People with underlying health conditions and unpaid carers are beginning to receive coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations. Priority group 6 is one of the largest on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) list.
The first to be invited will be people who have conditions which are included on both the JCVI priority list and the flu vaccine list. Although there is some overlap, the two lists are not exactly the same. They will be invited at the same time as unpaid carers who receive carers’ benefits or who have been identified by GPs.
Carers who do not receive carers benefits, and who have not been identified by GPs, will be asked to come forward to register for their vaccine at a later date through an online portal or the national helpline. Work is also ongoing to identify people with underlying conditions who are not on the modified flu vaccine list, and they will be invited shortly.
Anyone aged 70 or over who has not yet been invited for their vaccine should visit nhsinform.scot for further advice, or call the national helpline on 0800 030 8013.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “As we move through the JCVI priority list, we will continue to maximise the number of vaccinations depending on available supply.
“Although a small number of people in group 6 will already have been invited in some parts of Scotland, we are now able to begin to roll out these invites more widely. Boards will begin to send the invites as their supply levels allow, and once they have completed a good proportion of 65-69-year-olds.
“This is one of the largest group of people on the priority list, so please be patient. It may take several weeks to get through the whole cohort. The age range of people in this cohort can be as young as 16 and their underlying condition may not be obvious to the outside world.
“I would stress that the offer at this time is based on a clinical judgment so we would strongly encourage people of all ages to take up this offer should it come.
“As a result of the high uptake in the last few weeks and a lower supply of vaccine than we had originally anticipated, we have had to adjust the number of appointments in the past week, and for the foreseeable future.
“We must also ensure we have enough vaccine for second doses when they are due as this provides longer lasting protection against the virus. All of this will mean that some of our vaccination centres may be less busy in the next couple of weeks.
“The vaccination programme is one of three key ways we are working to beat this virus, along with our expanded testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission and the important lockdown restrictions everyone in Scotland must follow.
“All these measures work to greatest effect when they work together.”
The charity is hosting its second virtual ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ assembly on Tuesday morning at 10am to help keep children safe and well during the pandemic
Parents and children are being encouraged to join the assembly that will be held on the NSPCC Facebook page
The first virtual assembly that aired online in June has had more than 100,000 views
Amid growing concerns about the impact of COVID19 on children’s safety and mental health and wellbeing the NSPCC is holding a second virtual ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ assembly on Facebook tomorrow (Tuesday February 23rd) at 10am.
The special broadcast suitable for children aged five and over aims to help them understand how to speak to a trusted adult if they feel anxious or worried, and it explains the support that Childline can offer.
It will also focus on some additional concerns that some children are experiencing due to the pandemic.
The assembly will see the return of guest hosts Ant & Dec and features an appearance from comedian David Walliams. The TV duo who have been long term supporters of the children’s charity hosted the first online assembly in June last year which received over 100,000 views on Facebook and YouTube.
A recording of Tuesday’s online assembly will also be available on the NSPCC’s website, Facebook and YouTube channel after the event for anyone who misses it.
One Facebook user who watched the first assembly said:” My boys loved it and following a family bereavement this gave them an opportunity to talk about their feelings. We took blank paper and marked it for every worry or fear we had and shared.”
With many vulnerable children still facing increased risks at home and with others struggling with their mental health due to the challenges posed by the pandemic, it’s vital that children know what to do and who to speak if something is worrying or upsetting them.
The coronavirus related worries the assembly will cover include, children not being able to see their family and friends, changes in daily routines, experiencing new feelings and spending more time online.
Guest hosts Ant & Dec said:
Ant: “After what has been an incredibly difficult start to the year for many young people, we feel privileged to once again be hosting the NSPCC’s virtual assembly for children and their families.
Dec: “We hope we can remind children that they don’t have to just carry their worries with them – they can always speak to someone they trust if they’re feeling sad, overwhelmed, or unsafe.”
Service Head of School Service, Janet Hinton said: “The lockdown has turned the lives of children upside down and many are struggling to cope with the challenges it has posed.
“Although our trained ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ staff can’t currently go into schools, it is essential that every child knows who they can turn to if they need help and support.
“After watching the assembly, parents and carers can continue this conversation with their children by visiting the NSPCC website where they can find additional activities.”
Prior to the pandemic, ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ had been delivered in 96% of primary schools across Scotland with trained NSPCC volunteers and staff delivering the assembly and workshop with the help of ‘Speak Out. Stay safe’ mascot, Buddy the speech bubble.
The importance of empowering children to understand that they have the right to speak out and stay safe has been highlighted in a recent court case which saw 63-year-old Sidney Sales from Luton jailed for three years after a girl spoke about the abuse she had suffered following seeing the NSPCC assembly at school.
Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline seven days a week on 0808 800 5000, or email help@nspcc.org.uk.
A new report by leading face mask brand SmartCover reveals reusable face masks have soared in online popularity during the latest lockdown.
The analysis of online news and social media sentiment in the UK highlights that the public’s engagement with reusable face mask topics online has increased significantly in the last three months, compared to the previous period.
Reusable vs. disposable debate
While both reusable and disposable face mask-related topics are trending, the SmartCover analysis reveals that during the third government-imposed lockdown, the total number of reusable face mask mentions were almost double disposable mask related ones.
Sentiment analysis of online news and social media indicates a reluctant attitude towards disposable masks, with only 8% of total mentions positive, compared to 61% of positive sentiment mentions for reusable face masks.
Top hashtags and emojis reveal increased awareness on single-use
The social listening analysis reveals the top hashtags and emojis used in the UK in relation to reusable and disposable face masks. The “face with medical mask” emoji was the top result with 25% of mentions, while the “folded hands” emoji, another top result (5%), is an indicator that people are encouraging the use of reusable masks.
The “grinning squinting face” was the most used with disposable mask terms, with 40% of total mentions, equally popular as the “pleading face” emoji, which grew in popularity as people started encouraging each other to consider reusables.
The study highlights a general increase in the public’s consciousness about the downsides of single-use masks, with some of the most popular hashtags identified – #choosetoreuse, #ecofriendly, #washable or #reusebeatssingleuse touching on environmental concerns. Of the top ten most used emojis with disposable face mask terms, 90% were in a negative context.
Twitter leading platform for reusable face mask support
Engagement on reusable face mask terms increased over 2,000 times in the last three months, compared to the previous period. Twitter has been largely responsible for this increase, with 75% of mentions coming from the social media platform, followed by newspapers and online news, at 11% and 7%, respectively.
Matteo Grassi, CEO of Viceroy Group, parent company to SmartCover, said: “We’re seeing increased interest in reusable face masks, and it’s encouraging to see the UK public’s activism in this respect and their awareness on the environmental impact of single-use face masks.
“We hope more people consider the reusable alternative where possible, always making sure that safety certifications are being met.”
At the halfway point in the World Health Organization and Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ 100-day challenge, a movement of people and organizations is now uniting together under the banner of vaccine equity.
WHO welcomes the new commitments made by France, Germany, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America to COVAX and equitable allocation of vaccines.
Backed by 190 countries and economies, COVAX is the global mechanism best positioned to deliver vaccines to the world and end the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There is a growing movement behind vaccine equity and I welcome that world leaders are stepping up to the challenge by making new commitments to effectively end this pandemic by sharing doses and increasing funds to COVAX,” said Dr Tedros, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
“This can’t be business as usual and there is an urgent need for countries to share doses and technology, scale up manufacturing and ensure that there is a sustainable supply of vaccines so that everyone, everywhere can receive a vaccine.”
Close to 7000 people and hundreds of organizations have already signed on to a vaccine equity declaration that directly calls on governments and manufacturers to speed up regulatory processes, boost manufacturing by sharing know-how and technology, and ensure that doses are shared equitably.
There is a specific call to start with all health and care workers, who have been on the frontlines of this pandemic for more than a year.
Heads of state and sports stars like Romain Grosjean; international agencies including UNICEF, UN Development Programme, UN Women and the World Food Programme; sporting organizations like the International Olympic Committee, World Rugby and FIFA; networks focused on faith, gender and youth, and civil society groups like the Elders, Global Health Council, Nursing Now, Pandemic Action Network, UHC2030 and Women in Global Health,*– these and many more have signed on to the broad based movement, which recognizes the moral, economic and global security imperative of equitable vaccine distribution.
Dr Keith C Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, and Chairman of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) said, “Today, thankfully we are at that place where we now have tested and proven vaccines.
“A brightening light is shining on our way towards a more successful response to the still marauding virus.”
The movement for vaccine equity is growing, and to prevent virus variants from undermining our health technologies and hampering an already sluggish global economic recovery, it is critical that leaders continue to step up to ensure that we end this pandemic as quickly as possible. Individuals and organizations everywhere are encouraged to join in this crucial effort.
With P1 – P3 children and some senior pupils going back to school next week, Deputy First Minister appealed to parents to play their part in making the return a success when he led yesterday’s press briefing:
Mr Swinney said: “As you know, Monday will see children returning to early learning and childcare, and to primaries 1 to 3. In addition, a very limited number of senior phase students will return to secondary school, for essential work which is required for national qualifications, and which can only be done within school.
I want to take this opportunity to thank all those who are working hard to prepare for this return – that of course includes teachers, childcare providers, school staff and school leaders. Your efforts are hugely appreciated by me and by the Scottish Government.
This partial return of education is an important milestone. And there are two specific points I want to make about it today.
The first point concerns testing in schools.
As senior phase pupils, teachers and school staff start to return, we will be making at-home lateral flow tests available to them, twice a week.
Pilot testing programmes have been running in a small number of schools, in recent weeks. And we are using what we’ve learned from this, to roll the programme out across the country.
As part of that, we have been working closely with the UK Government to get test kits into schools. This process has obviously been affected by the severe weather that we’ve experienced in recent days.
However, I can confirm that around 2,500 schools have now received testing kits. And we expect any remaining schools will receive their allocations either today or early in next week.
On Tuesday, we issued comprehensive testing guidance to schools and to local authorities.
And we are working with YoungScot to provide online information and support for senior phase pupils who want to take part in the testing programme.
This first phase of testing will include childcare staff based in schools. We are currently working through the practical arrangements for rolling out testing to childcare staff working in other types of nursery settings. And we will provide further details on those arrangements very soon.
Testing in schools is entirely voluntary – but I would encourage staff and pupils to take the tests, if you are offered them. The use of testing is a very important addition to the other safety mitigations which are already in place.
Of course, the evidence suggests that the key risk in re‑opening schools isn’t transmission within schools and nurseries – but the greater contact it leads to, among the adult population.
That brings me to the second point that I would like to make this afternoon. Parents and carers also have a really important role to play, in making the return of education a success.
For example, if you have been working from home up until now, please continue to do so – even if your children are back at school or nursery. Your employer has a legal obligation to support you in doing that.
Don’t use this return as an opportunity to meet up with other parents or friends.
And as a general rule, if you find that you are meeting up with more people than you were before, once your children have returned to school, then think about why that is. All of us should be minimizing our social contacts right now.
In addition, when you are out of the house – at the schools gates for example – please remember to follow the FACTS advice.
For all of us, that advice is perhaps more important now than ever before. We’re now dealing with a much more transmissible form of the virus. So we need to respond accordingly – by making it even more difficult for the virus to spread.
That’s why the Scottish Government is launching a new campaign – to highlight the importance of the FACTS advice and all of the other rules and guidelines. It emphasises the need for all of us to stay on our guard, even as our vaccination programme is rolled out.
So I want to take this opportunity to quickly run through the five golden rules of FACTS – and why they’re so important:
The first is face coverings. In enclosed spaces, face coverings help to protect you, and those around you. And remember, ahead of next week, face coverings should be worn by parents and carers, when collecting or dropping off your children from school.
Avoid crowded places. Covid thrives in a crowd. So by avoiding these kinds of situations, you minimize the chance of spreading the virus.
Clean hands and surfaces – good hand hygiene and regular cleaning remain really important. If you are leaving the house, take hand sanitizer with you – or use it wherever it is provided.
Two metre distancing from members of other households. You should always physically distance from other households. Again, that’s maybe especially important to remember as some schoolchildren return. For parents and carers, for example, you should remember to physically distance when you are walking to school or nursery, and when you’re dropping off or collecting your children.
And finally self-isolate and book a test if you have symptoms. That is how we identify cases – and stop the spread. If you are identified as a close contact of someone who has Covid, you also need to book a test, and to self-isolate for ten days.
By following each of these points, we can help to make this initial return of education a success. And we can help to keep each other safe, as the vaccination programme does its work.
However, I want to emphasise that the basic rule at the moment remains the same. Right now, all of us should be staying at home.
In any level 4 area – that of course includes all of mainland Scotland – you must only leave the house for essential purposes.
You cannot meet up with other households indoors.
And if you meet up with someone outdoors, you can only meet with one other person from one other household.
These restrictions are really difficult – and I don’t underestimate that for a moment. But crucially, they are working.
Case numbers are coming down – so too are hospital admissions.
We need to see that trend continue – and so it’s vital that we continue to stick with the restrictions.
That is how we keep the virus under control.
And it’s how we give ourselves the best chance of returning – more quickly – to some form of normality.
So please continue to do the right thing.
Stay at home, protect the National Health Service and save lives.
And my thanks go once again, to everyone who is doing that.
The Prime Minister chaired a virtual meeting of G7 Leaders yesterday.
All leaders agreed on the opportunity 2021 presents for the G7 to take a united approach to shared challenges as we build back better from the coronavirus pandemic.
They agreed on the need to ensure coronavirus vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics reach those that need them, wherever they are in the world. The Prime Minister welcomed the contribution all G7 members have made to ACT-A and the COVAX vaccine facility. He also set out the UK’s commitment to share the majority of any future surplus vaccines with COVAX.
The Prime Minister emphasised the need to learn lessons from this pandemic and highlighted the importance of agreeing common protocols to prevent future pandemics. He noted the value of a global health treaty in this context.
G7 leaders welcomed the United States’ readmission to the Paris Climate Agreement and agreed on the need for a green, sustainable global recovery.
The Prime Minister said that the G7 should work together to pave the way to the Kunming Convention on Biological Diversity and COP26 Summit in Glasgow in November.
All leaders agreed on the important and unique role the G7 plays as the world’s leading democracies. The Prime Minister welcomed the united stance taken by the G7 in condemning the recent coup in Myanmar and the detention of Alexey Navalny in Russia. He stressed the responsibility the G7 has to demonstrate to the world the benefit of our shared democratic values in creating open and prosperous societies.
The Prime Minister looked forward to seeing his fellow leaders in person at the G7 Summit in Cornwall in June.
G7 Leaders’ Statement: 19 February 2021
We, the leaders of the Group of Seven, met today and resolved to work together to beat COVID-19 and build back better. Drawing on our strengths and values as democratic, open economies and societies, we will work together and with others to make 2021 a turning point for multilateralism and to shape a recovery that promotes the health and prosperity of our people and planet.
We will intensify cooperation on the health response to COVID-19. The dedication of essential workers everywhere represents the best of humanity, while the rapid discovery of vaccines shows the power of human ingenuity.
Working with, and together to strengthen, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and supporting its leading and coordinating role, we will: accelerate global vaccine development and deployment; work with industry to increase manufacturing capacity, including through voluntary licensing; improve information sharing, such as on sequencing new variants; and, promote transparent and responsible practices, and vaccine confidence.
We reaffirm our support for all pillars of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A), its COVAX facility, and affordable and equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, reflecting the role of extensive immunisation as a global public good.
Today, with increased financial commitments of over $4 billion USD to ACT-A and COVAX, collective G7 support totals $7.5 billion. We invite all partners, including the G20 and International Financial Institutions, to join us in increasing support to ACT-A, including to increase developing countries’ access to WHO-approved vaccines through the COVAX facility.
COVID-19 shows that the world needs stronger defences against future risks to global health security. We will work with the WHO, G20 and others, especially through the Global Health Summit in Rome, to bolster global health and health security architecture for pandemic preparedness, including through health financing and rapid response mechanisms, by strengthening the “One Health” approach and Universal Health Coverage, and exploring the potential value of a global health treaty.
We have provided unprecedented support for our economies over the past year totalling over $6 trillion across the G7. We will continue to support our economies to protect jobs and support a strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive recovery.
We reaffirm our support to the most vulnerable countries, our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, and our partnership with Africa, including to support a resilient recovery. We will work through the G20 and with the International Financial Institutions to strengthen support for countries’ responses by exploring all available tools, including through full and transparent implementation of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the Common Framework.
Recovery from COVID-19 must build back better for all. Looking to UNFCCC COP26 and CBD COP15, we will put our global ambitions on climate change and the reversal of biodiversity loss at the centre of our plans.
We will make progress on mitigation, adaptation and finance in accordance with the Paris Agreement and deliver a green transformation and clean energy transitions that cut emissions and create good jobs on a path to net zero no later than 2050. We are committed to levelling up our economies so that no geographic region or person, irrespective of gender or ethnicity, is left behind.
We will: champion open economies and societies; promote global economic resilience; harness the digital economy with data free flow with trust; cooperate on a modernised, freer and fairer rules-based multilateral trading system that reflects our values and delivers balanced growth with a reformed World Trade Organisation at its centre; and, strive to reach a consensus-based solution on international taxation by mid-2021 within the framework of the OECD.
With the aim of supporting a fair and mutually beneficial global economic system for all people, we will engage with others, especially G20 countries including large economies such as China.
As Leaders, we will consult with each other on collective approaches to address non-market oriented policies and practices, and we will cooperate with others to address important global issues that impact all countries.
We resolve to agree concrete action on these priorities at the G7 Summit in the United Kingdom in June, and we support the commitment of Japan to hold the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 in a safe and secure manner this summer as a symbol of global unity in overcoming COVID-19.
Routine indoor visiting of care home residents by relatives, friends and carers can resume from early March with care providers supporting residents to have up to two designated visitors each and one visit a week for each visitor, the Scottish Government has announced.
With a wide range of protections now in place against COVID-19 for care home residents, it is has been decided meaningful contact should be made easier for the wellbeing of residents and their loved ones.
The most recent of these protections is the COVID vaccine with more than 99.9% of older care home residents and 92% of staff now vaccinated with first dose.
Additionally, the national picture of coronavirus outbreaks in care homes is improving. NRS data shows that deaths from coronavirus in care homes have fallen by 62% in the last three weeks and the balance is now in favour of allowing contact to resume.
Guidelines to be published on Wednesday 24 February will support care providers to resume visiting for up to two designated visitors per resident.
Every time someone goes into a care home it is a COVID risk. But we are acutely conscious that continued restriction of contact for residents with relatives can contribute to loneliness and isolation and worsening physical and mental health. With the range of protections in place against COVID, the bigger risk now is the continued separation of residents from loved ones.
Visitors will need to wear face coverings and any PPE requested by the care home, and are strongly encouraged to take a COVID test on-site. While visiting may sometimes still be restricted, for example in the event of an outbreak at a care home, the expectation will now be that homes will facilitate regular weekly contact as long as certain safety conditions are met. We will then work to continue to gradually increase the frequency and duration of contact.
Health Secretary Jeanne Freeman said: “The decisions regarding restrictions on visiting for care home residents have been some of the most difficult we have faced and I have the greatest sympathy for those who have been unable to see relatives and loved ones in person for so long.
“Care home staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to support continued contact between residents and their loved ones but these restrictions have been hugely challenging for them, as well as for care home staff and colleagues.
“We deeply regret the deaths and other harm caused by coronavirus in our care homes, but we also recognise the harm caused to the wellbeing of residents and families as a result of an inability to see those they love.
“We must remain vigilant about the risks but with multiple layers of protection now in place the balance is in favour of allowing visits. Everyone, including visitors, has a responsibility to ensure that visits take place as safely as possible by continuing to follow safety advice.
“The additional protection in place includes infection prevention and control measures (IPC); personal protective equipment (PPE) in care homes and testing of staff and visiting professionals to care homes, which have developed processes and protocols for safer indoor visiting to take place.
“The guidance we are publishing sets out an expectation that providers will put in place arrangements to enable regular visits to resume from early March and from the discussions I have had with providers, I now expect all care homes to have embraced this guidance by mid-March.”
Cathie Russell of Care Home Relatives Scotland said: “We look forward to working with care home providers, public health and oversight teams to ensure that the new guidance allows residents to enjoy meaningful contact with their closest relatives and friends once more.
“It has been a very difficult year. The deepest ties of love are important and we can never thrive without them.”
Donald MacAskill, chief executive of Scottish Care, said: “The COVID pandemic has presented frontline care home staff and managers with many challenges but undoubtedly the hardest has been keeping residents apart from family and friends.
“We have now reached a very different place and with a range of COVID-19 protections in place, including vaccination and testing, combined with the use of PPE and IPC, we are at a stage where we can re-introduce safer indoor visiting to Scotland’s care homes. This day has been long-awaited and we understand that it will be an emotional time for many.
“Scottish Care is committed to supporting staff and managers, residents and family, to make sure that these guidelines succeed in their aim of reconnecting individuals.
“We commit to working together to overcome any challenges and difficulties we might face and to support those who may still be anxious and fearful, so that together we can ensure that a painful period of separation can be replaced by greater togetherness.”
Gabe Docherty, on behalf of Scottish Directors of Public Health, said: “There’s not been a day when these very human considerations haven’t weighed on the minds of my colleagues and I as we’ve endeavoured to safely negotiate all the challenges COVID has presented.
“It is always been the focus of Directors of Public Health to reinstate visiting as soon as there was evidence that the risks of doing so were greatly reduced. So I warmly welcome and wholeheartedly endorse the approach – and all that it means for care home residents, their families and Care Home staff.”
Councillor Stuart Currie, Health and Social Care Spokesman for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, said: “Local Government welcomes the forthcoming guidance on resuming meaningful contact for care home residents and recognises the impact that restrictions have had on residents, their families and friends and care home staff.
“This guidance supports all parts of the system to ensure that meaningful contact is undertaken safely with a number of safety and protection measures in place.”
The Scootish annnouncement follows a statement from the UK Government earlier this morning that every care home resident in England will be allowed one regular indoor visitor from 8 March.
Lothian Buses has today (Friday 19 February) announced its intention to introduce new daily transport links to the NHS Lothian Vaccination Centre located at the west of the city at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston.
From Sunday (21 February), Skylink services 200, 300 and 400 will be rerouted to provide vital links direct to the Royal Highland Centre from across Edinburgh and will assist thousands of individuals as they make the essential and important journey to the Vaccination Centre located within the grounds.
Services will stop at the Ingliston Road stop every day between approximately 07:45 hours and 21:00 hours.
The company has launched a dedicated Vaccination Centre journey planning webpage where locals can find information on how to travel to NHS Lothian Vaccination Centres across Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Nigel Serafini, Interim Managing Director at Lothian Buses, said: “We are delighted to be able to support NHS Lothian with the rollout of the Covid-19 Vaccination programme by making it easier for residents across Edinburgh and the Lothians to travel to their appointments, as well as offering vital public transport links for those keyworkers and volunteers helping within the centre.
“Our teams have worked hard over the last 12 months to ensure our buses are clean, safe and accessible for those that require to make essential journeys.”
Lothian also recently announced that Lothian Country’s Service 275 will be rerouted to serve the Vaccination Centre at Pyramid’s Business Park, West Lothian, providing vital links across the region for locals attending vaccination appointments.
Information on services operating to Edinburgh Airport via Royal Highland Centre is outlined below:
Skylink 200 – Ocean Terminal <> Airport via Newhaven, Granton, Muirhouse, Drylaw, Blackhall and Clermiston.
Skylink 300 – Surgeons’ Hall <> Airport via Tollcross, Shandon, Slateford, Sighthill and Gyle Centre.
Skylink 400 – Fort Kinnaird <> Airport via Niddrie, Royal Infirmary, Gilmerton, Fairmilehead, Oxgangs, Clovenstone, Sighthill and Gyle Centre.
Approximately 2.3 million people across the UK have not received money back for flights they could not take in the last year, with many unable to fly because of national or local lockdowns or restrictions at their destination, according to new research from Which?.
Since the UK went into its first lockdown in the middle of March last year, millions of people have had flight bookings that were not cancelled by the airline, but for reasons that were often out of their control they could not take, meaning that they were not legally entitled to a refund or guaranteed a successful claim through their travel insurance or bank.
Research from the consumer champion has found that approximately 2.3 million people across the UK have been left out of pocket for flights that were not cancelled, despite circumstances often meaning they reasonably – or in some cases, legally – could not travel to their destination.
Under EU 261 regulations, passengers flying on an EU-based carrier or flying from a country in the EU are entitled to a full refund within seven days if their flight is cancelled by the operator, but the regulations do not currently offer passengers any protection if their flight is not cancelled. However, in some circumstances where passengers couldn’t travel, it could be argued that the contract between the passenger and the airline had been frustrated.
Many passengers have been prevented from travelling because of local or national lockdowns, restrictions preventing entry at their destination, or the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advising against non-essential travel.
Passengers in these circumstances would often have only been given the choice of rebooking their flight or losing their money. Rebooking may have meant paying a significant difference in fare if the new flights were more expensive, and trying to choose new dates without knowing when international travel is likely to resume again.
Of those who told Which? they didn’t get their money back, half (49%) claimed they could not travel because of national or regional lockdown restrictions instructing them to stay at home. While during the first national and local lockdowns instructions against non-essential travel were not always written into law, many passengers did not fly due to government guidance.
At the beginning of 2020, Rebekah Evans, from Barry in Wales, booked flights from Bristol to Turkey in October with Easyjet via an online travel agent, costing over £2,000.
Two weeks before their holiday, Vale of Glamorgan entered a local lockdown that was set to be reviewed the day before they were due to fly. Rebekah did not rebook the flights or accept a voucher in the hope that they would be allowed to fly if the local lockdown was lifted.
When the day arrived though, the Welsh government announced a rolling lockdown, instructing people not to leave Wales unless for emergencies. At the time, England was not in a lockdown, so the flight went ahead. Rebekah initially missed out on the opportunity to claim a voucher for the cost of her flight, but since Which? intervened, Easyjet has agreed to offer Rebekah a voucher as a gesture of goodwill.
While travel under this lockdown was not prevented by law, during the November lockdown and under the current national lockdown restrictions, all non-essential travel has been illegal. Despite this, some airlines are currently still operating flights and refusing refunds for those who cannot legally travel.
Ayesha Ellis, from Essex, had flights for her and her family booked with Ryanair to fly to Gran Canaria on February 13th 2021. These were booked almost a year earlier in March 2020, before the UK went into its first lockdown.
Despite the UK’s current lockdown preventing any non-essential travel, the flight went ahead as scheduled.
Ayesha paid more than £1,600 for her flights, but was told if she wanted to rearrange them, she would have to pay a fee of €95 per person per flight. Because the flights were booked before Ryanair dropped its flight change fee, this would have come to a total of €760 more for her family of four, plus the price difference of the new flights. Ayesha, a travel agent, has still not been refunded the £1,600 and told Which? she will never use the airline again, both personally and in her job.
Just over a quarter (27%) of those left out of pocket said they were unable to fly because of restrictions in place at their destination that would prevent them from entering the country.
Stephen Middleton, from Manchester, booked flights with Ryanair to Spain with his fiancée in July 2020, after the government allowed foreign travel again. They were due to fly in August, but paid more than £280 to move the flights to Christmas Eve after it was announced they would have to quarantine on their arrival back to the UK.
But when the time came for them to take their rearranged flight, they were again unable to travel because of restrictions at the Spanish border preventing them from entering the country. Stephen was told he could move his flights again, but would have had to pay more money to do so.
Others said they were unable to travel because the FCDO had advised against all non-essential travel to their destination, with nearly four in 10 (37%) citing this as their reason for not flying.
While those with package holidays would have had their bookings cancelled by the provider in these circumstances, entitling them to a full refund, many airlines continued to operate flights to countries with an FCDO warning against non-essential travel, on the basis that they needed to operate them as scheduled in order to facilitate essential travel.
While not illegal, travelling against FCDO advice usually invalidates travel insurance, and could potentially put your health at risk by visiting a country with high rates of infection. Additionally, many of those returning from these destinations would have also had to quarantine for two weeks after returning to the UK, with three in 10 (28%) people saying the need to quarantine prevented them from travelling.
Which? first raised the issue of people being unable to get their money back for flights they couldn’t take because of lockdown with both the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in March 2020.
While not all passengers who told Which? they hadn’t received their money back were legally prohibited from flying, the consumer champion has shared its findings with the CMA to aid its investigation into whether airlines have breached consumers’ legal rights by failing to offer cash refunds for flights they could not lawfully take because of lockdown restrictions.
Which? is advising anyone considering booking flights for this summer to wait until the situation around international travel becomes clearer, and when the time comes, to book a package holiday rather than a flight-only booking for stronger passenger protections, and only with a trusted provider that offers a generous and flexible booking policy.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said:“For almost a year now, Which? has been hearing from frustrated passengers who’ve been left out of pocket for flights they were unable to take, often through no fault of their own, because the flight went ahead as scheduled.
“While some have successfully been able to claim on their travel insurance or through their bank, others have been left high and dry.
“With non-essential travel currently illegal, airlines must play their part in protecting public health by ensuring no one is left out of pocket for abiding by the law and not travelling. All airlines should allow passengers the option to cancel for a full refund, as well as fee-free rebooking options, while these restrictions remain in place.”
A panel of the public convened by the Scottish Parliament’s Covid-19 Committee has reported its findings to MSPs.
The 19-member panel, which broadly reflects the demographic make-up of Scotland, met over four Saturdays to consider the question ‘What priorities should shape the Scottish Government’s approach to COVID-19 restrictions and strategy in 2021’, hearing from experts to help inform its findings.
Key conclusions in its report include:
* The panel believes the Scottish Government should focus on stopping the spread of virus, ideally by pursuing an ‘elimination’ strategy.
* The panel believes elimination would provide the fastest way back to ‘normal’, but also recognised that this needs maximum cooperation across UK, as well as accepting travel restrictions;
* If this is not possible, the panel recommends a ‘maximum suppression’ strategy should be adopted, with a reinvigorated Test and Protect to keep case numbers low once they have dropped. The panel concluded that by tackling the direct harm of the virus head on, other harms (economic, societal, other health problems) will also reduce;
* Priority should also be given to supporting a green recovery, young people’s economic opportunities, town centres, and continuing support for businesses;
* The Scottish Government must therefore define what it is aiming to achieve and tell us what its strategy is moving forward. Key to understanding this is what it deems to be an acceptable level of infection in the population, so that it is clear what restrictions will be effective in 2021.
The panel also considered wider issues associated with the pandemic within its deliberations. It agreed:
* Previous lockdowns happened too slowly – resulting in longer lockdowns and more deaths;
* Communication and explaining strategies is key to public acceptance and understanding. This is most effective when scientists and clinicians can take centre stage;
* Globally, no one is safe until everyone is safe.
Members of the panel will give evidence to MSPs on the Covid-19 Committee about their report today (Thursday 18 February).
In the coming weeks, the report will also inform MSPs’ consideration of the possible extension of the emergency Coronavirus legislation, which is currently due to expire at the end of March.
Covid-19 Committee Convener, Donald Cameron MSP, said:“The Committee is very grateful to the members of the public and experts who gave their time to participate in deliberations.
“The steps taken to counter this virus are so drastic they would have been unimaginable a year ago. It is therefore vital we gauge the public mood as we enter into the next phase of managing the pandemic.
“The considered priorities of this broadly representative group, who have looked at the issue with fresh eyes, will help inform us as we begin to look at the likely extension of the emergency powers, and work to ensure the efforts of Government are focused in the right place.
“We are looking forward to hearing more from panel members, and testing their conclusions, at our next meeting.”
The panel was announced and first met on 16 January.
The full report and further information on the panel will be online here.
