Sunnier areas associated with fewer Covid-19 deaths, Edinburgh University study suggests
Increased exposure to the sun’s rays – specifically UVA – could act as a simple public health intervention if further research establishes it causes a reduction in mortality rates, experts say.
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh compared all recorded deaths from Covid-19 in the continental US from January to April 2020 with UV levels for 2,474 US counties for the same time period.
UVA exposure
The study found that people living in areas with the highest level of exposure to UVA rays – which makes up 95 per cent of the sun’s UV light – had a lower risk of dying from Covid-19 compared with those with lower levels. The analysis was repeated in England and Italy with the same results.
The researchers took into account factors known to be associated with increased exposure to the virus and risk of death such as age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, population density, air pollution, temperature and levels of infection in local areas.
The observed reduction in risk of death from Covid-19 could not be explained by higher levels of vitamin D, the experts said. Only areas, with insufficient levels of UVB to produce significant vitamin D in the body, were included in the study.
Nitric oxide
One explanation for the lower number of deaths, which the researchers are following up, is that sunlight exposure causes the skin to release nitric oxide. This may reduce the ability of SARS Coronavirus2 – the cause of Covid-19 – to replicate, as has been found in some lab studies.
Previous research from the same group has shown that increased sunlight exposure is linked to improved cardiovascular health, with lower blood pressure and fewer heart attacks. As heart disease is a known risk factor in dying from Covid-19, this could also explain the latest findings.
The team say due to the observational nature of the study it is not possible to establish cause and effect. However, it may lead to interventions that could be tested as potential treatments.
The paper has been published in the British Journal of Dermatology, an official publication of the British Association of Dermatologists.
Dr Richard Weller, Consultant dermatologist and Reader at the University of Edinburgh, said: “There is still so much we don’t understand about Covid-19, which has resulted in so many deaths worldwide.
“These early results open up sunlight exposure as one way of potentially reducing the risk of death.”
Professor Chris Dibben, Chair in Health Geography at the University of Edinburgh, said: “The relationship between Covid-19 mortality, season and latitude has been quite striking; here we offer an alternative explanation for this phenomenon.“
A UK Government spokesperson said: “The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, effective and has already saved thousands of lives.
“As the MHRA – the UK’s independent regulator – and the JCVI have said, the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the risks for the vast majority of adults.
“Everybody who has already had a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine should receive a second dose of the same brand, irrespective of age, except for the very small number of people who experienced blood clots with low platelet counts from their first vaccination.
“The government will follow today’s updated advice, which sets out that, as a precaution, it is preferable for people under the age of 30 with no underlying health conditions to be offered an alternative vaccine where possible once they are eligible.
“When people are called forward, they should get their jab. Vaccines are the best way out of this pandemic and provide strong protection against Covid-19.
“We are very grateful for the work of our world-leading regulator and our expert advisors as they continue to address this issue.
“More than 37 million jabs overall have already been administered, and we are on track to offer jabs to all over 50s by 15 April and all adults by the end of July.”
A new UK government-backed loan scheme has launched to provide additional finance to those businesses that need it.
new loan scheme will provide further support to protect businesses and jobs
loans will include 80% government guarantee and interest rate cap
government has backed £75 billion of loans to date as part of unprecedented £350 billion wider support package
The Recovery Loan Scheme will ensure businesses continue to benefit from Government-guaranteed finance throughout 2021.
With non-essential retail and outdoor hospitality reopening next week, Ministers have ensured that appropriate support is still available to businesses to protect jobs. From today, businesses – ranging from coffee shops and restaurants, to hairdressers and gyms – and can access loans varying in size from £25,000, up to a maximum of £10 million. Invoice and asset finance is available from £1,000.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, said: “We have stopped at nothing to protect jobs and livelihoods throughout the pandemic and as the situation has evolved we have ensured that our support continues to meet businesses needs.
“As we safely reopen parts of our economy, our new Recovery Loan Scheme will ensure that businesses continue to have access to the finance they need as we move out of this crisis.”
This is in addition to furlough being extended until 30 September, and the New Restart Grants scheme launched last week, providing funding of up to £18,000 to eligible businesses.
The UK Government is also supplementing this with the Plan for Jobs, focused on protecting, supporting and creating jobs across the country through the Kickstart scheme, T-level and a National Careers Service.
The scheme, which was announced at budget and runs until 31 December 2021, will be administered by the British Business Bank, with loans available through a diverse network of accredited commercial lenders.
26 lenders have already been accredited for day one of the scheme, with more to come shortly, and the government will provide an 80% guarantee for all loans. Interest rates have been capped at 14.99% and are expected to be much lower than that in the vast majority of cases, and Ministers are urging lenders to ensure they keep rates down to help protect jobs.
The Recovery Loan Scheme can be used as an additional loan on top of support received from the emergency schemes – such as the Bounce Back Loan Scheme and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme – put into place last year.
So far, the government’s emergency loan schemes have supported more than £75 billion of finance for 1.6 million British businesses and this new scheme will build on that success. This is part of the government’s unprecedented £350 billion support package which has included paying millions of workers’ wages through the furlough scheme and generous grants and tax deferrals.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “We’re doing everything we can to back businesses as we carefully reopen our economy and recover our way of life.
“The launch of our new Recovery Loan Scheme will provide businesses with a firm foundation on which to plan ahead, protect jobs and prepare for a safe reopening as we build back better from the pandemic.”
Reactions from business groups:
Rain Newton-Smith, CBI Chief Economist, said: “The coronavirus loan schemes have provided a critical lifeline to businesses, and so its successor – the new Recovery Loan scheme – comes as a huge relief to firms.
“These loans can be taken alongside existing COVID loans to help firms refinance, restructure and go for growth.
“It’s vital support remains as restrictions relax and demand returns to normal, allowing businesses to recover, save jobs, and support for reopening.”
Commenting on the Recovery Loan scheme, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the BCC, said: Accessing finance remains crucial to the lifeblood of a business and so the launch of the Recovery Loan scheme is welcome.
“The new scheme can play a potentially pivotal role in supporting the recovery by getting credit flowing to the firms who most need it.
“Chambers of Commerce will continue to work with government and the banks to ensure that businesses have the clarity they need to enable them to use the new scheme to help them return to growth.”
David Postings, Chief Executive of UK Finance, said: The banking and finance industry remains committed to supporting businesses of all sizes through the next phase of the pandemic response.
“As focus turns to economic recovery, we know that many firms are still facing uncertainty. The new Recovery Loan Scheme, alongside other commercial financial support, will help firms rebuild and invest for future growth.”
Under 30s in the UK should be offered an alternative to Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine
The benefits of vaccination continue to outweigh any risks but the MHRA advises careful consideration be given to people who are at higher risk of specific types of blood clots because of their medical condition.
The MHRA is not recommending age restrictions in COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca vaccine use.
The MHRA’s scientific review of UK reports of extremely rare and unlikely to occur specific blood clots with lowered platelets has concluded that the evidence of a link with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is stronger but more work is still needed.
By 31 March 20.2 million doses of the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca had been given in the UK meaning the overall risk of these blood clots is approximately 4 people in a million who receive the vaccine.
Anyone who did not have these side effects should come forward for their second dose when invited.
The data suggest there is a slightly higher incidence reported in the younger adult age groups and the MHRA advises that this evolving evidence should be taken into account when considering the use of the vaccine.
The MHRA is now issuing updated guidance for healthcare professionals on how to minimise risks, as well as further advice on symptoms for vaccine recipients to look out for 4 or more days after vaccination.
Vaccines are the best way to protect people from COVID-19 and have already saved thousands of lives. Everyone should continue to get their vaccination when asked to do so unless specifically advised otherwise.
"If you sail a massive liner across the Atlantic, it's not reasonable that you aren't going to have to make at least one course-correction during that voyage"
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have also published a statement (see below) following reports of an extremely rare adverse event after vaccination with the first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
This includes information on the use of the vaccine in those under 30.
The MHRA has undertaken a thorough review into UK reports of a very rare and unlikely to occur specific type of blood clot in the brain, known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) occurring together with low levels of platelets (thrombocytopenia) following vaccination with the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca. It is also considering other blood clotting cases (thromboembolic events) alongside low platelet levels.
These reports have been analysed by the Government’s independent advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) and its COVID-19 Vaccines Benefit Risk Expert Working Group, which includes lay representatives and advice from leading haematologists.
Up to and including 31 March 2021, the MHRA had received 79 UK reports of blood clotting cases alongside low levels of platelets following the use of the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca:
44 of the 79 cases were of CVST with thrombocytopenia
35 of the 79 cases were of thrombosis in other major veins with thrombocytopenia
79 cases occurred in 51 women and 28 men, aged from 18 to 79 years. It should be noted that more women have been vaccinated with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca than men.
Sadly, 19 people have died out of the 79 cases – 13 females and 6 males. 11 out of the 19 people who died were under the age of 50, 3 of whom were under 30. 14 of these 19 cases were of CVST with thrombocytopenia and 5 were of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia.
All 79 cases occurred after a first dose of the vaccine.
This risk, based on reports up to and including 31 March, is slightly higher than the risk calculated from the reports published up to and including 24 March. However, likelihood of these blood clots occurring is still extremely rare.
As a precaution, administration of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca in people of any age who are at higher risk of blood clots because of their medical condition should be considered only if benefits from the protection from COVID-19 infection outweighs potential risks.
Anyone who experienced cerebral or other major blood clots occurring with low levels of platelets after their first vaccine dose of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca should not have their second dose. Anyone who did not have these side effects should come forward for their second dose when invited.
Pregnancy predisposes to thrombosis, therefore women should discuss with their healthcare professional whether the benefits of having the vaccine outweigh the risks for them.
The MHRA recently confirmed that the evidence to date does not suggest that the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca causes venous thromboembolism without a low platelet count.
It is important to note that this type of blood clot together with lowered platelets can rarely occur naturally in unvaccinated people as well as in people with COVID-19 disease.
While the MHRA continues to investigate these cases, as a precautionary measure, anyone who has symptoms four days or more after vaccination is advised to seek prompt medical advice, such as:
a new onset of severe or persistent headache, blurred vision, confusion or seizures
develop shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling or persistent abdominal pain,
unusual skin bruising or pinpoint round spots beyond the injection site
Dr June Raine, MHRA Chief Executive, said: “Over 37 million doses of vaccines against COVID-19 have now been administered in the UK, saving thousands of lives through the biggest vaccination programme that has ever taken place in the UK.
“No effective medicine or vaccine is without risk. We continually monitor safety during widespread use of any vaccine. This is to ensure vaccines are performing as expected, to identify any new side effects that may arise, and to ensure the benefits continue to outweigh the risks.
“The public’s safety is always at the forefront of our minds and we take every report of a suspected side effect very seriously indeed. We thoroughly analyse each and every report as we receive it and although the number of reports of CVST and other thromboembolic events has increased over the last week, so has the overall number of vaccinations administered, therefore these blood clots remain extremely rare and unlikely to occur.
“We ask anyone who suspects they have experienced a side effect linked with their COVID-19 vaccine to report it to the Coronavirus Yellow Card website.
“It is still vitally important that people come forward for their vaccination when invited to do so.”
Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, Chair of the Commission on Human Medicines, said: “The independent Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) and its COVID-19 Expert Working Group, together with leading haematologists, has conducted a rigorous scientific analysis of all available evidence regarding reports of thromboembolic events occurring together with low platelets and COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca and usage of the vaccine in different age groups.
“We have a rich source of data – the best data there is – and the MHRA and CHM will continue to keep this under close observation. The public deserve nothing less.”
JCVI statement on use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine: 7 April 2021
Since the start of the pandemic over 4 million COVID-19 infections have been confirmed in the UK causing more than 120,000 deaths. Over 30 million people have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine since the start of the programme, which Public Health England (PHE) estimate has prevented at least 6,000 deaths in the first 3 months of 2021. Analysis of infection data since the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccines in the UK demonstrates that vaccination is highly effective and substantially reduces the risk of infection and severe COVID-19 disease.
There have been reports of an extremely rare adverse event of concurrent thrombosis (blood clots) and thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) following vaccination with the first dose of AstraZeneca ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222).
There has been no signal for thrombosis/thrombocytopenia following receipt of other COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the UK (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna).
Given the very low numbers of events reported overall, there is currently a high level of uncertainty in estimates of the incidence of this extremely rare adverse event by age group.
However, the available data do suggest there may be a trend for increasing incidence of this adverse event with decreasing age, with a slightly higher incidence reported in the younger adult age groups.
In contrast, the risks of severe disease associated with COVID-19 increases steeply with age, with the youngest adults at lowest risk.
There are currently no known risk factors for this extremely rare condition, which appears to be an idiosyncratic reaction on first exposure to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Alternatives to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine currently approved for use in the UK include the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 and Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccines.
JCVI has weighed the relative balance of benefits and risks and advise that the benefits of prompt vaccination with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine far outweigh the risk of adverse events for individuals 30 years of age and over and those who have underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease.
JCVI currently advises that it is preferable for adults aged <30 years without underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease, to be offered an alternative COVID-19 vaccine, if available.
People may make an informed choice to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to receive earlier protection.
There are some adults <30 without underlying health conditions who are in phase 1, who were prioritised due to an increased risk of exposure and/or to reduce the risk of passing the infection on to vulnerable individuals.
This includes health and social care workers, unpaid carers and household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals. Acting on a precautionary basis, if these persons are still unvaccinated, it is preferable for them to be offered an alternative COVID-19 vaccine, if available.
JCVI is currently finalising its advice on phase 2 of the programme, particularly for healthy people under 30 years of age, and this will be published in due course.
To date, there are no reports of the extremely rare thrombosis/thrombocytopenia events following receipt of the second dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. All those who have received a first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine should continue to be offered a second dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, irrespective of age. The second dose will be important for longer lasting protection against COVID-19.
JCVI advises that all individuals offered a COVID-19 vaccine should be fully informed about the benefits and risks of vaccination. This should include clear information on the extremely rare thrombosis/thrombocytopenia adverse event, how to monitor for symptoms that might be related to the adverse event, and what action should be taken by individuals and health professionals in the event of such symptoms arising.
PHE is preparing updated information for those being offered COVID-19 vaccines, and for health professionals, which will be available through the GOV.UK website.
Nearly all pupils will return to full-time school when the Easter holidays end. However, children who are on the shielding list are advised to stay at home until 26 April, in line with advice from the Chief Medical Officer. All other pupils, will return to school once the summer term starts.
Strict 2 metre physical distancing between pupils in secondary schools will be removed and schools will consider how they can strengthen other mitigations.
Following the national expansion of lateral flow testing, twice-weekly tests are available for all school staff in primary, secondary and special schools and for secondary school pupils.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “This I know, will be a huge relief to many children and young people – and of course to many parents and carers.
“I know though that the return to school, particularly for older pupils, will cause concern and anxiety – to pupils, to parents and of course to teachers and others who work in schools. So let me give an assurance that we will continue to give paramount consideration to safety.
“The return to school will involve the removal, where necessary, of strict 2m physical distancing between pupils in secondary schools – but we are asking schools to consider how they strengthen other mitigations. Twice-weekly lateral flow testing is already available for all school staff, in primary, secondary and special schools and also for all secondary school pupils and I would encourage as many staff and pupils as possible to make use that testing.
“We will, of course, continue to study and assess the data, in order to quickly identify and limit any outbreaks that do arise, and make sure that we are also learning from them. For now, let me thank everyone who is working to make this return to school possible. For many teachers and school staff, I know, this has been the hardest year of your professional lives. I am very grateful for the way in which you have adapted to such difficult circumstances.”
Edinburgh’s education leaders have welcomed confirmation from the Scottish Government that schools will fully reopen in Edinburgh on Tuesday 20 April.
All pupils will be back in school on that day except for those shielding who are advised to return on Monday 26 April, in line with the advice of the Chief Medical Officer.
Cllr Ian Perry, Education, Children and Families Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is the news that families of our high school pupils have been looking forward to hearing and it’s great that they have confirmation their children will be back in school full time after the Easter holidays.
“There’s been excellent home learning involving our young people, teaching staff and parents taking place but everyone knows there’s no better place for children than being back in school with their peers and learning face to face.”
Cllr Alison Dickie, Education, Children and Families Vice Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: I’m delighted that our young people will be back in school after the school holidays.
“These are really challenging times for many families and it’s so important for children’s learning and development that they’re back in school where they belong.
“We will make sure our schools continue to be safe learning and teaching environments for all our young people and staff by following the latest health advice.”
The First Minister’s confirmation that there will be a full pupil return post-Easter is of little surprise but the EIS continues to urge great caution.
The removal of physical distancing between pupils, particularly older pupils, represents a heightened risk that more pupils will be infected and the larger numbers in classrooms also creates more risk of airborne transmission, which is why face coverings remain important, including the provision of medical grade face masks for staff.
Whilst some Councils have made progress in relation to monitoring and improving ventilation, others have dragged their heels.
EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “The full return of pupils needs to be treated with great caution. It will undoubtedly lead to an increase in school Covid outbreaks which will require to be dealt with quickly, particularly for senior pupils who will be in the final stages of their qualification work.
“If we had made more progress on the EIS demands of ventilation, vaccination, and facemasks, we would be in a stronger position. Improving such mitigations is still possible.
“Notwithstanding their concerns, however, teachers will be keen to engage positively with pupils to support their well-being and their progress in learning. There will be a particular challenge for senior pupils as lockdown has squeezed the time available for the alternative certification model.”
SGN has partnered with crisis charity Hestia, their ‘UK Says No More’ campaign and Royal Mail Group to provide Online Safe Spaces for victims of domestic abuse to access specialist support and information through our website.
Online Safe Spaces is a portal that you can access via the logo in the footer of our website. By clicking on the Safe Spaces portal, you will access the Online Safe Space, which holds a directory of national domestic abuse helplines, a directory of local specialist domestic abuse services, and an assessment questionnaire. It also leaves no trace in the user’s browser history.
The portal is accessible in a variety of languages and has a quick exit button, taking the user back to the original page they were on, thereby providing a degree of safety to the user.
It comes at a crucial time for keeping people safe during the pandemic. Recent figures show that:
One in five offences recorded by police during and immediately after the first national lockdown in England and Wales involved domestic abuse.
In the year ending March 2020, 2.3m adults are estimated to have experienced domestic abuse over twelve months.
In Scotland, there were 30,718 charges reported in 2019-20 related to domestic abuse. It’s the highest since 2015-16, and is 5.7% higher than the year before.
Around 20 organisations have signed up including eBay, Royal Mail Group including the Post Office and Parcelforce, Ministry of Defence, and Thames Water. It’s estimated that in the last four months of 2020, there were nearly 4,000 visits to Online Safe Spaces every single day.
Claire Barnett, Executive Director of UN Women UK, said: “Covid-19 has led to increases in violence against women that threaten to roll back achievements in gender equality by decades.
“UN Women has been working with local partners to create safer public spaces for the past ten years, including through our project Safe Spaces Now. I am delighted to see the Online Safe Space initiative innovating by using existing platforms and partners to share critical information on women’s services.”
Maureen McIntosh, our Head of Customer Experience, added: “We regularly provide additional support and help to our customers who are living in vulnerable circumstances, and I’m pleased we’re going even further now by providing important information to also help people who are experiencing abuse.
“Sometimes people don’t know where to turn to for help, in what can be really difficult or dangerous situations, and I hope we can help people further and they are able to find the extra safety and security they need.”
Lyndsey Dearlove, Head of Domestic Abuse Prevention at Hestia said: “Businesses have a unique role to play in breaking the silence around domestic abuse and ensuring victims can access the help and support they need.
“Lockdown restrictions due to Covid-19 have provided an opportunity for businesses to step up their response to domestic abuse for their staff and customers through digital platforms. With the launch of Online Safe Spaces, we are delighted to work with SGN to provide their first online safe space to provide a vital lifeline to victims of domestic abuse.”
We’re proud to be the first energy network to launch the portal on our website.
Safety is at the heart of everything we do. We’re committed to doing all we can to keep our people and the communities we work in safe in as many ways as possible.
Outdoor hospitality will be among those reopening in England next week after the Prime Minister confirmed the roadmap is on track and planned easements can go ahead.
Significant parts of the indoor economy and further outdoor settings will reopen from 12 April, after data confirmed the government’s “four tests” for easing Covid restrictions had been met.
However he continued to urge caution, with no changes to social contact rules and many restrictions still in place. Outdoor gatherings must still be limited to 6 people or 2 households, and you must not socialise indoors with anyone you do not live with or have not formed a support bubble with.
Confirmation Step 2 of the roadmap would proceed came after the measures were agreed at a “Covid O” meeting and discussed on a Cabinet call earlier today (Monday).
Before proceeding to this step, the government studied the latest data to assess the impact of the first step, which began when schools reopened on 8 March.
The assessment was based on four tests:
The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully
Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern.
As set out in the roadmap, around four weeks is required to see the impact in the data of the previous step.
The government also committed to provide a further week’s notice to businesses, provided through the update from the Prime Minister today.
From Monday 12 April additional premises will be able to reopen – with the rules on social contact applying. Indoor settings must only be visited alone or with household groups, with outdoor settings limited to either six people or two households.
This includes non-essential retail; personal care premises such as hairdressers, beauty and nail salons; and indoor leisure facilities such as gyms and spas (but not including saunas and steam rooms, which are due to open at Step 3).
Overnight stays away from home in England will be permitted and self-contained accommodation can also reopen, though must only be used by members of the same household or support bubble.
Public buildings such as libraries and community centres will also reopen.
The majority of outdoor settings and attractions can also reopen, including outdoor hospitality, zoos, theme parks, drive-in cinemas and drive-in performances events.
Hospitality venues will be able to open for outdoor service, with no requirement for a substantial meal to be served alongside alcohol, and no curfew. The requirement to eat and drink while seated will remain.
People should continue to work from home where they can, and minimise domestic travel where they can. International holidays are still illegal.
The number of care home visitors will also increase to two per resident, and all children will be able to attend any indoor children’s activity, including sport, regardless of circumstance.
Parent and child groups of up to 15 people (not counting children aged under five years old) can restart indoors.
Funerals can continue with up to 30 attendees. Weddings, outdoor receptions, and commemorative events including wakes will be able to take place with up to 15 attendees (in premises that are permitted to open).
The government is also publishing today an update on the 4 reviews established in the roadmap to determine what measures may be necessary from summer onwards.
A Covid-status certification system will be developed over the coming months which could allow higher-risk settings to be opened up more safely and with more participants. Over the coming months, a system will be developed which will take into account three factors: vaccination, a recent negative test, or natural immunity (determined on the basis of a positive test taken in the previous six months).
Events pilots will take place from mid-April to trial the system. All pilots are checking Covid status, initially this will be through testing alone but in later pilots vaccination and acquired immunity are expected to be alternative ways to demonstrate status.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson told an afternoon media conference:
“Good afternoon, I hope you’re all continuing to enjoy the Easter break, and I know that over this weekend millions of people have been able to see loved ones for the first time in months.
“And I want to thank you all again for your patience, because it is really clear now that this is paying off.
“And it your collective efforts, our collective efforts, that has given us that crucial time and space to vaccinate more than 31 million people.
“And I’m pleased that we’ve also been able to support our overseas territories so that Gibraltar has become one of the first places in the world to offer a vaccination to its entire adult population.
“And the net result of your efforts and the vaccine roll-out is that I can today confirm that from Monday 12th April, we will move to Step Two of our roadmap – re-opening shops, gyms, zoos, holiday campsites, personal care services like hairdressers and, of course, beer gardens and outdoor hospitality of all kinds.
“And on Monday the 12th I will be going to the pub myself – and cautiously but irreversibly raising a pint of beer to my lips.
“We’re also increasing the number of visitors to care homes from one to two – to allow residents to see more of their loved ones.
“We think that these changes are fully justified by the data, which show we are meeting our four tests for easing the lockdown as Chris will shortly explain.
“But – and you know I’m going to say this – we can’t be complacent.
“We can see the waves of sickness afflicting other countries and we’ve seen how this story goes.
“We still don’t know how strong the vaccine shield will be when cases begin to rise, as I’m afraid that they will – and that’s why we’re saying:
Please get your vaccine or your second dose when your turn comes.
And please use the free NHS tests – even if you don’t feel ill, because remember 1 in 3 people with this virus doesn’t have any symptoms – and you can get these tests from pharmacies or your local test site, you can even order them on gov.uk and get home deliveries.
“As part of our roadmap we’re also publishing today on gov.uk the early thinking on our four reviews, on the safe return of major events, on social distancing, the potential role of Covid status certification, and on the resumption of international travel.
“We set out our roadmap and we’re sticking to it. And I want to stress, that we see nothing in the present data that makes us think that we will have to deviate from that roadmap.
“But it is by being cautious, by monitoring the data at every stage and by following the rules: remembering hands, face, space and fresh air – that we hope together to make this roadmap to freedom irreversible.”
The city council’s Inch Nursery is getting ready to welcome customers back to its base in Inch Park after a long winter closure.
The Nursery will reopen on Wednesday (7 April) with Covid safety measures in place and will be open five days a week, from Wednesday to Sunday, 10am – 2pm. To ensure safe shopping, customers will be required to book a time slot by email ahead of their visit.
Culture and Communities Convener, Cllr Donald Wilson said: “Now that it’s spring and the weather (hopefully) warms, the re-opening of the Nursery is a great opportunity for Edinburgh’s green-fingered residents to stock up from our wide range of quality plants at sensible prices.
“If you have not visited the Inch Nursery you will be pleasantly surprised at the variety of horticultural delights on offer.
“The pandemic has given us all renewed gratitude for the great outdoors – and for many it’s unearthed an appreciation of gardening, discovering all the benefits, both mental and physical it can bring.”
Culture and Communities Vice Convener, Cllr Amy McNeese-Mechan, said: “We’re very much looking forward to welcoming visitors back to the Nursery next week.
“Gardening benefits the mental health and well-being of so many people isolating at home and I believe that whilst the ongoing lockdowns have put limitations on us, looking after and growing plants helps us to look forward with hope to better and brighter days to come.
“So, if you’re in the market for shrubs and herbaceous perennials, please get in touch with the team to book your spot!”
Janice Peter, Acting Inch Nursery Team Leader, said: “After a long cold winter we are looking forward to opening our doors and welcoming our customers back.
“The last year has allowed people to rediscover their gardens and develop a passion for plants and we are really pleased that we can once again supply quality locally grown plants to the people of Edinburgh.”
Existing customers will be contacted directly but for any queries or new customers who would like to book a shopping slot, please email the team.
Visitors can expect social distancing and hygiene measures to be in place, including two- metre queuing points at key areas, sanitising stations, cashless payments only, and additional cleaning measures.
NHS Scotland will contact you about your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination (jab, injection) appointment when it’s your turn.
We urge you to please make every effort to attend the appointment you have been allocated. This allows NHS Scotland to continue to vaccinate everyone as quickly as possible.
Getting to your vaccination appointment is classed as an essential journey. This means you can:
travel by public transport
share a car with someone not from your household
travel outwith your local authority area
You are advised to follow the standard guidance to protect yourself and others – wear a mask, keep a couple of windows slightly ajar to allow fresh air to circulate and sanitise your hands before and after the journey.
However, if you are still unable to attend or cannot get to the venue, you can rearrange your appointment. Every effort will be made to reschedule your appointment as soon as possible however it is important to understand that this is likely to mean you may have to wait longer for your appointment.
At the moment, vaccine supply is limited which in turn restricts our ability to reschedule appointments for people who wish to change the time or location of their appointments.
Call handlers on the national booking line and on NHS Lothian’s local helpline will do all they can to help you. Please be patient and treat them with respect.
There are cases when rearranging appointments is essential. You should rearrange your appointment if you:
are feeling unwell with symptoms of coronavirus
have recently tested positive for coronavirus
have been told by NHS Test and Protect that you are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for coronavirus
live with someone who has recently tested positive for coronavirus
live with someone who has symptoms of coronavirus
If you have recently tested positive for coronavirus, even if you have no symptoms, you should wait until 4 weeks after the date you were tested to get the vaccine.
Everyone in England will be able to access free, regular, rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) testing from 9 April, the UK Government has announced.
Everyone in England, including those without symptoms, will be able to take a free rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) test twice a week
Alongside vaccine rollout, regular testing is at the heart of plans to reopen society and the economy, helping to suppress and control the spread of variants
Updates will be made to the NHS COVID-19 app in England to coincide with the universal testing offer
Everyone in England will be able to access free, regular, rapid coronavirus testing from 9 April, the Government has announced.
In a significant step forward, which paves the way for businesses and society reopening, anyone will be able to access free, rapid lateral flow tests (LFDs) for themselves and their families to use twice a week, in line with clinical guidance.
Rapid testing has so far been available to those most at risk and people who need to leave home for work, including frontline NHS workers, care home staff and residents, and schoolchildren and their families. Now rapid testing will be offered to everyone, with people encouraged to take regular tests to help prevent outbreaks and reclaim a more normal way of life.
One in 3 people with COVID-19 do not experience any symptoms and may be spreading the virus unwittingly. Rapid testing detects cases quickly, meaning positive cases can isolate immediately. Since rapid testing was introduced, over 120,000 positive cases that would not have been found otherwise have already been identified by LFDs. By making rapid tests available to everyone, more cases will be detected, breaking chains of transmission and saving lives.
Alongside the rollout of the vaccine, regular testing is going to be an essential part of the easing of restrictions as it will help us quickly suppress the spread of variants. Through new testing technology, positive cases of variants of concern are being detected faster than ever before. More people getting a test will increase our ability to identify and control variants.
The NHS COVID-19 app has been breaking chains of transmission to protect users and their communities since its launch in September, with over 22 million people downloading the app to date. Updates will be made to the NHS COVID-19 app in England to coincide with the offer of rapid testing for everyone.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Massive efforts have been made by the British public to stop the spread of the virus.
“As we continue to make good progress on our vaccine programme and with our roadmap to cautiously easing restrictions underway, regular rapid testing is even more important to make sure those efforts are not wasted.
“That’s why we’re now rolling out free rapid tests to everyone across England – helping us to stop outbreaks in their tracks, so we can get back to seeing the people we love and doing the things we enjoy.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Around 1 in 3 people who have COVID-19 show no symptoms, and as we reopen society and resume parts of life we have all dearly missed, regular rapid testing is going to be fundamental in helping us quickly spot positive cases and squash any outbreaks.
“The vaccine programme has been a shot in the arm for the whole country, but reclaiming our lost freedoms and getting back to normal hinges on us all getting tested regularly.
“The British public have shown over the last year that they quickly adapt and always do what it is right in the interest of public health, and I know they will do their bit by getting tested regularly in the months ahead.”
Getting a rapid test
Getting a rapid test is quick and convenient. Over 100,000 businesses in England have registered their interest to provide rapid tests to their employees, and the offer of free testing is being expanded to companies with over 10 workers where on-site testing is impossible. The expanded regular testing offer for people without symptoms will be delivered through:
a home ordering service, which allows people to order lateral flow tests online to be delivered to their home
workplace testing programmes, on-site or at home
community testing, offered by all local authorities
collection at a local PCR test site during specific test collection time windows
testing on-site at schools and colleges
A new ‘Pharmacy Collect’ service is also launching which will provide an additional route to regular testing. People aged over 18 without symptoms will be able to visit a participating local pharmacy and collect a box of 7 rapid tests to use twice a week at home.
The best route for testing can be found at NHS.UK/get-tested. If testing at home, individuals will need to register their results online or by calling 119. They should self-isolate if positive and order a confirmatory PCR test.
Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 should book a test online or by calling 119.
Dr Susan Hopkins, COVID-19 Strategic Response Director at PHE and Chief Medical Adviser to NHS Test and Trace, said: “Rapid testing helps us find COVID-19 cases that we wouldn’t otherwise know about, helping to break chains of transmission.
“These tests are effective in detecting people that are infectious and therefore most likely to transmit infection to others. They are another tool we now have to help maintain lower infection rates.
“I encourage everyone to take up the offer of these free rapid tests – they are quick and easy to carry out in your own home.”
Recent analysis from NHS Test and Trace shows that for every 1,000 lateral flow tests carried out, there is less than 1 false positive result. LFDs detect cases with high levels of virus and are very effective in finding people who don’t have symptoms but are very likely to transmit the disease.
NHS COVID-19 app updates
To coincide with the offer of free rapid testing for everyone, there will be updates to the NHS COVID-19 app in England from 8 April:
Everyone in a group must check in
In line with new regulations, when a group enters a hospitality venue, every individual must check either by scanning the official NHS QR code poster with the NHS COVID-19 app, or by providing their contact details. Previously, only the lead member of the group needed to provide contact details to check in.
Venue history sharing
If an app user tests positive, they will be asked to share their venue history in a privacy-protecting way via the app. This will allow venue alerts to be generated more quickly, and improve the ability to identify where outbreaks are occurring and take steps to prevent the virus spreading.
Additional venue alerts
If a person has been at a venue on the same day as several other people who have since tested positive for COVID-19, they may receive an alert advising them to book a test immediately, whether they are showing symptoms or not. This is to support finding asymptomatic cases who may have caught the virus but are not displaying symptoms.
New QR code posters
There will be new posters displaying QR codes for hospitality venues in England. Work has taken place with the industry to make the posters clearer and easier to use. All venues in England in scope of the regulations are legally required to display an official NHS QR code poster.
Scotland is expected to announce a similar set up later this week.
