The COVID-19 pandemic has touched every part of our society: our economy; our environment; our social connections; and the relationships we have with our governments.
As we embark on the process of recovery, the Carnegie UK Trust believes that there is a collective responsibility to use what we have learned, not just to repair the damage, but to reconsider the fundamentals of economic, social and democratic structures that are no longer delivering positive outcomes for citizens and communities.
We have used what we know from our long history of research and practice development to set out a series of propositions, backed up by recommendations of practical things that could be done to improve wellbeing. The propositions are:
National wellbeing can be the goal
The relationship between the state and the citizen can be reset
The future can be local (as well as global)
Our relationship with work can be remodelled
We can build a new level of financial resilience
Technology can be for all
These will not be the only things that require to be considered for the medium-term recovery, but we hope that by taking a wide perspective we can connect the recovery effort with the transformative change to prevailing systems that so many have identified a need for, both before and during this pandemic.
Over the coming months, we will continue to work with organisations across all our networks to understand the impact of the pandemic on the people they work for. This will include central and local government; third sector and community organisations; credit providers; good work stakeholders, and many others. Where gaps remain in the space for collective sense-making, we will explore new opportunities to stimulate the necessary discussions.
If you would like to contribute to these conversations, please email me (Sarah@CarnegieUK.org) or join the debate online by tagging @CarnegieUKTrust – we would be pleased to hear from you.
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Scottish council finances and whether it will lead to a “new normal” in the way some services are delivered is to be investigated by a Holyrood Committee.
The Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Communities Committee has launched a call for views on the impact of Covid-19 on the financial sustainability of local government in Scotland.
MSPs will seek to identify which council services have been most impacted by the public health emergency, as well as exploring which parts of local government have been least affected or most resilient.
A key focus for the Committee will be what steps local government takes, in the short and long term, to manage the financial impact of the crisis. It will also ask what further help councils will need to overcome the ongoing funding pressures.
Looking beyond the crisis, the Committee is also keen to hear views on how soon the sector will return to normal, or whether it is time for a “new normal” in the way councils deliver services and what that future might look like.
Committee Convener, James Dornan MSP, said:“Councils are responsible for delivering a vast range of important services that are a crucial part of our everyday lives; from social care and street cleaning to public libraries and planning.
“When Covid-19 struck earlier this year, it had a massive impact on local authorities. They suddenly had to change basic working practices and finds ways of delivering emergency services to many vulnerable people. This has had a knock-on effect on their ability to maintain some core services.
“Council staff have risen to the challenge and there are many positive stories to share – for instance on how councils worked with others to help homeless people and rough sleepers during the lockdown.
“However, the impact of Covid-19 will likely be felt for years and the full extent of the financial implications, and the ability of councils to provide these vital public services, remains unclear. We therefore want to hear views on what can be done to help councils weather the financial storm, in the short and long-term.
“We also want to know if the crisis has also provided an opportunity for fresh thinking about how councils deliver local services and local democracy and whether there are already good practises councils can share.
The Committee scrutinises Scottish Government housing policy, as well as local government housing responsibilities, and views on the impact of Covid-19 on housing policy are also welcome.
To help with its scrutiny work, the Committee wants to hear views on these issues:
1. How has Covid-19 impacted the local government sector and, in particular, council finances? Which council responsibilities are most impacted?
2. Which parts of local government have been least affected or most resilient?
3. What help will councils need in future from the Scottish Government or others to overcome the ongoing financial strain?
4. What can local government sector do, in the short and long term, to manage the financial impact of the crisis? What positive examples can councils and others share about the good work done at local government and community level to lessen the crisis?
5. How soon do you think the sector will be back to normal? Or is this time for a “new normal” in the way we deliver some council services or practice local democracy? If so, what will it look like?
The call for views is open until Friday 4 September 2020.
Grant-making breast cancer charity Walk the Walk has announced a week long Virtual SunWalk Festival to be held from 8th – 15th August.
This really is a virtual event with a difference, there is a walking challenge to suit everybody of any ability or age, tips and advice on how to achieve the goal and a DIY Festival Kit to download … not to mention lots of inspiration and motivation!
The charity will provide those signing up with lots of downloadable fun ideas, recipes for healthy snacks, including delicious lollies and smoothies, bunting and games to play.
Everybody can start planning and getting creative, maybe taking part in one of the shorter distances and finishing with a romantic picnic for two, a BBQ with family or friends or involving young children in the activities, following government guidelines, of course.
Women, men and children are being encouraged to sign up and make the SunWalk Festival Experience a special date in their summer diaries. What a wonderful way to get fitter and get rid of lockdown fatigue plus have fun and at the same time raise money to help cancer charities working on the front line – every mile walked and every penny raised will make a difference.
Walk the Walk has committed to making £20,000 Emergency Grants every month until the end of the year to charities who are struggling to keep going.
Walkers can choose between a 5k,10k, Half Marathon (13.1 miles, 21k) and a Full Marathon (26.2 miles, 42k) or for those that want an extra bite … a 100k challenge to walk in one go or over the 7 days. As a reward for completing the challenge, walkers will receive a downloadable certificate and a fantastic medal.
With experts predicting the return of COVID-19 in the autumn, there is no better time to get fit and healthy. By taking part in the Virtual SunWalk Festival, not only will people be improving their physical health but their mental health too.
Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk said: “Walk the Walk is famous for not just organising events, but experiences, so we wanted our Virtual Challenges to have that same unique flavour.
“Raising money at this time is vital for us, but after months of self-isolating and social distancing, this is an opportunity for families and friends to come together and have fun, whilst doing so much good for those with cancer.
“By having an event that has 5 different challenges, there really is something for every age and ability. I hope that we can inspire many people to get back into shape by walking. The SunWalk Festival really is where virtual meets reality, people can let their imaginations run wild, come together and share a new positive experience whilst getting fitter!”
Due to the coronavirus, Walk the Walk have sadly postponed some of their events including The MoonWalk London, The MoonWalk Scotland and The MoonWalk Iceland.
Visit www.walkthewalk.org for updates and to find out more about the charity.
A CITY café is opening a new outdoor seating area this week to give diners a place to relax in the centre of Edinburgh.
Café 1505 on Nicolson Street is extending its outdoor seating into the courtyard of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, which will be able to accommodate up to 100 guests for food and drinks.
Café 1505 “Al Fresco” will open to the public between 12pm and 8pm, from Friday 24 July until Monday 31st August.
The venture is bringing life back to the courtyard which is normally used as a venue for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – The Space @ Surgeons Hall.
Chris Wallace, Café Manager at Café 1505, said: “Given everything that’s happened in the city recently, we are so excited to be bringing a new outdoor café to Edinburgh.
“From Friday, visitors can enjoy food and drinks from our café and fully stocked bar, in a safe outdoor space. There’s a large marquee which hopefully will keep any turbulent Scottish weather from dampening spirits!
“We’ll be serving everything from pizza and nachos to tapas boxes. The team is really looking forward to recreating some of the magic we experience every year as a Fringe venue – albeit on a smaller scale.
“After 8pm, visitors are free to visit the bar and restaurant at our other venue, Ten Hill Place Hotel.”
Visitors will not be required to book ahead but will be asked to leave their contact details as part of the Scottish Government’s Test and Protect programme. In line with current guidance, groups will be limited to a maximum of eight people.
All staff have received full health and safety training and social distancing will be fully observed throughout the venue.
Café 1505 is owned and managed by Surgeons Quarter, the commercial arm of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
Profits from the café go towards the College’s charitable objectives of improving access to surgery and saving lives worldwide.
The café uses seasonal produce and serves what it claims to be one of the most ethical cups of coffee in Edinburgh – Coffee Grown by Women, a fair-trade product which empowers female farmers in Mexico and Peru.
Ten Hill Place Hotel gave 2,137 free room nights to NHS staff working in Edinburgh’s hospitals between March-May this year.
More than one in four parents feel unable to ask for childcare help from loved ones as a result of pandemic
15% of parents require additional childcare help from friends and family this year as they continue to juggle parenting and work responsibilities
Grandparents now providing £3,770 worth of childcare a year
While more than two-fifths (44%) of parents rely on grandparents for childcare support, more than a quarter (27%) feel they can no longer be as dependent on family and friends, due to ongoing health and safety concerns around the pandemic.
New How Scotland Lives research from Bank of Scotland revealed that whilst some parents are considering keeping their children away from their grandparents through the summer months in order to keep them safe from the virus, grandparents themselves seem less concerned, with just one in 10 (10%) expecting to do less childcare, and almost half (46%) expecting their usual school holiday childcare duties to stay the same.
In fact, 12% of grandparents who do not usually take on childcare, have offered to do so in order to support their own children.
Staying indoors
Despite ongoing concerns, the circumstances of 15% of parents mean they are having to be more reliant than they would usually be on friends and family this summer, as they continue to balance work and home life commitments.
Parents who are allowing grandparents to take on childcare responsibilities this summer have shown real concern around how time together should be spent, which has led to the ruling out of several of the typical summer activities, in light of ongoing social distancing restrictions.
There has been a significant reduction in the number of parents allowing trips to the cinema (-26%), holidays (-21%), theme parks (-7%), and swimming (-4%) due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Instead, they are more encouraging of activities that keep everyone in open spaces, such as picnics (+6%).
Tara Foley, Managing Director, Bank of Scotland, said:“For many parents, the challenge of conflicting work and childcare commitments continues this summer, with some facing difficult decisions around who is best to take care of their children.
“Whilst some parents remain worried about relying on loved ones for support during the ongoing pandemic, not all families can rely on holiday clubs and professional childcare. These will likely be a stretch too far for some budgets where paying for additional childcare wasn’t part of the plan.”
Regional variations
There are significant regional differences when it comes to the number of parents who rely on their own parents for childcare support (see table 1).
More than half (52%) of mums and dads in the West of Scotland receive regular help with childcare, which is more than in any other region, and 8% more than the Scottish average. Likewise, parents in Mid-Scotland, which includes Stirlingshire, Fife, Perth and Kinross, (48%), and Central Scotland (45%), are also more reliant on their parents for help with the kids. At the other end of the spectrum is the Highlands and Islands, where just over a third (35%) of parents, receive support from grandparents.
On average, grandparents report spending nine hours a week caring for their grandchildren, up from eight hours in 2019. Given the UK average pay for professional childcare is just over £8 per hour, this means grandparents are providing the equivalent of over £3,770 worth of childcare throughout the year, or at least £432 for the six weeks of the summer holidays.
Supporting people to move towards and maintain a healthier weight may reduce the serious effects of COVID-19 on the population, a new Public Health England report finds.
The report summarises findings from evidence published during the pandemic on the effects of excess weight and obesity on COVID-19. UK and international evidence suggests that being severely overweight puts people at greater risk of hospitalisation, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission and death from COVID-19, with risk growing substantially as body mass index (BMI) increases.
The current evidence does not suggest that having excess weight increases people’s chances of contracting COVID-19. However, the data does show that obese people are significantly more likely to become seriously ill and be admitted to intensive care with COVID-19 compared to those with a healthy BMI.
One study found that for people with a BMI of 35 to 40, risk of death from COVID-19 increases by 40% and with a BMI over 40 by 90%, compared to those not living with obesity. Other data found that in intensive care units, 7.9% of critically ill patients with COVID-19 had a BMI over 40 compared with 2.9% of the general population.
Almost two-thirds (63%) of adults in England are overweight or obese, with people aged 55 to 74, those living in deprived areas and certain black, Asian and minority ethnic groups more severely affected.
Excess fat can affect the respiratory system and is likely to affect inflammatory and immune function. This can impact people’s response to infection and increase vulnerability to severe symptoms of COVID-19. Obese people may be less likely to access healthcare and support, and it is also thought that COVID-19 affects other diseases associated with obesity.
The report highlights that supporting people to achieve and maintain a healthy weight may reduce the severe effects of COVID-19 on the population, especially among vulnerable groups that are most affected by obesity.
Dr Alison Tedstone, Chief Nutritionist at Public Health England, said: “The current evidence is clear that being overweight or obese puts you at greater risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19, as well as from many other life-threatening diseases.
“It can be hard to lose weight and even harder to sustain it, which is why people cannot easily do it on their own. Losing weight can bring huge benefits for health – and may also help protect against the health risks of COVID-19. The case for action on obesity has never been stronger.”
The report notes some limitations on evidence to date and highlights the need for more evidence, including research to establish the effect that weight management might have for groups at greater risk of the severe effects of COVID-19.
The report also summarises evidence regarding the nation’s eating and exercise habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. While some data suggests that more people have exercised during lockdown, evidence indicates that the nation’s exercise levels have not increased overall since before the pandemic. Meanwhile, snack food and alcohol sales in high street shops have increased.
The UK Government is expected to announce details of a new campaign to tackle obesity tomorrow.
If you arrive in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland from Spain you will now need to self-isolate.
Spain will be removed from the list of countries exempt from quarantine requirements due to an increased number of cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the last few days.
The decision, also made by the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland and Wales as well as the UK Government, has been made to reduce the risk of the transmission of the virus by those travelling from Spain and arriving in Scotland.
The public health measures came into effect from midnight and will mean those arriving in Scotland from Spain will now be required to quarantine for 14 days.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The decision to exempt Spain earlier this week, was taken when the data showed there was an improvement in the spread of the virus. But clearly the latest data has given us cause for concern to overturn that decision.
“We appreciate that this will be disappointing. However, we have always been clear we are closely monitoring the pandemic situation in all countries and that we may require to remove a country from the list of places exempt from quarantine requirements should the virus show a resurgence.
“It is still active and it is still deadly. Supressing the virus, preventing it from being transmitted and protecting public health is our priority.”
The FCO is advising against all but essential travel to mainland Spain – this does not cover the Canary Islands or the Balearic Islands because travel advice is based on the risk to the individual traveller and COVID-19 infection rates are lower there than mainland Spain.
A UK government spokesperson said: “The Joint Biosecurity Centre together with Public Health England have updated their coronavirus assessments of Spain based on the latest data. As a result, Spain has been removed from the lists of countries from which passengers arriving in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are exempted from the need to self-isolate.
“Protecting public health is our absolute priority and we have taken this decision to limit any potential spread to the UK.
“We’ve always been clear that we would act immediately to remove a country where necessary. Both our list of quarantine exemptions and the FCO travel advice are being updated to reflect these latest risk assessments.”
A new funding stream for the independent museums sector to help bolster resilience following the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been announced by Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop.
The £4 million Museums Resilience and Recovery Fund will provide support for Scotland’s museums and galleries and will be administered by Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS).
The fund will aid the return of staff from furlough and the wider reopening of museums and galleries.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “Museums are the places where we hold memories of our people. They play a big role in delivering social impacts in education, health and wellbeing and also generate a considerable amount for the economy, with £1.04 billion directly attributable to heritage, tourism, rural employment and apprenticeships.
“Sadly, many of these wonderful institutions are now at a critical juncture in making decisions about whether they can afford to reopen, looking at possible redundancies, cancelling events and putting off critical repairs. I am pleased to announce this much needed support for the sector to help them get through the rest of the financial year.
“We all need to come together to support our local museums and galleries. As part of the campaign to encourage Scots to staycation this summer, I would encourage everyone to consider visiting their local museums, galleries and heritage attractions, if they are open. Scotland’s communities are relying on our continued support.”
Lucy Casot, CEO of Museums Galleries Scotland said: “We warmly welcome this funding from the Scottish Government. The burden of uncertainty has been one of the hardest hitting consequences of this pandemic – affecting us all.
“This financial support will enable us to alleviate the intense pressures felt by our independent museums and heralds a precious opportunity for the passionate and skilled people working in this sector to plan, to collaborate and to deliver vital services with and within communities.
Museums and galleries are a vital part of the fabric of our towns, cities and communities the length and breadth of this country and we welcome the Scottish Government’s recognition of their important role through this support.”
Funds raised by the DEC appeal will support the work of the 14 leading UK charities, who are helping to stop the spread of the virus and saving lives in refugee camps.
The UK Government is doubling its support to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Coronavirus Appeal, following a huge response from the British public, International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan announced yesterday.
This increase of match funding up to £10 million follows donations of £9.8 million in 9 days – a donation of £25, when matched by the UK Government, could provide two families with essential hygiene kits.
The DEC Coronavirus Appeal is helping to provide lifesaving aid to refugees, who are living in overcrowded camps where social distancing is impossible and therefore face a higher risk of catching coronavirus.
Funds raised by the appeal will support the work of the 14 leading UK charities, making up the DEC, who are helping to stop the spread of the virus and saving lives in refugee camps by:
providing frontline doctors and aid workers with equipment and supplies to care for the vulnerable and sick;
making sure families have enough food to prevent malnutrition, particularly amongst children; and
giving families clean water and soap, as well as information about the dangers of the disease.
International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “The British people have been incredibly generous and compassionate in donating to this life-saving appeal. To double the impact of their kindness the UK Government will match a further £5 million of donations pound-for-pound.
“Together our support is protecting millions of people in the developing world from coronavirus, including those escaping conflict. This will in turn help stop future waves of the disease.”
The announcement takes the total amount of UK aid pledged to end the pandemic globally to £774 million.
This week’s announcement by WFP warns that Covid-19 is contributing to a ‘perfect storm’ of problems that could throw millions of Yemenis into a deeper food crisis.
Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Chief Executive Saleh Saeed says the situation is so acute in Yemen that much more needs to be done now, before hunger levels rise again in the coming months, as forecast in the report.
The DEC Coronavirus Appeal launched last week to help people displaced by conflict and instability in some of the most fragile places in the world – including Yemen – who are now facing the Covid-19 pandemic.
DEC members are already responding in the country and say that many families have lost almost all means of accessing food. In a country that imported 90% of its food even before the war, the ongoing financial crisis and restrictions on imports by warring parties have resulted in massive increases in the price of food.
Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Yemen Country Director said: “This new data shows how bleak the situation is for the millions of Yemenis struggling with hunger as conflict has decimated infrastructure, restricted food imports, and led to mass unemployment.
“For millions the Covid-19 pandemic is the final blow, causing a slump in vital remittances and squeezing food imports even tighter.
“I worry that Yemenis are having to choose between dying at home from hunger or risking getting the virus by going out to find food. We really need donations to keep supporting and saving the lives of the most vulnerable people.”
Alex Nawa, Yemen Country Director, Action Against Hunger said: “In Yemen the cost of food has doubled in the last two weeks. In some rural areas it has gone up three times. We think severe malnutrition will increase by 10% in the next few months.
“Food prices have increased because of inflation and because fuel prices have shot up so the cost of transporting food to shops and markets has risen. Fuel shortages have hampered delivery of clean water and caused problems with water pumping.
“There is a lack of knowledge about the virus. When people die they are buried within 12-24 hours. I have seen the number of burials at cemeteries increase over the last few weeks. There is no testing to see if people have died of Covid.
“Families are responsible for burial and don’t wear any PPE, often burying their loved ones with their bare hands. I am very worried that they could then get infected with the virus. It’s a grim outlook here – Covid is having a massive impact.”
Saleh Saeed, DEC Chief Executive, said: “I could never have imagined this happening to my ancestral home country … my friends and family in Yemen share with me how desperate the situation has become and how it has got worse for many.
“First came the war and destruction, then came the hunger and cholera and now the deadly threat of coronavirus making the situation unbearable and the hunger even worse. Some have simply accepted their fate and die quietly at home.”
He thanked the public for donations to the DEC appeal for the seven places it is prioritising. “The UK public have once again demonstrated their generosity and compassion. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported the DEC Coronavirus appeal so far, helping us to raise over £14 million.”
The DEC Coronavirus Appeal will help the most vulnerable people in six of the world’s most fragile states: Yemen and Syria; Somalia, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo; and Afghanistan. A total of 24 million displaced people live in crowded temporary shelter in these countries.
The appeal also includes the world’s largest refugee camp – in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where more than 850,000 Rohingya refugees have sought sanctuary.
Despite the many challenges presented by the pandemic, the 14 DEC member charities are already present and working in refugee and displacement camps. They urgently need more funds to scale up their operations and save lives.
Stay up to date with developments by following the DEC on Twitter or Facebook.
First Minister’s coronavirus update from St Andrew’s House on Thursday 23 July 2020:
Good afternoon everyone, thank you for joining us today as usual. Let me start as I always do with the update on the Covid-19 statistics.
An additional 16 positive cases were confirmed yesterday. That represents 0.4% of people who were newly tested yesterday, and it takes the total number of cases in Scotland to 18,500.
It’s worth highlighting that we have changed the reporting of figures on the Scottish Government’s website from today so that the figures for new cases – including that percentage of positive tests – are now shown more prominently on the main Covid page. That website is updated at 2 o’clock every day.
The health board breakdown of today’s cases will be available at 2 o’clock but the provisional information I have is that 4 of today’s cases are in Lanarkshire.
And, more specifically in relation to the outbreak at the Sitel call centre in Lanarkshire, I can confirm that as of this morning, there are a total of 24 positive cases associated with that outbreak which is an increase of 4 since yesterday.
That includes 17 people employed at the site, which is 2 more than yesterday, and 7 contacts, which is also 2 more than yesterday.
Now, given that the virus can have a long incubation period, intensive work is still ongoing in order to ensure that all possible chains of transmission from this outbreak are being closed down. And I am very grateful to everyone who is working very had as part of that effort.
I can also report today that a total of 287 patients confirmed as having the virus are currently in hospital which is 8 fewer than yesterday.
And as of last night, there were just 2 people with confirmed COVID in intensive care in Scotland, which is 1 fewer than yesterday.
And finally, on the statistics, I am very glad to say that once again, during the past 24 hours, no deaths were registered of patients confirmed through a test as having the virus. The total number of deaths, under this measure, therefore remains 2,491.
This is obviously very welcome news. It means that no deaths have been reported in Scotland under this measurement during the entirety of the past week – and that just one death in Scotland has been reported over the past 15 days.
Now, it is exactly four months today since the country went into lockdown, so there is no doubt that these figures show the incredible progress that has been made in that time.
But that progress has been hard won and it has been a very painful journey over these past four months in particular for those who have lost someone to this virus. The number of deaths is still a reminder of the impact of the virus and therefore I want to extend my condolences again today to everyone who is grieving somebody that they loved.
In addition, I want to thank again our health and care workers for all of the work that you continue to do through this really challenging time for everyone.
FM @NicolaSturgeon has announced changes to the way people who are shielding can meet with friends and family, which will come into effect tomorrow (24 July).
From 1 August people who were advised to shield will no longer have to do so.
Now, I have one very important issue I want to talk about today – which is changes in our advice to people who are shielding.
It’s now almost four months since we asked those considered to be at the greatest risk from this virus, to shield.
At that time, there was a very high risk that you might be exposed to the virus, and therefore shielding was necessary to keep you safe.
Together with local government and the third sector, we have been able to put in place support for you while you have been shielding– for example access to free food deliveries if necessary.
But I know that shielding has been incredibly difficult – it has separated you from your family and loved ones, it has restricted you in virtually every aspect of your normal lives, and there are very obvious and very real potential harms to your mental health from extended isolation.
For all of those reasons, we’ve always been clear that we won’t ask you to shield longer than you have to.
The infection rate now is much lower than it was in March. And just to give some illustration of that, when the shielding advice started, more than 20% of Covid tests were proving positive, and 150 new cases a day were being reported. Less than a week after shielding started, we were reporting more than 300 new cases a day. Tpoday of course I have reported 16 new cases and that is 0.4% of people testing newly positive
So, as these figures today show, we are now in a very different position to the one we that faced back in March. And as a result – and as we have previously indicated – some further key changes to our advice will take effect from tomorrow for people who are shielding.
Now the information I am about to give you I know can perhaps be a bit difficult to follow as I am saying it. All of the changes I am about to mention are listed in our routemap for shielders which you can find on the Scottish government’s website.
From tomorrow (Friday), you will, if you are shielding, be able to meet indoors with up to 8 people from up to 2 other households, as long as physical distancing is in place.
You will also be able to meet outdoors in groups of up to 15 people from a maximum of 4 other households.
You can also use public transport – including taxis – while wearing a face covering.
You can go to outdoor spaces in pubs and restaurants.
You can go to into indoor shops, pharmacies and indoor markets. You can attend hairdressers and barbers and you can visit museums, galleries, libraries and cinemas.
And children who live with someone who is shielding, can attend formal childcare providers.
Now, all of these changes that I have just mentioned, which you can find more detail on on the website, these will take effect from tomorrow. But our clinical advisers, – who have been closely examining all of the evidence – have also advised us that as things stand right now, assuming no significant deterioration in the position, as things stand right now we will be able to pause the shielding advice all together from 1 Aug.
From that day, the advice for people shielding will then be the same as for those who are simply at heightened risk from Covid – older people, people who receive the flu jab because of a health condition, and people who are pregnant.
This means from the end of next week, you will be advised to follow the guidance for the general population, although we will ask you to be especially careful about hand hygiene and physical distancing.
That will also mean that that children who have been shielding will be able to return to school in August.
And if you have been staying away from your workplace because you have been shielding, you will also be able to return.
However your employer must ensure that you can do so safely.
And of course our advice – not simply for shielding people, but for everyone – remains very strongly that you should continue to work from home whenever that is possible.
I know these changes will be welcome to many of you but they will also, for many of you, create a great deal of anxiety because you have been living in such a restricted way for so long and you will worry about going back to normal and that is completely understandable.
So we are not asking you to stop being careful – and we do not want you to feel under pressure to do anything that you think is unsafe. In fact, we want to do everything we can to help you to feel as safe as possible.
Last month, I indicated that we were looking to develop a range of information and tools to help each of you to make informed decisions about how to stay safe.
We are providing a range of advice on returning to employment and schools. The guidance for schools will be published on 30 July.
For those of you in employment, we have developed a risk assessment tool. That will be available from Monday. It will help your employer understand the adjustments they need to make to help you feel safe.
We are also providing information on what activities are safer, or less risky, than others, and how to undertake them safely. We’ve developed advice on risk factors- and practical information on how to stay safe during everyday activities like going to the shops, visiting friends and family, or using public transport.
You also told us in feedback that you would find it helpful to know what the infection rates are at any given time in your local areas. So we are developing a Covid forecasting service for people who have been shielding. That will allow you to sign up to an SMS update that tells you about your risk of being exposed to Covid in your local area.
And although the food box scheme is ending, you will continue to access priority supermarket delivery slots if you need them, and if you have registered for this service by the end of this month. You will also still be able to go to your Local Authority for support for food provision.
And we will be keeping open our Shielding SMS text messaging service, and our national helpline.
Finally, we are continuing our work to keep you safe after 1 August.
We are strengthening the evidence base about who may need to shield again in the future should we see a resurgence of the virus.
We are continuing our surveys and research to understand your experiences and to offer support that has value to you.
And we will set out the kind of steps we might need to take should there be a spike of infections in the future.
We are changing our guidance now because the infection rate is low now.
But we will continue to monitor this, and if things take a significant turn for the worse – whether nationally or in your local area – we will take the steps we need to in order to keep you as safe as possible. In particular we will contact you and we will give you clear advice on what to do if we are asking you to do anything different.
Before I end, I want to thank everyone who has been shielding. You’ve had to remain in your house and largely apart from all other people, even people in your own household, for months now.
That has been incredibly tough, and it is easy for me to say that when the reality is I actually find it hard to fully imagine just how difficult that must have been. But by doing so, you have protected yourselves, you’ve reassured your loved ones, and helped our health and care services. So a sincere and heartfelt thank you from me to each of you for that.
And I also want to say a few words to people who are not shielding.
Many of you have been actively involved in support for people who have been shielding: whether that is as family, friends, carers, volunteers, council workers, delivery drivers, health and social care professionals, supermarkets, wholesalers, and a whole host of other people so my thanks to all of you for that too.
Secondly – if you are an employer or a school – we need you to work closely with people who have been shielding, in order to take the necessary steps to keep them safe but also to assure them you will keep them safe.
Please do that, reach out to people who have been shielding to understand their needs, and provide that help.
And for all of us, we should understand the worries and concerns of people who have been shielding.
Many people who are shielding will still be nervous about returning to work, or returning to shops and restaurants, or socialising a bit more. All of us should understand that and be as supportive as we can be.
To continue to stop the spread of coronavirus and save lives, there are 5 things we all still need to do.
And finally, this is my final point, shielding and shielding people demonstrate again, and perhaps more powerfully than anything does, how all of us are dependent right now on each other’s actions.
The reason that we can pause shielding, hopefully at the end of next week, is because all of us have stuck to the guidance so far. All of us need to continue to do that, in order that we continue collectively to protect those most at risk.
And that basic idea – that all of us, more than ever, are depending on each other, is the note that I will end on.
We can only reopen services, start to reopen the economy again because infection rates are low. We will only be able to keep all these things open if infection rates stay low.
The virus as we know is still out there, it is still highly infectious and it is still highly dangerous.
So all of us have a part to play in keeping it under control. So let me end with the usual advice that I am going to continue to say as often as I need to in order that everybody understands that if we all stick to this we can keep this virus under control.
That is the FACTS message.
Face coverings in shops, public transport or any enclosed spaces where physical distancing is difficult
Avoid crowded places, whether that’s indoors or outdoors
Clean your hands and clean hard surfaces regularly.
Two metre distancing – that remains the important advice
and self isolate, and book a test, if you have any symptoms.
If we all follow this advice rigorously and rigidly then the progress we have made over these past painful four months will be progress that we can continue to see.
So my thanks to all of you for doing that, in particular today, my thanks to all of you who have been shielding.
