Tag: Covid-19

Covid-19: New ‘stay at home’ guidance published

ALL CONTRACT TRACING TO END

From Sunday 1 May public health advice will change to a ‘stay at home’ message replacing self-isolation for people who have symptoms or have tested positive for Covid-19.

People who have symptoms of Covid-19 and who have a fever or are too unwell to carry out normal activities will be asked to ‘stay at home’ while they are unwell or have a fever.  They will no longer be advised to take a PCR test.

The changes, part of the Test and Protect Transition Plan which was published last month, will also see all contact tracing ending.

As previously announced, testing for the general population will end on 30 April with test sites closing at that point too.  However, testing will remain available to certain groups in order to protect high risk settings, support clinical care and for surveillance purposes.

Those groups include health and social care workers, care home and hospital visitors, patients groups eligible for treatment, hospital patients, unpaid carers and people in prison.

Other adults who have symptoms of Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses and have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, are advised to stay at home until their fever has gone or they feel well enough.

Children and young people aged 18 and under with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, who are otherwise well, do not need to stay at home and can continue to attend education settings.

They should only stay at home if they are unwell and have a high temperature. They can go back to school, college or childcare, and resume normal activities when they no longer have a fever and they feel well enough to attend.

This guidance reflects the fact that children and young people generally have a higher likelihood than adults of regular instances of respiratory symptoms from non-Covid illnesses. 

The Protect Scotland app will also be closed down shortly, but users are encouraged to keep the app on their phones in case it is needed again at a future date.

NHS Scotland will also be taken out of emergency footing at the end of Saturday 30 April as Covid-19 cases continue to fall.

However, with continued demands on services across health and social care, there remains a need for caution to protect vital services.

Patients should only attend A&E if their condition is an emergency, to continue to limit the pressure on services.  Patients can contact their GP during the day, local pharmacy or call NHS24 on 111 as an alternative.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Scotland’s Test and Protect programme has been one of the key interventions in our response to Covid-19, the success of which has been due, in no small part, to the remarkable staff and volunteers working in Test and Protect – my sincere thanks go to them.

“I would also like to thank the Scottish public for their commitment and willingness to engage with Test and Protect when it was required of them and helping to protect their fellow citizens.

“However, we recognise we are now in a different phase of the pandemic. The primary purpose of testing is changing from population-wide testing to reduce transmission, to a targeted response focused on reducing severe harm of the virus.

“As we are now seeing a steady reduction in new Covid cases, the NHS will no longer remain on emergency footing after Saturday 30 April. But we must continue with a measured approach to support the recovery and renewal of our NHS.

“This will require balancing capacity of the NHS and the wellbeing of the workforce to respond to increasing demands for urgent care while reducing the backlog of planned care.”

Further information on the stay at home guidance and measures you can take to limit the spread of Covid-19 can be found at https://bit.ly/39polwD and from 1 May on nhsinform.scot/covid19.

COVID: End of the Highest Risk List

List to close on 31 May

The Highest Risk List – formerly known as the Shielding List – will be formally ended on 31 May, as a result of the success of the vaccination programme and the introduction of new treatments for COVID-19.

The decision has been taken following a careful review of growing clinical evidence by a team of specialist clinicians.

It shows that, for the vast majority of those on the list, the risk of hospitalisation or death from COVID-19 has been significantly reduced and is no greater than that of the general public.

For some time now, the clinical advice has been for those on the Highest Risk List to follow the same guidance as everyone else in Scotland unless specifically advised otherwise by their own GP or clinician.

The list is not being used to identify people who are eligible for vaccine prioritisation or new treatments, and the NHS will continue to be able to contact those people when needed.

Support remains in place for those who are immunosuppressed and who may still have some reduced immunity. This group are likely to need general protection from a range of infections in addition to Covid-19.

Wellbeing support is also available for those on the List, and the Scottish Government has allocated an additional £120,000 to the British Red Cross to fund their Connecting With You service to help people reconnect with activities and friends, to rebuild their confidence in going out and to help them regain a better quality of life.

The Distance Aware Scheme is in place to provide free badges and lanyards to people who wish to show others they would welcome additional space and extra care while out in public.

The Chief Medical Officer will shortly write to everyone on the list to advise them of the change, and sign-post them to ongoing support.

Dr John Harden, Deputy National Clinical Director, said: “At the beginning of the pandemic we introduced shielding to protect the most vulnerable from a virus we knew little about. Clearly shielding did not come without impact, particularly for those who were socially isolated or feeling particularly anxious due to being labelled at ‘highest risk’.

“In March 2020, we used the information we had at that point to identify those with certain health conditions who we reasonably thought would be at higher risk of severe illness from Covid-19.

“Thankfully, we know a lot more about the virus now. Combined with our successful vaccination programme and the availability of new treatments, means the clinical evidence clearly shows that the vast majority of people who have been on the Highest Risk List no longer need to consider themselves at any significantly higher risk.

“Support is still in place for the small number of immunosuppressed people who are unable to mount a full immune response due to their condition or ongoing treatment. We will publish separate advice for this group and have put in place an identification process to be able to rapidly generate an accurate and current list of individuals to provide additional advice to, should it be needed in future.”

The Scottish Government has produced guidance for immunosuppressed people and guidance for people previously at higher risk . An  evidence review was used to support the ending of the List.

Public Health Scotland reports from January 2021 and March 2022 both highlighted the negative impact of shielding on those asked to do so.

The Distance Aware scheme was launched by Wales’ health and care think tank The Bevan Commission in August 2020. The Scottish Government invested £55,500 in developing the scheme for a Scottish audience, including procuring and distributing badges, lanyards and promoting the scheme.

The Scottish Government is asking organisations, businesses and employers to promote this to their staff, customers and members. A toolkit is available to provide further support and information.

PANDEMIC: NHS Lothian to launch COVID-19 documentary

Don’t miss the online launch of our documentary which tells the story of NHS Lothian’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic through interviews, videos and pictures of our staff.

Please join us to reflect and watch the premiere on our YouTube Channel on Thursday 28 April, 6pm. #pandemic #covid-19

Child Covid Vaccinations

Thinking of getting your child vaccinated over the school break? At your child’s vaccination appointment, you will have the opportunity to speak to the vaccinator and ask questions before giving final consent.

Please see an overview of the locations available to get your child vaccinated here: 

http://ow.ly/a1nF50IJucx

Care workers to be recognised at Scottish National Care Home Awards

A prestigious evening Awards Ceremony recognising the best of the independent care home sector will be held tomorrow (Friday 1 April) at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow. The National Care Home Awards 2021 (rescheduled from November 2021) is an important opportunity to highlight the contribution of care homes and their staff during the Covid-19 pandemic.

88% of all care home support in Scotland is delivered by the independent sector, with these services caring for over 33,000 older individuals and employing nearly 46,000 people.  

Scottish Care, the representative body for independent social care services across Scotland and organisers of the event, are encouraging those working in the sector and the wider public to join the Awards Ceremony to recognise and celebrate the role of care home workers.

Winners will be announced by the Awards Host – Pop Idol winner, Michelle McManus.

Awards will be presented over fourteen categories:

  • Ancillary & Support Staff Award
  • Meaningful Activity Award
  • Nutrition & Eating Well Award
  • Training, Learning & Staff Development Award
  • Emerging Talent Award
  • Outstanding Achievement Award
  • Management & Leadership Award
  • Palliative & End of Life Care Practise Award
  • Nurse of the Year Award
  • Carer of the Year Award
  • Specialist Service/Unit of the Year Award
  • Care Home Service of the Year Award
  • Positive Impact Award
  • Strategic Contribution Award 

 

Dr Donald Macaskill, CEO of Scottish Care and the co-host of the Awards Ceremony said: “Over the past two years, care home staff have demonstrated resilience whilst adapting to the challenges of Covid-19. The dedication and professionalism of care home staff in supporting residents, families and each other has been exceptional.

“We have witnessed new innovative activity and unprecedented collaboration in care homes, with staff often going above and beyond the call of duty.
 
“The care home workforce has behaved with such dignity, compassion, professionalism and skill over the last few years, as they always do. The awards ceremony is a chance to say thank you and to recognise the particular skills of a few.

“But it is also a night to acknowledge all the individuals, teams and companies delivering care at an incredibly high standard in a challenging period and within an increasingly demanding work environment. We owe them a debt of gratitude.”
 
The awards have been hailed a huge success in recognising individuals, teams and companies, with more entries than ever flooding in each year from employers, care home staff, residents and relatives nominating their peers, colleagues and local services.


 
The Care Home Awards follows a full-day conference for the care home sector with speakers including the National Clinical Director, Professor Jason Leitch and the Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care, Kevin Stewart MSP.
 
The Scottish Care National Care Home Conference & Exhibition, which is now in its 22nd year has incorporated an awards ceremony for the last 17 years.
 
The conference will be the first in-person event hosted by Scottish Care since the start of the pandemic.

The title of the conference is ‘Care Chrysalis: An emerging future’, bringing people together from across the sector to share their experiences from the Covid-19 pandemic and plan for the future of care homes in Scotland.

The conference will explore topics as diverse as the role of technology, care home nursing, business and finance, restoring relationships, the importance of family, the role of creative arts in wellbeing and recovery, and workforce.
 
The conference, exhibition and care awards are the largest of their kind for the care home sector in Scotland.

Last of COVID-19 regulations to go

Face covering rules to change in April

Legal requirements to wear face coverings on public transport and most indoor public settings will be replaced with guidance in the coming weeks, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced today.

From Monday the legal requirement to wear a face covering in places of worship or while attending a marriage ceremony, civil partnership registration, funeral or commemorative event will end.

The requirement to wear face coverings in other indoor areas such as retail spaces and public transport will become guidance on 18 April.

The most recent ONS Covid infection survey – for the week ending 20 March – indicated that one in 11 people in Scotland had Covid, with daily case figures suggesting case numbers are high but may be stabilising.

The First Minister told Parliament that the very high level of infection and ongoing pressure within the NHS had been taken into account when making the decision, and that data will continue to be assessed closely.

She said: “We will, of course, continue to encourage the wearing of face coverings in certain indoor places, especially where significant numbers of people are present.

“This phased approach strikes, I think, a sensible balance between our desire to remove this one remaining legal measure, and the common sense need for continued caution – not least for the sake of the NHS – while this wave of infection does subside.

“I recognise that face coverings are an inconvenience. However, given all the sacrifice of the past two years, and in view of the current pressure on the NHS, I believe the vast majority of people will accept that for a further two weeks this is a proportionate precautionary measure while we pass the peak of this latest wave. It also of course provides some additional protection to those who are most at risk from the virus.”

It was confirmed earlier this month that people without COVID-19 symptoms will no longer be asked to take regular lateral flow tests from 18 April.

The change forms part of the Test and Protect Transition Plan, which sets out how testing will become more targeted, with the aim of reducing serious harm from COVID-19.

The changes to Test and Protect mean that from 18 April:

  • most people without symptoms will no longer be asked to take COVID-19 tests
  • free lateral flow devices (LFDs) for the purposes of twice weekly routine testing will no longer be available for the general population given the changing advice, but will continue to be free for any purpose for which testing continues to be advised – for clinical care, for health and social care workers and for people visiting vulnerable individuals in care homes or hospitals
  • until the end of April, people with symptoms should still isolate and get a PCR test
  • vaccinated close contacts of someone with COVID-19 should continue to test daily for seven days with LFDs

People who have symptoms of COVID-19 will still be able to book PCR tests in the usual way until 30 April.

From that date, test sites will close and people with symptoms will no longer be advised that they need to seek a test. The public health advice for people who feel unwell will be to stay at home until they feel better, to reduce the risk of infecting other people.

Researchers reveal the impact of Covid-19 and war on Ukraine’s persons with disabilities

New report examines ways of strengthening support mechanisms

Researchers have called for Ukraine’s organisations of persons with disabilities (OPD) to have a bigger role in the country’s decision-making processes.

The Edinburgh Napier-led team were finalising their report on the impact of Covid-19 on the country’s almost three million persons with disabilities just as Russia launched its first attacks on its eastern European neighbour.

Their investigation, carried out with partners in Ukraine, documents how the pandemic created many new barriers while also amplifying existing ones.

Covid-19 limited persons with disabilities’ access to healthcare, social services and transport, increased their social isolation and undermined their economic security. 

Digital poverty meant many could not access online portals for government departments or online learning, and the study also highlighted concerns about decreasing levels of cooperation from public bodies.

Now war with Russia – in which 15 per cent of the civilian population caught up in the conflict will have a disability – is presenting new and even more complex challenges.

Initial reports suggest persons with disabilities are struggling to access safe zones, medical services or reliable information on top of the other challenges faced by a population under attack. 

Principal Investigator Dr Kiril Sharapov, from Edinburgh Napier’s School of Applied Sciences, said: “Organisations of Persons with Disabilities remain one of the last remaining systems of support for the people they have been taking care of within the context of the pandemic and now within the context of this catastrophic war.

“They continue, where and when they can, to provide support to the most vulnerable individuals and their families. Their knowledge and expertise must inform all current and future relief efforts provided by the Government of Ukraine and by the international donors and humanitarian agencies.”

The research report calls for organisations of persons with disabilities to have their unique roles recognised at legislative level within Ukraine, and for the Government to support their activities.

It also recommends that public bodies consult with and give OPDs a say in decision making, and that OPDs should be actively involved in monitoring the quality of social services delivery.

There are almost three million people registered as having a disability in Ukraine, with actual numbers likely to be higher due to the lack of reliable statistics. 

Dr Sharapov researched the impact of the pandemic on them in partnership with the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine umbrella group and local organisations. The study was funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund and the UK’s Arts and Humanities Research Council.

A total of 108 organisations responded to a survey co-designed by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine, making it the largest to explore the views of the disability movement on the effects of the pandemic. The findings were presented to disability experts and activists who were asked to comment and make recommendations.

The research report says it is “essential” that public authorities in Ukraine at all levels recognise and support OPDs as key actors in ensuring and protecting the rights of people they are caring for. 

It also recommends that an up-to-date register of all OPDs is kept, and that the Government cooperate with them in developing a rapid response protocol for circulating information during any future public health emergencies.

Working-paper-COVID19-and-Disability-UKR-ORG-ENGDownload

All COVID-19 travel restrictions removed in the UK

‘Reluctant’: Scottish concerns over lack of border control measures

The UK government is to remove the remaining COVID-19 international travel restrictions for all passengers from 4am on Friday 18 March – despite rising numbers of Covid cases.

  • from 4am on 18 March no-one entering the UK will need to take tests or complete a passenger locator form
  • remaining managed hotel quarantine capacity will be fully stood down from the end of March, making the UK one of the first major economies to end all COVID-19 international travel rules
  • contingency plans put in place to manage any future variants of concern (VoCs)

The government will remove the remaining restrictions on international travel for all passengers ahead of the Easter holidays, the Transport Secretary has announced.

As one of the first major economies to remove all its remaining COVID-19 travel restrictions, this is a landmark moment for passengers and the travel and aviation sector.

From 4am Friday 18 March, all COVID-19 travel restrictions will be lifted, including the passenger locator form (PLF) for arrivals into UK, as well as all tests for passengers who do not qualify as vaccinated. This change, therefore, removes the need for unvaccinated passengers to take a pre-departure test and a day 2 post arrival test.

This step reflects the decisions taken by the government, as set out in the Living with COVID plan, and the success of the UK’s vaccine and booster rollout, with 86% of the population having received a second dose and 67% of the population with a booster or third dose.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The UK is leading the world in removing all remaining COVID-19 travel restrictions, and today’s announcement is a testament to the hard work everyone in this country has put in place to roll out the vaccine and protect each other.

“I said we wouldn’t keep travel measures in place for any longer than necessary, which we’re delivering on today – providing more welcome news and greater freedom for travellers ahead of the Easter holidays.

“I look forward to continuing to work with the travel sector and partners around the world to keep international travel moving.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “As we learn to live with COVID-19, we’re taking further steps to open up international travel once again ahead of the Easter holidays.

“We will continue monitoring and tracking potential new variants and keep a reserve of measures that can be rapidly deployed if needed to keep us safe.

“We can remove these final restrictions thanks to the incredible success of our vaccination programme, which has seen more than 8 out of 10 adults across the UK boosted.”

To ensure the protection of public health, the government will maintain a range of contingency measures in reserve, which would enable it to take swift and proportionate action to delay any future harmful variants of COVID-19 entering the UK should the need arise.

In future, the government’s default approach will be to use the least stringent measures, if appropriate, to minimise the impact on travel as far as possible – given the high personal, economic and international costs border measures can have – and the contingency measures will only be implemented in extreme circumstances.

Given the current state of the pandemic and a move towards global travel volumes returning to normal, the remaining managed hotel quarantine capacity will be fully stood down from the end of March.

Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of Airlines UK, said: “Today’s announcement sends a clear message to the world – the UK travel sector is back. With travellers returning to the UK no longer burdened by unnecessary forms and testing requirements, we can now look forward to the return to pre-COVID normality throughout the travel experience.

“We’re grateful for the timing of the announcement as we prepare to welcome back passengers this Easter and summer, for which we know there is huge pent-up demand, and for the UK’s leadership in being the first major aviation market to remove all remaining restrictions. The time to return to the skies – to enjoy all that makes aviation and international travel great, for families and businesses – is now.

Karen Dee, Chief Executive of Airport Operators Association, said: “A return to restriction-free travel is good news for passengers and should allow for aviation to take significant steps towards recovery.

“People should feel encouraged to book their long-awaited holidays, trips to see relatives and friends abroad they haven’t seen for a long time and travel to rekindle business ties with other countries.”

 Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: Two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, today’s announcement marks international travel finally returning to normal.

“The removal of passenger locator forms and testing regimes means that customers can at long last enjoy hassle-free travel, just like they did before the pandemic.”

With Easter just around the corner and summer fast approaching, this announcement comes at the perfect time, the government says. Since restrictions started to be eased at the beginning of the year, we have experienced strong, sustained demand and the complete removal of forms and requirements will boost that demand even further.

Additionally, UKHSA will continue to closely monitor the prevalence and spread of harmful variants and keep international data under review.

While there will be no border health measures on arrival in the UK from 18 March, other countries are at different stages in the pandemic and many still require passengers to comply with requirements.

Travellers should continue to check GOV.UK travel guidance including Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice to keep up to date with other countries’ entry requirements.

Passengers are also encouraged to carefully check booking conditions for flexibility in amending bookings prior to buying tickets. People will continue to be able to access their vaccine and recovery records through the NHS COVID Pass to use when travelling overseas.

The Scottish Government expressed concern over the lack of border control measures and – with the other devolved administrations – called on the UK Government to maintain some form of border surveillance.

However given the negative impact of non-alignment on the tourism industry, alignment was reluctantly agreed on a four nation basis.

These changes only apply to incoming travellers. People should continue to check gov.uk for the latest information on the requirements in other countries when travelling abroad.

Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said: “These measures significantly open up international travel and were agreed on a UK wide basis despite the Scottish Government raising concerns over the lack of border controls.

“However, we recognise the benefits of acting on a four nation basis and this will bring a high degree of normality back to travel and is extremely welcome for Scottish tourism, the aviation sector and travellers alike.

“There will be continued surveillance by the UK Health Security Agency to monitor for developments of concern and a contingency toolkit is being progressed which will enable an agile and rapid response in future to any changes.

“This could include tailored restrictions where appropriate and people may wish to continue to observe sensible measures while travelling such as frequent hand washing and respecting social distancing.”

First Minister will give a Covid update toMSPs at Holyrood later today.

Further talks on fiscal reform

Clarity needed on Barnett consequentials

During yesterday’s session of the Joint Executive Committee (JEC) with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes outlined some of the challenges needing to be addressed as part of the forthcoming joint review of the Scottish Fiscal Framework.

Chairing the meeting in London, Ms Forbes highlighted the need for further collaboration on fiscal flexibility, including consideration of further financial powers as part of the forthcoming Fiscal Framework review.

The meeting follows the UK Government’s Council Tax Energy Rebate announcement and the consequential funding for the Scottish Government.

The Spring Budget Revision has also been published showing that the Scottish Government has spent almost £15 billion on measures to respond to COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. It represents the final decisions made in the Scottish Government budget allocations for this financial year despite the challenges due to late notification of consequentials.  

 

Speaking following the JEC, Ms Forbes said: “I have had a constructive conversation with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury this afternoon, where there was a frank exchange of views on what is quickly required from the Fiscal Framework Review and the need for further fiscal flexibility for Scotland.

“Our experiences of dealing with both the health and economic impacts of the pandemic and supporting those struggling with the cost of living crisis clearly demonstrate how difficult it is to take actions we deem vital without sufficient fiscal powers and often with late notice or lack of engagement when further funding is coming.

“This has been proven once again today. Whilst I will always welcome funding, the net change to our budget isn’t clear yet  – we are awaiting urgent clarity on this from the Treasury and how it will impact our final settlement for the current year.

“As the First Minister has said, we will pass on the full consequential funding to support people struggling with the current costs of living. Council Tax is already lower in Scotland and our current support such as the single Council Tax Reduction Scheme protects 470,000 lower income households.”

And the UK Government’s take on yesterday’s meeting:

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke held talks with the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy Kate Forbes yesterday to discuss the upcoming review of the Scottish Government’s Fiscal Framework.

The ministers agreed they were close to finalising arrangements for an independent report on the Scottish Government’s Block Grant Adjustment arrangements which will inform the review.

They shared the ambition to get this first stage launched as soon as possible.

The Chief Secretary and Cabinet Secretary also agreed that the Fiscal Framework review should be guided by principles set out in the Smith Commission agreement. They discussed the importance of several principles, including fairness and consistency, as well as the need to have a framework that is implementable, sustainable and operates effectively in practice.

Both ministers expressed a desire to avoid unnecessary delays to starting the Fiscal Framework review, and agreed to continue a dialogue and joint preparations for the review while the independent report is underway.

Ministers also discussed financial impacts relating to the income tax personal allowance.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke said: “Today was an enjoyable and productive meeting. We are working closely with the Scottish Government and engaging in regular discussions on the Fiscal Framework review, making good progress on our approach to the Scottish Government’s future finances.”

Vaccinations for children with specific medical conditions

Invitations being sent from this week

Children aged five to 11 years old who have specific medical conditions which place them at greater risk from COVID-19 will be invited for their first vaccination from this week onwards.

Parents do not need to book an appointment for them online as they will be contacted directly by Health Boards.

Those five to 11 year olds who are household contacts of people with immune suppression will be invited to receive their vaccination in due course.

Letters will also be sent to young people aged 12-15 who are at particular clinical risk from COVID-19 inviting them for a booster jag, 12 weeks after their last primary dose.

Meanwhile, second doses are now available for all 12 to 15 year olds who had their first dose at least twelve weeks previously. This cohort can book an appointment online at NHS Inform or go to a drop-in centre. Parents and carers are welcome to accompany them..

Any 16 or 17 year old can book a booster online for 12 weeks after their second dose. They can also visit any drop-in centre.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The vaccination programme continues to be a huge success and we are so grateful to all those who have taken up the offer of a vaccination and of course, every single person involved in the delivery of our national programme.

“In this next part of the programme we continue to deliver boosters and take forward the latest advice from the JCVI regarding younger cohorts. They and their parents can find out more about the vaccination that is recommended for each age group at NHS Inform.

“We urge all those who are eligible for any dose to take up the offer to protect them, those around them and of course our NHS at this particularly busy time.”