Further testing expansion to find asymptomatic cases
From Thursday 18 February, anyone who is identified as a close contact of somebody who has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) will be asked to get tested.
The measure is designed to find asymptomatic cases that would otherwise go undetected, as close contacts are at higher risk than the wider population, given their exposure to somebody with COVID-19.
Previously, outbreak Incident Management Teams (IMTs) have had the ability to order testing of close contacts on a case-by-case basis, in line with local assessment of clinical risk.
Now everyone who has been identified as a close contact via the Protect Scotland app, or through manual contact tracing, will be provided with instructions on how to book a PCR test.
The approach does not replace self-isolation in any way, and close contacts who test negative will still have to complete 10 days of self-isolation, as the virus’ incubation period means the risk of developing COVID-19 is only significantly reduced 10 days after exposure.
This means anyone leaving self-isolation early could still inadvertently infect others if they become positive at a later date.
Close contacts who test positive will be asked to self-isolate for a further 10 days from the time of their test result, to ensure they are no longer infectious when they leave self-isolation.
Public Health Minister Mairi Gougeon said: “Testing close contacts is a significant step in enhancing our public health response, as it will enable us to find asymptomatic cases that would otherwise go undetected, helping us to stop the spread of this virus through our communities.
“This is especially important given new COVID strains are more infectious, and not everyone who has coronavirus will have symptoms, so people could be spreading the disease to those around them without knowing it.
“This expansion is possible because of increases in our testing capacity, delivered through our new regional hub laboratories, which will help us suppress COVID to the lowest level in Scotland.
“However, it’s important to remember the incubation period of COVID means that a person could still test positive at a later stage in their isolation period – so a negative test does not mean you should stop self-isolating, and everyone should continue to follow the restrictions that are currently in place.”
A close contact is defined as a person who, in the infectious period from 48 hours prior to and 10 days after the confirmed case’s symptom onset, or date a positive test was taken if asymptomatic, had at least one of the following types of exposure.
household contact: those who share the household or have spent a significant amount of time in the house without social distancing or PPE. This also includes cleaners, even if the index case is not present due to the invasive nature of this job.
direct contact: close contact outside the house without PPE, of within one metre of index case
proximity contact: close contact without PPE for more than 15 minutes between 1 and 2 metres of index case
Anyone considered a close contact will be contacted by phone or text message, or will receive a notification through the Protect Scotland app.
NHS Scotland contact tracers will:
in some cases, send a text to let you know that you need to isolate and expect a call from NHS Scotland (if mobile is available)
call from a single, national telephone number – 0800 030 8012
always introduce themselves, tell you why they are contacting you and address you by your name
give you the option to call back the above number to provide reassurance that the service is legitimate
They will never ask you:
for information other than your movements and the people you have been physically close to
to phone a premium rate number
to make a purchase, payment or donation
for your medical history unrelated to coronavirus
for your bank details
for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts
for your passwords or PIN numbers, or to set up any
for control of your computer, smartphone or tablet, or to download anything
to visit a website that does not belong to NHS Scotland or the Scottish Government
Vodafone UK has published new research exploring teenagers’ perceptions of ‘fake news’, misinformation and the reliability of the information they find online.
Almost a half (48%) of teenagers in Edinburgh have fallen for fake news and 47% of teenagers surveyed said they were more aware of fake news in 2020 compared to previous years. Vodafone has released tips for parents and children on how to deal with fake news on its Digital Parenting hub.
The research shows that young people in Edinburgh are regularly exposed to fake news, with teenagers reporting to see fake stories an average of 12 times per month, and 23% believing they think they see fake news every day.
Perceptions around fake news
Three in four (73%) of teenagers in Edinburgh correctly identified fake news as ‘misleading information which is presented as news and spread online’.
However, wider perceptions around fake news indicate a lack of comprehensive understanding on the subject – with 23% thinking fake news refers to ‘things Donald Trump claims to be untrue’.
Topics of fake news
With the spread of misinformation reaching new highs last year,the research highlights key topics of fake news in 2020 for Edinburgh teens: Covid-19 and the vaccine (50%), Celebrities (40%), Donald Trump (37%), the end of the world (27%) and the UK lockdowns (20%)
Identifying fake news
Just half (57%) of teenagers in Edinburgh think they can distinguish fake news from the truth. However, the research indicates that tech-savvy teens are using their digital skills to spot the real from the fake, and almost a half (47%) of teenagers in Edinburgh think they are better equipped to spot fake news than their parents.
Main sources of fake news
Predictably, four in five (80%) in Edinburgh reported seeing the most fake news on social media platforms – far higher than on news websites (13%).
Combating fake news
Encouragingly, 17% of teenagers in Edinburgh say someone has taught them how to spot and report fake news and combat misinformation, with this person most likely to be a parent (80%), or a teacher (40%). And, 20% have learnt how to spot fake news using an online resource.
Helen Lamprell, General Counsel and External Affairs Director, Vodafone UK, said: “It’s clear from our research that fake news amongst Edinburgh teens is a widespread issue – and is not going away with Donald Trump.
“It’s so important to educate everyone on the importance of safety online and how to identify fake news. Our Vodafone Digital Parenting Hub has useful resources and advice for what to watch out for and how best to tackle it.”
Emma Robertson from Digital Awareness UK, said:“Since the start of the pandemic we’ve seen a dramatic and worrying spike in the number of young people and their families being exposed to fake news and scams.
“Many of us are being inundated with false information about vaccinations, miraculous COVID-19 cures, politics and so on. It’s critical that young people have the digital skills they need to spot fake news and really think about whether the information we are seeing online could be misinformation or disinformation.
“Fake news reportedly spreads six times faster than real news, so it’s up to all of us to help others identify it and think twice before sharing.”
Vodafone’s Digital Parenting Tips – Five ways to spot fake news
To avoid being tricked by fake news, ask your child to consider these questions:
Is it being reported elsewhere – have you seen this story in other places e.g. on TV or radio?
Is the site name normal – do you trust the website where you saw this story? Check the URL: it should have .org or .com or .co.uk at the end, not an unusual jumble of letters.
Do the photos and videos look accurate or could they be photoshopped?
Headlines matter – but so does content: read the entire piece before you share a story to be sure it’s an article you are happy to endorse.
If you’re unsure – ask a trusted adult for a view.
The Scottish Government acted quickly to prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed by Covid-19, but it could have been better prepared to respond to the pandemic, according to a new report from Audit Scotland.
Staff across the NHS and Scottish Government took early action during the first wave in 2020, including increasing intensive care capacity and pausing non-urgent treatment. Service innovation, such as a huge rise in video consultations, also happened within weeks and it is important these are learned from.
However, there is now a substantial backlog of patients, with NHS boards prioritising those in most urgent need. It will be hard to deal with this backlog alongside the financial and operational challenges already faced by boards.
The Scottish Government based its initial response to Covid-19 on the 2011 UK flu pandemic preparedness strategy. Scotland took part in three pandemic preparedness exercises in the years before the coronavirus outbreak.
But not all the actions identified in these exercises were fully implemented.
These included measures to ensure access to enough PPE and to quickly address social care capacity, both of which became significant issues during the first wave of Covid-19.
Covid-19 has caused or contributed to the deaths of around 9,000 people in Scotland so far. People from the most deprived areas, of South Asian origin, or of Caribbean or Black ethnicity are among those who have suffered disproportionately from the pandemic. Deaths from other causes were also higher than average at the start of the pandemic.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: NHS staff have shown extraordinary commitment to treating and caring for Scotland’s people during a pandemic that has highlighted the need to deal with long-standing health inequalities.
“Getting the full range of health services back up and running will be challenging. But there are clear lessons to be learned from the pandemic, both in how the country could have been better prepared and in the innovation that we’ve seen. It’s essential that these advances are now retained and built upon.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today confirmed that only strictly limited numbers of children and young people will return to classrooms next week, backed by strengthened school safety guidance and an enhanced testing for staff and senior pupils.
Very limited numbers of S4 – S6 pupils who require to complete practical work in order to achieve an SQA certificate will also return from Monday. Pupils currently in classrooms – primarily the children of key workers and those considered vulnerable – will retain their places.
As part of the move, Ministers announced a package of support and safety steps including:
A further £40 million to help councils implement safety mitigations aligned with clinical advice
£60m of additional investment in education recovery, including employing more teachers, classroom support staff and facilities management
Twice weekly at-home testing to be offered to people who work in schools, early learning and childcare settings attached to schools, and senior phase pupils. Comprehensive testing guidance has been issued to schools and local authorities, and by the start of this week, more than 2,200 schools had received test kits, with deliveries to remaining schools continuing throughout the rest of this week. The programme will be expanded to stand alone childcare settings as soon as possible thereafter
All secondary pupils will be required to observe two metre physical distancing while in school and on school transport in the period immediately after the return. This is in addition to existing measures including the use of face coverings
Ministers also confirmed hopes that further detail on the next phase of school return could be provided on 2 March.
Ms Sturgeon said: “In terms of the order in which we exit lockdown, the Scottish Government has always made clear that education should be the priority. I can confirm today that, in line with the advice of our expert group, this first phase of the re-opening of schools will go ahead as planned on Monday.
“We will need to monitor the impact of this change very carefully before taking any further decisions. However, I hope we will be able to set out the second phase of school re-opening in two weeks’ time. I want to be clear, though, that the need to properly assess the impact of this limited re-opening means we do not envisage, at this stage, any further return to school before 15 March.
“As we consider these issues, we are of course doing everything we can to ensure that schools are as safe as possible for children, and for the education workforce. We are also publishing today updated school safety guidance, developed with the Education Recovery Group. This sets out a range of additional safety mitigations.
“And to help implement them, we will be providing local authorities and schools with an additional £40 million, as part of a wider £100 million package to accelerate school recovery. The Finance Secretary will confirm details later this afternoon. The success of this limited re-opening, and the prospect of getting more pupils back later in March, very much depends on all of us continuing to abide by the wider restrictions.
“So, for now – and I really cannot emphasise this point strongly enough – please treat Monday’s important milestone as a return to education for children only, and not as a return to greater normality for the rest of us.”
A further update is being published today on this year’s national qualifications. National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams 2021 have been replaced by an alternative certification model based on teachers’ judgement of evidence of each individual pupil’s attainment. The National Qualifications Group 2021 has agreed to extend the deadline for submitting provisional grades from 18 June to 25 June.
In recognition of the additional workload this will bring, teachers and lecturers involved in the delivery, assessment and moderation of National 5, Higher and Advanced Highers will receive an exceptional one-off payment of £400. There will also be two assessment support days available for all secondary teachers to give them extra time to engage with the alternative certification model.
The EIS has responded to the First Minister’s announcement on the return to school for nursery children, P1-P3 pupils and some senior phase secondary pupils and warned that significant concerns over school safety remain to be addressed.
Commenting, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “Everyone is supportive of face-to-face teaching returning as soon as possible – that should not override safety concerns, however, and teachers will be understandably nervous around today’s announcement.
“Community infection levels have fallen but still remain high in areas such as North Lanarkshire and at 6% the test positivity rate in Scotland remains above the level that the World Health Organisation recommends as indicative of the virus being under control.”
Mr Flanagan continued, “Against this backdrop, the EIS continues to believe that a blended learning model, with around half of pupils in classes at any one time to allow for physical distancing, would have provided a more cautious and more appropriate basis for pupils returning to schools.”
Mr Flanagan added, “Teachers remain concerned about the increased transmissibility of new Covid variants of the virus, especially aerosol transmission, and it is disappointing that the Scottish Government has not supported the introduction of medical grade face masks for staff, as they offer greater protection for wearers than simple face coverings.”
“It should reconsider its stance as a matter of urgency. We would also expect that staff with increased vulnerabilities will be advised to continue to work from home during this first phase.”
Mr Flanagan continued, “The introduction of twice weekly testing for staff and senior pupils is welcome, as is the requirement for senior pupils to physically distance.
“Looking forward, however, to any fuller return of pupils it is clear that the prioritisation of teachers and other school staff for vaccination remains a straightforward way to ensure in-school safety.
“If having schools open is a priority for the Scottish Government, then protecting school staff should also be a priority.
“Whilst Scottish Government timelines can appear to be self-fulfilling prophecies, there will need to be a meticulous analysis of this first phase and its impact, before any further return is progressed.”
Welcoming today’s news that some children will be returning to school, Mary Glasgow Children 1st Chief Executive said: “Schools must make space for friendships, feelings and fun as they start to reopen to more children from next Monday.
“It’s clear from Children 1st’s survey of over 1700 parents across Scotland that supporting children to cope with the emotional and social impact of lockdown is just as important as helping them catch up with their schoolwork.
“Focusing on children’s wellbeing as schools return was the clear first choice for 58% of parents, compared to 22% who said the top priority should be learning. If we support children with their wellbeing now, their academic learning will follow.”
Cllr Ian Perry, Education, Children and Families Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: This is the news many families across the city were waiting for and it’s great that they now have confirmation their children will be back in school next week.
“There’s very good 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.
“For all other pupils home learning will continue and we hope we can welcome more pupils back in school soon as long as the virus continues to be suppressed. It’s really important we all continue to follow the guidance especially now pupils are back at school so parents are advised not to gather at school gates at drop off and pick up times. We all have to work together to help protect the NHS and save lives.”
Cllr Alison Dickie, Education, Children and Families Vice Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “I’m delighted that our youngest pupils will be able to return to their schools and nurseries next week as these are really challenging times for many families.
“It’s so important for their learning and development that children are back in school where they belong. And very much for their mental health too. Our schools have been working hard preparing for their return and teaching staff are really looking forward to welcoming them back.
“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. We very much want to see more pupils back in our schools as soon as it is safe to do so and the Scottish Government will make a further announcement on the phased return of pupils in two weeks time.”
BT partners with Digital Boost to upskill small business owners and employees by bringing free mentoring sessions to at least 1,000 firms across the UK
New mentoring programme forms part of BT’s Small Business Support Scheme to assist small business during the pandemic and beyond by boosting their connectivity, cashflow and confidence
BT has equipped a further 20,000 small businesses with digital skills since the launch of the scheme, as part of its ongoing Skills for Tomorrow programme
BT has launched a new mentoring programme to support small businesses in Edinburgh during the pandemic, in partnership with Digital Boost, a free non-profit platform which unites digital experts with leaders of small businesses.
BT has pledged to deliver free one-to-one coaching sessions to at least 1,000 small businesses and is encouraging small firms across Scotland to register their interest. The initiative is part of its Small Business Support Scheme, which launched last Summer.
The mentoring initiative is open to all BT employees and has been successfully trialled with a number of small businesses prior to launch. BT has enlisted the expertise of its colleagues across the business – including Senior Executives – to upskill small business on a range of topics, including Cyber Security, Marketing, Social Media, Strategy, and more.
Digital Boost will connect individuals from small businesses with relevant BT experts via its free online platform, where small businesses are able to register their interest in booking a free virtual mentoring session.
BT launched its Small Business Support scheme last Summer – a broad range of measures to help small businesses get better positioned for growth during and beyond the pandemic. The scheme aims to do this by boosting the connectivity, cashflow and confidence that many small businesses say they lack as a result of the ongoing public health crisis.
The new mentoring programme forms a key part of BT’s efforts to drive skills and optimism amongst small firms, with an earlier survey conducted by BT and Small Business Britain revealing that more than half (53 per cent) lack confidence in the future of their business.
63 per cent of small firms felt they needed more support in marketing and sales; 44 per cent wanted more assistance with digital skills; while 36 per cent lacked skills in building business resilience.
BT is responding to these concerns by opening up access to free, expert advice to 1,000 small firms initially, with a view to further expanding the reach of the programme over the coming months.
Alan Lees, BT director for corporate and public sector in Scotland, said: “Helping small businesses to acquire new skills and boost their confidence during these exceptionally challenging times is a central part of BT’s Small Business Support Scheme.
“We’ve already equipped a further 20,000 small businesses with digital skills since the launch of the scheme and now we’re going even further by introducing a free mentoring programme. By partnering with Digital Boost we can engage our own colleagues around the need to step up and support small businesses, with experts around the businesses volunteering their time as BT mentors.
“Our ambition is to scale this very quickly, involving colleagues from all levels, including the senior leadership team. I would encourage any small businesses in Scotland who feel they would benefit from this direct support to book a spot as soon as possible via the website.”
Sherry Coutu, Founder at Digital Boost, said:“At Digital Boost, we help those who work for and lead small businesses and charities to survive the COVID-19 crisis and be more competitive in the long-run.
“BT is a key partner in our effort to help prepare the UK to build back better after the pandemic.”
Brett O’Brien, Internal Engagement Manager at BT, who has been involved in the pilot of the mentoring scheme, providing his support in sales to a small business, said:“I volunteered to be a Digital Boost mentor as I felt it was my duty to support the small businesses that are trying to weather the storm of COVID-19.
“I have lots of friends and family working in small businesses that are no longer in work so I felt personally motivated to support the small businesses that are fighting for survival.
“My expertise are in sales/partnerships and I have conducted two mentor sessions. The feedback from them was great and I feel a great sense of pride knowing that I’m making a direct impact to help these SMEs stay in business.”
BT has already helped tens of thousands of small businesses acquire new digital skills through its Skills for Tomorrow programme which aims to reach 1 million small business owners and their employees by 2025. In recent months, BT has launched new learning content on crucial topics – such as how to protect yourself from cyber-attacks and using social media to reach new customers. In the last year alone, BT has delivered over 190 free learning webinars for small businesses.
Small businesses interested in mentoring support can book a free one-to-one coaching session now by visiting: https://www.digitalboost.org.uk/
BT is also acutely aware that it’s an extremely worrying and uncertain time for small businesses and is also providing access to expertise to small business leaders around maintaining wellbeing by boosting their mental and physical health.
A free online Wellbeing Toolkit is already available and a webinar series specifically designed for small businesses will launch next month.
Many of us have been working from home since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Research from June 2020 (PDF) showed most Scots felt their energy use increased during lockdown, and almost 60% of households were worried about their bills going up as a result.
As lockdown measures continue and cold weather means the heating is on for longer, you and your workmates might need some help to manage your energy costs while keeping warm at home.
Learn simple ways to stay warm at home
The good news is, we can help. As well as impartial advice to householders, we also offer fun and interactive online workshops for employers across Scotland.
Workshops are completely free and can be tailored to suit your workplace. And they’re a great way to connect with and support your colleagues, especially when many may be concerned about rising bills.
You and your workmates will pick up practical tips to reduce your bills and keep your home warm, like:
Getting to know your heating controls, so you can get the best out of your heating system and make your home more comfortable
Keeping the heat in by draught-proofing your home
Making sure you’re not wasting energy – just turning your appliances off instead of leaving them on standby could save you £30 a year
Finding out what support is available to help you make your home warmer and more energy efficient through energy saving home improvements
We’d love to help you and your colleagues stay warm this winter – email us to book your workshop. We also offer workshops on travelling sustainably (for essential journeys of course!), and saving water in partnership with Scottish Water. If getting everyone together for an online workshop will be tricky, our home energy e-learning is also full of useful advice on saving energy and money at home
Pick up tips to make the food shop go further
While we’re all cutting down on supermarket trips and many household budgets are getting tighter, it helps to make the food shop go further. Love Food Hate Waste workshops, delivered by Energy Saving Trust on behalf of Zero Waste Scotland, can help attendees save up to £437 a year by reducing food waste, through simple tips like:
Menu planning, to make sure you don’t buy more than you use and don’t have to dash out for missing ingredients
Storing food correctly so it lasts longer
Using up leftovers and kitchen cupboard ingredients with crafty recipes
Covid-19 still a major threat to call centre workers’ health
Workers call for more action to protect staff
Covid-19 still presents a major threat to contact centre workers and action needs to be taken to protect them, according to a letter from the STUC to the Scottish Government.
The letter is a response to the work of the Scottish Government’s Working Group for Contact Centres and urges them to audit Scottish call centres and ensure employers are following guidelines and revising risk assessments.
The letter comes after new variants of the disease have been confirmed and a major outbreak in DVLA Swansea confirms the danger presented in large workplaces. The letter argues that the conditions in sealed buildings with mechanical heating and ventilation systems magnify the problem.
The letter has the backing of Call Centre Collective- a trade union-backed grassroots organisation formed in response to the pandemic- who have organised a petition in support.
Craig Anderson from Call Centre Collective said: “The Scottish Government needs to listen and take active steps to protect workers. We know there are some employers cutting corners and taking unnecessary risks with the safety of their staff.
“It would be unforgivable, after seeing what happened in Swansea, if no lessons are learned from it. We urge anyone who with an interest in protecting workers to sign our petition supporting the STUC’s letter and keep up the pressure.”
Roz Foyer, STUC General Secretary, added, “Throughout this pandemic one of the largest sources of complaints to unions and MSPs has been from call centre workers.
“The new evidence on transmission and the risks inherent with new variants makes it absolutely essential that we see action now.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave this statement at the coronavirus press conference last night:
Today the national vaccination programme continues to power past the target we set six weeks ago with more than 15 million people vaccinated across the UK.
And once again I pay tribute to the astonishing efforts of everyone involved – the GPs, the nurses, the volunteers, the army and the pharmacists like Hardik Desai – who rallied local volunteers to vaccinate 3,000 people in his village hall in Ticehurst in Sussex, while keeping his pharmacy open – and of course I thank all of you who have come forward to be vaccinated.
This is an unprecedented national achievement but it’s no moment to relax and in fact it’s the moment to accelerate because the threat from this virus remains very real.
Yes, it’s true, we have vaccinated more than 90 per cent of those aged over 70 but don’t forget that 60 per cent of hospital patients with Covid are under 70.
And although the vaccination programme is going well, we still don’t have enough data about the exact effectiveness of the vaccines in reducing the spread of infection.
We have some interesting straws in the wind. We have grounds for confidence. But the vaccinations have only been running for a matter of weeks – and while we are learning the whole time – we don’t today have all the hard facts that we need.
And the level of infection remains very high, with more people still in hospital today than at the peak last April and admissions running at 1,600 a day.
So we have to keep our foot to the floor. And I can tell you today that the next million letters are landing on people’s mats right now, offering appointments to the over-65s and we are also contacting all those aged between 16 and 64 with underlying health conditions, as well as adult carers.
And if we can keep this pace up – and if we can keep supply steady – and I hope and believe we can – then we hope to offer a vaccination to everyone in the first nine priority groups – including everyone over 50 – by the end of April.
And at the same time we will be giving second doses to millions of the most vulnerable within twelve weeks of the first.
So this moment is a huge step forward but it’s only a first step.
And while it shows what the country can do we must be both optimistic but also patient.
And next week I will be setting out a roadmap saying as much as we possibly can about the route to normality even though some things are very uncertain.
Because we want this lockdown to be the last. And we want progress to be cautious but also irreversible.
So please continue to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.
New research by credit reference agency Equifax reveals that the financial uncertainty of 2020 means 85% of people in Scotland will change the way they manage their personal finances in the immediate and long-term future.
Although one third (34%) of Scots said 2020 brought greater financial uncertainty, 16% have entered this year feeling positive about their finances. 54% of those who experienced financial uncertainty in Scotland said they are now trying to be more frugal, compared to 46% of the wider UK.
Key data:
46% of residents in Scotland are trying to spend less disposable income each month
31% of Scots feel confident about their finances going into 2021 compared to just 19% of the UK as a whole
70% of 18-34-year-olds across the UK said 2020 brought them financial uncertainty, steadily decreasing across all age groups with only 11% of those aged 65 plus feeling the same
As a result, 63% of 18-34-year-olds plan to change the way they manage their money in the immediate future, with 32% starting to save or put money aside
52% of UK women compared to 38% of men who experienced financial uncertainty in 2020 said they will be more frugal in 2021
41% of UK women plan to ‘buy more things I need and less things I want’, compared to 33% of men
Lisa Hardstaff, Head of Customer Experience at Equifax commented: “Our latest research suggests vital personal finance lessons have been learned in this pandemic, and more people are looking to better manage their money.
“54% of those surveyed in Scotland said they are trying to be more frugal and it’s encouraging to see that 13% are proactively researching ways to manage their money. 19% of the region are also starting to put money aside and will be using spreadsheets and apps to help them budget.”
Despite the huge financial uncertainty of last year, the research revealed that 28% of residents in Scotland used credit less than they did in 2019. However, 14% used short-term ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ services for their online Christmas shopping.
Clare Seal, author of Real Life Money and frugality champion added: “One of the silver linings of last year is that as a nation we are now being more open about financial concerns and mental health issues. In fact, 8% of the region said they are proactively seeking more financial advice from family and friends.”
As the Christmas credit card bills land on people’s door mats, Equifax has a wide range of useful articles and tips in its Knowledge Centre. It also has an online budget planner that allows people to monitor their income against their outgoings, to help them take control of their finances now and in the future.
“A financial planner not only helps manage outgoings each month, it allows people to prioritise important financial commitments like mortgage payments, council tax, etc” concluded Lisa Hardstaff.
“It can also help to see where money can be saved, such as unused memberships or cutting back on food bills. If we are in the Year of Frugality have a clear view of all outgoings is essential.”
UK Government awards multi-million-pound funding to phase 1 clinical trial platform to fast-track innovative treatments
NHS patients could receive cutting-edge COVID-19 treatments in months rather than years
Move will bring in the world’s best researchers to trial treatments in the UK
The move marks a landmark development in COVID-19 research that could see results for brand new treatments in months rather than years, and will enable the government to get even more safe and effective treatments to the NHS rapidly through a more streamlined process.
Currently, the government funds phase 2 and 3 trials, such as the RECOVERY trial, which brought life-saving treatments dexamethasone and tocilizumab to the NHS. Phase 1 trials, usually arranged by the researchers, are the earliest stage of human trials that ensure treatments are safe and show a signal of benefit in treating a disease.
The funding has been awarded to expand the AGILE clinical trial platform and will allow for global innovators to progress cutting-edge treatments for COVID-19 through all 3 clinical trial phases in the UK, further protecting our supply chain. This in turn will attract the brightest of researchers and manufacturers from around the world to trial their medicines here in Britain.
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Today’s news will ensure all phases of clinical trials for new treatments are done in the UK, protecting our supply chain and securing the world’s best treatments for NHS patients at a much faster rate.
“I am immensely proud of the work that’s been undertaken by the brilliant scientists behind these treatments and the thousands of UK patients who have taken part in the trials.
“Together, we can continue to ensure the UK is one of the best countries in the world for trialling and deploying the most groundbreaking medical advancements for both COVID-19 and for dangerous diseases in the future.”
The funding has been awarded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and co-funded though the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
A phase 1 trial is the earliest stage of human trials and is an essential first step that ensures treatments are safe. Once they pass phase 1, they then go into larger-scale phase 2 and 3 trials, such as RECOVERY or PRINCIPLE, before being made available on the NHS once proven to be effective.
The UK has proven throughout this pandemic to be a world leader in medical research and life sciences, stepping up quickly to the task of finding effective therapeutics for a completely new virus and supported by millions in funding by the UK government.
AGILE is a UK phase 1 and 2a clinical trial platform designed for rapid clinical evaluation of potential COVID-19 treatments
It is a collaboration between the University of Liverpool, the University of Southampton Research Unit, and other external partners
The innovative design of the trial means that multiple potential treatments can be evaluated in parallel and important testing stages can be completed in months rather than years, while maintaining a high level of safety at all times
Patients in early stages of COVID-19 infection will be recruited to AGILE from the community, in addition to patients who have been hospitalised with COVID-19
Treatments that show a signal of benefit in AGILE will be rapidly considered for advancement into later phase clinical trial platforms, such as PRINCIPLE and RECOVERY, where the effectiveness of treatments can be proven in greater patient numbers
The Therapeutics Taskforce will work with innovators to support them to progress their promising treatments through clinical trial phases
4 treatments have so far been selected for AGILE:
EIDD-2801 (Molnupiravir), an antiviral
VIR-7831 and VIR-7832, both monoclonal antibodies
Niclosamide, an anthelminthic
Future treatments to enter AGILE will be selected by the UK COVID-19 Therapeutics Advisory Panel (UK-CTAP), who lead the process of reviewing and evaluating proposals for treatments to enter UK national trial platforms – read more about UK-CTAP and how drug proposals can be made
The UK was the first in the world to find a treatment which was proven to significantly reduce the risk of death: dexamethasone, found through the government-funded RECOVERY trial
On Thursday 11 February, RECOVERY also found the drug tocilizumab, when administered to hospitalised patients on oxygen with dexamethasone, further reduces the risk of death by 14% and length of hospital stay for patients by 5 whole days, on top of the benefits of dexamethasone – which will mean once rolled out to patients will significantly reduce pressures on the NHS
REMAP-CAP, which also received government funding, last month published results showing tocilizumab reduced the length of time in hospital by 10 days when administered to patients with 24 hours of being admitted to intensive care
