Tag: coronavirus

Travel: Pre-departure coronavirus testing to be introduced

Passengers travelling to Scotland from abroad will be required to have proof of a negative test taken a maximum of 72 hours before travel.

The new public health requirement, to be introduced as soon as practically possible, aims to strengthen current safeguards against imported cases and in particular protect against new strains of coronavirus such as those identified in Denmark and South Africa.

People arriving into Scotland will have to take the pre-departure test (PDT) up to 72 hours before leaving the country they are in. Those coming from countries not on the quarantine exemption list will still be required to self-isolate for 10 days on arrival.

Non-essential travel to or from Scotland is currently illegal and will not immediately change with the introduction of pre-departure testing.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Travel into or out of Scotland is currently illegal and that will remain the case while we work to suppress the new strain of COVID-19.

“The Scottish Government has been consistently clear about the risks associated with international travel and the importance of public health measures in helping to stop the spread of coronavirus. That is why we have been in regular dialogue with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations about what further measures can be put in place, including the introduction of pre-departure testing (PDT).

“The requirement for pre-departure testing will add to our suite of public health measures as we seek to help drive down transmission of the virus to safeguard health, protect the NHS and save lives. 

“It is important to emphasise that this additional measure does not remove the requirement for all passengers arriving from countries not on the quarantine exemption list to self-isolate for ten days, even with a negative test.  

“Likewise, all passengers will continue to have to complete a Passenger Locator Form and, of course, they will be subject to national lockdown restrictions, which currently bar people from leaving their home or other fixed address without a reasonable excuse for doing so.

“As the UK Government has made clear, there are still some outstanding issues to address and it is important that we consider the implications, but we are keen to implement this as soon as it is possible.”

Edinburgh Airport Chief Executive Gordon Dewar is less than pleased:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1347544474197614592

International arrivals required to prove negative COVID-19 test result before departure for England

  • all international arrivals to England, including UK nationals, required to present a negative COVID-19 test taken up to 72 hours prior to departure
  • passengers will be subject to an immediate fine of £500 if they fail to comply with the new regulations on pre-departure testing
  • all passengers arriving from countries not on the government’s travel corridor list will still be required to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of test result
  • passengers will still be required to fill in a passenger locator form and be subject to national lockdown restrictions

Passengers arriving from all international destinations will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result before departing for England to help protect against new strains of coronavirus circulating internationally.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced that from next week inbound passengers arriving by boat, plane or train will have to take a test up to than 72 hours before departing the country they are in, to help protect against the new strains of coronavirus such as those seen in Denmark and South Africa.

Today’s (8 January 2021) decisive action is in response to the changes seen in the transmission of the virus both domestically and across the globe. Pre-departure testing will protect travel and will provide an additional layer of safety from imported cases of coronavirus on top of the mandatory 10 day self-isolation for arrivals, helping identify people who may currently be infectious and preventing them from travelling to England.

A negative pre-departure test reduces the risk of someone travelling whilst infectious, acting as another safeguard to prevent imported infections. Passengers arriving from countries not on the government’s travel corridor list must self-isolate for 10 days regardless of their pre-departure test result to provide further robust protection from those travelling from high-risk countries.

Prior to departure passengers will need to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test result to carriers, as well as their passenger locator form. The UK Border Force will conduct spot checks on arrival into England to ensure that passengers are fully compliant.

The move further bolsters existing protective measures which helped to safely enable international travel last year, with self-isolation for new arrivals and travel corridors remaining critical in reducing the risk of imported cases from high-risk countries.

Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps said: “We already have significant measures in place to prevent imported cases of COVID-19, but with new strains of the virus developing internationally we must take further precautions.

“Taken together with the existing mandatory self-isolation period for passengers returning from high-risk countries, pre-departure tests will provide a further line of defence – helping us control the virus as we roll out the vaccine at pace over the coming weeks.”

National lockdown restrictions which came into force on 6 January 2021 remain in place meaning everyone must stay at home unless travelling for a very limited set of reasons, including for work.

Permitted travellers will need to take their test up to 72 hours before departure, and this will apply irrespective of whether a country is on the travel corridor list. The government will set out the standards that these tests will need to meet and what proof passengers will need to present.

Passengers arriving into England who have successfully demonstrated a negative result prior to departure from a country not on the travel corridor list will still have the option to reduce the self-isolation period from 10 to as little as 5 days by paying for a test through the Test to Release scheme. The scheme requires a test to be taken on or after the fifth full day since leaving a country not on the travel corridor list.

Passengers will be required to show their negative test result before boarding, and transport operators will deny boarding if necessary. On arrival back into the UK, Border Force will check passengers test results through the current spot check regime, to ensure that individuals are compliant with the new rules, and passengers will be subject to an immediate fine of £500.

There will be a limited number of exemptions, including for hauliers, children under 11, crews and for those who travelling from countries without the infrastructure available to deliver the tests. Further exemptions will be set out on GOV.UK.

This follows the recent decision to temporarily suspend direct travel from South Africa to England after new evidence emerged from health authorities reporting an outbreak of a variant strain of coronavirus spreading to some local communities.

Those who travel indirectly from South Africa must self-isolate for 10 days.

All travellers will still be required to complete a passenger locator form before arrival into England. This is critical in being able to track the virus in case of any local outbreaks, and those who fail to complete a passenger locator form will be subject to an increased fine of £500.

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “The decision to introduce mandatory testing for people travelling to the UK is a positive step for protecting public health and building confidence that travel is safe, but further detail is needed for how this will work.

“Travellers and airlines urgently need clear information from the government on what type of tests are required and how to access them. There will be a lack of testing capacity in some locations, leaving people at risk of not being able to access a test in time for their flight. This may mean they’re unable to board their flight and have to pay hundreds of pounds for a new one or worse, are left stranded, as most airlines are currently shutting down or reducing flight schedules.”

Edinburgh Crisis Centre supports people in crisis 24/7 despite lockdown

Leading mental health charity, Penumbra, whose team manage the Edinburgh Crisis Centre are continuing to support people experiencing a mental health crisis despite lockdown.

The charity is doubling up on efforts to make sure people across Edinburgh know there is a 24/7 crisis service available to them during the pandemic.

The Edinburgh Crisis Centre is managed by Penumbra on a daily basis and by a representative group involving Centre user representatives (supported by Advocard), NHS Lothian, City of Edinburgh Council, and the Edinburgh Carers’ Council as part of an ongoing Public Social Partnership.

The Penumbra team at the Crisis Centre supports around 2000 people each year.

People aged 16 and over living in Edinburgh can contact the Centre for support by email or freephone: crisis@edinburghcrisiscentre.org.uk  – 0808 801 0414. The team also have a facebook page.

Penumbra is one of Scotland’s largest mental health charities supporting 1800 adults and young people each week across Scotland. In addition to grassroots support services, the charity also campaigns nationally to promote positive messages around mental health and works with government to improve mental health policies. 

The charity is a member of the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group and is a partner in #UnitedToPreventSuicide.

Edinburgh Crisis Centre Manager, Barrie Hunter, commented: “Our team here at the Edinburgh Crisis Centre provides short term emotional and mental health support to people in the city who are in distress or who are at risk of suicide and self-harm, and we provide a safe and non-judgemental environment where people can talk in confidence.

“There’s constant demand for support from the Crisis Centre, and it’s not unusual that many of the calls that come in are from people who are extremely distressed and need support immediately.

“The pandemic has been daunting for everyone, but there’s a real risk that people already living with mental ill health could find themselves in real distress. The added pressures of dealing with the isolation, financial worries, and other impacts of lockdown are potentially creating a perfect storm for people reaching crisis.

“At any given time, 1 in 20 of us is experiencing thoughts of suicide. It remains a subject that we find difficult to talk about, but as a leading cause of death among young people and with men in their middle years particularly vulnerable, it’s vital that we open up. The one thing we can all do is talk openly about suicide and encourage conversations around mental wellbeing. 

“It’s important for people to know that even during lockdown they can still contact us for support 24/7.”

HELPLINE: 0808 801 0414

Eviction Ban Extended

The temporary ban on eviction orders will be extended until the end of March, the Scottish Government announced yesterday.

Regulations will be laid in the Scottish Parliament on 14 January to extend the current ban, which is in place at present until 22 January. The extended ban – will apply to all evictions in areas subject to level 3 or 4 restrictions, except cases of serious anti-social behaviour, including domestic abuse. Subject to review every three weeks to ensure it remains necessary to protect against the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), it will remain in force until 31 March.

This will provide renters with safe homes during the pandemic. It will reduce the burden on local authorities, who have a duty to rehouse people made homeless through evictions, and will also make it easier for people to follow the guidelines during the current lockdown.

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Extending the temporary ban on the enforcement of eviction orders in the private and social rented sectors in areas subject to level 3 and 4 restrictions will support tenants, and offer people protection from transmission of the virus by being able to stay safe in their homes.

“It will also prevent additional burdens being placed on health and housing services during a time where they are already working hard due to the impact of the pandemic. This is a proportionate response to an extremely challenging set of circumstances.

“In the case of serious anti-social or criminal behaviour – including domestic abuse – eviction orders can still be enforced.

“We have been clear that no landlord should evict a tenant because they have suffered financial hardship due to the pandemic. Tenants in difficulty should engage with their landlord and seek advice on the options open to them.”

These apply to all eviction notices issued on, or after, 7 April 2020. The original end date was 30 September 2020. 

A number of actions have been taken to support tenants through the pandemic, including increasing the Discretionary Housing Fund from £11 million to £19 million to provide additional housing support and the introduction of the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund.

Read further information on tenants’ rights during the pandemic.

Concern over conditions in capital care home

Lothians MSP Miles Briggs has expressed concern over a failure to improve conditions at Braid Hills Nursing Centre.

The latest Care Inspectorate report reads:

Braid Hills Nursing Centre is registered to provide care to 95 older people and 24 adults with a physical disability. The provider is BUPA Care Homes (ANS) Limited.

We carried out an initial inspection of the service on 29 September and 1 October, with NHS Lothian. The findings were outlined in the report laid before Parliament on 14 October.

We completed a further visit on 12 November with NHS Lothian to follow up on the improvements required in relation to cleanliness, infection prevention and control, waste management, the use of PPE and staff knowledge. The findings were outlined in the report laid before Parliament on 25 November.

We determined that further progress was still required.

We visited the service again on 29 December. Improvements were not sufficient in respect of the standard of cleanliness, waste management, the use of PPE, staff practice and knowledge. Overall, the management oversight and quality assurance systems were ineffective.

We issued a letter of serious concern to the provider on 29 December which detailed immediate action the home must take.

We returned to the service on 2 January 2021. Although the service had made plans to address our concerns, progress was not sufficient to reassure us that people were being supported safely during the pandemic. We issued the service with an improvement notice on 4 January 2021.

We have informed Edinburgh health and social care partnership of our findings.

We will undertake a further visit to monitor the improvement notice.

This was a follow-up inspection. We did not change the service evaluations.

Lothians MSP Miles Briggs said: “This is extremely concerning that Braid Hills Nursing Centre has failed to make the necessary changes to make the care home safe.

“The care home has repeatedly been told to follow the necessary measures in respect to the standard of cleanliness, waste management, the use of PPE, staff practice and knowledge, but have refused to do so.

“Increased levels of Covid-19 in the community puts elderly care home residents at even greater risk and Braid Hills Nursing Centre’s license must be reviewed if they will not meet the necessary standards to keep residents safe.”

CICV Forum campaign urges workers to use face masks properly during lockdown

With essential construction work set to continue during the latest lockdown, the Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum is urging operatives to make a safe start to 2021 with a colourful new face mask campaign.

The unique collective has launched an animation and downloadable infographic to remind workers that it’s vitally important to help protect everyone by following the rules and using the right face covering in the right way.

It has also reinforced its ongoing reminders to workers about travelling and working in domestic projects safely and staying COVID aware in their social lives, as well as a reminder to the public to allow construction operatives to carry out their work unhindered.

The latest initiative – headlined Mask for Task: Cover for Covid – follows the news at the start of the New Year that the construction industry in Scotland is to continue in operation despite restrictions in other areas.

It emphasises in its easy-to-follow infographic that workers should wear the appropriate respirator or mask that the task demands and that a face covering of suitable material should be worn when moving around site.

It also gives specific instructions on how to – and how not to – wear face coverings as well as instructions for taking care of personal protective equipment, such as storing masks in a sealable bag when not in use.

As the industry picks up tools again after the festive break, the Forum is also reiterating the collective’s latest guidance on practical measures that contractors and workers can follow to protect themselves, their colleagues, and customers, friends and family.

Driving home the message that we are In This Together, the Forum’s suite of guidance has outlined safety during domestic projects, guidance on returning to work safely, the importance of physical distancing outside work and giving contractors space to carry out essential work.

Rebecca Crosland, Health and Safety Adviser at the Building Engineering Services Association and Chair of the Forum’s Health and Safety sub-group, said: “With essential construction work being allowed to continue during lockdown, it is incumbent on everyone working in the sector to ensure that they are operating safely, whatever their capacity.

“One of the most direct ways of doing this is to ensure correct mask use, which our latest infographic and animation promotes. The information is easy to follow and will help operatives protect themselves and their colleagues, customers, friends and family.

“We are also repeating our other range of health and safety messaging about travel, social distancing and domestic work to ensure everyone is clear on exactly what behaviours are required at all times.”

Iain Mason, Director of Membership and Communications at SELECT and Chair of the Forum’s Communications sub-group, added: “Since the CICV Forum was established, our animations and infographics have proved effective tools and helped us deliver essential messaging to an extremely wide audience.

“The new animation is designed to be shared on social media and the poster can be downloaded free of charge from our website. Both reinforce the responsibility that everyone in construction shares to make sure that they use the correct face covering for the correct situation, worn in the correct manner.”

Made up of trade associations, private companies and professional bodies, the Forum was formed in March 2020, since when it has drawn on the collective expertise of its members to maintain a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector.

Letters: Keep Music Flowing

Dear Editor

As we move into 2021 and parents, teachers and pupils once again find themselves facing additional challenges to deliver and attain a full and rounded education, it is worthwhile remembering the role that music can and should play in improving our lives. 

Firstly, music will help support and sustain our young people through the coming months. For children and adults alike, the creative arts play a vital role in promoting wellbeing and positive mental health, providing both a means of expression during the isolation of “lockdown” and a practical as well as enjoyable pastime.   

Secondly – and just as importantly – playing an instrument is complementary to academic subjects and has been shown emphatically to improve wider educational success. As we consider the often daunting challenge of the return to home schooling, those parents whose children can mix domestic timetables with musical lessons will understand the release and stimulation playing an instrument can deliver.  

Across society music is integral to our identities and is made to be shared. We now have the means to do that successfully and safely with online tools whose use has been well-honed by recent experience. 

So whether you’re at the start of a musical journey, or are well advanced in music -let’s keep singing, keep dancing and keep music lessons flowing, particularly while the restrictions necessitated by the pandemic keep us apart in our own homes.

Dr Kenneth Taylor,

Headteacher, St Mary’s Music School,

Coates Hall, 25 Grosvenor Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 5EL

Pentland Medical Centre first in Lothian to deliver COVID vaccinations

An NHS Lothian GP practice has become one the first in Scotland to begin delivering community COVID vaccinations to the over 80s.

Pentland Medical Centre in Currie today (7 January) welcomed groups of patients, all aged 80 or over, to receive their first dose of the recently approved Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.

Staff at the Medical Centre have been busy making the final preparations to support the vaccine delivery and are incredibly excited to begin this important step.

Pauline Hutton, Practice Manager explained that the whole team feel like they are playing a part in history. She said, “To all of us within the practice, this feels like Christmas. There is a real sense of anticipation, excitement and hope. We are delighted to begin vaccinating our patients and look forward to welcoming all those who are eligible at this stage over the coming weeks.

“We will be in touch directly with our patients, inviting them in for a vaccination appointment and we would encourage everyone who is eligible, to please attend.”

Hot on the heels of Pentland Medical Centre, Armadale Medical Practice will begin its over 80s vaccine roll out from the weekend.

With age being the greatest risk factor for serious illness and death from COVID-19, the first priority group for the vaccine are residents in care homes for older adults and their carers, people aged over 80 and frontline health and social care workers.

Already across NHS Lothian, over 20,000 vaccines have been delivered to front line staff within NHS Lothian, the four Health and Social Care Partnerships and for staff in both private and Council run care homes. This is in addition to the continued roll out of vaccines to care home residents across the region.

David Small, Director of Primary Care Transformation and the COVID Vaccination Project Lead at NHS Lothian said, “It is fantastic to see the first GP practices delivering COVID vaccinations to the over 80s. This is the beginning of a nationwide rollout which will commence from Monday 11 January.”

With the vaccine being seen as a critical factor in helping life return to normal, Mr Small recognises that people across the country will be eager to know when they will receive their vaccinations.

He added, “The COVID vaccine offers a beacon of hope, in what has some been truly difficult times. Across Lothian, we are working tirelessly to make sure that we can deliver the vaccine to each of the relevant groups when they are due to receive it.

“This is a huge task and won’t happen overnight, which is why we urge the public to please be patient with this process. The message however is clear: you will receive your vaccination, but this has to be done in a systematic way, to ensure that those who are most vulnerable are prioritised.”

 Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said: “This is excellent news and will bring real hope to people that the end of full lockdown is in sight and will provide elderly people receiving the vaccine with protection in the community.

“GP practices will be central to the rollout of the vaccine, which Pentland Medical Practice and Armadale Medical Practice are showing a great example of leading the way. 

“The whole of Lothian has made a huge effort and sacrifices to minimise the spread of the virus and it is vital we all continue to social distance with a full vaccine rollout to people at risk on the horizon.”

All those aged 80 or over will receive a letter or phone call inviting them forward for their vaccination and advising them where and when they can get it. The vaccine requires two doses to offer the best possible protection, with second dose appointments being scheduled for around twelve weeks after the first dose is administered.  

Delivery of the COVID vaccination across Lothian is aligned to the prioritisation schedule outlined by the JCVI, and communicated by the Scottish Government. Through the adoption of this approach, it will help to ensure that the most vulnerable receive protection first.

Plans for the further wide scale vaccination roll out are in the final stages and as soon as this information is available it will be widely communicated to the public.

Workers asked to shield should not have to choose between their life and livelihood

On Monday Boris Johnson, in response to mounting evidence and calls to take urgent steps to protect the public, announced a new lockdown, the third we’ve had to date. The government must ensure that those asked to shield are able to do so (writes TUC’s Quinn Roache).

New strains of coronavirus are spreading like wildfire. 

The new strain of the virus is 50% to 70% more transmissible and levels of infections are increasing to record levels, leading to huge strains on hospitals across the country.  

Disabled people make up the majority of those who have died from Covid-19 – government statistics show that disabled people accounted for 3 in 5 covid-19 deaths. This is why it is imperative that, going into this new lockdown, disabled people who are told to shield can do so effectively.    

Impact 

This new lockdown is having a tangible impact on everyone. It impacts on many workers physical and mental health as well as livelihoods and income.  

This is particularly true of those who’ve been asked to shield. A group the government have termed ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’, which means they have a higher risk of severe illness if infected.  

Evidence suggests that in England this group is almost 4% of the population, or 1 in 25 people, and that they are disproportionately more likely to be disabled. 

Disabled workers previously asked to shield told the TUC they felt forgotten and overlooked. They told us that the first lockdown left them isolated, without access to basic needs like food and a negative impact on both their physical and mental health1.  

The government must do better this time.  

Government advice to those who should shield 

Their guidance is that those advised to shield should no longer attend work, school, college or university.  

And that they should limit the time they spend outside their home, only going out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential. 

Shield confirmation 

Many people asked to shield will have done so already and they and their employers will have a good understanding of how to proceed throughout this lockdown.  

However, it is important for employers and workers to understand the changing nature of the shielding group.  

Since the start of the pandemic, workers will have come on and off the shielding list as their health conditions have changed. For example, those who were newly diagnosed with cancer and are undergoing active chemotherapy would have only just be put on the shielding list.  

To avoid any confusion, everyone who needs to shield will be sent a letter by the government to confirm their shield status. However, receiving confirmation you should shield has not been a seamless process in the past. 

In the first lockdown many people who were at very high risk from the virus were not on the list of those who should shield and, as a result, did not receive a letter advising them to do so.  

Government guidance says, a GP or hospital clinician can add individuals to the Shielded Patient List if, based on their clinical judgement, they deem to them be at higher risk of serious illness if they catch the virus.  

Workers who do not receive a letter telling them shield but who think they should be on the list should speak to their clinician or GP.  

Furlough 

It is vital that workers advised to shield should stay at home to protect their health, however, being told to shield and being able to afford to do so are two different things.  

We’ve been told that although employers have access to the furlough scheme not all of them are using it so often those most at risk from the virus, are not being furloughed.  

Employers should ensure that shielding workers who cannot work from home are offered an alternative role they can fulfil from home. Failing that, shielding workers should be furloughed.  

Workers told to shield from any sector, public, private or the charity/third sector, who can not work from home but cannot return to the workplace must be furloughed. And to ensure this group’s health, the job retention scheme should be open to workers who live with someone told to shield and who cannot work from home.  

Nobody should be losing pay as a result of an existing health condition and NHS advice to shield. No one should have to choose between their life and livelihood.  

This is why the government, upon the urging of unions, has extended the job retention scheme to the end of April 2021 and which means furloughed workers will continue to receive up to 80% of their salary up to £2,500 which employers can claim back from the government. Employers can, and we believe should where they can afford it, top up wages to 100 per cent. 

The government must also make sure benefits like statutory sick pay and universal credit pay the real living wage. It must repair the UK’s safety net as far too many people, around 14 million, were already living in poverty before the virus struck. Disabled people are disproportionality effected by this as nearly half of all people living in poverty in the UK are disabled themselves or live with someone who is.   

People who lose their jobs must get the support they need to make ends meet and to get back on their feet.  

Without fixing these benefits, many risk being plunged into poverty.  

TUC recommendations 

The TUC is calling on all employers to: 

  • ensure that shielding workers who cannot work from home are offered an alternative role they can fulfil from home. Failing that, shielding workers should be furloughed. 

The TUC is calling on the government to: 

  • raise the basic level of Universal Credit for the duration of the outbreak to 80% of the real living wage – or £260 a week  
  • raise sick pay from £94 a week to the equivalent of a week’s pay at the Real Living Wage – around £320 a week. 

Coronavirus figures for Wednesday 6 January

Scottish numbers: 6 January 2021

Summary

  • 2,039 new cases of COVID-19 reported
  • 21,101 new tests for COVID-19 that reported results – 10.5% of these were positive
  • 68 new reported deaths of people who have tested positive
  • 95 people are in intensive care with recently confirmed COVID-19
  • 1,384 people are in hospital with recently confirmed COVID-19

Local area data

  • Public Health Scotland’s interactive dashboard now provides a map showing the number of cases in local areas, as well as trends for local authorities and NHS boards

UK FIGURES for WEDNESDAY 6th JANUARY

62,322 new cases were reported across the UK yesterday.

There have now been more than 2.8 million confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK and over 75,000 people have died, latest government figures show.

However, these figures include only people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus and other measures suggest the number of deaths is higher.

BBC to offer major educational support during lockdown

“Education is absolutely vital – the BBC is here to play its part and I’m delighted that we have been able to bring this to audiences so swiftly.”

The BBC is set to deliver the biggest education offer in its history across more of its platforms. It will bring together BBC Two, CBBC, BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer and online to deliver a new education offer to children, teachers and parents as a third national lockdown begins.

Reacting quickly to the news of UK schools moving to remote learning, the new offer from the BBC will ensure all children can access curriculum-based learning, even if they don’t have access to the internet.

Starting on Monday 11 January, each weekday on CBBC will see a three-hour block of primary school programming from 9am, including BBC Live Lessons and BBC Bitesize Daily, as well as other educational programming such as Our School and Celebrity Supply Teacher and much loved titles such as Horrible Histories, Art Ninja and Operation Ouch.

BBC Two will cater for secondary students with programming to support the GCSE curriculum, with a least two hours of content each weekday.

Content will be built around Bitesize Daily secondary shows, complemented by Shakespeare and classic drama adaptations alongside science, history and factual titles from the BBC’s award-winning factual programming units.

Bitesize Daily primary and secondary will also air every day on BBC Red Button as well as episodes being available on demand on BBC iPlayer.

Tim Davie, BBC Director General, says: “Ensuring children across the UK have the opportunity to continue to follow the appropriate core parts of their nation’s school curriculum has been a key priority for the BBC throughout this past year.

“Education is absolutely vital – the BBC is here to play its part and I’m delighted that we have been able to bring this to audiences so swiftly.”

This TV offer sits alongside a wealth of online content which parents, children and teachers can access when and where they need it:

  • For primary, BBC Bitesize online has an expanded offer of structured lessons in Maths and English for all year groups – these can be used at home or in the classroom. ‘This Term’s Topics’ also covers other curriculum subjects and curates learning content that works for the Spring curriculum. This content can be easily incorporated into a learning plan or used to explore different topics at home. Visit bbc.co.uk/bitesize, click on the year group and subject and all the content is there.
  • For secondary pupils, Bitesize is also home to two-week learning packs for English and Maths in KS3 (years 7, 8 and 9) as well as This Term’s Topics for other subjects to be used at home or to support teachers in the remote classrooms.
  • For students in Years 10 and 11, the Bitesize GCSE offer allows students to pick their exam board and subject to find everything they need to help with their studies. Visit bbc.co.uk/bitesize/secondary for details.

Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, says: “The BBC has helped the nation through some of the toughest moments of the last century, and for the next few weeks it will help our children learn whilst we stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.

“This will be a lifeline to parents and I welcome the BBC playing its part.”

Educational content for all nations will also be available.