Tag: coronavirus

COVID: MUTANT VIRUS CLOBBERS CHRISTMAS AS UK FACES NEW LOCKDOWN

Restrictions tightened due to spread of new variant of COVID-19.

Scotland will significantly tighten protections against Coronavirus (COVID-19) to prevent the spread of the new, highly contagious strain of the virus.

Following confirmation that the new variant of COVID-19 spreads substantially more quickly, the First Minister announced that Scotland needs to act now. 

To keep people safe, the First Minister announced:

  • the planned easing of restrictions around Christmas will be limited to Christmas Day itself, and not the previous 5 day window that was planned
  • legal household limits will still apply – a maximum of 8 people from 3 households – however advice is to minimise the numbers. Where possible, people should celebrate the festive period at home in their own household and meet with others outdoors
  • other than for specific exemptions, travel between Scotland and the rest of the UK will not be legal
  • travel within Scotland will be allowed on Christmas Day
  • from Boxing Day, all of Scotland will have Level 4 restrictions applied, including the closure of non-essential retail and hospitality. The only exceptions will be Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, and the other island communities where restrictions have been reduced in recent weeks, who will be placed in Level 3
  • from Boxing Day, in line with existing law, travel across local authority boundaries between areas in Level 3 or 4 will not be legal other than for specific exempt purposes

The First Minister also set out new plans for the return of schools in the New Year. Teachers will return to work as planned and children of key workers and the most vulnerable children, will return to schools as planned.

For the majority of pupils the holiday period will be extended until 11 January and learning will begin online from then until at least 18 January.

All these measures will be kept under regular review.

The First Minister said: “Last week it was confirmed that a new variant of the virus had been identified in the UK, and I advised Parliament that a small number of cases of it had already been identified in Scotland.

“While further analysis is required to establish this one way or another, we already have a concern that this strain may be driving what appears to be faster transmission in some hospitals and care homes.

“That’s why we have decided to act and to act firmly.

“Firstly, we are asking everyone to redouble your personal efforts in sticking to the rules and following FACTS.

“Secondly, we intend to maintain a strict travel ban between Scotland and the rest of the UK. This will remain in place throughout the festive period. We simply cannot risk more of this strain entering the country if we can possibly avoid it.

“Thirdly, we now intend to change the law to allow mixing indoors in a bubble on Christmas Day only. The household limits will still apply – a maximum of 8 people from 3 households  – is the law. But the advice will be to minimise numbers as far as possible.

“My message is stay home, stay safe and enjoy Christmas. That is in your own interest and the interest of everyone you love.”

Speaking about beyond Christmas, the First Minister said: “To limit, as far as we can, the risk of this strain spreading further than it has within Scotland, we intend to apply Level 4 measures to all of mainland Scotland for a period of three weeks from one minute after midnight on Boxing Day morning.

“The only exceptions will be Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, and the other island communities where we have reduced restrictions in recent weeks, who will go into Level 3 but with strict restrictions on who can travel to and from those islands.

“The situation the new strain presents means that until we are sure it is firmly under control – until we are sure we are not facing the same situation as the south of England today faces, we must slightly change our plans for the way our schools work.

“Schools still open next week will close as planned – we are not changing that. They were then due to reopen from 5 January with all councils areas back by the 7.

“Instead of that, here is what we are going to do – for the children of key workers – such as nurses in our hospitals – schools will open and stay open as normal. They will also open as normal for the most vulnerable children.

“All teachers will also return to work as scheduled and planned. For the majority of pupils, however, the holidays are being extended until 11 January. Starting on that date, learning will be online until at least 18 January.

“After that, assuming we are confident we have the virus under control we will aim to reopen schools more fully but at least until then, schools will go online only other than for the children of key workers and the most vulnerable.”

Following the First Minister’s statement, confirming a three week Tier 4 lockdown in Scotland from Boxing Day, Rhea Wolfson of the GMB Scotland Women’s Campaigns Unit said: “The Scottish Government can’t wait until mid-January to roll out workplace testing for home carers – they need to find a way to bring this forward immediately.

“We can’t have 14,000 home carers in Scotland, supported only with PPE, working through a lockdown prompted by a more transmissible strain of COVID-19.

“Failure to act now to protect these key workers and their service users would be an exacerbation of the negligence they have already endured.”

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The EIS welcomes the decision to delay the return of pupils after the Christmas break until January 11th and that for the vast majority of pupils for this return to be to an online platform, with only the children of key workers and vulnerable children being in school.

“With a large number of schools already closed for the break, this late decision will once again create planning challenges for teachers but schools are much better prepared for remote learning than was the case in March. Given that the EIS has been calling for a ‘firebreak’ around the Christmas break, we view this announcement as being the correct one.

“It would make sense for those schools which are still open to move immediately to remote platforms.”

The First Minister’s statement.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had earlier given a statement at the coronavirus press conference:

Good afternoon, I am sorry to report that the situation has deteriorated since I last spoke to you three days ago.

Yesterday afternoon, I was briefed on the latest data showing the virus spreading more rapidly in London, the South East and the East of England than would be expected given the tough restrictions which are already in place.

I also received an explanation for why the virus is spreading more rapidly in these areas. It appears this spread is now being driven by the new variant of the virus, which we first learned about earlier this week.

Our advisory group on New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats – NERVTAG – has spent the last few days analysing the new variant.

There is no evidence the variant causes more severe illness or higher mortality, but it does appear to be passed on significantly more easily.

NERVTAG’s early analysis suggests the new variant could increase R by 0.4 or greater. Although there is considerable uncertainty, it may be up to 70% more transmissible than the old variant.

This is early data. It is subject to review. It is the best we have at the moment, and we have to act on information as we have it because this is now spreading very fast.

The U.K. has by far the best genomic sequencing ability in the world, which means we are better able to identify new strains like this than any other country.

The Chief Medical Officer last night submitted our findings so far to the World Health Organisation and we will continue to be totally transparent with our global partners.

There is still much we don’t know. While we are fairly certain the variant is transmitted more quickly, there is no evidence to suggest that it is more lethal or causes more severe illness. Equally there is no evidence to suggest the vaccine will be any less effective against the new variant.

Our experts will continue their work to improve our understanding of the variant.

So we are learning more about this variant as we go.

But we know enough already to be sure that we must act now.

I met ministers on the Covid Operations Committee last night and again first thing this morning, and Cabinet met at lunchtime to agree the following actions.

First, we will introduce new restrictions in the most affected areas – specifically those parts of London, the South East and the East of England which are currently in tier 3.

These areas will enter a new tier 4, which will be broadly equivalent to the national restrictions which were in place in England in November.

That means:

Residents in those areas must stay at home, apart from limited exemptions set out in law. Non-essential retail, indoor gyms and leisure facilities, and personal care services must close.

People must work from home if they can, but may travel to work if this is not possible, for example in the construction and manufacturing sectors.

People should not enter or leave tier 4 areas, and tier 4 residents must not stay overnight away from home. Individuals can only meet one person from another household in an outdoor public space.

Unlike the November national restrictions, communal worship can continue to take place in tier 4 areas.

These measures will take effect from tomorrow morning.

All tiers will continue to be regularly reviewed in line with the approach previously set out, with the next formal review point taking place on 30 December.

Second, we are issuing new advice on travel.

Although the new variant is concentrated in tier 4 areas, it is nonetheless present at lower levels around the country.

We are asking everyone, in all tiers, to stay local.

People should carefully consider whether they need to travel abroad and follow the rules in their tier.

Those in tier 4 areas will not be permitted to travel abroad apart from limited exceptions, such as for work purposes.

Third, we must, I am afraid, look again at Christmas.

As Prime Minister, it is my duty to take the difficult decisions, to do what is right to protect the people of this country.

Given the early evidence we have on this new variant of the virus, and the potential risk it poses, it is with a heavy heart that I must tell you we cannot continue with Christmas as planned.

In England, those living in tier 4 areas should not mix with anyone outside their own household at Christmas, though support bubbles will remain in place for those at particular risk of loneliness or isolation.

Across the rest of the country, the Christmas rules allowing up to three households to meet will now be limited to Christmas Day only, rather than the five days as previously set out.

As before, there will be no relaxation on 31 December, so people must not break the rules at New Year.

I know how much emotion people invest in this time of year, and how important it is for grandparents to see their grandchildren, and for families to be together.

So I know how disappointing this will be, but we have said throughout this pandemic that we must and we will be guided by the science.

When the science changes, we must change our response.

When the virus changes its method of attack, we must change our method of defence.

As your Prime Minister, I sincerely believe there is no alternative open to me. Without action, the evidence suggests infections would soar, hospitals would become overwhelmed and many thousands more would lose their lives.

I want to stress we are not alone in this fight – many of our European friends and neighbours are being forced to take similar action.

We are working closely with the devolved administrations to protect people in every part of the UK.

Of course there is now hope – real hope – that we will soon be rid of this virus.

That prospect is growing with every day that passes and every vaccine dose administered.

The UK was the first country in the western world to start using a clinically approve vaccine.

So please, if the NHS contacts you then get your vaccine – and join the 350,000 people across the UK who have already had their first dose.

Yes, Christmas this year will be very different, but we must be realistic. We are sacrificing our chance to see loved ones this Christmas, so we have a better chance of protecting their lives so we can see them at future Christmases.

As sure as night follows day, we will beat back this virus.

We will defeat it.

And we will reclaim our lives.

Research finds female employees hardest hit by pandemic and working from home

A review of research in organizational and workplace psychology conducted by an international team of academics has revealed the implications of working-from-home for women has been more disruptive.

The review paper, entitled COVID-19 and the Workplace: Implications, Issues, and Insights for Future Research and Action and originally published in American Psychologist, features urgent insight from UCL School of Management Professor, Sunny Lee into the sex- and gender-related implications of changes in work practices that have taken place over the course of 2020.

The review of research indicates the impact of the pandemic differs by demographic characteristics, such as gender. The paper reveals two key implications on the workplace; the first that work-from- home models will increase and continue post-pandemic and the second that although men are more likely to face direct health threats from COVID-19, women are more likely to be affected by the adverse social and economic costs.

Working from home is here to stay

The authors of the paper believe that face-to-face working will reemerge post-pandemic but will most likely return in a hybrid form which mixes face-to-face work with virtual work. Prior research has suggested that hybrid forms of working such as this are effective in increasing employees’ productivity, satisfaction, and psychological wellbeing.[1] And even with the option to work on an entirely remote basis, employees may choose to come to office regularly given humans’ strong social motives to connect with others.

Although working-from-home has turned out to increase productivity for some workers, it does also come with downsides. For example, research shows some workers are being burned out as they have to juggle caring for their children or other family members while working from home, whilst some employees feel distress and loneliness as they struggle with blurring work/non-work boundaries and miss out on social opportunities.

Given that working-from-home is likely to increase in the years which follow the COVID-19 pandemic, the negative consequences of such models will continue unless addressed. The review paper found gender and sex to be an influential moderating factor.

WFH more disruptive for women than men

Prior research has shown that in households where two partners are employed, women typically engage in household tasks more than men. And during national lockdowns and the closure of schools, the burden of household tasks tends to increase for couples with children as they become compelled to assist with children’s virtual learning.

Therefore, although working-from-home may increase overall productivity among employees, work may be substantially more disrupted for women, particularly those who have children. Indeed, a recent research (Feng & Savani, 2020) study showed that during the pandemic, among couples who are both employed, women’s productivity was more disrupted and women felt more dissatisfied with their job.

Additionally, the research showed due to their empathy and communal orientation, women, compared to men, may feel more isolated and stressed by working from home. A recent survey on 996 U.K. healthcare workers found that more females are experiencing emotional distress amid the pandemic (IPPR, 2020).

Sunny Lee, one of the paper’s authors and an Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour at the UCL School of Management, said: “The research has shown that the work-from-home model has been a success for many companies forced to close their offices during the pandemic.

“However, we can see on a day to day basis the pressure this is putting on women to find a balance in their productivity and home life and this something organisations need to be sensitive to if this model is here to stay.

“Interestingly, one of the emerging trends we observed was the success of female leaders in handling this crisis, with leaders such as Jacinda Arden, Angela Merkel and Tsa Ing-Wen able to flourish in these uncertain environments.

“Going into 2021 organisations need to be aware of creating the right environment, one which is sensitive to the needs of both men and women, so that everyone’s skills are able to flourish during times of uncertainty.”

Signature Group becomes first chain of Fever Free hospitality outlets in Scotland

SIGNATURE GROUP PARTNER WITH FEVER FREE™ ZONE TO BECOME FIRST CHAIN OF FEVER FREE™ HOSPITALITY OUTLETS IN SCOTLAND  

  • Adoption of FEVER FREE™ ZONE will instil confidence in staff and customers  
  • Hospitality sector across Scotland has been crippled as a result of lockdown restrictions  
  • Validated Temperature checks on entry, activating a six-hour pass will inspire confidence and afford both customers and staff, a safer environment for activity

Leading Scottish hospitality chain, Signature Group has confirmed that it is set to become the first group of hospitality outlets, officially endorsed by FEVER FREE™ ZONE. The new technology will be piloted in McLarens on the Corner – in Bruntsfield, Edinburgh – before being rolled out across other venues including Kyloe, Huxley and Cold Town House.   

Their decision to adopt the pioneering technology developed by Medical doctor, clinical epidemiologist and public health consultant, Dr Paul Nelson has been influenced by their mission to afford both customers and staff the safest possible environment following the outbreak of C-19 earlier in the year.  

Louise Maclean, Business Development Director for Signature Group comments, “This has been a really tough year for the hospitality sector in general, with so many outlets being forced to close their doors indefinitely as a result of government restrictions.

“As a business we have invested over £250,000 in covid mitigation since the outbreak of the pandemic and we are committed to doing everything in our power, to ensure that our customers and staff feel as safe as possible.”

Dr Paul Nelson said: “Our technology supports responsible businesses to become gatekeepers protecting the economy as well as reassuring customers of a fever free space in which they can spend their time.

“The six-hour temperature checks should serve as a strong reminder that the right to enter economically vulnerable spaces and ultimately the shape of our future is tied to our individual responsibility to do what we can, not to infect others.”

FEVER FREE™ ZONE could be the missing piece for keeping us in the lower tiers in the short term and may be required even when the vaccine is fully rolled out  . The simple integrated symptom screening membership service designed to enable businesses and customers to reduce the risk of exposure to people with Covid-19 is completely non-invasive and simple to operate.  

Temperature checks on entry, activating a six-hour pass will afford shop workers and patrons a safer environment inspiring confidence and boosting economic activity. If high temperature is detected, the shopkeeper will encourage the person to go home and the app will prompt them to seek medical advice and engage with the NHS. Anonymity is protected as data on temperature is never stored for an identifiable individual on the FEVER FREE™ ZONE system.  

Louise Maclean, Director of Sales and Marketing for Signature Group concludes: “Our vision is to nurture a portfolio of preferred, destination venues for socialising and experiencing the best of Scottish, independent hospitality for locals and tourists alike.

“We take pride in building a reputation for great people, great products and, most importantly, consistently brilliant customer service and this is why we have taken the decision to work with Paul and his team at FEVER FREE™ ZONE.”

Government guidelines should be followed at all times, such as wearing a face covering and maintaining social distancing guidelines.

For more information visit: www.feverfree.zone 

Over £45 million funding reaches Edinburgh to tackle impact of COVID-19

EXTRA SNP GOVERNMENT FUNDING TO SUPPORT COUNCIL SERVICES

The City of Edinburgh has received an additional £45.825 million from the SNP Government to support local services in Edinburgh and tackle the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Local authorities will also receive their fair share of a further £184.8 million which is currently undistributed but will be allocated following parliamentary approval.

The extra funding has also been provided to help offset the drop in revenue that the capital has lost during the pandemic and brings the overall support package to councils over the COVID-19 pandemic to more than £1 billion. 

The new figures come after Scotland’s Finance Secretary, Kate Forbes, announced that businesses, including taxi drivers, travel agents and those working in the hospitality sector, across Scotland will benefit from a new £185 million package of targeted coronavirus support.

Commenting, SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald said: “The pandemic has put enormous pressure on households, communities and local services right across Scotland, and it’s right that the SNP Government has ensured our capital has more funding to deal with this.

“This funding boost is supporting access to food, welfare payments and frontline services, and is just one way the SNP is providing to individuals and businesses to protect jobs and incomes.

“There’s even more cash to come – and if we all stick together, and continue following the rules in the coming months, we will beat this pandemic.”

The Scottish Government have committed an additional £791.9 million in COVID related funding to support local authority services, including the estimated consequentials of £90 million for a lost income scheme. 

The following table includes £607.1 million of that funding with local authorities receiving their fair share of a further £184.8 million which is currently undistributed but will be allocated following parliamentary approval.

LOCAL AUTHORITY AMOUNT (£m)

ABERDEEN CITY 19.404

ABERDEENSHIRE 26.247

ANGUS 12.494

ARGYLL & BUTE 10.137

CLACKMANNANSHIRE 6.147

DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY 17.707

DUNDEE CITY 18.586

EAST AYRSHIRE 14.844

EAST DUNBARTONSHIRE 11.185

EAST LOTHIAN 11.059

EAST RENFREWSHIRE 10.566

EDINBURGH CITY OF 45.825

EILEAN SIAR 3.634

FALKIRK 17.407

FIFE 42.516

GLASGOW CITY 78.600

HIGHLAND 27.229

INVERCLYDE 9.866

MIDLOTHIAN 9.914

MORAY 9.712

NORTH AYRSHIRE 17.313

NORTH LANARKSHIRE 40.672

ORKNEY ISLANDS 3.184

PERTH & KINROSS 15.102

RENFREWSHIRE 20.396

SCOTTISH BORDERS 12.717

SHETLAND ISLANDS 3.403

SOUTH AYRSHIRE 12.283

SOUTH LANARKSHIRE 36.332

STIRLING 9.821

WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE 11.658

WEST LOTHIAN 21.188

TOTAL 607.146

www.parliament.scot : facebook.com/scottishparliament : twitter.com/scotparl

Furlough scheme extended

The furlough scheme has been extended until the end of April 2021 with the government continuing to contribute 80% towards wages – giving businesses and employees across the UK certainty into the New Year, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced yesterday.

  • certainty for millions of jobs and businesses as furlough scheme extended until the end of April 2021
  • businesses struggling will have now until the end of March to access government generous loan schemes
  • Chancellor also confirmed that the Budget will be on the 3 March and set out the next phase of the plan to tackle the virus and protect jobs

In a move to ensure firms can access the support they need through continuing economic disruption, Rishi Sunak also confirmed he would be extending the government-guaranteed Covid-19 business loan schemes until the end of March.

These changes come ahead of the Budget, which the Chancellor has confirmed will take place on 3 March 2021. This will deliver the next phase of the plan to tackle the virus and protect jobs, so the extensions to the business loan and furlough schemes enable businesses to plan with certainty and access support in the first few months of the New Year ahead of the further update on wider Covid-19 economic support.

So far, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) scheme has protected 9.6 million jobs across the UK with more than one million businesses accessing loans to help them through the crisis.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “Our package of support for businesses and workers continues to be one of the most generous and effective in the world – helping our economy to recover and protecting livelihoods across the country.

“We know the premium businesses place on certainty, so it is right that we enable businesses to plan ahead regardless of the path the virus takes, which is why we’re providing certainty and clarity by extending this support, as well as implementing our Plan for Jobs.”

Business Secretary, Alok Sharma, said: “While our loan schemes have provided a vital lifeline to millions of firms across the country, we know that business owners need additional certainty as we head into the New Year.

“Extending government-backed loan schemes will give companies right across the UK the finance they need to support, protect and create jobs as we build back better from the pandemic.”

The Chancellor said he would review the employer contribution element of the CJRS in January, but decided to bring this forward to allow businesses to plan ahead for the remainder of the winter and the New Year.

The government will continue to pay 80% of the salary of employees for hours not worked until the end of April. Employers will only be required to pay wages, National Insurance Contributions (NICS) and pensions for hours worked; and NICS and pensions for hours not worked.

The eligibility criteria for the UK-wide scheme will remain unchanged and these changes will continue to apply to all Devolved Administrations.

Extending the scheme until the end of April means businesses across the country will have certainty about what support will be available to them.

Businesses will also be given until the end of March to access the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme. These had been due to close at the end of January.

The schemes have already provided over £68 billion in guaranteed loans, and helped to keep afloat business in all sectors of the UK economy who have been impacted by coronavirus.

We are extending the schemes now, ahead of Christmas and further into the new year, to ensure that businesses can continue to access the support they need to grow and recover.

The government has already announced that more support will be available beyond March, through a successor loan scheme. More details of the scheme will be announced in due course, with the government providing a further update on wider Covid-19 economic support at the Budget on 3 March.

The furlough and loan schemes are part of the government’s wider plan to support, create and protect jobs through its Plan for Jobs. This includes the Kickstart Scheme, more investment in training and skills as well as the Self Employment Income Support Scheme grant, with a fourth grant being made available from February to April 2021.

Commenting on yesterday’s announcement by the Chancellor that the Job Retention Scheme will be extended until April, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Unions have been pushing hard for the job retention scheme to be extended. This decision will bring some much-needed certainty for workers and businesses. 

“But the threat of mass unemployment has not gone away. The government must provide additional support for the industries hit hardest by this crisis – like retail and hospitality. 

“And it must create the jobs we need by investing now in jobs in green infrastructure, transport and our public services. 

“Fast-tracking spending on these areas will cut unemployment and help the UK recover more quickly from this pandemic. Ministers should take this opportunity to improve the scheme, with a minimum wage floor, clear support for training and better support for the self-employed.” 

On the need to help workers who lose their jobs, Frances O’Grady added: “We can’t afford for this pandemic to scar people’s prospects the way recent crises have. Ministers must help those who lose their jobs get back on their feet by providing a permanent boost to universal credit’. 

National Express increases services to meet holiday demand

National Express will be running extra coach services on its UK-wide network in the run up to Christmas to ensure people can get home safely during the festive season (18 December 2020 – 4 January 2021).

The UK’s largest coach operator will be increasing the frequency of over 35 routes, introducing 13 new direct services and adding more locations to its timetable – starting from 18 December and running every day, including Christmas Day and Boxing Day. 

Supported by the Department for Transport, they will initially be doubling the mileage of the network, making nearly 250,000 seats available over the festive period*; and will further increase the number in response to demand – all with covid-secure measures in place.

Tickets are on sale now with more availability being released as soon as possible. Customers are being advised to plan their journey and book in advance as demand has been strong.

Chris Hardy, managing director of National Express Coach: “Trains won’t be running on Christmas Day and there are limited services on others, plus the planned engineering works on the railways.

“We’re happy to step up to help the UK public get home safely this Christmas, when it’s more important than ever. 

“This is also good news for the network of local coach companies who operate services on our behalf, at the end of what has been a challenging year.”

Increased frequency routes:
Bristol<>LondonSouth Coast<>HeathrowManchester <>London
Birmingham<>ManchesterEast Mids<>HeathrowSheffield <>London
Cardiff<>LondonBath<>LondonHalifax <>London
Birmingham<>LondonAberystwyth<>LondonLeeds <>London
London<>DoverNorth-West<>LondonThanet<>London
Brighton<>LondonLeicester<>LondonBirmingham<>Heathrow
Southampton<>LondonGloucester<>LondonBirmingham<>Bradford
Bournemouth<>LondonNottingham<>LondonSouth Wales<>Heathrow
Bristol<>BirminghamYorkshire<>LondonLiverpool<>London
Coventry<>LondonNorwich <>LondonBirmingham<>Nottingham
Nottingham<>BradfordPlymouth <>LondonSwansea <>London
Birmingham<>LeicesterPortsmouth<>LondonNorth Devon<>London
Haverford West<>London  
New direct services:
Tyneside<>LondonTeeside<>LondonHull<>London
Edinburgh<>LondonGlasgow<>LondonLondon<>York (via Leeds)
South Wales<>BirminghamCambridge<>LondonBirmingham<>Hull
Cornwall<>LondonLeeds<>ManchesterLeed<>Manchester<>Liverpool
East Mids<>West Yorkshire  
New locations on festive timetable:
HullPeterboroughCambridge
ChesterSunderlandNewquay
PenzanceFalmouthLincoln
SwindonWeston-super-MareTruro

All National Express coaches have significant covid-secure measures in place including enhanced cleaning, reduced capacity, wearing of face coverings, temperature screening and additional air conditioning filters.

Anyone who has tested positive for Covid-19 so is unable to travel, can request a full refund or amend their ticket. Passengers who no longer wish to or are unable to travel as planned will also be eligible for a free ticket amendment*.

FORT KINNAIRD LAUNCHES GIANT GIVING BOX TO RAISE FUNDS FOR LOCAL FAMILIES

Fort Kinnaird has installed a giant giving box to help give back to those most impacted by the pandemic in the local community.

Located outside Tony Macaroni, visitors can use contactless payment to easily donate £3, £5 or £10 to Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids Mission Christmas campaign. The giving box will flash in response and say a special thank you following any donation it receives.

Cash for Kids Mission Christmas supports underprivileged children in Edinburgh, from birth right up to the age of 18, by ensuring they wake up to a gift on Christmas morning.

The campaign is a lifeline to families living in poverty, for who Christmas is a luxury they just can’t afford. While it won’t change their circumstances, it helps to make Christmas Day feel that little more special in a year that has been especially hard for them.

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “This festive season, it seems only right to focus on supporting the people and charities who are going above and beyond to help the people most in need in our community.

“We’ve designed the Giving Box to allow our shoppers to choose the amount they want to donate and have used a contactless payment option to ensure our customers feel as safe as possible. We hope our customers will enjoy reversing the role of Santa and giving back to this amazing initiative that helps make a real difference to children and families across Edinburgh and the Lothians.”

The centre has also launched a competition to reward someone who has gone out of their way to support the local community this year with £250 to spend on themselves at Fort Kinnaird as a small ‘thank you’ for all their hard work.

Victoria Hendry, Charity Manager of Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids Mission, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that Fort Kinnaird have selected Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids as their charity partner this Christmas. The Giving Box is a fantastic, innovative way of fundraising and we are thrilled to be involved.

“Our Mission Christmas campaign sees thousands of applications for disadvantaged children living across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife & Falkirk. At this time of year we appreciate the support from corporates and local businesses but this year more so than ever as we face the challenges of Covid. We thank the colleagues at British Land and Fort Kinnaird for their on-going support and look forward to seeing how successful the Giving Box is this winter.”

To nominate someone special you’ll need to fill out a simple entry form on Fort Kinnaird’s website to explain why you think they deserve to win: https://www.fortkinnaird.com/christmas/community-heroes

Throughout December Fort Kinnaird’s core opening hours will be from 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday, 9am – 6pm on Saturday, and 10am – 6pm on Sunday. Many retailers will be offering extended opening hours which can be viewed on individual shop’s websites. Free parking is available as usual and shoppers are being encouraged to visit outside of peak times if they can.

For more information about planning a trip to Fort Kinnaird, please visit: https://www.fortkinnaird.com/christmas/planning-your-visit

Six ways to have a virtual Xmas

Almost half of older people say they’ll spend the season alone

Many older people are set to ignore the Government’s easing of coronavirus restrictions over the festive season and spend this Christmas alone, according to a new survey.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon have announced that lockdown restrictions will be eased between December 23rd and 27th to allow up to three households to mix over the Christmas period.

However, in a survey of 1,000 people by retailer Chums, 46% of Brits aged 55+ said they will ignore this lift in the coronavirus restrictions and spend Christmas with only their household.

This news comes after SAGE warned that the UK could see a massive spike in COVID-19 cases in January if Christmas festivities carried on as normal this year.

A further 24% of older Brits surveyed said they are “less likely” to spend Christmas with another household due to the coronavirus pandemic. Only one-fifth of people (21%) said that they would carry on as usual this year.

Coronavirus is known to disproportionately affect older people and for many older Brits this is precisely the reason why they are choosing not to mix this Christmas.

One third of the older people surveyed by Chums (33%) said they were worried about theirs and members of their household’s health over the festive season.

Josh Rubin, managing director at Chums, said: “After such a challenging year, we are pleased to see that restrictions will be eased for Christmas to allow many older people to celebrate with their loved ones.

“However, coronavirus won’t be taking a Christmas holiday. It is still a very real and present threat to older people in the United Kingdom.”

“Our study has found that a lot of older Brits are not prepared to take this risk, especially since social distancing guidelines are still in effect which may be difficult for many households to accommodate.”

Have yourself a virtual Christmas

Chums has also created a list of six festive activities you can do over Zoom if your family cannot be together this season:

  1. Christmas jumper contest

Who will turn up wearing the wackiest Christmas jumper? In the weeks leading up to Christmas Day, each family member could be tasked to hunt down the loudest, funniest and downright tackiest jumper they can find. Every participant could also contribute a small amount of money to purchase a fun gift for whomever is voted the winner.

  1. Create and exchange your own ecards

A fun, environmentally friendly way to exchange Christmas cards this year could begin with designing your own online. These can be exchanged via email to see who has the funniest or most creative Christmas card. The more technologically advanced may want to make something on Photoshop, but there are also plenty of websites where the average Joe can easily design their own Ecard free online.

  1. Virtual Secret Santa

Secret Santa is a fun tradition for many families in the United Kingdom and there’s no reason this has to change because of coronavirus. Draw Names has created an online Secret Santa tool, for instance, where families can take part. Set a monetary value, find a great gift online and mail it to your loved one before doing a virtual unwrapping via Zoom.

  1. The ultimate Christmas playlist

No Christmas party is complete without the perfect playlist to match, and families who are unable to spend the season together can collaborate on one from home. Spotify allows multiple users to add songs to a playlist, which can then be streamed on your video call to liven up the party.

  1. Christmas scavenger hunt

Teams can scour their respective households for seasonal clues in a virtual Christmas scavenger hunt. Furthermore, there are many options for unique hints that can extend the game online. Who can find the funniest dressed-up pet via Google search? Or who can find the worst Santa impersonator?

6. Gingerbread house project

Whether they decide to hold a decorating competition via video or just enjoy the festive treats while watching a Christmas movie over Zoom, making gingerbread houses online is a fun way to champion togetherness and combat loneliness this yuletide.

Chums has even launched a competition where bakers who do this can share snaps of their gingerbread houses on Chums’s Facebook post and the most creative entrant will win a festive hamper worth £100. 

Headteachers and Deputes placed under huge pressure throughout COVID pandemic

The EIS has published a new briefing paper which highlights the views of Headteachers (HTs) and Deputes (DHTs) on the pressures of working in schools during the pandemic.

The EIS recently surveyed members across Scotland on a wide range of COVID-related issues and is publishing a series of themed briefings. Today’s report is based on comments received from HTs and DHTs in response to the national survey.

Key issues identified include:

  • Senior leaders highlighted that they are doing their best to implement the guidance to keep their schools safe, but there are just too many pupils in classrooms and in communal areas.
  • Some members suggested that the transmission within their school is not being reported.
  • There was widespread concern over the wellbeing of school staff who feel under pressure with their workload and are anxious about teaching with so many pupils in class full time.

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “Headteachers and Deputes have been under immense pressure throughout the pandemic.

“Many Headteachers and Deputes worked through the summer holidays to prepare schools for return after the lockdown, and have continued to work extremely long hours ever since.

“Added to this, HTs and DHTs have been compelled to take on responsibility for contact tracing in their schools, with little or no additional support. With some school buildings set to remain open right up to Christmas, many HTs and DHTs will be expected to handle track and trace calls throughout the festive period.”

A sample of comments from HTs and DHTs who responded to the survey is included below:

  • “The amount of additional pressure and workload on head teachers is disgraceful. Now working 7 days a week as on call constantly with no time back or recognition. Schools are not safe.”
  • “Quite concerned about the way in which the public health team is dealing with confirmed cases in school. Parent can report that child has tested positive before 9am yet it takes until 3pm for any decision to be made about the class/staff isolating.”
  • “All staff are working in a very stressful environment due to working within guidance and are exhausted.  Many feel vulnerable and would have appreciated being offered the flu vaccine as some protection against illness this winter.  Many are also feeling undervalued as it’s fine for them to work with 30 different families but not for them to visit their own.”
  • “My desire would be that schools remain open and that our pupils get the service they long for. If the public health situation is severe enough for a level 4 lockdown and all non-essential shops are closed, then serious consideration must be given to risk of staff and pupils in schools. I believe that blended learning is a half-way house and pupils would get a better deal by staff being fully committed to remote learning. The remote learning offer is now far better than what it was in April to June.”
  • “We are finding staffing incredibly challenging.  I currently have 50% of my teachers off and while we are able to cover, the lack of supply teachers available is very concerning.  I am concerned about the impact on the staff who are in and the impact long term staff absence is having on our children.”
  • Staff are exhausted and anxious. There may be a limit to how long they can continue under such pressure.”

Today’s briefing (below) on Headteachers and Deputes is the latest publication to support the EIS campaign #NotAtAllCosts, which argues against the government plan to keep schools physically open ‘at all costs’ even in areas with high rates of COVID infection.

EIS-HTs-and-DHTsDownload

The EIS is continuing to share members’ comments online and urges individual teachers to do the same using the hashtag #NotAtAllCosts and tagging the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in their posts.

Today’s briefing and further information on the #NotAtAllCosts campaign can be accessed via the EIS website at www.eis.org.uk/Coronavirus/NotAtAllCosts

COVID Christmas: Governments sing from the same hymn sheet

Clear messaging on celebrating safely?

A joint statement on staying safe at Christmas from the UK Government, Scottish Government, and Welsh Government:

As we approach the festive period, the UK Government, Scottish Government, and Welsh Government are seeking to balance pragmatism with the overriding priority of protecting public health.

To do this, we have joined together to issue clear guidance and recommendations, as follows:

A smaller Christmas is a safer Christmas, and a shorter Christmas is a safer Christmas. The safest way to spend this Christmas is with your own household or your existing support bubble in your own home – and we strongly recommend that this is what you do if at all possible.

We know the extraordinary lengths that people have gone to this year to protect their loved ones and the NHS. We know that people want to see life return to normal. And with vaccines now being deployed, next year we are confident it will do. But to get there safely, this cannot be a normal Christmas. We must continue to work together to prevent the spread of the virus, and to protect our friends, our families and our front-line workers.

In some areas, the number of people with COVID-19 is rising rapidly, as it is in much of Europe. It is vital that we all act responsibly over Christmas to limit the risk of further transmission and keep each other as safe as possible. One in three people who have COVID-19 don’t show symptoms but can still pass on the virus.

To protect you and your loved ones, we recommend that you think very carefully about the risks of forming a bubble. Discuss alternatives to meeting up in person, or ways of meeting up outdoors instead. Only form a bubble if you feel you absolutely need to.

If you do decide you need to form a Christmas bubble, take precautions to minimise risk by stopping unnecessary social contact outside your immediate household as soon as possible, and for at least five days before you meet other households in your bubble, and by working from home if you can. On no account should you visit another household if you, or anyone in your household, is feeling unwell or is self-isolating.

Scientific advice is clear: the longer you meet others for, the higher the risk of you catching and spreading the virus. If you do intend to form a bubble, you should keep the bubble small and your visits short.

The five day period is a window of opportunity and should be seen as a legal maximum, not a target. If you do form a bubble, we recommend that you meet with it for the shortest possible time. You should not stay overnight unless absolutely unavoidable.

It is particularly important to think about the greater risks to more vulnerable people. If you are over 70 or clinically extremely vulnerable, think carefully about the risks. The safest approach may be not to form a Christmas bubble.

If you do form a Christmas bubble, then be especially careful to observe the guidance: meet outdoors where possible, wash your hands regularly, keep a distance from those you do not live with. If you meet indoors, ensure good ventilation by letting in fresh air. The clinically extremely vulnerable and the elderly will be prioritised for vaccination in the early part of next year.

If you are in an existing household or support bubble with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable, think carefully. To help reduce the risks to their health, the safest approach would be to celebrate with your household or support bubble and not with others.

If you are forming a Christmas bubble you should consider carefully the risks of travelling at all. If you live in an area with the highest level of protection, for example, tier 3 in England and level 4 in Scotland, you should avoid travelling to lower prevalence areas where possible.

Each administration will issue specific travel advice based on its own circumstances. If you have to travel, book ahead to enable you and others to travel safely and plan your outward and return journeys carefully. Once you arrive you should stay local and not travel within the area.

If you form a Christmas bubble, practise safe behaviours: washing your hands, making space between members of different households wherever you can, and letting in fresh air. Following these behaviours, even within the home, will greatly reduce the risk of transmission.

We will all need to carry on practising safe behaviours after Christmas. This means shopping only if you can do so safely: shop online where you can; avoid crowds; and, if you are in crowded areas, wear a face covering and only go where it is well ventilated.

It is also really important to cut down on social contact after seeing your Christmas bubble, to reduce the risk of chains of transmission. This includes not meeting up with friends or family outside your household for New Year’s Eve. The tier or level rules will be in place on New Year’s Eve / Hogmanay and it is essential, as the minimum, that these are followed by everyone.

By taking these steps together, we can all enjoy a safer Christmas.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has joined with the leaders of the UK Government and the Welsh Government in issuing guidance on how the public should approach Christmas celebrations this year.

The First Minister has stressed that the strong recommendation of the Scottish Government to people across Scotland is to celebrate Christmas this year within  your own household and in your own home – and as far as possible to keep any interaction with other households to a minimum. This is by far the safest way to spend this Christmas and keep your loved ones safe.

However, certain flexibilities were agreed in recognition of the impact of loneliness over Christmas on wellbeing and the fact that some people will not be willing to leave loved ones alone.

These provide a window of opportunity and should be seen as legal maximum to work well within. The guidance being issued seeks to reduce risks as far as possible for anyone choosing to use these flexibilities.

The First Minister stressed that the following key points should be taken into consideration by anyone choosing to spend time with other households indoors: keep the duration of any interaction as short as possible: keep any bubble as small as possible; avoid travel and overnight stays unless unavoidable; and comply with all distancing and hygiene advice.

She said: “Our strong advice this Christmas is to stay at home with your own household. Any interaction with other households should, as far as possible, be outdoors. That is the best way of keeping yourself and your loved ones safe this Christmas.

However, we recognize that in some cases, the isolation caused by being alone over Christmas will in itself cause harm to people’s welfare and that is why we have created a window of flexibility with accompanying guidance, to ensure that any household mixing is done as safely as possible,

“If you choose to form a bubble over the Christmas period, then you should take into consideration these key points:

“First, minimise the number of people in the bubble – while three households is the legal maximum, our recommendation is that two households would be better, and you should keep as far within the maximum of eight people over the age of 12 as you can. In short, the smaller the bubble is, the better and safer it will be.

“Second, you should minimise the time spent with your bubble, especially indoors. The five days is a window of opportunity, not a recommended time that it is safe for you to spend together – indeed, the Scottish Government recommends that you do not meet up with people in your bubble on any more than one day over the period and do not stay overnight unless it is unavoidable. And you should minimise the distance you intend to travel.

“You should also avoid all travel between high prevalence areas and low prevalence areas – in particular, that means avoiding travel to or from Scotland and Tier 3 areas in England, and to or from any Level 4 areas in Scotland (of which there are currently none).

The First Minister concluded: “Being asked not to see loved ones at Christmas unless absolutely essential is one of the toughest things imaginable. But, this year, it is essential to help keep people safe.

“With a vaccination programme now underway, a return to more normal life is on the horizon – and I hope that the prospect of brighter days ahead will help all of us get through this difficult Christmas as safely as possible.”

The Scottish Government guidance on Christmas and the festive period has been updated.

PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON’S CORONVIRUS UPDATE STATEMENT

‘So have yourselves a merry little Christmas – and I’m afraid this year I do mean little’

It is just a week since the United Kingdom began the biggest vaccination programme in our history.

And the public is coming forward at an extraordinary pace to get a jab, to protect themselves, beginning with the elderly and the most vulnerable.

With 138,000 recipients of the first dose – and more joining them every minute – there is no doubt we are winning and we will win our long struggle against this virus which makes it all the more important that we hold our nerve this winter.

Because we are now in a race to protect us all while doing everything we can to keep the virus under control.

And thanks to the colossal collective effort in November we did bring the R below 1; we did get the infection rate down.

But I must be frank with you – we are already seeing worrying rises in some parts of the country: Kent is still seeing rising infections; the number of cases in London is at 270 per 100,000 people. And that’s why we acted quickly by moving London into Tier 3 from today.

And tomorrow (Thursday) the Health Secretary will announce the outcome of the latest tiering review.

And so like every other European country facing similar challenges we have come to this moment, a great global festival – a turning point, a time of year that is of immense emotional and spiritual importance.

But also a moment for us to exercise extreme caution when we must remember that one of the most striking features of this virus is that it spreads invisibly from people who don’t even have symptoms which is in fact around 1 in 3 of everyone infected.

And that’s why from the beginning this virus has been so hard to fight and that’s why it’s so important to follow the rules – and why this Christmas it’s vital that everyone exercises the greatest possible personal responsibility.

And having looked at the latest data – with our colleagues in the Devolved Administrations, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we have decided that the overall situation is, alas, worse and more challenging than we had hoped when we first set the rules.

So while it would not be right to criminalise people who have made plans and simply want to spend time with their loved ones, we are all collectively across the UK, governments at every level, asking you to think hard and in detail about the days ahead and whether you can do more to protect yourself and others.

We are keeping the laws the same – but we all want to send the same message: a smaller Christmas is going to be a safer Christmas, and a shorter Christmas is a safer Christmas.

When we say three households can meet on five days, I want to stress these are maximums, not targets to aim for.

And of course it is always going to be safest to minimise the number of people you meet.

And that means that if you are visiting others over Christmas, we are asking you – in the five days beforehand, as early as this Friday – to reduce the number of people you are in contact with to the lowest possible, because this virus spreads from human contact.

If possible don’t travel from a high prevalence to a low prevalence area and avoid staying away from home overnight if you can.

Remember, the vaccine is on the way and our aim is to inoculate everyone who is clinically extremely vulnerable or elderly in the early months of next year.

So if you’re elderly, the best way to minimise your personal risk is to wait to be vaccinated before spending time indoors with others.

And if you have an elderly relative, you might want to delay seeing them until they’ve been vaccinated.

And whatever your plans for Christmas, please think carefully about avoiding crowds in the Boxing Day Sales

And no one should be gathering in large groups to see in the New Year – remember the rules in your local area will apply.

In most places across the UK, I’m afraid that means you cannot mix with other households indoors.

All the information about how best to protect yourself and your loved ones is being made available on gov.uk.

So have yourselves a merry little Christmas – And I’m afraid this year I do mean little

But with the vaccine, and all the other measures that we are taking, we do know things will be better in this country by Easter. And I’m sure that next year Christmas will be as normal for every family in the country.