Tag: coronavirus

UK Government report shows improving vaccine confidence among ethnic minority groups

Minister for Equalities Kemi Badenoch MP and COVID hero GP, Dr Farzana Hussain, have issued a joint call for everyone to take the vaccine when they are offered it.

  • As Government publishes third report on COVID-19 disparities, the Minister for Equalities and hero GP, Dr Farzana Hussain, issue a joint call for everyone to take the vaccine when they are offered it.
  • Evidence shows vaccine confidence has steadily increased among ethnic minorities.
  • This follows flexible vaccine delivery, and targeted communications from government and medical professionals, and partnerships with broadcasters.

The call comes as data shows vaccine confidence has steadily increased following government action, with 93% of adults reporting positive sentiment towards the vaccine. However, some groups are still less likely to get the jab. 30% of Black or Black British adults reported vaccine hesitancy, the highest compared with all ethnic groups.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has prioritised people based on age, with older people being offered the vaccination first. As the UK’s White population makes up a greater number of those in the older age categories, the percentage of those who have already received vaccinations is higher when compared with ethnic minority groups.

As the vaccine is rolled out to younger age groups the Government will continue its targeted action to ensure that ethnic minority people are willing to take the jab.

Minister for Equalities, Kemi Badenoch, said: “We are taking the vital action necessary to protect our families, communities and the country from the scourge of COVID-19. Our positive progress deploying the vaccine and promoting confidence in it has been a tireless, collective effort, from faith leaders, voluntary groups and the NHS all working together in every community to turn back the tide of COVID-19.

“We are not complacent and we will continue to tackle dangerous disinformation and work with trusted partners to promote confidence in the vaccine so everyone takes up their jab when they are offered it.

“Vaccines are the key to unlocking a return to normal life, and this Government will continue to do everything it can to ensure everyone is confident to take them.”

‘Hero’ GP, Dr Farzana Hussain, whose tireless efforts during the pandemic – including online campaigning and debunking of misinformation, and personally calling scores of patients who have yet to take the jab – have been key to fighting the virus, said: “It is really important that everyone takes the vaccine – unless all of us are protected, none of us are protected.

“The vaccines are very safe – they have been trialled on hundreds of thousands of volunteers by world-leading scientists, and now millions of doses have been given, just in the UK alone. I urge everyone to take the jab when they are offered it.”

Alongside this the Minister for Equalities will today publish the third quarterly report to the Prime Minister and Health and Social Care Secretary on progress to understand and tackle COVID-19 disparities experienced by individuals from ethnic minority groups.

The report sets out the swift and flexible action Government has taken to protect people, adapting the vaccine programme as it has rolled out to ensure everyone feels safe and able to get the vaccine, without being stigmatised.

Dr Masood Ahmed, Chief Medical Officer for the Black Country and West Birmingham CCG said: “We have strong, resilient communities and have been able to address vaccine hesitancy by connecting with people, listening to fears, and having meaningful conversations in order to reduce barriers, which is key for longer term sustainable solutions to address wider health inequalities.

“It’s so important that we share learnings to understand and address the health inequalities that COVID-19 has highlighted, and whilst we have had some success in reaching people and communities, there is still opportunity to do more.”

Dr Rohini Mathur, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: “This report highlights the positive impact of increasing vaccine confidence in minority ethnic groups across England and points towards the importance of understanding the complex interaction between socio-economic, geographic, and health related factors in explaining disparities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The report sets out the following next steps:

  • The Minister for Equalities to share the findings of her third quarterly report with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
  • Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to consider how to apply the findings of the review of experiences of frontline healthcare workers and the UK-REACH study.
  • NHS England’s published data on vaccination uptake by ethnicity should be further disaggregated to provide percentage uptake by vaccine priority group cohorts and sex. This should include levels of unknown ethnicity and an assessment of how this might affect the interpretation of vaccination uptake for different ethnic groups.
  • NHS England and Improvement (NHSEI) should publish data about the use of the NHS COVID-19 app by different ethnic groups. This will inform activity to increase the uptake and continued use of the app.
  • DHSC and NHS should further investigate practical barriers to vaccine uptake by ethnicity to assess and address any intention-action gap.
  • DHSC should ensure that NHS organisations and GPs are provided with clear guidance and protocols about how ethnicity should be requested and recorded in health records.
  • RDU should engage with the Office for Statistics Regulation about priorities for improving the quality (including harmonisation, robustness and reliability) of ethnicity data on health records, drawing on others’ expertise as appropriate, and report back in the final quarterly report.
  • The Minister for Equalities and the Minister for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment will continue a programme of engagement in the next 3 months, focusing on promoting vaccine uptake and encouraging asymptomatic testing, particularly for those within higher risk occupations, as sectors reopen.
  • As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues, the government’s Vaccine Confidence campaign will aim to inform, educate and empower those aged 18 to 50 to take up their vaccine. Using the tagline ‘Every Vaccination Gives Us Hope’ content will take an optimistic tone, aiming to reach and persuade younger audiences, including ethnic minority groups.
  • At each step of the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, tailored guidance and communications will continue to be shared through community and media channels to maximise reach and impact.

Communications

  • To drive forward uptake of the vaccine, the government has prioritised communications with ethnic minority people across the UK, that includes:
  • A partnership with 12 community radio stations, which has delivered key messages about vaccines in 13 different languages to 1.5 million people.
  • Television partnerships with 21 multicultural TV networks, delivering 30 second adverts on 43 TV stations in 9 languages, reaching approximately 3 million people each week.
  • A Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport social media campaign to tackle false vaccine information, which has been shared with more than 4 million people through community and local networks, reaching people from minority ethnic backgrounds.
  • Ethnic minority medical professionals promoting facts and dispelling myths about the vaccines online, including a series of videos with Dr Amir Khan, a GP from Yorkshire, whose video on the vaccine being halal reached more than 330,000 people.
  • A programme of Ministerial engagement, including a roundtable with Black African and Black Caribbean Faith Leaders and GPs, recognising the important role that churches play in promoting vaccine uptake amongst their congregations.
  • Celebrities and influencers, including Great British Bake Off star Nadiya Hussain, backing the NHS COVID-19 vaccine drive.
  • A short film backed by the NHS based on an open letter signed by Sir Lenny Henry and a range of high-profile celebrities encouraging Black adults in the UK to make informed decisions about the vaccine.

TUC: Employers are “massively under-reporting” Covid deaths

  • Employers claim just 2.5% of working-age Covid deaths are from exposure to Coronavirus at work 
  • System for reporting workplace deaths and infections is “letting bad bosses off the hook”, says TUC 
  • Under-reporting has badly undermined health and safety regulation and enforcement during the pandemic 

The number of people who have died from exposure to Covid at work is being “massively under-reported” by employers, according to a new TUC report published yesterday (Sunday). 

The report highlights a huge discrepancy between Covid work-related deaths reported by employers and data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Public Health England. 

Between April 2020 and April 2021 the ONS reported that 15,263 people of working age died from Covid.  But according to reports filed by employers just 387 (2.5 per cent) of these deaths came from workers contracting Covid at work. 

The union body says this under-reporting has badly undermined health and safety regulation enforcement during the pandemic with employers less likely to face action from regulators for putting staff at risk. 

Under-reporting in at-risk sectors 

The TUC’s report shows that in sectors with high numbers of deaths during the pandemic –  like food production and transport – only a small fraction of deaths have been reported as work-related by employers. 

Figures from the ONS show that between March 2020 and December 2020 more than 600 people working in the transport sector died.  

But according to reports filed by employers (over the longer period of April 2020 to April 2021) just 10 deaths in the transport sector were work-related. 

And figures from the ONS show that 63 food production workers died between March 2020 and December 2020. 

But according to data supplied by employers (over the longer period of April 2020 to April 2021) just three of these deaths were the result of work. 

The TUC believes the true number of work-related deaths in these and other sectors are much higher, especially considering the high number of breaches of safety protocols we have seen during the pandemic and the high numbers of outbreaks.  

Reporting system “letting bad bosses off the hook” 

Employers are required by law to report deaths, injuries and illnesses that take place at work or in connection with work.   

This is done through a mechanism called RIDDOR (The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) which logs work-related deaths, illnesses and injuries for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). 

But under the current reporting system employers are given “free rein” to decide whether a Covid-19 diagnosis is the result of occupational exposure or from exposure outside of work premises. 

The TUC says this loophole has led to employers not reporting the true scale of Covid work-related deaths and infections to the HSE, despite this information being vital to containing the spread of the virus. 

Enforcement crisis 

The TUC says that for the HSE to do its job effectively it must possess an accurate and up-to-date picture of where and when work-related deaths and infections are taking place. 

But during the pandemic it has only been provided with very partial information from employers.  

This has prevented the HSE from carrying out potentially urgent inspections and ensuring employers take the necessary action to keep workers and the public safe, says the report. 

TUC analysis shows that just 1 in 218 workplaces has been inspected by the HSE (between March 2020 and April 2021) and not one single employer has been prosecuted for putting staff at risk.  

The union body says this “crisis of regulation and enforcement” has allowed bad bosses to get away with flagrant labour rights abuses – adding that the pandemic has highlighted Britain’s enforcement system’s long-standing deficiencies. 

New approach needed to health and safety 

As well as calling for improvements in the way work-related delated deaths and infections are reported, the union body says government must reverse cuts to the HSE of the past decade, which it says left the country “under-prepared and vulnerable” to the pandemic.  

The last ten years has seen real term cuts of 50 per cent to the HSE budget, on top of local authority budgets being slashed.  

There has also been a dramatic decline in inspections. There were 27 per cent fewer HSE inspections carried out in the UK in 2019 than 2011, amounting to a fall of over 5,700 a year. 

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Everybody deserves to be safe at work. But this pandemic has exposed a crisis in health and safety regulation and enforcement. 

“Employers have massively under-reported Covid work-related deaths and infections. This has made it much harder for regulators to track where outbreaks are happening and allowed bad bosses to get away with flagrant labour rights abuses. 

“It’s staggering that not a single employer has been prosecuted for putting workers at risk of contracting Covid-19.  

“The government must fix the deficiencies in how workplace deaths, illnesses and injuries are reported. The current system is letting bosses off the hook. 

“And ministers must fund enforcement bodies properly so they can recruit and train qualified workplace inspectors, inspect more workplaces, and prosecute companies who don’t keep their workers safe.”

A copy of the report can be found at: https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-05/Underreporting%20of%20RIDDOR%20report%20-%20May%2021.pdf. 

Grounded pilot signs up to work for Mobile Testing Units

A commercial airline pilot who found himself unemployed as a result of the pandemic is now helping to fight Covid by working at one of the Scottish Ambulance Service’s Mobile Testing Units (MTUs).

Marcus Spinks, who has twenty-five years’ experience as a pilot and over 10,000 flying hours, is a Senior Operative at the Mobile Testing Unit at Altens in Aberdeen, one of 42 units run by the Service to ensure communities across Scotland have access to testing.

Marcus says: “I was introduced to the idea of the MTUs by a former colleague who knew I was looking for employment. After looking into the role, I thought by joining the MTUs I would be able to use my transferable skills in a positive way. This would give me the opportunity to do my part in the fight against the pandemic.”

After completing his pilot training in 1995, Marcus flew as a commercial pilot on Highland and Islands and UK domestic routes, and then across Europe – following in the footsteps of father, who was also a pilot. Marcus qualified as a Captain in 2008, and in 2013 he switched to fly within the Oil and Gas industry for Eastern Airways from Aberdeen.

In 2019, Marcus relocated to Dublin to work as a commercial pilot again, where he flew across UK and Europe for Cityjet. But in March 2020, when travel was halted around the globe following the pandemic, Marcus found himself grounded.

“Unfortunately, due to the dramatic downturn in aviation travel, the company I was employed with made the entire base redundant. This was a great shame as I was really enjoying the new opportunity I had been given by moving to Dublin.”

While he was forced to give up his dream job, Marcus has found that working at the MTU provides different challenges and job satisfaction.

“It’s great to see when you have made a different to someone’s day. Some people do arrive feeling apprehensive, nervous and distressed to a certain level. It’s great to be able to help them with their test by making them feel at ease and reassured they have nothing to worry about and they leave the MTU feeling much happier.

“The good comradeship with my fellow team members as it has brought people from many different environments together.”

While Marcus enjoys the challenges of working for the MTUs, he still hopes that he will be able to fly again, once the travel industry is on track for recovery.

He says: “Aviation has given me some fantastic experiences, I’ve worked within great teams and made good friends in many countries. I’ve been very lucky to see some spectacular views from my office window.”

Find out more about Mobile Testing Units (scottishambulance.com)

Vaccines are ‘highly effective’ against Indian variant

New study shows that 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against the B.1.617.2 variant first identified in India

Vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease from the B.1.617.2 variant is similar after 2 doses compared to the B.1.1.7 (Kent) variant dominant in the UK, and Public Health England expect to see even higher levels of effectiveness against hospitalisation and death.

The study found that, for the period from 5 April to 16 May:

  • the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 88% effective against symptomatic disease from the B.1.617.2 variant 2 weeks after the second dose, compared to 93% effectiveness against the B.1.1.7 variant
  • 2 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were 60% effective against symptomatic disease from the B.1.617.2 variant compared to 66% effectiveness against the B.1.1.7 variant
  • both vaccines were 33% effective against symptomatic disease from B.1.617.2, 3 weeks after the first dose compared to around 50% effectiveness against the B.1.1.7 variant

The analysis included data for all age groups from 5 April to cover the period since the B.1.617.2 variant emerged. It included 1,054 people confirmed as having the B.1.617.2 variant through genomic sequencing, including participants of several ethnicities. Data published on Thursday 20 May for vaccine effectiveness covered the period since December for those aged over 65.

The difference in effectiveness between the vaccines after 2 doses may be explained by the fact that rollout of second doses of AstraZeneca was later than for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and other data on antibody profiles show it takes longer to reach maximum effectiveness with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

As with other variants, even higher levels of effectiveness are expected against hospitalisation and death. There are currently insufficient cases and follow-up periods to estimate vaccine effectiveness against severe outcomes from the B.1.617.2 variant. PHE will continue to evaluate this over the coming weeks.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: This new evidence is groundbreaking – and proves just how valuable our COVID-19 vaccination programme is in protecting the people we love.

“We can now be confident that over 20 million people – more than 1 in 3 – have significant protection against this new variant, and that number is growing by the hundreds of thousands every single day as more and more people get that vital second dose. I want to thank the scientists and clinicians who have been working around the clock to produce this research.

“It’s clear how important the second dose is to secure the strongest possible protection against COVID-19 and its variants – and I urge everyone to book in their jab when offered.”

Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at PHE, said: “This study provides reassurance that 2 doses of either vaccine offer high levels of protection against symptomatic disease from the B.1.617.2 variant.

“We expect the vaccines to be even more effective at preventing hospitalisation and death, so it is vital to get both doses to gain maximum protection against all existing and emerging variants.”

Minister for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Nadhim Zahawi said: Almost every day we get more and more encouraging evidence about the difference our COVID-19 vaccines are making to people’s lives – with 13,000 lives saved and 39,100 hospitalisations prevented overall.

“Today’s data is astounding and a true reflection of just how important it is to get both your jabs when offered.

“I encourage all those offered an appointment to get their jab booked in as soon as possible and take full advantage of the high levels of protection the vaccines bring.”

Scottish aid wings it’s way to India

Scotland is sending life-saving oxygen and ventilation equipment to India as part of a UK-wide effort to support it in its fight against coronavirus (COVID-19).

Following an initial offer of various types of equipment, the Indian High Commission has accepted 100 oxygen concentrators and 40 continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) ventilators.

The Indian Government urgently requires these units as its healthcare system is under extreme pressure. The devices can be used in hospitals, ICU wards or other locations and are ideally suited to treat COVID-19 patients when there are constraints on medical gas infrastructure supply.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The coronavirus situation in India is a human tragedy. We are working with the other UK nations to help tackle the crisis by providing equipment that can be used immediately to save lives.

“Solidarity with other countries remains of key importance throughout this global pandemic and we will continue to make contributions within the international community, while tackling COVID-19 here in Scotland.

“There are a number of ways to donate to the response effort, including the British Asian Trust’s ‘Oxygen for India’ Emergency Appeal, and the Disasters Emergency Committee, which has extended its Coronavirus Appeal to include India.”

https://youtu.be/HSCJNvOIzQI

Launch of Lowland Hall Mass Vaccination Centre at Ingliston

This week NHS Lothian launched their biggest COVID-19 vaccination centre so far in a bid to deliver more lifesaving vaccinations. The first of thousands of patients have begun streaming through the Lowland Hall at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston.

Vaccination teams opened the doors to the huge centre which has 50 vaccination stations with the potential to increase, if required.By opening Lowland Hall, we will be able to more than triple our current capacity.

We will deliver 18,000 vaccines every day as the numbers of patients eligible for the jab increases in line with the population mix in Lothian.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Lowland Hall.

Public toilets set to re-open

Public toilets at six popular hotspots in and around Edinburgh are set to reopen from Monday for the first time since the pandemic began.

Final operational and safety checks are being carried out to bring the toilets at the following locations back into use in the week beginning Monday 31 May subject to approval from group leaders on the Council:

  • Bath Street, Portobello
  • Hamilton Place, Stockbridge
  • Lauriston Castle
  • Harlaw Visitor Centre
  • West Princes Street Gardens
  • Winter Gardens, Saughton Park

At the same time as finalising plans to reopen the above existing toilets, Council officers are hard at work making final arrangements to safely install new temporary toilets in three locations as early as possible next month.

The use of £450,000 from COVID funding for these temporary toilets was approved by the Council last month.

The new facilities will be in place until the end of September and are likely to be sited in premier parks with especially high footfall. Each location will include male and female toilets as well as an accessible toilet. Though temporary in nature, the toilets need to be connected to key services (sewer, water and electricity), so they need to be installed close to existing facilities.

Separately, Pentland Hills Regional Park has applied for external funding via NatureScot’s Better Places Green Recovery Fund to install temporary toilets at Threipmuir, Bonaly and Harlaw.

And it is hoped the Council’s remaining permanent public toilets (namely Colinton, Castle Terrace, Castle Hill, Taylor Gardens, High Street South Queensferry and Nicolson Square) will be reopened in late June or early July, in line with public health guidance.

Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “Taken all together there will soon be 12 more places to safely spend a penny when you’re spending time enjoying our beautiful parks, beaches and green spaces across Edinburgh. It’s fantastic that we’ll shortly be able to reopen several permanent public toilets again, as well as bring new temporary facilities to key hotspots.

“We want everyone to be able to relax and make the most of our wonderful outdoor spaces so having these toilets open will be extremely welcome I’m sure. And work’s continuing so that we can get all our permanent toilet facilities operational again as soon as possible over the summer, in line with public health guidance.

Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said: “It’s great to know you don’t need to worry about being caught short when visiting our most popular outdoor destinations thanks to the new temporary toilets and our reopening of six key permanent facilities.

“With summer around the corner, we want to make sure our beautiful ‘great outdoors’ stays as beautiful and accessible as possible, so everyone can benefit.”

At last month’s Transport and Environment Committee, Councillors approved a plan for new and improved permanent public toilets across the Capital, following a review of existing provision.

On the basis that funding can be identified, the plan is to build new permanent public toilets in popular parks such as Inverleith and to upgrade existing facilities in premier parks to meet modern hygiene standards.

Scottish Cup final: Hibs fans urged to enjoy the game SAFELY

Hibernian FC has urged supporters to enjoy today’s Cup Final and reiterated that they should watch – and hopefully celebrate – the match in line with Government restrictions and with consideration for others.

The Club confirmed yesterday that Easter Road Stadium would close on Friday and will not reopen over the weekend, regardless of the game’s outcome.

And following the harrowing scenes from Glasgow city centre – where a man had his hand blown off in a shocking pyrotechnic incident – the Club is asking fans to desist from any use of pyrotechnics. These are not safe, can cause severe injuries, and can be harmful to health – particularly to those suffering from any respiratory illness.

Fans can now enjoy the game with families or close friends provided they do so in line with Government restrictions – so basically up to six adults from three households, whether in a private home or hospitality setting.

The game is being televised live via Hibs TV to International Subscribers and is also being shown on BBC and on Premier Sports – so loads of options to watch.

In his open letter to all supporters, Hibernian Chairman Ronald J Gordon said: “I also want to ask one more time for your support and patience. Please, cheer the team on, but please do it with your friends and your family and do it within the Government restrictions that are there to protect us all. Let’s not be part of anything that risks the progress made in tackling the pandemic.”

The Club is asking supporters to resist the temptation to gather unsafely in large numbers and making it clear that there will be no opportunity, sadly, to celebrate together as we would all like if Jack Ross and the players cap a great season by winning the Scottish Cup.

By adhering to the rules, Hibernian fans can help bring a return to stadiums a little closer.

Covid update: Travel restrictions to three areas in England

Moray moves to Level 2, Glasgow remains in Level 3

Moray is the only local authority area to change protection level as it moved to Level 2 at midnight last night following improvement in coronavirus (COVID-19) prevalence.

Data available yesterday showed that in the last week case rates in Moray have fallen sharply, from 98 per 100,000 to 37 per 100,000, and cases of the April-02 variant – the so-called Indian variant – are lower there than in other parts of the country.

Both the proportion of cases and of positive tests have continued to rise in Glasgow, with the April-02 variant thought to be driving the spread, meaning the city will remain in Level 3 for at least another week.

Enhanced testing, vaccination and public health measures will continue to attempt to contain the spread, and enhanced contact tracing may mean close contacts of close contacts are asked to self-isolate and book a test.

A further £1.05 million per week has been made available to Glasgow City Council to provide additional support for businesses in hospitality and leisure in Glasgow of up to £750 per week.

East Renfrewshire will see public health efforts intensified to tackle an increase in prevalence there, but will remain in Level 2 for now and be monitored closely. According to this morning’s data, cases as a proportion of the population there have increased to 118 per 100,000 people in the last week, though many of these can be traced to specific household clusters.

Everyone in Glasgow and East Renfrewshire is encouraged to get tested to help stop the spread of COVID-19 by finding cases that might be missed, as around 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 don’t have symptoms.

Travel between Scotland and three local authority areas in England will be restricted from 00:01 on Monday 24 May 2021 due to sustained high prevalence of the virus in Bedford, Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen.

This will be reviewed in a week along with the other measures announced today. People can travel freely throughout most of Scotland and between most of Scotland and the rest of the UK, other than to, or from, Glasgow.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The situation in Moray has improved very significantly – cases and test positivity have fallen markedly and the April-02 variant does not seem to be as commonly present as in Glasgow and some other parts of the country.

“I can therefore confirm that Moray will now move down to Level 2, taking effect from midnight tonight. This has been made possible by the efforts of local public health teams, their partners, and of course the public – and I am grateful to all of them.

“Extensive public health measures have been deployed in Glasgow city, including enhanced testing and vaccination in the areas with the highest rates of COVID – especially the G41 and G42 postcodes – and enhanced contact tracing has been put in place.

“Despite all of the efforts that have been made in the last 10 days, however, cases in Glasgow are still rising and we are fairly certain the increase is being driven by the April-02 variant.

“We are confident that the major public health efforts which are underway will be effective – and that they will bring levels of the virus back under control – but they need a bit longer to do that.

“We also need a bit more time to be more confident that vaccination will stop rising case numbers today becoming sharply rising hospital and severe illness numbers a couple of weeks from now.

“I know how unwelcome Glasgow remaining in Level 3 is for individuals and businesses, but I genuinely hope it will not be for too much longer, and all of us who do live in Glasgow can play our part in getting this under control as soon as possible.

“While the case rates per 100,000 in Glasgow and East Renfrewshire look similar, the total number of cases in East Renfrewshire – because it’s a smaller area – is significantly smaller than in Glasgow.

“More importantly, many more of the cases that have been reported in the last week in East Renfrewshire can be traced to specific household clusters than is the case in Glasgow, where transmission appears to be much more widespread. That means we think strong and targeted public health measures have more of a chance of stemming the rise, without the need to use wider restrictions.

“We know there are particularly serious outbreaks of the April-02 variant in three specific English local authority areas – Bedford, Bolton, and Blackburn with Darwen. For that reason, from Monday onwards, we are imposing hopefully temporary travel restrictions between Scotland and those three local authority areas in England.

“If you are planning to visit friends or relatives, or to stay in those areas, you must delay your visit. We hope that these rules and guidelines will not be in place for very long, but at the moment they are a further way of reducing the risk that people will bring the April-02 variant into Scotland from those locations.”

Coronavirus (COVID-19) protection levels: what you can do – gov.scot

Scottish Cup Final: Police Statement ahead of cup clash

On Saturday, 22 May, 2021, St Johnstone and Hibernian go head to head in the Scottish Cup Final.

There is always significant interest in these extremely important fixtures and despite the match being played behind closed doors, this weekend’s game will be no exception.

The game is eagerly anticipated and passions can run high. However, fans can be assured that preparations for policing any gatherings in relation to the match are well underway with public safety being Police Scotland’s primary concern.

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Speirs said: “The Scottish Cup Final on Saturday is an important day for everyone involved with St Johnstone and Hibernian football clubs and we will have an appropriate policing plan in place to maintain public safety.

“It is vitally important that both sets of fans avoid gathering in large groups and stick to the regulations in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“I also want to take this opportunity to remind people that the use of pyrotechnics is extremely dangerous. We have seen from events in recent weeks that the consequences of their use can be severe, you might not just injure yourself using them, but you could also seriously injure those in your vicinity.

“Police Scotland is already working with both teams and our partners, including the Scottish Government, to ensure the match goes ahead safely and supporters follow the restrictions for their own safety and that of the wider public and our officers.

“Our approach throughout the pandemic has been to engage with the public, explain the legislation and encourage compliance, but officers will not hesitate to use enforcement powers as a last resort.”