Following the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Aberdeen, people are reminded of the importance of self-isolation to control the spread of the virus.
Once a positive case is identified, contact tracers will call all of their close contacts and advise them to self-isolate for 14 days.
Calls from contact tracers will come from one number – 0800 0308 012 – and the identity of the positive case will not be disclosed.
Interim Chief Medical Officer Gregor Smith said: “Test and Protect is vital to help us suppress the virus and identify any local outbreaks like the one in Aberdeen.
“It is crucial that people who are identified as close contacts of a positive index case follow the advice given by the contact tracer and self-isolate for 14 days.
“If you are a contact of a positive case you must still self-isolate even if you get a negative test result. A negative result is not a substitute for self-isolating as people can be asymptomatic and test positive at a later date.
“Self-isolation, as part of the Test and Protect system, will help us contain the spread of the virus and help us move out of lockdown.”
People with any of the following symptoms should self-isolate and book a test at nhsinform.scot/test-and-protect or call 0800 028 2816 if they are unable to access the online service:
Care home residents will be able to receive more outdoor visitors from today (Monday, 10 August), Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has confirmed.
From today, care home residents will be able to have up to three outdoor visitors from no more than two households provided their home meets strict criteria, with infection control measures remaining in place.
Since 3 July care homes which have met this criteria have been able to allow residents to meet with one designated visitor outdoors.
A care home will only be able to permit visiting if they have been COVID-free throughout the pandemic or if all affected residents have fully recovered and no residents or staff have had symptoms for 28 days and the home is actively participating in weekly staff testing.
Visitors will need to wear face coverings throughout their visit and physical distancing and hand and cough hygiene will need to be adhered to at all times.
Care home providers have also been asked to develop plans on how they can safely allow one designated indoor visitor for residents within their homes. These plans must be submitted by 24 August and will be signed off by the relevant health board’s Director of Public Health once they are satisfied with the plan and the home meets all the criteria for indoor visiting.
Essential visits, including those involving end of life care, and visits for residents who are experiencing distress have been permitted throughout the pandemic and should continue to be supported by care homes.
Ms Freeman said: “This has been, and continues to be, a very challenging time for care home residents, their families and staff.
“Care homes are first and foremost people’s homes and we are committed to reintroducing measures that allow residents to connect with their family and friends. But this must be done safely and with precautions.
“Progress has been made since we reintroduced one designated outdoor visitor earlier this month, and I am pleased the clinical advice is now that care homes that meet the strict criteria can now allow residents to have up to three outdoor visitors from no more than two households.
“It is important that we continue to monitor this situation and that all changes within care homes happen incrementally and with real caution to protect residents and staff.
“At this point in time clinical advice is not to restart indoor care home visiting, but to ensure the necessary plans are in place to move to this as soon as safe to do so. This is being continually monitored and I hope we can give a further update on this in the coming weeks.
“We are also working to identify the necessary steps needed to restart communal activity within care homes and to reintroduce external outings by residents. This is a complex piece of work and we will of course include key partners in this.”
Scottish Care Chief Executive Donald Macaskill said: “The last few months have been exceptionally hard for folks in our care homes and for their families, being separated with only limited, often virtual, contact.
“At the beginning of July we opened up care homes to outdoor visiting and I am very pleased that in our slow journey back to normal life we can shortly allow the careful start of a degree of indoor visiting subject to local sign off by Public Health Officials. As well as this, it is positive that an increase in the numbers able to visit residents outdoors is now possible.
“Throughout the restoration of family visiting, we have tried to strike the hard balance between getting people back to seeing and being with their families and keeping residents, staff and others safe from the virus. We are very aware of how pernicious this virus is so guidance and measures will remain in place to protect everyone.”
Alzheimer Scotland’s new resources for care homes
Alzheimer Scotland has been working to respond to the main concerns expressed by callers to their 24-hour Freephone Dementia Helpline (0808 808 3000) and now have a suite of resources on their website’s Coronavirus Information Hub including podcasts and videos.
With temperatures on the rise again today Police in Edinburgh have made a public appeal for people to behave responsibly:
Last weekend saw an increase in antisocial behaviour and disorder, particularly at Portobello Beach and the Meadows. Dedicated officers will be on patrol this afternoon and over the weekend, focussing on engagement and early intervention, particularly in these areas.
Officers would like to remind the public that we still need to control the spread of Coronavirus and follow the guidelines from the Scottish Government.
Superintendent David Robertson from St Leonard’s Police Station said: “Last weekend saw small groups of individuals, intent on trouble, engage in antisocial behaviour, risking public health and disrupting the enjoyment of the Meadows and Portobello beach for those wishing to do so responsibility. Let me be clear that this behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
“Officers will be on patrol in these areas this afternoon and over the weekend and will continue to engage with the public, explain the legislation and guidance and encourage compliance. We will use enforcement as a last resort only where there is a clear breach of the legislation. Our ultimate aim over the weekend is to prevent further disorder.
“Officers have been specifically briefed in respect of early intervention, engagement and will make use of the Edinburgh street drinking byelaw, where it is necessary and proportionate to do so in order to prevent antisocial behaviour. As was the case last weekend, those identified as being involved in antisocial behaviour and disorder will be arrested and charged accordingly.”
“The Chief Constable has made it clear that we are asking people to take personal responsibility to do the right thing and remember the purpose of these measures is to aid the collective effort to stay safe, protect others and save lives by preventing the virus from spreading.
“Aberdeen going into lockdown is a stark reminder that the virus is still very present and posing a threat to our communities. It also underpins the importance of continuing to follow the Scottish Government guidance.”
Face coverings to be mandatory across more indoor public premises
Settings where face coverings must be legally worn in Scotland is expanding to include certain indoor public places such as cinemas, galleries, museums and banks, from today (Saturday 8 August).
Further rules for the hospitality sector, including the introduction of new statutory guidance, have been announced to increase compliance and keep the sector safely open.
While the new guidance won’t come into effect until Friday 14 August, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has emphasised that the hospitality industry should already be doing the right thing, and if not then they should start now.
Hospitality premises should be collecting customer contact details for Test and Protect. Tables should be pre-booked where possible, with no queueing. There should be no background music and TVs should be muted to reduce the need for people to shout or lean in to each other, and no more than three households at a time should be meeting in a group.
From next Friday (14 August), it will be mandatory to collect contact details of customers in a range of hospitality and public settings.
FM @NicolaSturgeon has announced that from tomorrow, Sat 8 August, face coverings will be made mandatory across more indoor public places such as libraries and cinemas.
If you wear a visor or shield, you should also wear a face covering underneath.
Face shields may be used but only if they are worn in addition to a face covering. While exemptions to face coverings will apply, the new settings face coverings must now be worn in will include:
any premises open to members of the public and used for the retail sale or hire of goods or services. This now includes: shops; takeaway restaurants; estate agents; and beauty parlours. This does not extend to hospitality premises such as sit-in cafes and restaurants
aquariums, indoor zoos or visitor farms, and any other indoor tourist, heritage or cultural site
banks, building societies and credit unions
cinemas
community centres
crematoriums and funeral directors premises
libraries and public reading rooms
museums and galleries
places of worship
post offices
storage and distribution facilities, including collection and drop off points
The First Minister said: “To say that the incident in Aberdeen is deeply regrettable is an understatement. But it underlines an extremely important point: any time one of us fails to abide by the rules, we put others at risk and give this virus the chance to come roaring back.
“That’s something which we simply cannot afford to do. We’ve seen – every day of this outbreak – how easily COVID-19 can spread.
“We need to do everything we can to stop it in its tracks and that is why we are expanding the mandatory use of face coverings in more indoor public spaces, and will be implementing further regulations for the hospitality sector. Many of these measures should already be in place as part of the guidance, but in order to keep the sector open – safely – we are now placing them in law.
“We are the frontline in making sure that Covid doesn’t spread, and so we all need to keep doing the right things.”
The Scottish COVID-19 Workbook has also been published. It brings into one place advice on how local and national public health agencies will provide support to prevent virus spread, together with advice on outbreak management.
Alongside the workbook the Scottish Government will publish ‘Sector Advice Cards’ that details how different sectors can take action to prevent the spread of the virus, avoid outbreaks, reporting and helping to manage outbreaks. The first Sector Advice Card for schools was published yesterday.
Further detail on the mandatory collection of contact information of people in hospitality sectors will be published next week.
Robust safety measures, monitoring, testing and swift information sharing must all be in place in every school and college in Scotland in order to ensure that they can open their doors and keep them open whilst minimising the risk of a rise in COVID-19 transmission in the wider community, says teachers’ union NASUWT.
As schools and colleges prepare to reopen, the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union is highlighting the need for robust systems of monitoring and enforcement to be in place in every local authority to ensure schools are taking all necessary steps to keep pupils and staff safe.
Teachers who are preparing for the full reopening of schools remain anxious that everything that can be done should be done to make sure that schools are Covid-safe.
The NASUWT is also calling for effective systems of information sharing from employers about local infection rates and clear protocols about the arrangements to be adopted by schools and colleges in the case of any local outbreaks or lockdowns.
While the Scottish Government says its test and protect system will be sufficient to protect school staff and pupils, the NASUWT is urging the introduction of regular, routine testing of all school staff and pupils in order to ensure cases are not missed, particularly given that children and young people are more likely to be asymptomatic for COVID-19
Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union, said: “While the vast majority of schools and colleges are doing everything they can to minimise the risks to staff and pupils when they reopen, it will be important to ensure that where appropriate safety measures are not fully in place, plans to reopen any individual school are paused to enable the necessary safety measures to be put into place.
“Teachers and other staff working in schools want to be assured that when they return to the workplace they will be afforded the same level of protection as staff in other occupations and workplaces.
“The Government and employers need to demonstrate that schools are ready to reopen safely and must not leave the safety of children, teachers and the general public to chance.
“Regular inspections of schools and colleges and public health communications to all staff, parents and in the wider community will be vital to guard against the risk over time that fatigue or complacency over safety could result in new outbreaks of the virus.
“It is important to remember that we remain in a public health emergency and the Scottish Government and employers must do everything they can to ensure that reopening schools does not lead to an increase in cases of COVID-19.
“This is why routine, widespread, testing systems, coupled with effective information sharing measures are so important, along with the mitigation and safety measures schools and colleges are being asked to take.
“There is a fine balance involved in fully reopening schools and easing other lockdown measures whilst trying to keep the virus under control. Ministers and employers must ensure that health and safety remain the paramount priority and that schools proceed with caution to safeguard the health and safety of pupils and their staff.”
Jane Peckham, NASUWT National Official Scotland, said: “School leaders and staff have been working phenomenally hard in very difficult and uncertain circumstances to ensure that they can safely reopen and many pupils and staff are looking forward to returning to school and college.
“However, many also remain anxious about their health and welfare and the provision of routine COVID-19 testing in schools, along with monitoring systems to ensure the safety of staff and pupils, would go a long way to providing extra reassurance that all steps which can be taken to keep schools safe environment are in place.
“Staff and parents also need to be clear about what safety provisions are in place in the event of any school-based or local outbreaks of COVID-19.”
The role NHS Scotland Test and Protect plays in containing future coronavirus outbreaks has been highlighted, as new research suggests people know their actions count.
With the vast majority (89 per cent) of people believing it necessary to follow the Scottish Government’s guidelines if the country is to get out of lockdown, NHS Lothian has reminded people of three things they need to do to help suppress the virus as restrictions ease:
1: Self-isolate and book a test immediately if you have coronavirus symptoms: a new, persistent cough, high temperature or loss or change in taste or smell.
2: If the test result is positive, you’ll be contacted by a member of the NHS team and asked to provide them with the names of people you’ve been in close contact with as they may be at risk.
3: If you’re contacted by NHS Scotland to say you’ve been in close contact with someone that has the virus, isolate for 14 days. Following this advice is crucial as it can take 14 days for symptoms to develop, and the virus can be passed on during this time.
The research, released as the nation moves through phase 3 of the route map, shows that the majority of people in Scotland (92 per cent) see the role individuals have in suppressing coronavirus as important.
However, with one in ten (12 per cent) saying they are less likely to follow guidelines if others aren’t following them, NHS Lothian yesterday encouraged people to stick with it over the coming weeks and months to protect themselves, their loved ones and keep their community safe.
Professor Alison McCallum, Director of Public Health, NHS Lothian said: “Test and Protect is key to breaking the chains of coronavirus transmission, protecting the progress we’ve made and helping to save lives.
“If you have symptoms, please self-isolate, get tested and share details of those you’ve come into close contact with. If you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive and are asked to self-isolate by the NHS, it’s essential you follow that advice. Support to self-isolate is there if you need it.
“For this to work, we need everyone’s help. If you have symptoms, we’re asking you to self-isolate, get tested and share details of those you’ve come into close contact with. If you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive and are asked to self-isolate by the NHS, it’s important to follow that advice.
“These three steps, along with following the FACTS guidelines, shows people you care about others, sets a good example, will help keep the virus under control and will allow us to continue to emerge from lockdown.”
People can book a test at nhsinform.scot/test-and-protect or call 0800 028 2816 if they can’t get online.
The website provides information on additional support available. If you need to self-isolate and can’t get the help you need from family, friends or online, you can call the National Assistance Helpline on 0800 111 4000. Local help is there for you behind that national number.
To reduce the risk of catching or spreading coronavirus, or being asked to isolate, remember FACTS – Face coverings, Avoid crowded places, Clean hands and surfaces regularly, Two-metre physical distancing and Self-isolate and book a test immediately if you have coronavirus symptoms.
During lockdown, the price of fuel hit a four-year low but new analysis from Which? has found that drivers were being overcharged at the pumps as sellers failed to pass on savings.
Rather than passing on the full reduction in wholesale prices, the consumer champion found that sellers were pumping up their own margins, which rose from 10p a litre to 18p – an increase of around 80 per cent – in the weeks after lockdown was introduced.
Despite a noticeable fall in the cost of unleaded petrol at forecourts across Britain, Which?’s study of fuel prices during lockdown suggests that drivers were actually still overpaying to fill up their cars as inflating margins allowed some fuel companies to pocket a proportion of the savings for themselves.
In March and April prices hovered between £1.02 and £1.04 a litre at supermarkets. In May, the price finally dropped below £1 at Morrisons, Asda and Tesco, while Sainsbury’s brought its prices down to the £1 mark. Independent petrol stations also followed suit but many remained several pence per litre more expensive.
Despite these noticeable savings, in the week that lockdown was announced in the UK, the average retail margin, which includes the cost of overheads and profit for suppliers and retailers, jumped from around 10p a litre to nearly 18p based on data supplied by the AA – by far the biggest jump of any week in 2019 and 2020.
For the same week in 2019, the margin was just 8p a litre and as little as 5p in April 2019.
The increase in margin may have been necessary for smaller independent petrol stations to survive the pandemic crisis, but some bigger independent petrol station groups – such as Motor Fuel Group, which has around 900 stations – are responsible for around 30 per cent of the market, and some will have made savings of millions of pounds during lockdown.
While this was partially due to financial measures introduced by the UK government, such as the business rate holidays, it raises questions about how high margins, such as those seen during the coronavirus pandemic, are set.
Currently, there are no established rules on the margins retailers can apply to pump prices, and, crucially, there’s not an independent fuel watchdog to monitor that these costs are fairly calculated.
Motorway services, which are privately owned, are able to charge large premiums for fuel compared with other forecourts. This also applies to the cost of items for sale in their service stations, meaning customers could be charged different prices for a cup of coffee if they stopped multiple times on a journey.
Which? found that sellers setting their own margins also have a role in regional differences and in the first week of lockdown, the difference in price between Northern Ireland and the South East of England was as much as 8p a litre for petrol and 6p a litre for diesel. Drivers in Northern Ireland get the best deal, because there is a proportionally high number of forecourts and therefore increased competition to keep prices low.
Which?’s own data also revealed that petrol is generally cheaper in towns and cities than in rural locations. But supermarket fuel forecourts, even in the countryside, are still cheaper than oil-company-owned petrol stations in cities.
Supermarkets sell 45 per cent of all fuel, benefiting from lower delivery costs due to the volumes they buy and sell, and bringing in footfall to their stores along with lower pump prices. In areas where there is less competition, particularly from large supermarket stores, drivers will get less value for money as independent fuel forecourts will be able to maintain higher margins with less impact on custom.
However, even supermarkets – which often reflect changes to the wholesale price more quickly than independent or oil-company-owned forecourts – sometimes choose to pass on any savings due to falling wholesale prices to customers through money-off vouchers instead of lowering prices.
In a survey, nearly half (45%) of respondents said that they use supermarket vouchers to reduce their fuel costs. However, the often high minimum spend requirements may mean that this is not a good value for money as it might seem, as those who can’t afford the minimum spend, or who don’t want to spend it, miss out on the savings on petrol.
The retail margin has already started to drop closer to pre-lockdown levels as demand returns to normal, but the pandemic has highlighted serious issues with the uncapped margins being set by fuel retailers, and the lack of an independent regulatory body to monitor these.
Which? believes drops in wholesale prices must be fairly reflected at the pumps and savings passed on to drivers, no matter where they buy their fuel.
Harry Rose, Editor of Which? said:“While there may have been fair cause for some fuel sellers to increase retail margins in order to survive lockdown, there really is no excuse for some larger retailers to be keeping savings for themselves during the pandemic. For customers to be charged fairly at the pumps wholesale savings must be passed on.
“If you want to save money on fuel, buy an economical car and fill it up at a supermarket. Although if you have a local and convenient garage that you like using, do continue to give it your support.”
The Scottish Government created a support package for businesses in Scotland affected by Covid 19 and enterprise agencies worked at pace with VisitScotland and Creative Scotland to design and deliver two short-term funds:
The Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund for vulnerable Scottish SMEs deemed vital to local, regional and national economies and the Creative, Tourism & Hospitality Enterprises Hardship Fund for tourism, hospitality and creative industry businesses that experienced hardship due to Covid 19.
Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise Steve Dunlop (above) said: “It is not an easy time for many businesses and Scottish Enterprise is working hard to provide funding, advice and resources to ensure businesses not only survive, but thrive now and in future.
“The support from the Hardship and Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Funds has allowed companies across a range of industries to continue to trade. We will continue to work alongside Scottish Government and partners to focus on a fair, sustainable and jobs-focused recovery and play a critical role in rebuilding Scotland’s economy.”
Precision engineering company Almond Engineering is based in Livingston and received £100,000 from the Pivotal Enterprise Fund and has remained in production throughout the pandemic by undertaking safety precautions.
The business has also manufactured face shields to donate to the NHS as well as creating test equipment for ventilator manufacturers.
Managing director of Almond Engineering Michelle Quinn said: “The support from Scottish Enterprise has been so important for us. We have always really valued the help and support and in times like this it is doubly valuable.
“The coronavirus has really impacted our orders at Almond and at times such as these when you don’t know how long the crisis will last nor how deep the recession will be, the government and Scottish Enterprise support allows time for the economy to start recovering and ensure that businesses such as ours are here once the world reopens.”
Edinburgh based interior and graphic design firm 442 Design specialises in venue design, creating memorable customer experiences that challenge the conventions of traditional Food, Drink and Retail spaces. Their clients include Arsenal Football Club, Amazon, SSE Hydro, BBC Scotland, Adidas and Aramark.
442 Design received £50,000 from the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund, which was welcomed by Managing director David Dunn who said: “Our business relies heavily on crowds and entertainment whether through eating and drinking out, football matches or live gigs.
“The banning of crowd activity had a massively detrimental impact on our client businesses. Our business practically stopped with lockdown with all projects put on hold.
“PERF has kept the company afloat during a time of forced abandonment of all projects, saved jobs and allowed 442 to reposition for the future. We’re now developing a different Covid-aware approach to designing spaces that can deliver both commercial return for client and ensure a great experience for our customers.”
Arrayjet is a biotech company based in Roslin, Midlothian, supplying inkjet bio-printing instruments and also manufactures Covid 19 testing and research products.
Iain McWilliam Chief Executive Officer of Arrayjet said: “The PERF grant helped support our cashflow during a critical period when revenue collection and generation was extremely difficult.
“Many of our customers had to cease operations temporarily, and the restrictions on travel prevented us from installing new instruments, look after our installation base, or to visit prospective clients.
“A large proportion of the Arrayjet team were already on the furlough scheme, but the PERF grant allowed us to continue some limited economic activity, to support our key local supply chain, to bring some staff back sooner and accelerate our recovery.
“The PERF grant helped to stabilise our cashflow and gave our board the confidence to bring members of the Arrayjet team off furlough earlier than planned. As a result, we have been able to develop and market products and services related to Covid 19 research and diagnosis.”
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Thursday 6 August):
Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us. I want to start with the usual update on the Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.
An additional 67 positive cases were confirmed yesterday. That is 1.2% of the people who were newly tested yesterday, and it takes the total number of cases in Scotland to 18,847.
Just as point of clarity, today’s 67 cases is actually a net increase of 66, as one of yesterday’s cases has since been denotified.
A full health board breakdown will be available later, as usual, but the provisional information I have is that 39 of the 67 cases are in the Grampian health board area. It is not yet clear how many are connected to the ongoing outbreak in Aberdeen and I will say a bit more about that outbreak shortly.
A further 17 are in Greater Glasgow & Clyde and we are examining these very carefully to see if there are any patterns – there was a relatively large number in Glasgow yesterday – to see if there is any cause for concern.
A total of 270 patients are currently in hospital who have been confirmed as having the virus. That is an increase of 3 since yesterday.
A total of 4 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed Covid-19. That is an increase of 1 since yesterday.
I am glad to say that yet again during the last 24 hours, no deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test in the previous 28 days as having Covid-19. The total number of deaths, under this particular measure, therefore remains 2,491.
However the total number of deaths is still a reminder of the awful impact of this virus. I want to extend my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one.
We will also today publish updated information about the prevalence of the virus in Scotland.
Our modelling suggests that the R number – the average number of people infected by one other infectious person – is between 0.6 and 1. That is a slight increase on the last estimate, which was 0.6 and 0.9. However, as I’ve said before, the R number becomes a less reliable indicator when the prevalence of the virus remains very low.
The modelling also shows that the number of people in Scotland with the virus has continued to fall. Our central estimate for last week is that 275 people in Scotland were infectious.
These figures show – once again – the sustained progress that we’ve made, over the past few months. And I want to thank everybody who has contributed to that.
I particularly want to thank our health and care workers – who continue to do an incredible job.
However, I want to warn again against any complacency.
We have seen an increase in cases in recent days that may not yet be reflected in this modelling – many of these cases, but not all, are linked to outbreaks such as the one in Aberdeen and the one in Inverclyde last week. But it’s important to say that not all of these cases are linked to outbreaks, so we really must be on our guard and recognise what these figures are telling us, which is that this virus is still very much out there and circulating in Scotland.
I now want to provide an update on the situation in Aberdeen, and you will appreciate that this is an active outbreak that is being managed and this information will be changing regularly at the moment.
I can confirm that – as of now – a total of 79 cases have been confirmed as associated with that cluster. That is an increase of 25 on the position reported yesterday. A further 30 cases are under investigation as possibly linked to the outbreak. And a total of 233 close contacts have already been identified, although we expect that number to rise over the course of today.
As I said yesterday, many of those positive cases and contacts have been linked to a number of licensed premises, in Aberdeen. And a list of those places is now available on the Scottish Government’s website.
To be clear, it’s not that one particular person in this cluster has visited all these premises. It is that someone who has tested positive has been in each location, but it will be different people in each of these locations.
Now, we’ve been asked why members of the public who have visited these premises have not all been contact traced. The answer is that they may not have been there at the same time as a person who has tested positive – or they might not have come within 2 metres of them for the requisite period. Contact Tracers are professionals, they are highly trained experts at what they do and they assess who should be traced.
However, if you have been to any of these premises, even if Test and Protect hasn’t been in touch with you, we are still asking you to be extra vigilant for symptoms – and to follow the FACTS at all times.
And if you are contacted by Test and Protect in Aberdeen, please comply with their advice. In fact, if you are contacted by Test and Protect anywhere in Scotland, I appeal to you to please comply fully with their advice, particularly, in relation to self-isolation. If they advise you are a close contact and that you must self isolate for 14 days it is absolutely essential that you do that and for the full 14 days.
The further growth of this cluster which I’ve reported today – and I expect to be standing here tomorrow reporting a growth beyond the numbers today – is a reminder of how easily this virus can spread. It also underlines why we needed to take decisive action, to keep it under control.
Today is – of course – the first full day that the restrictions in Aberdeen have been in place. So I want take this opportunity to set out – again – what the restrictions are. However, I should say that guidance – on all of this – is available on the Scottish Government’s website.
Firstly, we are advising people in Aberdeen not to travel more than 5 miles for leisure or recreational purposes. That does not apply, however, if you’re travelling for work, education or medical treatment.
One of the questions we’ve been asked about is holidays. And our advice to people in Aberdeen is that you should not be going on holiday right now – either to other parts of Scotland, or other parts of the UK. And as those of you who watch these briefings regularly will know, we advise against overseas holidays in general at the moment for people right across Scotland.
We’re also advising people outside of Aberdeen, not to travel to the city for leisure purposes – or to visit friends and family.
Some people in Aberdeenshire have asked if they can travel into the city for work. The answer is yes, you can – but please follow all guidance. But you should not be travelling into Aberdeen from Aberdeenshire for leisure or recreational purposes or to visit family.
If you are currently visiting Aberdeen, you can stay – but again, please follow all of the guidance while you are there. And take extra care when you return home.
Secondly, we are advising that people in Aberdeen should not go into each other’s houses. Extended household groups are not included in that – but the restriction applies to everyone else.
There are also new restrictions on indoor visits to hospitals in Aberdeen – with only essential visits permitted. And care home visiting remains restricted to outdoor visits only, in line with the current guidance.
Finally, we have put in place regulations, which require all indoor and outdoor hospitality in the city to close. So all bars, restaurants, cafes, and pubs must now be closed. They were required to close by 5pm yesterday.
Takeaway services in Aberdeen can continue. And hotel restaurants can continue to provide food for residents. But hotel bars must also close.
Now, everything I’ve seen – so far – suggests that businesses are complying the regulations. And I want thank all of them, for their help and cooperation.
In fact, I want to thank everyone in Aberdeen for being so understand of why this action is necessary and for sticking to the new guidance. I know how tough that will be, it’s a blow to the city and all of us regret that we’ve had to take this decision.
But, I believe people do know why it is necessary.
There are just too many uncertainties about this outbreak, right now. So we were not able to be confident that we could keep it under control without these additional measures.
Allowing this virus to run free is not an option – at any time, in my view, given how dangerous it is – but particularly as we prepare for the reopening of schools from next week.
We have therefore taken a precautionary approach. For the moment, it means that one part of the country has had to go into reverse. But ultimately, we hope it will allow all of Scotland to continue the progress that we’ve achieved over these past months.
But of course, it’s not just people in Aberdeen who have a part to play here. All of us must be on our guard – now more than ever.
The further we get from lockdown, the more opportunities there are for the virus to spread. As i said before – when we locked ourselves down we locked it down too, so when we let ourselves out, we let it out as well. So as we come out of lockdown we all need to be extra careful – in everything that we do.
We – all of us – are the first line of defence against this virus. But we are only as strong as our weakest link.
Every time one us forgets to follow the advice, we risk letting the virus slip through our defence.
And as soon as that happens, we are fire fighting as we see in Aberdeen right now. Test and Protect is doing a fantastic job in Aberdeen but we all have a responsibility to ensure those fires don’t start in the first place.
So we must all recognise our individual responsibility to the overall wellbeing of the country.
Any time we fail to abide by the health guidance, we give Covid-19 an opportunity to come back. And as we see from Aberdeen – this virus will take any opportunity it can get. One of the things we know about Covid-19 is that it is infectious.
That’s why it’s so vital to follow the 5 rules golden rules of the FACTS campaign.
F – you must wear them in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport.
A – Avoid crowded places.
C – Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
T – Two metre distancing remains the rule.
and S – Self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms.
By complying with these rules we can continue to play our part in suppressing this virus. We are also giving Test and Protect the best chance to deal with the outbreaks when they do occur, as they inevitably will on some occasions and of course we are protecting our front line health and social care staff as well.
My very strong encouragement and my plea to everyone is to please follow all of these rules.
For many people their right to live in their own home goes along with a responsibility to make all relevant payments to a landlord (by way of rent) or a lender (in respect of mortgage repayments).
What may seem like a (possibly just about) manageable amount to pay in good times can quickly become unmanageable and frightening when rapid, unplanned changes lead to reduced income. Although these are challenging circumstances, help is available from different services covering issues likely to relevant, including:
Issues affecting both tenants and mortgage holders:
reviewing the household budget to establish how income is spent and how it could or should be spent;
looking at the whole picture and how to prioritise debts and spending;
getting a benefit check to make all relevant benefits are in payment at the right amount and identifying those for new claims;
developing a manageable budget including (re)payment plan;
assisting/guiding in communication and negotiation with lenders and creditors;
making claims on any relevant insurance policies;
assisting with the urgent emergency as it occurs;
looking at housing options and interaction with benefits;
identifying special legislative provision arising from Covid-19 which enhances individual protection such as extension of time periods for giving of notice to tenants and moratium.
Tenants in Scotland
gaining advice and support through repossession and eviction processes;
helping to understand letters, contracts and other documents;
awareness of relevant legislation including temporary changes that extend most periods of notice to be given to the tenant during the Covid 19 emergency;
assessment of reasons for a fair end of tenancy;
representation in Housing Tribunal or Sheriffs Court.
Mortgage payers in Scotland
requesting a mortgage payment holiday (usually a voluntary arrangement of up to 3 months with those mortgage arrears accrued during the holiday repaid at a later date) and checking if any impact on credit history;
accessing Support for Mortgage Interest (a loan to help pay mortgage interest if you have been claiming income related jobseekers,income based employment and support allowance or income support for at least 39 weeks or universal credit after 9 payments. Also accessible for those on pension credit from first day of claim.
considering a formal debt management approach (specialist service) or revision to existing agreements where these exist;
seek money and/or financial advice – especially urgent if repossession process threatened/started.
If you are struggling to deal with issues like these, seek help straight away.
Granton Information Centre offers free, professional, independent advice. To find out about how Granton Information Centre can help you, telephone 0131 551 2459, 0131 552 0458 or email info@gic.org.uk
