People on low incomes will be eligible to receive a new £500 grant if asked to self-isolate.
The new Self-Isolation Support Grant will help those who would lose income if they needed to self-isolate, such as those unable to carry out their work from home.
This grant is for those who will face financial hardship due to being asked to self-isolate and will be targeted at people who are in receipt of Universal Credit or legacy benefits, with some discretion to make awards to others in financial hardship.
Applications are due to open from 12 October and will be delivered through the existing Scottish Welfare Fund, which is administered by local authorities.
Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville (above) said: “Self-isolation can be tough, but it is essential to protect people and reduce the spread of coronavirus. To ensure people do not experience financial hardship as a result of doing the right thing, we are introducing this new £500 grant for people on low incomes who have been told to self-isolate.
“We want to do everything we can to support people throughout this challenging time and these payments will help ensure people do not have to make a choice between self-isolating and supporting themselves financially.
“While we continue to press the UK Government for clarity around consequential funding for the support scheme they recently announced, it is essential that we act swiftly so that people who need support are able to access it. I am glad that the scheme has the support of local authorities and that we have a means of delivering it from next month.”
COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson Councillor Kelly Parry said: “COSLA, on behalf of Scottish local government, welcomes this scheme. It will help ensure those who are affected and qualify are looked after and won’t need to go to work, which will help reduce the community spread of the virus.
“Councils have vast experience of providing local support of this type to communities and are the best placed to deliver this measure. We are keen to agree the details with the Scottish Government as soon as possible and look forward to getting much needed support to the people who need it.”
Minister says physical and mental wellbeing the priority
Scottish universities must ensure students self-isolating on campus receive the highest possible standards of support to maintain their physical as well as their mental wellbeing, according to Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead.
He was updating Parliament on the latest Government measures to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the university sector.
Mr Lochhead also said every possible effort is being made to allow students to return home safely at Christmas if they wish to do so, and that the Government is now exploring the merits of some ‘targeted surveillance COVID testing’, to better understand the level of asymptomatic cases of the virus among the student population.
Universities Scotland, which represents Scotland’s 19 universities and higher education institutions, has now confirmed a package of 10 measures it will be using to support student wellbeing.
The Government published additional guidance to inform students wishing to return home right now, of their options and how the latest national restrictions apply to student households.
Mr Lochhead said the Government continues to work alongside universities, accommodation providers, unions, and other key stakeholders to keep campuses and their wider communities safe, and to support students and staff to comply with existing COVID-19 measures.
In its planning for the return of thousands of students for the new academic year, Mr Lochhead added the Government had balanced the negative impact of limiting access to education on students’ personal development, their wellbeing and life chances, with the country also needing the stream of talented and trained individuals produced by Scotland’s world-leading colleges and universities that underpins the economy.
He emphasised to manage that, the Government had consistently planned for some face-to-face teaching in colleges and universities as part of a blended return to campus, during phase three of the Government’s route map.
Mr Lochhead said: “Universities and student accommodation providers have a duty of care to their students – right now, this must be their number one priority and I expect them to take every possible step to look after their safety and wellbeing.
“That is why all universities will now provide a stay-at-campus support package for any students self-isolating, and we have asked the sector to ensure that’s gold standard.
“Our key message right now encourages students to remain living in their current households and on campus if they are able to. We are now working together with the sector on the best approaches on how to handle the Christmas break.
“Universities should also look sympathetically at students who have left or want to serve notice on their tenancy and re-apply at a future point – Ministers are urging the sector to apply the utmost flexibility on this point.
“We remain mindful of clinical advice about the limitations of asymptomatic testing and the need to prioritise our testing capacity. However, we are also exploring the merits of some targeted surveillance testing focused on institutions which present particular concerns, to understand the level of asymptomatic cases.”
An estimated 35,070 Scottish SME*s (small and medium-sized enterprises) say it is likely their business will close permanently in the next 12 months as a result of the coronavirus crisis, with this figure rising to 54,776 in the event that a second national lockdown is introduced, according to a recent survey by Virgin Money*.
The research is reported in the latest Virgin Money Business Pulse, which provides a comprehensive insight into the performance of the UK’s SMEs and the environment in which they operate.
Across the UK as a whole, the survey, which was conducted in early September, revealed that almost one million SMEs fear they could close if there was a second lockdown. Two-thirds (66%) of SMEs said their profits were lower in April because of COVID-19 disruptions, including 21% whose profits took a hit of more than 50%.
Despite lockdown restrictions easing over the summer months, 64% of profits SMEs’ profits over the past 30 days decreased due to coronavirus-related disruption, compared to expected profits for this period prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. 55% of these businesses believe it will take more than six months for profits to recover to pre-lockdown levels.
Underlining the continuing precarious situation for SMEs, 17% of businesses say it is very likely or somewhat likely they will be forced to close permanently in the next 12 months. This number rises to almost a quarter (24%) when considered in the context of a potential second national lockdown, similar to that seen in March and April.
A key turning point for SMEs will be the closure of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme at the end of October. 42% of SMEs (excluding sole traders) expect their workforce to be smaller in December than it is in September. The new Job Support Scheme coming into force on 1 November is less generous than the furlough scheme, and so represents a significant withdrawal of fiscal stimulus.
However, the survey also uncovers some positives, with 15% of SMEs stating their profits were unaffected during lockdown and 10% noting their profits were higher, as demand for specific products, such as food and PPE, increased.
In addition, the lockdown has prompted almost a quarter (23%) of SMEs to update their strategy, 21% to reshape their vision, and 12% have improved existing products and services.
The Virgin Money Business Pulse covers the first half of 2020, which captures the start of the COVID-19 crisis.
The scale of the challenges experienced by SMEs is reflected in the Virgin Money Business Pulse, which fell to its lowest ever level of 32.9 in the second quarter of 2020.
This was driven by record-low scores in the revenue, GDP and capacity indicators, although gains were made in the business costs and lending indicators.
Rock bottom commodity prices and falling wages have provided some relief to SMEs in the form of declining business costs. Similarly, government-backed loans as part of the fiscal response to the pandemic, led to a record jump in SMEs’ borrowing, which has improved the lending indicator.
Elsewhere in the Virgin Money Business Pulse, the new Regional Rebalancing Tracker, which records regional economic inequalities in the UK, reveals the economic divide between London and the South East and the rest of the UK has continued to widen in the past six years.
Scores are calculated based on a region’s convergence to the level of economic prosperity and opportunity in London and the South East. The tracker reached a record low of 38.6 points in Q2 2020, with the lowest levels of convergence in the North East of England and the East Midlands.
Scotland’s individual Regional Rebalancing score was 37.6 in Q2 2020, with a weak rate of business creation weighing on the overall score. Productivity in Scotland is, however, the highest in the UK outside of London and the South East.
It is estimated that in 2020, workers in London and the South East generated on average £37.69 per hour worked. In Scotland, the corresponding figure is £30.13. This means that for every pound of output generated by workers in London and the South East, workers in Scotland generate an estimated 80 pence in the same amount of time.
Gavin Opperman, group business director at Virgin Money, said: “The results make for sober reading, but they are unsurprising given the extraordinary disruption of the last six months.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the deepest recession on record and recovery is slow, despite the national GDP figures regaining ground. The UK’s SMEs have experienced unprecedented strain, with sales and profits affected by workplace closures, supply chain disruption, diminished productivity and declining household incomes.
“Despite the pickup in economic activity in the summer months, businesses are by no means out of the woods. As we head into the autumn and winter months with newly introduced restrictions, the next six months will be critical for many businesses.
“SMEs have shown tremendous resilience and innovation this year, with some excellent examples of creativity to pivot business models and maintain operations. But there is no doubt there are tough times ahead.
“On a brighter note, the pandemic may offer SMEs the chance to continue longer-term with the new and more flexible work patterns the pandemic necessitated, helping to rebalance the spread of wealth and opportunity across the country.
“We will continue to focus on how we can best support the businesses we work with. The future is always hard to predict, perhaps more so now than ever, but we will aim to be the best partner we can be as the UK navigates through the economic recovery from the pandemic”.
*Calculated by The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), with research conducted by Censuswide from 04/09/20 to 07/09/20, with 501 SME decision makers
Additional funding to help pandemic response and winter preparation
Scotland’s health and social care sector will receive £1.1 billion in additional funding to support its work through coronavirus (COVID-19) pressures, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has announced.
The funding will be allocated to NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships across Scotland to help them meet COVID-19 related costs such as additional staffing or sickness expenditure, enhanced infection prevention and control measures, and the purchase of PPE.
Ms Freeman said: “The health and social care sector has a critical frontline role in responding to the single greatest public health crisis of our lifetimes, and I want to pay tribute to all staff involved for their heroic efforts to overcome the many challenges presented by this pandemic.
“As we continue to safely remobilise our health and social care sector, the Scottish Government is taking action to support services’ capacity to deal with the ongoing presence of COVID 19, and continue preparations for the wider pressures of the winter season.
“This funding ensures the sector will continue to receive the support required to deal with the additional challenges of the pandemic, whilst still delivering the vital health, social care and hospital-based services the public rely on every day.”
Health and social care funding rose to more than £15 billion for the first time under the 2020-21 Budget, with more than £100 million delivered in excess of Barnett consequentials to support frontline services as part of the overall uplift.
To stop the virus spreading and save lives we need to act now. Stick with it Scotland, for yourselves and each other. pic.twitter.com/2RsHcgOpPb
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, yesterday – Tuesday 29 September: the day coronavirus deaths topped one million worldwide.
Hello, and thanks for joining us. I will start with the daily update of COVID statistics. The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 806. I’m going to make some important contextual points on today’s figure shortly but I will report the rest of the statistics first.
That 806 represents 11.5% of people newly tested, and takes the total number of cases to 28,604.
I can confirm that 302 of today’s reported cases are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 180 in Lothian, 91 in Lanarkshire and 54 in Grampian. The remaining 179 cases are spread across 9 other health board areas.
I can also confirm that 123 people are in hospital – that is an increase of 1 from yesterday. 14 people are in intensive care, which is 2 fewer than yesterday.
No additional deaths have been confirmed of patients who had tested positive within the preceding 28 days.
That means that the total number of deaths, under the daily measurement, remains at 2,512.
That total of course reminds us of the impact this virus has had, and continues to have. I want once again to pass on my condolences to everybody who is grieving a loved one.
Let me now turn to some points of context about today’s figures.
First, as I have explained before our daily case numbers reflects test results reported in previous 24 hours. Each day’s figure therefore reflects test samples actually carried out over the previous couple of days.
You will recall me saying that yesterday’s figure of reported cases seemed lower than expected. So today’s total of 806 includes a high number of results from samples actually taken on Friday and Saturday that we would have expected to see reported yesterday.
So that perhaps partly explains the particularly high number of cases we’re seeing today. We continue to work with the UK government to ensure that turnaround times for test results, which after a bit of a problem a couple of weeks ago have improved, continue to be as speedy as they need to be.
The second point is that, while we are certainly seeing rising transmission – and I am not underplaying that – we are doing much more testing now than in the spring, so comparisons of daily case numbers now versus then are not really particularly valid.
And of course Test and Protect is able to follow up every person who tests positive to ensure their contacts are traced and told to self-isolate.
So when we know transmission is rising as it is right now, it is actually important to know that significant numbers are being reported every day – that means we know about these positive cases and their contacts are being traced by Test and Protect and all of the work that Test and Protect has to do to break chains of transmission is being done.
The final point to draw attention to about today’s numbers is the age range of the cases. The majority are in the under 40 age groups – with the bulk of those in the under 25 age group – and that is of course affected by university clusters we’ve been seeing in recent days.
But the point I want to make today which is one you’ve heard me make before is that the fact that many cases are now in the younger age groups and we know that younger people are less likely to die from COVID than older, more vulnerable people, that mustn’t give rise to complacency.
Firstly, because young people can become very unwell from this virus and, while their risk of dying is lower, they’re not non-existent and we hear almost every day of what is described as ‘long COVID’ – of younger otherwise healthy people having quite long lasting health impacts from having had the virus.
But the other point about this is that, while we’re seeing a significant number of cases in the younger age group which is a phenomenon we’ve seen across Europe in the latest surge of COVID, it is the case that transmission amongst older age groups is also rising.
Around a third of today’s cases are actually in the over 40 age group and there are a number in the over 60 age group so transmission is rising across the spectrum of age ranges and I’ll say more shortly therefore about what we must all do to guard against transmission.
However, I will briefly address a couple of other issues first.
The Scottish Government Chief Economist has published his regular State of the Economy report today.
The report highlights that – year on year – economic output is likely to decline by 10% over the course of 2020. In many ways that is unsurprising, given the disruption caused to so many businesses. Nevertheless, that would still be the biggest reduction in output in modern times.
That is why the Scottish Government welcomed some parts of the UK Government’s announcement last week about continued support for employment and businesses. It is vital that some support for employers continues, after the furlough scheme ends at the end of October.
But we believe much more is still required and we want to work with the UK government constructively to that end. We can’t get away from the fact that the pandemic will continue to have a significant and, to a large extent, an unavoidable impact on our economy and support provided must reflect that.
The second issue I want to cover relates to funding for health boards and our health and social care integration authorities.
The Health Secretary confirmed earlier today that we are making an additional £1.1 billion available for these bodies.
This will help them to meet additional costs associated with COVID – such as buying personal protective equipment (PPE), safeguarding against infection; and paying for additional staff, and providing cover for staff who are unwell or self-isolating.
The funding will play an important part in ensuring that our health and care services can continue to operate well in the weeks and months to come.
It should help them to prepare for the pressures of the winter, to care safely for patients who have COVID, as well as resume services that were paused during the early months of the pandemic for non-COVID treatments and procedures.
Now let me return to the central issue of the day, which is the current COVID position. As is said earlier, COVID is on the rise again across our population and across Scotland – just as it is across the UK, Europe and the world.
I want to return today to the key actions that we should all take to try and reduce transmission and in particular, the actions we all need to take if we get a positive test result.
This is absolutely vital in helping control the spread of the virus. And it is crucial for all of us, wherever we live – there has been lots of focus on students in halls of residence recently – but self-isolation is essential for all of us if we test positive no matter where we live.
Essentially, if you have any one of the three recognised symptoms of COVID, you should start to self-isolate immediately, and book a test.
You can do that through the NHS Inform website. And I want to be very clear, while we’re not complacent and monitor this carefully, there is good availability of and access to testing across Scotland so make sure you don’t delay booking a test if you have symptoms.
The symptoms are a new cough, a high temperature, or a loss of – or change in – your sense of taste or smell.
From the time you realise you have one of these symptoms, you should not leave your house, except if you need to do that to get tested. You should not use public transport to go to a testing centre – if you can avoid that, you should instead drive or get someone to drive you, request a home test, or use a walk-in centre if there is one nearby or a mobile testing unit.
When you get your test result, if you test negative, and don’t have COVID, you can stop self-isolating at that point.
However if you have COVID, you need to self-isolate for a further 10 days, starting from the day on which you took the test.
Other people in your household should self-isolate for 14 days. They need to self-isolate for longer because if they get COVID from you, their infectious period will probably start a few days after yours did.
In addition, if you test positive someone from Test and Protect will speak to you to identify other possible contacts of yours.
And of course if you have downloaded the Protect Scotland app, you should also enter the code you have been given with your test result.
Once that code is entered onto the app, contacts identified by the app will automatically be notified. This is really important. Since we launched the app a couple of weeks ago, hundreds of people – who might not otherwise have been identified – have received notifications in this way and been given advice to self-isolate.
If you find out that you are a contact of someone with COVID – either through a Test and Protect team, or from the app – you need to self-isolate for 14 days. You will be told when that 14 day period starts from.
And the key thing to stress here is that self-isolation really does mean self-isolation. It means not leaving your house at all.
Because we know that’s really tough, we are working to put as much support in place as possible. For example, we are working with local authorities to ensure that when someone is asked by Test and Protect to self-isolate, they are contacted and offered essential practical support – for example help with delivery of food and other essentials. You can also dial the national assistance hotline if you need to self-isolate and need some help on 0800 111 4000. That’s 0800 111 4000.
As I said last week, we are also introducing financial support of £500 for those on low incomes as a way of supporting people to do the right thing. More details of that will be available later this week.
But although self-isolation is tough, it is also essential.
So please do self-isolate when you need to. It is one of the key ways in which we can help ensure that the virus does not spread to new households. And it is one of the ways in which all of us, at various times, may well be required to play our part in tackling the spread of the virus.
Now I’ve spent some time on self-isolation because it is so important and we want to make sure people understand why it’s so important and also what needs to be done when you’re asked to self-isolate and the support that is available. But there are of course other steps we must all take to try to reduce transmission.
So let me end with a quick recap of what those other steps are:
With some limited exceptions, none of us should be visiting each other’s homes at the moment.
When we do meet other households – outdoors, or in indoor public places – we must not meet in groups of more than six people from a maximum of two households.
We should all try to limit our visits to, and social interactions in, places like pubs and restaurants.
We should work from home if we can.
We should all download the Protect Scotland app, if we can.
And finally, all of us in all our interactions, should remember FACTS:
face coverings
avoid crowded places
clean hands and hard surfaces
maintain a two metre distance from people from other households
and – as I have already talked about today – immediately self-isolate, and book a test, if you have any of the recognised symptoms
These rules are not easy to comply with and they are a huge inconvenience to all of us in our daily lives. But they are essential right now to ensure that all of us are playing our part in trying to stem the increase in COVID and bring the virus back under control.
So again, my thanks to everybody for all of the many sacrifices that I know are being made the length and breadth of the country.
Expertise and experience wanted to help tackle poverty and inequality
Ideas are being gathered to drive a fairer recovery in the wake of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Organisations and community groups are being asked to share ideas and evidence based on their experiences of responding to the pandemic, and their engagement with people with lived experience of poverty and inequality.
Responses will help inform the work of the Scottish Government’s Advisory Board on Social Renewal, which is tasked with building on the positive policy and practice shifts seen during COVID-19 to tackle disadvantage and poverty, and advance equality and social justice.
Analysis of responses will feed into the board’s discussions, and a report on the outcomes will be published later this year.
Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on the health, wealth and emotional wellbeing of our communities is vital to inform our response to and recovery from the pandemic. We also know particular groups have been disproportionately impacted by the crisis.
“That’s why we established the Social Renewal Advisory Board to focus on reducing poverty and disadvantage and advancing equality across a range of issues.
We now want to hear from the many organisations and community groups working on social renewal that will have adapted, changed and repurposed in light of COVID-19. There is significant learning on this to be shared and we want to capture that expertise.
“Our call for ideas and evidence will help us drive forward our ambitions on creating a fairer, more equal society and ensure that the voices of those with lived experience are heard.”
The call for ideas and evidence will run until 16 October.
An estimated £97.7 million was lost on shopping vouchers that went unused during lockdown, according to new Which? research.
The consumer champion found a quarter (25%) of UK adults had a shopping voucher – worth £45 on average – that expired during the period when many shops and businesses were forced to close their doors.
Almost half (49%) of those with an expiring voucher said it was automatically extended by the retailer, while one in seven (15%) said they had to request an extension.
However, just over a third (36%) – an estimated 3.1 million – did not receive an extension on their shopping vouchers worth £30 on average, automatically losing all the money they had left. This equates to an estimated £97.7 million across the whole of the UK.
Those from an older demographic were more likely to lose money, with almost half (46%) of those aged over 55 claiming they did not receive an extension for their shopping vouchers.
Around two in five (42%) of those aged 35-54 did not receive an extension either, however this figure dropped to just one in five (20%) of those aged 18-35.
According to the Gift Card and Voucher Association, the gift card industry is worth £6 billion every year.
Many retailers introduced new Covid-19 terms and conditions during lockdown and offered to extend vouchers. While some proactively reached out to customers, others were not so helpful.
One person told Which? they had emailed a retailer regarding vouchers that were due to expire during lockdown, and received a swift response extending the voucher, while another said they were left “disappointed” when they contacted the company who told them “hard luck, basically”.
Which? is advising anyone who had a voucher that expired during lockdown to contact the company to try and get an extension. All retailers should also be reasonable and extend vouchers that customers were not able to use during lockdown.
Anyone considering buying shopping vouchers should be wary, as coronavirus has had a severe financial impact on many retailers – with some big names disappearing from the high street altogether. The possibility of further coronavirus lockdown restrictions in the near future could also make it difficult to spend vouchers.
Adam French, Which? Consumer Rights Expert, said:“Our research suggests consumers may have lost tens of millions of pounds on expired vouchers during lockdown.
“Many retailers have extended shopping vouchers that expired during lockdown, so if you have a voucher you were unable to use it is worth contacting the company.
“Anyone considering buying a voucher should be aware of the risks, as some well-known retailers have collapsed in recent months and further coronavirus restrictions could make it difficult to spend vouchers and gift cards.”
Additional guidance has been published for those living in student households after new measures were announced last week to protect the population from the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science Richard Lochhead has written to college and university principals and student accommodation provider networks to set out the new guidance. It has been developed in consultation with the National Union of Students Scotland and Universities Scotland.
The guidance is intended to address questions from students and encourages them to remain on campus if they are able to do so. It outlines what students can and cannot do and what they need to think about if they are considering a return home on a permanent basis.
This includes where students are isolating and require support to allow them to comply with the requirement to self-isolate. Under the guidance, the household students are returning to are asked to also self-isolate and states that public transport should not be used.
Mr Lochhead said: “Our priority is to try and keep people safe from a virus that, even for young people, can do a lot of damage to physical health.
“We would encourage students to remain living in their current accommodation where they are able to, so they can continue to benefit from both a blend of digital and in-person learning, where that is possible and the opportunity to engage with others, within the restrictions, to build new networks and to make new friends.
“However, we know that many students may be struggling with the prospect of not being able to return home to visit family and other support networks, especially if is the first time in their life they have been away from home.
“Knowing what to consider in deciding whether to return home will help support wellbeing and enable students to make informed choices, but it is important to stress that adjusting to life away from home is always challenging.
“And, as the First Minister has made clear, we are strongly advising that students do not visit pubs and restaurants for the remainder of this weekend.
“I’d like to thank students for playing their role at this very difficult time when they are trying to benefit from further and higher education against a backdrop of a global pandemic.”
Responding to the updated guidance, NUS Scotland said: “Today’s guidance provides welcome clarity to the students in halls, who will be considering their next steps.
“We welcome that students will be able to return home on a permanent basis.
“However, we are disappointed that the government continues to talk up in-person teaching, which may keep students on campus and increase risks unnecessarily. We continue to call on the Scottish Government to strengthen teaching guidance so remote learning is the default, and a reality for as many students as possible.
“We recognise that some students may want to return to halls at a later date. We would welcome this opportunity to be open to them, so long as it is safe to do so.
“Students can, by law, end their student accommodation contracts by serving notice for Covid-19 related reasons. We’re calling for institutions and private providers to go further. This isn’t what students signed up for. If students want to end their contracts and return home, they should be fully refunded. And if they wish to defer study, they should be supported to do so.
“For those who wish to remain in halls, they must be provided with first-class support from their institutions – including practical support like food deliveries, as well as mental health and wellbeing support. They deserve nothing less.
“We also welcome guidance for students who may need to return home because they require the support of a friend, family member or other supportive person, to allow them to comply with the requirement to self-isolate.”
The body representing Scottish universities said student welfare must be a priority.
Responding to the additional guidance, Professor Gerry McCormac, Convener of Universities Scotland and Principal of the University of Stirling said:“With the support of their universities, students need to choose what is right for their own physical and mental health.
“Unfortunately the current situation with this pandemic means these choices do need to be balanced within the wider public health context. There is a real benefit, we believe, in staying at university this semester and benefiting from the blend of both digital and in-person learning and the wider range of services and support that is available.
“The Scottish Government’s additional guidance about households puts the emphasis on staying within existing households and avoiding overnight stays elsewhere for now, but not at the expense of an individual’s wellbeing. It also makes clear that a change of household is possible but offers guidance to limit this to cases where a change then become the person’s main or only residence on a long-term basis.
“It has been a very difficult start to the new academic year for the entire student community, both those returning to university and in particular, those attending for the first time. It is particularly worrying for the students who have tested positive for COVID-19 and for those who have been asked to isolate to protect other students, staff and the local community.
“A great deal has been asked of students in recent times so that the transmission of the virus can be limited, but the prevalence of this virus has been increasing for several weeks and while students have been severely affected, the responsibility for this increase does not just lie with them.
“Nonetheless we must do all we can to curtail the spreads of this deadly disease while ensuring students and staff are fully supported. Universities are providing practical, emotional and financial support to students and every student should feel able to reach out and ask for any support they need – we’re here for you.
“We’re all facing unprecedented challenges whilst trying to protect education as a priority, second only to public health. In institutions, student leaders have been and continue to be a key part of the planning process for managing the virus and there is wide support for the actions taken.
“Looking ahead, the student voice will be a key part of discussions regarding how to manage the approach to the rest of the academic year. Actions taken now to reduce the spread of this disease will help ensure we can integrate further with each other and our loved ones as we head towards the Christmas break.”
Temporary Coronavirus Act provisions due to be debated in the House of Commons on Weds 30 September could substantially restrict or curtail important, hard-won rights that disabled people rely on for their quality of life, says a new report by Westminster’s Women and Equalities Committee.
The Committee insists that they must not become new norms, setting back disabled people’s rights by many years.
The Committee’s scrutiny has focused on three areas:
Care Act easement provisions
Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have duties to assess and meet care and support needs that meet certain criteria. Where local authorities’ resources are severely affected by the pandemic, the Coronavirus Act can essentially replace these with a duty to do this only where failure to do so would be a breach of an individual’s human rights. In some cases this is a would be a greatly reduced level of support.
Temporary Mental Health Act provisions
The Coronavirus Act allows applications for temporary detention under the Mental Health Act (sectioning) to be made by a single doctor, and extends some time limits, for example the time someone can be detained awaiting medical assessment from 72 hrs to 120, and removing the 12 week time limit on remand to hospital.
Education, Health and Care Plan duties to young people with SEND
Parents of children, and young people aged 16-25, with special educational needs or disabilities, have a right to request their local authority carry out an assessment of their child’s (or their own, if aged 16-25) education, health and care needs (Children and Families Act 2014).
Where these met the threshold, local authorities have a duty to secure a package of integrated support known as the Education Health and Care Plan within 20 weeks. The Coronavirus Act gives the Government the power to modify this absolute duty to one of “reasonable endeavours”. Regulations also temporarily suspended the time limits.
The report also looks at the statutory arrangements for the six month reviews of the Coronavirus Act, arguing that the “take all or leave all” approach to continuing the provisions is unsatisfactory.
This is an interim report of the Committee’s inquiry into the impact of coronavirus on disabled people’s access to services [link]. The full report will be published [check] later in the autumn.
Chair’s comments
Committee Chair Caroline Nokes said: “Restricting disabled people’s hard-won rights must not become the new normal. This pandemic is an unprecedented challenge for Government but we must ensure that does not become a reason to turn the clock back on equality.
“The “take all or leave all” binary vote will present MPs with no real choice over provisions which have clear and obvious equality impacts for their disabled constituents, and which they may believe are no longer justified – either now or over the 2 year lifetime of the Act.
“The Government must demonstrate its commitment to equality by ensuring that any proposals which potentially restrict disabled people’s hard won rights are properly considered, and separately from the statutory vote.”
Care Act Easement Provisions
If the pandemic had been more clearly under control, the Committee would have recommended repeal of these. But given the precarious stage of the pandemic, and the fragility of the social care sector it accepts that they might need to remain over the winter. The report recommends that these should be kept under constant review, and if the pandemic stabilises or improves they should be repealed at the second six monthly review in spring 2021 – or sooner.
Detailed information about the number and groups of disabled people affected, and the impact on services, proved impossible to find. Together with a lack of published data, this left the Committee unable to scrutinise the impacts properly.
The report calls on the Government to demonstrate that it is keeping local authorities’ use of Care Act easements under thorough review and allow for proper scrutiny of data, and to publish Think Local Act Personal’s report and accompanying data on the effects of the pandemic on social care provision to inform the debate in the House of Commons on Weds 30 September.
Finally, it recommends that Government guidance to local authorities must make it clear that any pre-emptive triggering of easements would be a misuse of the provisions and could leave local authorities open to legal challenge.
The report also notes that the pandemic has brought a range of pre-existing systemic problems in the social care sector into sharper focus. There is an urgent need for a more sustainable funding solution; resolution of workforce issues including high staff turnover and low pay, and closer integration with health services, as well as a need to value this sector more highly. These issues will be covered in the main report.
Mental Health Act
The temporary provisions have not been needed in England so far, and evidence suggests that future need is unlikely. These also go against the grain of long awaited MHA reforms intended to address inequalities in the system.
The Committee recommends that the Government should either repeal these, or suspend them – leaving the option of reinstating them if they become needed; if the pandemic stabilises or improves they should be repealed at the second six monthly review in spring 2021 – or sooner.
Local authorities: Education Health and Care Plan duties to children and young people with SEND
Was it really necessary to leave many children and young people with SEND with little or no support for three months? The Committee accepts that local authorities needed some flexibility with these duties at the peak of the pandemic, but calls on the Department of Education to review its processes with a view to making faster decisions to return to full duties.
It also calls for: clearer Government guidance on fulfilling the ‘reasonable endeavours’ duty, including minimum standards and a range of examples of good practice; a clear national strategy for managing the backlog of assessments; and for any future relaxation of duties to be local, in direct response to local effects of the pandemic, rather than national.
The Committee heard evidence that the pandemic had exacerbated pre-existing and widely acknowledged systemic issues in the wider SEND system including: funding, inconsistencies in provision, poor integration of services and a lack of accountability in the system. These will be considered in detail in the main report later in the autumn.
There’s more to come
While the temporary measures discussed here are an important part of many disabled people’s concerns about the unequal impact of the pandemic, this interim report does not provided a full picture of their lived experience.
The Committee has heard a much wider range of evidence and will publish a main report later in the autumn. This will scrutinise the clarity and accessibility of the Government’s consultation and communications, and disabled people’s wider experience of accessing health and social care.
These Frequently Asked Questions bring together some of the questions parents and carers have asked since schools started back following the summer break:
If you have other questions please look at the NHS Inform website or ask your child’s school. The school will contact NHS Lothian Health Protection Team if they need help giving you an answer.
COVID-19 symptoms and testing
COVID-19 symptoms are:
A new, continuous cough and/or
A fever/ high temperature and/or
A change or loss in taste and/or smell (anosmia).
Note: A new, continuous cough means coughing for longer than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours. If you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual.
If you or your child have developed one or more of these symptoms (however mild) stay at home for 10 days from the start of your symptoms and arrange a test. (More information about testing is at the end of these FAQs.) Do not go to your GP, pharmacy or hospital.
Everyone in your household should remain at home until you get the result of the test, then follow the advice you will be given with the result. (See more on NHS Inform.)
It is important that anyone with one or more of the COVID-19 symptoms gets tested, so that anyone who tests positive knows to stay at home and self-isolate. The rest of their household should also stay at home and self-isolate, even if they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms themselves.
1.What happens if a child develops symptoms of COVID-19 while in school?
All schools have information from NHS Lothian Health Protection Team, and plans in place for how to respond to any potential cases in school.
Children and young people should know to inform an adult in school if they develop any symptoms.
If your child develops COVID-19 symptoms while in school, they will be looked after safely and appropriately until they can be collected. As with any child who feels unwell at school, staff will do their best to comfort and reassure your child.
Other siblings in the school, or in other schools, should also return home as soon as possible and self-isolate with their household (see question 2, below). All members of the household should remain at home until the person with symptoms gets tested. They should then follow the advice given with the test result. (See more on NHS Inform.)
2.Does the household need to isolate if a child develops symptoms?
Yes. If your child develops one or more of the COVID-19 symptoms they should self-isolate and the rest of the household should self-isolate (stay at home) too. You should arrange a test for your child. You should all remain at home until you get the result of the test, then follow the advice you will be given with the result. (See more on NHS Inform.)
The rest of the household should not get tested unless they develop one or more of the COVID-19 symptoms.
3.What happens if someone in school tests positive?
Test and Protect is Scotland’s public health response to stopping the spread of coronavirus. When someone tests positive for COVID-19 they will get a phone call from Test and Protect. For children under the age of 16, the parent or carer will be contacted. Test and Protect give advice and take details of any recent close contacts. They will talk through what a close contact is. Those contacts will be called by Test and Protect and asked to self-isolate and stay at home for 14 days.
If someone at your child’s school tests positive, or there are multiple people with symptoms, the NHS Lothian Health Protection Team will carry out a risk assessment and will support the school to ensure necessary steps are taken and all close contacts are identified and contacted. They will only know what further steps need to be taken once the risk assessment has taken place. The circumstances and the next steps may be different in different schools.
Parents and carers will be informed that there is a positive case in school. Unless you are contacted and advised otherwise, your child should attend school as normal, provided they are well and have no symptoms of COVID-19.
4.What is close contact?
Somebody who has been near someone with coronavirus and could have been infected. Close contacts may have been near the infected person at some point in the 48 hours before their symptoms appeared, or at any time since their symptoms appeared. Being near someone means:
Face to face contact with the person within 1 metre for any length of time
Within 1 metre of them for one minute or longer without face to face contact
Within 1-2 metres of them for 15 minutes or more.
The closer the contact, the higher the risk.
If you have been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive, they will pass your details on to Test and Protect and you will be contacted. Test and Protect will not tell you who the person who tested positive is, unless the person has given NHS Scotland clear permission to share this information.
If you are identified as a close contact you will be asked to self-isolate for 14 days, whether or not you have symptoms. This is because symptoms can take that long to develop and you can pass the virus on even if you don’t have symptoms. If you develop one or more of the COVID-19 symptoms, you should request a test.
5.If your child is a close contact should others in the household isolate too?
No. If no one in the household has COVID-19 symptoms, only the person who has been told by Test and Protect that they are a close contact has to self-isolate. Close contacts need to self-isolate and stay at home for 14 days from their contact with the infected person. The rest of the household can go to work and school as usual.
6.Should you get tested if you have been in contact with someone who has symptoms of COVID-19?
No. You should only get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19, or if you have been advised to get a test by NHS Lothian Health Protection Team.
If you have been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, Test and Protect will call you to give you advice.
7.Should parents/carers tell the school if children or young people have COVID-19 symptoms?
Yes, it is important to let the school know if children are not attending and why. It is important for schools to record any COVID-19 symptoms among pupils and staff, as this can give early warning of any possible clusters of COVID-19 cases. See page 1 for a reminder of the COVID-19 symptoms.
8.Will everyone be told if someone in the school or class has symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19?
Personal information is confidential and will not be shared. But those who need to take action – any close contacts – will be contacted promptly, and the wider school community will be given information as soon as possible (see below).
Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 will be contacted by Test and Protect. They will be asked to pass on details of any close contacts. Test and Protect will phone their close contacts and advise them to self-isolate for 14 days. Test and Protect do not share the name of the person who has tested positive.
If there is a positive case at the school all families will be given the necessary information as soon as appropriate steps are agreed with the school, the local authority and public health. This will not include details of who has tested positive. Information will usually be in the form of a text message to parents/carers asking them to click through to a secure link on their school’s website, or an email providing information, depending on the method most commonly used in that school.
The message will usually explain that someone in that school has tested positive and that robust contact tracing by trained professionals is underway. If they are not contacted they should continue to send their child to school the next day providing they are well and have no COVID-19 symptoms.
If you know of any children or families who have symptoms, or test positive, we would encourage you not to share this information. Anyone can be affected by COVID-19 and there is no shame or stigma associated with catching it. It is for each individual to decide if information about their health is shared.
9.If someone has COVID-19 symptoms, should they stay off school for at least 10 days?
A test is the only way for someone who has one or more of the COVID-19 symptoms to know if they have COVID-19. Testing is important in preventing the spread of coronavirus.
If you, or your child, have one or more of these symptoms you should self-isolate and arrange a test:
A new, continuous cough and/or
A fever/ high temperature and/or
A change or loss in taste and/or smell (anosmia).
The whole household should self-isolate until the person with symptoms gets their test result.
If a child or young person tests negative they can return to school if they are well enough to do so (as per standard school illness policy), and if theyhave not had a fever for 48 hours.
If a child or young person tests positive they should self-isolate for 10 days from the day their symptoms started. They should only come out of isolation after 10 days if they feel better and if theyhave not had a fever for 48 hours. The rest of the household should self-isolate for 14 days from the start of the symptoms, even if they don’t have symptoms themselves. If they develop symptoms of COVID-19 they need to continue to stay at home and arrange to get tested.
If a child or young person is experiencing other types of symptoms e.g. a blocked/runny nose, headache, sore throat, etc., but does not have any of the COVID-19 symptoms, the standard school illness policy should be followed. What this means is:
Children who have mild symptoms, such as a blocked/runny nose or a mild sore throat, but not presenting with any of the COVID-19 symptoms, can still go to school if they are well enough to do so. However, they should of course stay at home if they are too ill to be at school.
Children who do not have one or more of the COVID-19 symptoms should not get tested.
If your child is unwell with other symptoms and is too ill to go to school, you should inform the school in the usual way, telling the school your child is absent and what their symptoms are.
10. If a parent/carer tests positive (or has COVID-19 symptoms) should their child stay off school for 14 days?
Yes. All household members must self-isolate for 14 days if anyone in their household develops symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19.
The person who has tested positive must self-isolate for at least 10 days, and can only come out of isolation once their symptoms have improved and if they have not had a fever for 48 hours.
11.If there is an outbreak in a class/school will everyone be tested? Will everyone be sent home?
If an outbreak is confirmed the local Health Protection Team will carry out a risk assessment and work with the school and local authority to plan next steps. This will include who should get tested and who does not need to get tested. It is unlikely that everyone will need to be tested. The test is most reliable if you have coronavirus symptoms. However the Health Protection Team will sometimes test wider groups of people when there is an outbreak. This is an extra public health measures to control the spread of the virus, and only when the risk assessment suggests this might be helpful.
The risk assessment will also decide if anyone else needs to be sent home. A school should not usually need to be closed. Any plans to send pupils home will be shared with parents/carers and children/young people as soon as possible. The school will be able to organise learning at home for any pupils who cannot attend school.
Schools will close only when a public health risk assessment deems this the only safe option.
12. If someone is told to isolate as a contact of a positive case, should they get tested?
No, unless you have symptoms of COVID-19, or unless you have been advised to get tested by the NHS Lothian Health Protection Team. This is because:
A test won’t confirm if a person has been exposed to the virus. A person who has been exposed to the virus may go on to develop symptoms. People who have had close contact with a positive case may have been exposed to the virus. As a precaution they should self-isolate for 14 days.
Anyone who has had contact with a positive case should monitor for any symptoms (particularly for the 14 days after contact with the positive case), and follow the advice from the Test and Protect team and NHS Inform.
13. Do children have to isolate or quarantine if they have recently travelled from a foreign country that has quarantine restrictions?
Yes. If your family and/or your child return from an area with quarantine restrictions keep them off school and stay at home for 14 days. A negative COVID test will not shorten quarantine as it doesn’t show if you or your child will develop the virus. Updated travel information is on gov.scot
If your family and/or your child have recently travelled to an area that is now in lockdown, visit NHS Inform for up to date information about quarantine advice.
14. Will a test show if someone has had COVID-19 in the past?
No. The test for COVID-19 is a nose and throat swab test. It will only show if there is virus present at the time of testing. It will not be able to tell if someone has had the infection in the past – that would require a blood test which is not currently available.
15.Will we be able to access testing if we have symptoms?
Everyone is working hard to ensure access to testing is available to those who need it. We can all help by only requesting a test when we have one or more of the COVID-19 symptoms:
A new, continuous cough and/or
A fever/ high temperature and/or
A change or loss in taste and/or smell (anosmia).
See more information about testing at the end of these FAQs and on NHS Inform.
Infection control in schools
16.Do children and young people in schools have to physically distance?
The scientific evidence suggests physical distancing between children is not essential in primary school.
Children in primary school do not have to stay 2 metres apart from each other in school.
Children in primary school should stay 2 metres apart from teachers and other adults not in their households (where possible).
All schools should try to keep children and young people in the same groups. Groups should be as small as is practical.
Smaller groups will help reduce the spread of infection if a child or young person tests positive for COVID-19.
The scientific evidence about physical distancing is less clear for secondary school pupils, so they should be encouraged to physically distance in school where possible.
Young people in secondary school should stay 2 metres apart from teachers and school staff/adults (where possible).
Young people of secondary school age should be encouraged to continue to physically distance when not in school, including at shops and on public transport. They should avoid large gatherings. House parties have been linked to outbreaks and are strongly discouraged. See Scottish Government guidance for more information.
17.If there is a positive case in a class or group, will everyone in the group be a close contact?
Not necessarily. Test and Protect and the Health Protection Team will help work out who is a close contact and needs to self-isolate and stay at home.
18.Do teachers and other school staff have to physically distance?
Yes. Teachers and other staff should stay 2 metres apart from each other and from children and young people. Where this is not possible they should wear a face covering, and this should be for as short a time as possible.
19.Will schools help children keep their hands clean?
Schools will make sure hand washing facilities are in place. Schools will support children, young people and staff to keep their hands clean throughout the school day.
Outdoor hand basins or hand sanitisers (gel) will be available at entrances/exits. Help will be given to children who need it.
Hand washing is advised (instead of hand gel) for children with sensitive skin or allergies.
20.Will face coverings be used in schools?
Face coverings are made from cloth or other textiles that cover the mouth and nose, through which you can comfortably breathe. Face coverings are not the same as medical-grade face masks. If you are infected, a face covering may help to limit the spread of infection to people around you.
Face coverings are not required for children in primary schools.
Face coverings are not required for young people in secondary school when they are in class. However secondary school pupils will be asked to wear a face covering in corridors and other communal areas.
Schools may advise pupils and staff to wear face coverings in other situations, e.g. if there is an outbreak in school.
Staff in schools should use face coverings if they cannot physically distance from pupils or other adults.
21.Will school staff be required to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) e.g. a surgical mask, gloves and apron?
For most staff in schools, PPE (which may include a fluid resistant surgical mask, gloves, apron, eye protection) is not normally needed.
Schools have PPE supplies and training on how and when to use it. Examples of when it might be used are when caring for someone with suspected COVID-19 (e.g. if someone at school develops symptoms), or for providing personal care to a child or young person.
22.Will there be additional cleaning in schools?
Yes, all schools have an enhanced cleaning programme. Guidance from Health Protection Scotland tells schools what they should do to keep areas safe and clean.
Where children, young people or staff have to move to different desks there will be cleaning materials to wipe down desks and chairs before and after use.
Additional cleaning precautions are taken when a child or staff member has developed symptoms whilst in school.
23.What about more vulnerable groups?
Some groups may be more at risk of serious illness as a result of COVID-19. Guidance for people with underlying health conditions has been prepared and will continue to be updated. NHS Inform also has additional information that can support anyone in these groups who have further questions. Talk to your school if you need any more help or have any further questions or concerns.
The support required for children and young people with additional support needs will vary and should be considered in individual plans. Talk to your school if you have any questions or concerns.
There is some evidence that children, young people and adults from a Minority Ethnic background who are infected with COVID-19 may be more at risk of serious illness as a result of COVID-19. Talk to your school if you have any questions or concerns.
24.Drop off and pick up: can parents/carers enter schools and/or playgrounds?
Some parents and carers need to drop off and pick up children and young people. If so, they should take extra care to socially distance and reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus.
When dropping off or picking up children:
Please stay 2 metres away from other families/households. Close contact and large groups can increase the spread of coronavirus and could lead to an outbreak in school.
To help stop crowding at the school gates, only one adult per family/household should be dropping off or picking up children.
If your child can walk safely to and from school without an adult, or be dropped off and met at a safe distance from school, please let them. This will make physical distancing easier for those who have to accompany their child.
Parents and carers should not enter school buildings unless required. Please discuss with your school first.
Special arrangements may need to be made for drop-offs and pick-ups of children and young people with additional support needs and those using school transport, including taxis.
25.How can you protect yourself from catching COVID-19?
There are things you can do to reduce the risk of you and your children getting ill with COVID-19. Children and young people may need reminded of how they can keep themselves safe.
You should all:
regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, particularly before and after eating
use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
avoid direct contact with people that are ill wherever possible
cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or elbow (not hands) if coughing or sneezing. Put used tissues straight in the bin and wash your hands
avoid touching your face.
Adults should also:
maintain physical distancing, and wear a face covering if you cannot stay at least 2 metres away from anyone who is not in your household.
Older young people (secondary school age) should also:
physically distance from young people and adults where possible in school, AND physically distance when out of school
wear a face covering in school when in corridors or other communal areas
wear a face covering and maintain social distancing in shops and other public places
avoid house parties and other large gatherings
avoid sharing food and drink, and other products like cigarettes
consider how kissing and sexual activity might put themselves and any partners at risk.
Further questions?
Please get in touch with your school in the first instance. Or visit NHS Inform for health advice.
First-time buyers have less than a week to apply for the pilot First Home Fund, which has helped thousands to enter the property market.
The new scheme has been particularly popular since the housing market reopened in June, and is expected to support more than 8,000 households into home ownership by the end of the financial year.
Homebuyers who are completing purchases this financial year have until 6pm on 2 October to apply.
The fund, which offers first-time buyers loans of up to £25,000 for their deposit, was launched in December 2019 to pilot a new approach to supporting first-time buyers. The pilot will now be evaluated, with the results expected to be published in January.
However, recognising its early success, the Scottish Government intends to reopen for applications in the new year for home purchases completing in 2021/22.
Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “The pilot of our First Home Fund has been a huge success, helping thousands of people own their first home.
“The fund has been especially important since property sales resumed over the summer, and we invested a further £50 million in July to help ensure that first-time buyers could still access the market despite changes to mortgages caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“While the scheme is almost fully subscribed for 2020-21, I am pleased to say that I will reopen the pilot for the next financial year, and look forward to announcing further details of this in due course.
“In the meantime, first-time buyers will still be able to access shared equity schemes including Help to Buy (Scotland) and LIFT (the Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers), and I would encourage them to consider these options.”
Cameron McKenzie, who bought a two-bedroom flat in Pilton through the fund, said: “Thanks to the First Home Fund we bought our first home far earlier than we ever imagined, especially during these uncertain times! The application process was easy to understand and Link staff were very helpful.”
The First Home Fund was launched with an initial budget of £150 million. The Scottish Government invested a further £50 million in July in response to reduced availability of higher loan-to-value mortgages caused by the COVID-19 crisis.
