that coaches deliver is being understood and appreciated more than ever, with over two thirds (69%) of the nation believing it is important for society to value the role that coaches and instructors play in keeping local communities active.
Yet concerns amongst coaches remain and UK Coaching, the lead charity for coaches in Britain, fear that coaches aren’t receiving the support they need in order to continue playing this vital role in communities.
With the Covid-19 pandemic causing many people to consider the need to be fitter and more active, nearly 6 in 10 (57%) of coaches surveyed are concerned about the increased cost of facilities and almost half (48%) said they needed to offer lower priced activities to enable wider access.
Access to funding and facilities also remains a barrier, with 40% of those surveyed raising concerns about the need for updated facilities in encouraging their local community to return, as well as increased access to funding for equipment (34%) and to reopen local facilities (31%).
Mark Gannon, Chief Executive at UK Coaching, said: “It is clear that the British public see coaches as fundamental to driving a more active society and value the important role they play in creating healthier and happier communities.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed many of the vulnerabilities in the health of the nation and it is now more important than ever to support people to achieve healthier lives.
“Coaches will be vital as we transition through the pandemic but in order to continue delivering great coaching, we must ensure they have all the support and tools they need. From our research we know that three areas of concern remain – the cost of entry, access to and out-of-date facilities and cost of equipment.”
The research has been released during UK Coaching Week – a national awareness week to celebrate great coaching and help the nation’s coaches to share their voice, be heard and generate the investment they need to reinvent, recover and return.
Emma Hayes, Chelsea Women’s Head Coach, is supportive of the campaign. She said: “Coaches play a fundamental role in driving people to be more active and to reap all of the positive physical and mental health benefits that this brings.
“Elite coaches get a lot of attention, but really, it’s the army of grassroots coaches in communities who are making the biggest difference. That’s why I am happy to show my support for UK Coaching Week and recognise coaching’s importance in helping Britain become a more active nation.”
Tracey Neville, Performance Operations Director at Manchester Thunder Netball and former Head Coach of England Netball, said: “It’s fantastic to read that the majority of people back grassroots coaches to get the nation back to activity, fitness and good well-being as restrictions ease.
“I know first-hand the influence that great coaches can have on your life. My own coaches instilled principles in me that have driven me to be where I am now. They are at the centre of communities and bring people together in a welcoming environment to support them to enjoy sport and physical activity. That’s why I’m supporting UK Coaching Week.”
To find out more about UK Coaching and the activity taking place this UK Coaching Week, visit www.ukcoaching.org.
For the first time in almost 16 months, trams in the city are to resume normal timetable. From today (Monday 7 June), services will operate from every seven minutes throughout the day.
With the easing of lockdown restrictions, demand for tram travel is expected to continue to increase. Additional services will not only help meet demand, but allow customers to easily practice safe physical distancing.
What’s more, Ticket Inspectors are back, so the public are being encouraged to ensure they have purchased a ticket, validated their smartcard or activated their mticket before boarding, otherwise the £10 on-board fare will apply.
Lea Harrison, Managing Director of Edinburgh Trams said: “Resuming our normal timetable doubles the services we were previously operating, and will help our customers feel more comfortable when travelling by tram.
“We’re still urging customers to respect the Scottish Government’s guidance when travelling by public transport, which includes wearing a face covering (unless exempt) and maintaining 1m physical distancing, wherever possible. If you think the tram is too busy, please wait for the next one, which will now only be seven minutes later.”
Services to the city centre commence at 5am from Gyle Centre and 6.18am from Edinburgh Airport. Services to Edinburgh Airport commence at 5.30am from York Place.
Full route services to the city centre terminate at 10.48pm from Edinburgh Airport. Full route services to Edinburgh Airport terminate at 11.30pm from York Place.
For more information on planning your journey, click here.
If you need help with your Ridacard, citysmart card or mtickets, please contact us here or visit one of our TravelHubs at Shandwick Place or Waverley Bridge.
To find out more about Edinburgh Trams latest travel advice, click here.
Apps to provide bonuses, stickers and profile badges for vaccinated users as poll shows most dating adults support vaccination.
Partnership comes as recent YouGov poll shows 59% of adults would either prefer their date to be vaccinated or wouldn’t date an unvaccinated person
Young adults encouraged to take up the offer of a vaccine as under 30s to be invited in the coming days
Leading dating brands including Tinder, Match, Hinge, Bumble, Badoo, Plenty of Fish, OurTime and Muzmatch have teamed up with the government to encourage their users to get COVID-19 vaccinations through a new campaign.
From today, the country’s leading dating brands will add new features to their apps and websites to support the government’s ‘every vaccination gives us hope’ campaign. The campaign encourages younger people to get their vaccine in the second phase of the rollout, and join the millions who have already received their jabs.
The new features will allow users to show their support for the vaccine on their dating profiles and give in-app bonuses to those who say they are vaccinated.
Features will include vaccination badges and stickers to display on dating profiles, free “Super Likes” and other boost-type features.
Users will also start seeing adverts and banners for the ‘every vaccination gives us hope’ campaign.
Although providing vaccination status on these apps is optional, data has shown that people are more likely to date someone who has received a COVID-19 vaccination.
A recent YouGov poll conducted on 21 May also shows 31% of adults would prefer to date someone who was vaccinated and a further 28% would not date someone unless they had received the jab.
Vaccines Minister, Nadhim Zahawi said: “I am thrilled that we are partnering up with dating apps to boost vaccine uptake across the country. This is another incredible asset to our vaccination programme – the biggest and most successful in our history.
“The vaccine is our way out of this pandemic and we have made incredible progress so far with over three quarters of adults receiving at least one dose.
“I encourage everyone who is eligible to roll up their sleeves and get the jab – it could save your life and protect your loved ones.”
Examples of vaccine promotion campaigns launching across dating platforms in the UK include:
Tinder: members will be able to add a variety of stickers to their profile including “I’m Vaccinated” or “Vaccines Save Lives,” with Tinder giving those who support the campaign a free “Super Like” to help them stand out among potential matches. Tinder will also launch a “Vaccine Center” with a suite of resources to educate and connect members with their nearest vaccination site.
Match & Ourtime: members will be able to add a new badge to their profile to display their vaccine status, with those who participate in the campaign receiving a free “Boost” to help them stand out on the app. Match’s AI-enabled Dating Coach, Lara, will also encourage Match users to get their vaccination badge.
OkCupid: users will be able to add an “I’m Vaccinated” profile badge and be featured within OkCupid’s “Vaccinated” stack, its new matching system that lets users search by select categories on the app. Those who participate will also receive a free “Boost.”
Hinge: users who participate in their vaccination campaign will get a free “Rose,” which indicates to other users that they’re excited to get to know them.
Plenty of Fish: members will be able to add an “I Got My Shot” badge to their profiles. Those who participate will receive 20 Live! credits to use on the Plenty of Fish Live streaming feature.
Bumble: the popular women-first dating app will enable people in the UK to add a “vaccinated” badge to their profiles. For those who apply the badge, Bumble will offer complimentary credits for premium features such as Spotlights and Superswipes. People on Bumble will also be able to share COVID-19 preferences, letting them easily communicate how they are comfortable dating: outdoors or indoors, how they feel about crowded spaces, and their expectations about masks and social-distancing. Bumble will also leverage their social media channels to amplify the need to get vaccinated.
Badoo: in-app promotions will enable people in the UK to add a “vaccinated” badge to their profiles. In addition, Badoo will offer vaccinated people complimentary credits for premium features such as Spotlights and Superswipes. Badoo will also leverage their social media channels to amplify the need to get vaccinated.
Muzmatch: content featuring medics answering users’ most pressing questions about the vaccine will run across social media channels.
Alexandre Lubot, CEO of Match Group, EMEA and APAC said: “An important part of returning to normal is helping people feel safe as they connect in person.
“We are honoured to work with the UK government to encourage our members to participate in the vaccination campaign across our dating platforms.
“A unified push towards more vaccinations will allow people to once again meet in person and connect in meaningful ways.”
Online Dating Association Chief Executive George Kidd said: “The ODA were delighted to play its part in getting the message out on vaccinations.
“Dating apps and services are the start point for about a third of all new relationships. When meeting in person was not possible, services were an important way of meeting others online, with the hope of meeting up later when safe to do so.
“About 10 million people in the UK use or have used dating apps and services. Our members account for most of this user base. We shared campaign video or advertising on apps, landing pages and through social media channels.
“For us, every step to a return to people meeting up, making new friends and starting new relationships is a step forward for us all.”
Naomi Walkland, Bumble’s Vice President for Europe said: “We know that single people are looking to take control of their dating lives as we head into summer. The ‘Covid conversation’ is already front of mind for 2 in 3 people on Bumble, so it’s important to make it easier to feel comfortable and safe on a date.
“To do this, we’ll launch a new “vaccinated” badge along with in-app preferences so you can easily communicate if you’re comfortable dating indoors or outdoors only.
“In support of the Government’s vaccination campaign, we will also direct people in-app to learn how to get vaccinated, including linking to educational materials and information on how to find the nearest vaccination site through the NHS.”
Shahzad Younas, Founder, CEO, Muzmatch said: “We at Muzmatch are really thrilled to be working with the UK government on the vaccine campaign.
“We understand the concerns young Muslims have regarding the vaccination, in particular those that are in the process of getting married. Misinformation has been spreading at an alarming rate in our communities, which is why we’re glad to work with the NHS to clear up myths about the vaccine and encourage our members to get vaccinated.
“As a marriage app helping single Muslims find love, we knew when the pandemic hit we had to act fast to ensure people could meet safely. We were the first Muslim marriage app that rolled out Video and Voice Calling for our members so that they could meet on virtual dates.
“As we begin to return to a new normal, it’s vital that young Muslims do so by getting vaccinated, to ensure the safety of not only themselves but their loved ones too.”
James Preece, the UK’s top celebrity dating expert and dating coach, said: “There’s no doubt that dating has been different and somewhat difficult for many individuals over the last 13 months.
“Having the vaccine is one of the most important things people can do to keep themselves and others safe.
“The fact that the leading dating apps have come together to support members being vaccinated will go a long way to people feeling confident meeting in person and dating again.”
The partnership comes as people aged 30 and over are now eligible to get their COVID-19 vaccine. The UK government has already hit its target of offering everyone in cohorts 1 to 9 – those aged 50 and over, the clinically vulnerable and health and social care workers – a first dose of the vaccine by 15 April. It’s on track to offer a jab to all adults in the UK by the end of July.
Vaccinated people are far less likely to get COVID-19 with symptoms. Vaccinated people are even more unlikely to get serious COVID-19, to be admitted to hospital or to die from it. There is growing evidence that vaccinated people are less likely to pass the virus to others.
A Queen’s University Belfast research team is leading an international study on COVID-19 Antibody Response in Cystic Fibrosis (CAR-CF).
The study is to be carried out by a team of researchers from the university’s Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine (WWIEM). It will measure COVID-19 antibody levels in thousands of people with cystic fibrosis across 17 European countries and is funded by a $1.5m grant from the CF Foundation (US) over a two-year period.
The project will also run in Canada and the US, making the research the largest prospective study in cystic fibrosis (CF) to have been carried out to date.
The coronavirus pandemic has been a worrying time, but it has been particularly stressful for people with long-term conditions such as CF.
CF is a chronic condition that damages the lungs and leaves patients vulnerable to chest infections. There is currently little information about how COVID-19 has impacted people living with CF, however, they may be at particular risk from this new respiratory virus and the various strains.
Dr Damian Downey, Clinical Senior Lecturer in Respiratory Medicine from the WWIEM at Queen’s, and Director of the Northern Ireland Regional Adult CF Centre, who is leading the project, said: “Viral respiratory tract infections can be more severe in people with CF than the general population, with an increased risk of complications and a negative impact on lung function.
“This new research project will explore infection and vaccination rates in those with CF and link to important clinical information over time. We can then understand how COVID-19 has impacted this vulnerable population, how long the antibodies last and the risk of future infections.”
Dr Downey is the Director of the European CF Society Clinical Trials Network which involves 58 research centres in 17 countries. This network will oversee the project and the WWIEM at Queen’s University will be the central European laboratory that will analyse the research results.
