Morrisons will be giving away half a million free postcards for children to spread messages of hope this week in a nationwide initiative to help tackle loneliness within communities.
Children of Morrisons colleagues will be colouring postcards and writing messages for the supermarket to distribute to its Doorstep Delivery customers who are continuing to shield while lockdown restrictions are eased.
Morrisons Community Champions will also be working in partnership with local primary schools to give children postcards illustrated with sunflowers and positive messages that they can colour in.
The school children can post their cards to grandparents, neighbours and friends who they may not have seen recently due to lockdown or give them back to Morrisons to distribute to care homes and via its Doorstep Delivery service.
According to recent data from the Office of National Statistics, nearly half (47 percent) of adults in England reported that their wellbeing had been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Further research by Morrisons has revealed that 46 percent of Brits are feeling more isolated and alone than they normally would. Two thirds (67 per cent) said a simple act of kindness could help them feel reconnected with their community and three quarters (77 per cent) said it would positively change their entire outlook for the day.
David Potts, CEO at Morrisons, said: “Although lockdown is easing across the UK we know that many people in the community are still shielding and therefore unable to meet up with family and friends.
“Customers write to me weekly to let me know that Morrisons Doorstep Delivery service has been a lifeline to them and express their gratitude and we wanted to let them know we will continue to be here for them. We hope these messages will put a smile on people’s faces up and down the country.”
Every Morrisons store will receive 1500 postcards to give away locally.
The initiative is the latest from Morrisons which aims to make good things happen and bring hope to the nation.
Last week, Morrisons gave away 25 million sunflower seeds to customers to grow at home and launched its ‘Little Sunshine’ award – to recognise those who have gone above and beyond in their local community throughout the pandemic.
Sustrans Big Pedal is back! The UK’s biggest cycling, walking, wheeling and scooting challenge takes place between 19 and 30 April.
Keeping children active is more important than ever and because we don’t know exactly what the rest of 2021 will bring in terms of Coronavirus restrictions, pupils are able to to compete regardless of if they are learning at school or at home.
Big Pedal is back for 2021. Our long-running competition to get more people travelling actively to school has been changed so that children learning at home can take part.
It’s the UK’s largest cycling, walking, wheeling and scooting competition for primary and secondary schools.
The competition has now been running for 11 years.
And this year it’s fronted by Dame Sarah Storey, British Paralympian and 38-time world champion in cycling and swimming.
Big Pedal 2021 will run from19 to 30 April 2021.
It will see young people across the UK compete with one another to make the most journeys by cycling, walking, scooting or using a wheelchair.
The theme of this year’s competition is ‘Amazing Journeys’.
And we’re encouraging pupils to see their local areas from a different perspective and learn about the benefits of active travel.
The coronavirus pandemic and national and local lockdowns have meant that many of us are spending more time at home.
So we’ve adapted Sustrans Big Pedal 2021 to become more flexible to the world around us at the moment.
Children will be able to take part in the competition and supporting activities whether they are travelling to school or learning at home.
The importance of staying active during lockdown
Regular physical activity is vital to promote good physical and mental health.
And guidance from the UK’s Chief Medical Officers recommending children partake in 60 minutes of physical activity each day.
New data from Sport England suggests there has been a decline in the physical activity levels of children due to the pandemic.
Almost a third of children in England are engaging in less than 30 minutes of daily physical activity in the 2019 – 2020 academic year.
But our Big Pedal challenge is an easy way for families to stay active whether schools are open or not.
Keeping active to help protect the NHS
Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner for the Sheffield City Region said: “I am delighted to be involved with the Big Pedal in 2021, and delighted it will be pandemic-proof this year too!
“Health has been in the spotlight over the past year, like never before, and getting out for a cycle ride has been one of the few activities that have been unaffected by the various restrictions.
“Staying active is one of the ways we can all play our part in protecting the NHS throughout our lives.
“Active people are less likely to fall into ill-health and suffer from the many diseases caused by not getting enough exercise.
“I really hope to see as many people as possible involved this year.
“It will be a fantastic way to start the Spring and to give ourselves a challenge in what has already been a challenging start to the year.”
Sustrans CEO, Xavier Brice said: “We’re excited that the Big Pedal is returning for 2021, after what has been a truly difficult year for all.
“And the need to make time to incorporate physical activity into our daily routines seems important now more than ever.
“We don’t know exactly what the rest of 2021 will bring in terms of coronavirus restrictions.
“But we’re delighted pupils will be able to take part, regardless of where they are learning.
“Active travel has proven its worth over the past year, with more people looking for socially distanced ways to move around and remain active in lockdown.
“As we look towards life after Covid-19 and schools returning as normal, we hope to see local authorities use the next stage of funding announced in November for cycling and walking.
“We need to continue to make it easier for families to travel actively to school.
“More people travelling actively for essential everyday journeys such as the school run means fewer cars on the road.
“And this helps to ease congestion and reduce air pollution around school gates”.
Join in the Big Pedal fun
Another fun and easy way to get involved in this year’s Big Pedal is to enter our family competition.
Share pictures or short videos of you and your children getting active between 19-30 April using #BigPedalWin on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
Make sure you’re following @Sustrans on your favourite social media platform for the latest news about this competition.
Whether you’re doing the usual school run or just need some inspiration for keeping the family active in lockdown, we’ve got you covered.
A new study has revealed how a lack of financial education has left people across the United Kingdom confused by their own money with detrimental effects on their confidence, mental health and financial wellbeing.
Investment app Freetrade created the Great British Financial Literacy Test – 18 questions about savings, investment, ISAs and retirement that everybody will likely encounter at some point in their lives.
How did Britons perform in the financial literacy test?
Asking 2,000 British people to complete the test, Freetrade discovered that almost half of them (48%) could not answer basic questions about personal finance including what an ISA stands for, the difference between fixed rates and variable rates, and what your annuity provider does when you retire.
Retirement was the area of personal finance that people struggled to understand the most with 80% of Brits unable to correctly answer this part of the test. This figure was 81% among respondents aged 55+ approaching retirement age.
The pass rates for questions about investment were the second lowest at 44%. This was followed by savings at 34% and ISAs at 32%.
Do British people lack confidence in their finances?
Equally as alarming as the low pass rates across the UK were people’s lack of confidence around aspects of personal finance. Overall, 88% of Brits say they lack confidence with their money, and one third of Britons (32%) said this also led to a negative impact on their mental health.
An overwhelming majority of respondents (91%) told Freetrade they lack confidence in investment. 90% of Brits similarly lack confidence in managing their retirement money, according to the study. 88% of the UK also lack confidence when it comes to ISAs.
Dan Lane, senior analyst at Freetrade, said: “The greatest advantage you can give your investments is time. So it’s concerning that the cohort with the most time on their hands feels so ill-equipped.
“Whether we realise it or not, investing early on in life could be the difference between reaching our eventual financial goals or missing them entirely. Getting to grips with the basic concepts later in life might just be too late.
“There should be alarm bells ringing about the fact that 90% of Brits lack confidence with their pensions. With advances in medical technology and increased life expectancies we’re likely to live longer in retirement than ever before.
“But a massive gap in our understanding of how to invest for our third age, or even how to access those investments suitably later on, means we really aren’t prepared for a sizable portion of our lives. Unless we’re thinking about investing for retirement long before we get there, we could end up in the awful position of regretting the simple financial decisions we made 30 years ago.
“It’s a real sign of the nation’s lack of financial education when a huge portion of the population doesn’t know the name of one of the most common savings products. The frustrating thing about the lack of confidence around ISAs is just how helpful, accessible and easy to use ISAs can be. Chances are, if we’re unsure about the headline facts around ISAs, we’re not using them to help us as much as we could.”
Which areas of the UK have the highest and lowest financial literacy rates?
Brighton was the city discovered to be the most financially literate, according to Freetrade’s study. Pass rates there were 55%, much higher than the national average. Sheffield, however, was discovered to be the city with the lowest financial literacy with only a 47.6% pass rate.
The five highest and lowest scoring cities in the UK are:
Top 5 Cities
Pass Rate
Bottom 5 Cities
Pass Rate
Brighton
55%
Sheffield
47.6%
Manchester
54.1%
Belfast
48.5%
Edinburgh
53.8%
Birmingham
51.8%
Southampton
53.5%
Nottingham
51.9%
Cardiff
53.5%
London
52.4%
Dan Lane, senior analyst at Freetrade, continued: “There are regional differences on show but the overall takeaway is that we still need a greater focus on financial literacy all across the UK.
“Basic concepts like compound interest might be ticked off in the National Curriculum but setting us up to deal with that in the real world takes more than a textbook exercise.
“These results should be a wake-up call for the nation’s education system to equip young people well enough to put theory into practice.”
Where are we turning to for financial education?
Struggling to understand finance, Britons are turning to the internet for help. 23% of us make Google their first stop for learning about personal finance—the most popular answer among respondents. The second most common answer was social media with 16% of people saying they would get financial education from platforms like Instagram, TikTok or Facebook.
Dan Lane, senior analyst at Freetrade, concluded: “Young people are taking their future into their own hands and being proactive in addressing the gap in their financial knowledge.
“The results show that previous generations have clearly muddled through to retirement without ever getting a firm grip on their money management and the youngest Brits have said enough is enough.
“Social media can make the headlines for the strangest of reasons but dismissing these platforms means ignoring the truly valuable educational content young people are finding on them. These are free resources and guidance tools dealing with money matters in a way that engages and informs a generation who left school without a firm financial foundation.
“Those who diminish the efficacy of these resources have to ask themselves ‘what else is on offer to help?’”
NHS Lothian and the HELP Appeal are today (12 April) celebrating an important milestone as the new helipad located at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and the Department of Clinical Neuroscience (RHCYP/DCN) officially opens.
The helipad, located above the fourth floor of the RHCYP/DCN will serve both the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and the RHCYP/DCN giving direct access to child and adult emergency departments, as well as all other clinical departments based on site.
Hospital helipads play a critical role in trauma care by helping to minimise the time it takes to transfer critically ill patients. Without them, patient treatment can be delayed, which can have a devastating impact on survival rates.
Dr Jon McCormack, Clinical Lead for Paediatric Major Trauma, NHS Lothian explained that having access to a helipad plays an important role in optimising patient flow pathways for both planned and emergency transfers.
He said, “The helipad will provide access to hospital services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with three trained helideck responders being available to ensure safe landing and departure. This will help to enhance patient care by facilitating a seamless transition of patients from the air ambulance to in-patient services.”
The helipad was part funded through the HELP Appeal, which aims to ensure that patients who sustain life threatening critical injuries or illnesses are able to be flown directly by air ambulance to a Major Trauma Centre or key A&E hospital, where all the specialist clinical skills and medical equipment are immediately available, improving their chances of survival and recovery.
The HELP Appeal is the only charity in the country funding hospital helipads.
Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal said, “The amazing RHCYP, DCN and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh treat some of the most seriously ill in Scotland. This lifesaving helipad will dramatically speed up the time it takes to transfer these patients from helicopter to hospital anytime of the day or night, giving them the best chance of survival and recovery.
“We had no hesitation in providing the £700,000 needed to ensure the hospitals had a state-of-the-art helipad – a crucial element in their emergency care offering – as it will save many lives.
“With brand new helipads opening in Applecross and Campbeltown, and the helipad opening in Edinburgh today, we are so pleased that the HELP Appeal is making a positive impact in emergency care across Scotland. We look forward to helping many more hospitals secure helipads in the future.”
Jim Crombie, Deputy Chief Executive, NHS Lothian said, “We are incredibly grateful for the support of the HELP Appeal in part-funding our new helipad.
“It really will make a positive difference to our patients and will no doubt save many lives not just here in Lothian, but across Scotland.”
The iconic MoonWalk Scotland is going virtual on 12 June 2021!
Whilst walkers may not be uniting in Holyrood Park and swathing Edinburgh in pink for this year’s MoonWalk, they will be taking its kaleidoscope of colours and funky disco theme far and wide, as people of all ages and abilities step out into towns and villages across Scotland and the UK.
With four different Power Walking distances – 6.55 miles/ 13.1 miles/ 26.2 miles/ 52.4 miles – there really is something for everyone, from the absolute novice to the ardent walker, all Walking towards raising £1 million for cancer.
Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk, organisers ofthe MoonWalk said:“The MoonWalk Scotland is such an iconic highlight of Walk the Walk’s year, creating an incredible buzz across Edinburgh and filling the streets of the city with colour and fun.
“For the health and safety of our supporters and fundraisers, we’re unable to meet at Holyrood Park this year, but Covid-19 cannot stop cancer, and it’s not stopping us. I’m just so excited that we are gathering such wonderful support and that supporters are uniting in their own areas, for our first daytime Virtual MoonWalk Scotland.
“We are thrilled that fundraisers can now walk together in small groups, creating the wonderful camaraderie that brings, and to help raise £1 million of much needed funds.
“Due to the devastating impact that Covid-19 has had on those living with cancer, this will allow us to continue providing vital support where it is needed most, to frontline cancer services.
“Thanks to walkers putting one foot in front of the other, we’ll be able to make more grants to charities like Cancer Support Scotland, who received £20,000 from Walk the Walk to fund their vital online support services.
“We know that many people doing a little bit can be a powerful force …so let’s generate that power across Scotland and the UK in true Walk the Walk spirit!”
So look out for MoonWalkers on June 12th, who will be wearing the unique Walk the Walk ‘Bra T-shirts’, and creating an inspirational movement across the country!
Walkers are being encouraged to decorate their disco-themed decorated bras, and attach them to their bum bags as a sign of unity and support as they take on their challenges.
Walking has often been described as almost the perfect form of exercise. It can build overall fitness at any age, help maintain mental and physical wellbeing, including weight loss, as well as being a great aid to prevention against disease.
With gyms and leisure centres forced to close during the pandemic, many people have started walking for the first time, and realising not only how much they enjoy it, but the many benefits that it holds. Walking is one of the most flexible forms of exercise around – just step out of your front door and go!
Whilst The MoonWalk is traditionally held overnight, as Walk the Walk is not there to look after everyone, this year there will be various start times during the day, to be confirmed closer to the date.
All walkers and supporters should observe government social distancing guidelines during their own Virtual MoonWalk Scotland.
To sign up for The Virtual MoonWalk Scotland or to make a donation go to:
Jog for Jugs, the viral campaign raising breast cancer awareness and funds for the charity CoppaFeel!, has smashed its cheeky new target of £8,008 within just five days of the campaign going live.
Founder Becky Chapple (28), a regional manager for Amazon, and her fellow ‘Titty Committee’ have now ramped up the target to an ambitious new total of £18,008.
Since its launch on Saturday, the campaign has spread like wildfire, with over 450 participants now contributing to the JustGiving page and nominating their friends to do the same. As Jog for Jugs’ original target of £1,000 was hit in just two short hours, Becky is confident that the new target can also be reached:
“We couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who has already donated, and we’re beyond excited to see what happens next”, she said. When we originally planned the campaign over a socially-distanced glass or two of wine, £8,008 going towards CoppaFeel! was our wildest dream.
“To reach that number in just five days is beyond anything we expected, and we’re hopeful that as more joggers nominate their friends, we’ll hit our new target. We’ve been thrilled to see so many ‘Check Yourselfies’ – for us, the really important thing is that everyone learns how to check their boobs or pecs for changes, and does so regularly.”
Jog for Jugs launched last Saturday (10th April) with a video starring national treasure Lorraine Kelly and a host of other famous faces including Lee McKenzie, Emma-Louise Connolly and Joanna Vanderham. Since then, the video has been widely shared across social media and has been viewed a massive 110,000 times.
The idea for the campaign emerged as during lockdown, Becky received the unfortunate news that her mum Susan had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully, the signs were caught early, and swift treatment has meant that her future looks bright. However, after researching the disease over the course of her mum’s treatment, Becky discovered that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lives, and that regardless of gender everybody should be checking themselves regularly.
Becky and her friends devised Jog for Jugs to shine a spotlight on the issue and to help reduce the stigma of talking about boobs.
Participants are encouraged to jog/walk/cycle/swim/SUP 8km, to donate £8 to the dedicated JustGiving page, to nominate 8 pals to do the same and – most importantly – to share a ‘Check Yourselfie’ on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #JogforJugs, to represent getting into the habit of regularly checking boobs or pecs for concerning changes.
The campaign is particularly timely due to the recent news that 2 in 5 people have been too scared to visit their doctor due to Covid-19, and CoppaFeel! is deeply concerned that this will result in a flurry of late-stage diagnoses once lockdown restrictions are fully lifted.
To donate to the Jog for Jugs Campaign please visit
A University of Glasgow project that is aiming to better understand the effects that COVID-19 infection has on blood vessels and blood pressure has received a grant of £250,000 from Heart Research UK.
Research has shown that people who are older, obese, male or those who have other medical problems including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or chronic lung conditions, have a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is very common with more than one quarter of adults in the UK affected.
The virus causing COVID-19 enters the body’s cells through a receptor called ACE2 which is found in the lungs, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, liver, and bowel. ACE2 is very important for maintaining many of the body’s important processes including blood pressure, inflammation, and wound healing.
COVID-19 can also cause damage to the walls of the blood vessels which makes the risk of blood clots higher and this has been seen more often in people with high blood pressure. The reasons for this are not yet known which is why we need to understand more about the links between COVID-19 and high blood pressure.
This study, which will be led by Professor Sandosh Padmanabhan, Professor of Cardiovascular Genomics and Therapeutics, aims to answer whether:
High blood pressure makes COVID-19 infection worse and if so, why.
COVID-19 infection makes high blood pressure worse and if so, why.
Monitoring and management of high blood pressure needs to be a greater priority during the pandemic.
The study will look at routinely collected health records for people in the West of Scotland who attended hospital or had a positive test for COVID-19 between April 2020 and April 2021. This will be compared to the records of patients who attended hospital during 2019, for another reason. They will also look in detail at a group of people with high blood pressure.
Prof Padmanabhan’s team will also study a group of people that have recovered from COVID-19 infection. They will undergo blood pressure monitoring, and tests of heart and blood vessel health. These tests will be repeated after 12 and 18 months to see if there have been any changes. They will be compared to a group of people who have not had COVID-19.
Finally, the study will look at markers in the blood (biomarkers) with the aim of identifying any which are linked with high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or death in COVID-19.
This study will give us a better understanding of the links between COVID-19 infection and high blood pressure, and help to improve the long-term outcomes for survivors of COVID-19. Also, the findings may lead to recommendations on the monitoring and management of blood pressure during the pandemic.
Prof Padmanabhan said: “The current COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has exposed unexpected cardiovascular vulnerabilities at all stages of the disease.
“The mechanism by which the SARS-CoV-2 virus causes infection is believed to directly and indirectly affect the cardiovascular system potentially resulting in new-onset hypertension, heart failure and stroke and represents an insidious feature of long-COVID.
“The burden of hypertension as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic is unknown, but given the scale of the infection especially among the young this will be a major concern for the future. In this project, we plan to generate valuable evidence that will inform hypertension management strategies and reduce cardiovascular risk for survivors of COVID-19.”
Kate Bratt-Farrar, Chief Executive of Heart Research UK, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the work of ProfessorPadmanabhan and his team, who are conducting vital research into one of the biggest medical challenges the world has ever faced.
“We have known for some time that those with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions are more susceptible to developing severe complications from COVID-19. We hope that this research will help to explain why this is the case, reduce the risk for this vulnerable group and, ultimately, help to save more lives.
“Our grants are all about helping patients. They aim to bring the latest developments to those who need them as soon as possible.
“The dedication we see from UK researchers is both encouraging and inspiring, and we at Heart Research UK are proud to be part of it.”
While the pandemic has had an impact on all parents and families, the severity of that impact, and the potential long-term consequences, will vary significantly.
While there have been positives for some families in being able to spend more time together, emerging evidence suggests others are experiencing increasing mental ill health, poverty, domestic abuse and child neglect.
There are also concerns around the impact on children’s development, perhaps especially for those born in the last year.
The Committee has decided to conduct a short inquiry on this topic, and will begin by hearing from organisations working with more vulnerable and disadvantaged families about what they have observed over the last year and their concerns for the future.
Witnesses
Tuesday 20 April 2021
At 9.45am, the Committee will hear evidence from:
Jabeer Butt, Chief Executive, Race Equality Foundation
Sally Hogg, Head of Policy and Campaigning, Parent-Infant Foundation
David Holmes, Chief Executive, Family Action
Jaine Stannard, Chief Executive, School-Home Support
Jane Williams, CEO Founder, The Magpie Project
Themes for discussion
How the pandemic has affected more vulnerable and disadvantaged families.
What the long-term impact of the pandemic might be for parents and children.
What action is needed from Government to respond to these concerns.
The report explores the key barriers and enablers to accessing the COVID-19 vaccine and how the vaccine delivery model can be improved to reduce inequalities and provide holistic support to those who need it the most.
The key messages from the report are that our health system has a clear moral and human rights duty to those vulnerable groups who fall through the gaps of public service provision to ensure that they are not failed by this crucially important public health intervention.
Some of the key demographics highlighted within the research are at very high risk if they do contract COVID-19, including people who are homeless, prisoners, people living in poverty, people who abuse drugs and alcohol, black and ethnic minority groups, gypsy travellers, refugees and asylum seekers.
The report calls against viewing the Covid-19 vaccine programme as a silo: the programme has to be part of a whole-system, preventative approach to public health and to health inequalities. This requires a joined up suite of interventions that not only help people access the vaccine but supports them to stay well afterwards and enables them to adhere to the Covid-19 regulations safely.
There are a number of recommendations calling for improvements in the communications relating to the COVID-19 vaccine, a need to prioritise collection and analysis of local data about uptake of Covid-19 vaccine by different communities and groups as well as the need to conduct active research into the ongoing vaccination programme.
The report also recommends developing a rolling programme of outreach vaccination clinics, services and events as well as provision of accessible, affordable transport to vaccine centres and clinics.
Finally, the report highlights the importance of involving third sector and community partners in the planning, communications and delivery of public health interventions that could help prevent, mitigate and reduce health inequalities.
The findings of the report will be shared with Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland, NHS Boards as well as a range of key stakeholders across the third sector.
“Covid is in retreat in Scotland” – FM Nicola Sturgeon
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at St Andrew’s House today (Tuesday 13 April 2021):
“Lastly, I want to set out, as I indicated earlier, a change to our existing plans.
We have always said we will keep plans under review and accelerate the lifting of restrictions if possible.
Indeed, we are legally obliged not to keep any restrictions in place for longer than they are needed.
Now, it’s important to stress that the improved data, and I’m sure the CMO will underline this, does not allow us to throw caution to the wind – certainly not if we are sensible – but it does give us a bit of limited headroom.
So we have considered whether we can bring forward any changes that will particularly boost mental health and wellbeing. So we focused really on trying as far as possible to give families more opportunities to get together earlier than was planned.
In particular, we have looked at travel within Scotland to see friends and family, albeit outdoors.
At the moment, we cannot leave our own local authority areas except for an essential purpose.
That rule was due to remain in place until the 26 April.
But the data allows us to make a change to this earlier than that.
So, from Friday this week – 16 April – we will all be able to travel anywhere within Scotland for the purposes of outdoor socialising, recreation, or informal exercise.We are also able to relax the rules for meeting people outdoors, again from Friday.
At the moment, a maximum of four adults from two households are permitted to meet outdoors.
From Friday onwards, that will change to a maximum of six adults, from up to six households. So that’s quite a significant relaxation of that outdoor meeting limit.
So in summary from the end of this week, you will be able to meet up with family and friends who live in different parts of the country. Many of those reunions will be long-awaited, and much anticipated.
But please do remember that meetings at this stage, probably until the middle of May, meetings must still be outdoors – not inside our own homes.
And I would aske everyone to please be careful and remember that due to physical distancing, public transport capacity remains relatively limited.
And remember also that travel restrictions for wider purposes – such as leisure, shopping, visiting hospitality premises or staying in tourist accommodation – will remain until 26 April when these places will re-open and all travel restrictions within Scotland will be lifted.
I can also confirm today that we do expect to lift restrictions on travel to and from England and Wales on 26 April – something which I know will be welcomed by many, and perhaps in particular by businesses in our tourism sector.
Now it may still be necessary in future to have temporary travel restrictions to and from places with high rates of Covid.
We will be very serious about mitigating any risk of importing the virus, and particularly new variants of the virus, into Scotland, so we may see some limited travel restrictions in future either within Scotland or between Scotland and other parts of the UK.
But from 26 April, we intend that people in Scotland will be able to travel anywhere across Britain.
Northern Ireland is due to review its restrictions later this week – so we will review our approach to travel there before 26 April and we hope that that can be freed up to.
And travel restrictions to and from other parts of the common travel area – including the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands – will also be kept under review.
We also hope to be able to agree rules for international travel on a four nations basis.
I should stress however, and I know this is difficult, that international travel does remain a significant risk – particularly given the acceleration of spread that we are seeing in many other parts of the world and given the possibility and reality of new variants of the virus being imported into Scotland.
It may be the case that we have to endure restrictions on international travel for a bit longer, as the price we pay for much greater normality here in Scotland.
I know that’s not easy and often when we talk about international travel we talk about holidays, but I’m very well aware that for many people international travel is about seeing families, so we will not keep these restriction in place for any longer than necessary, but it is important right now to protect our progress here so we don’t make the mistakes we perhaps made as we came out of lookdown last time and open up international travel too quickly and then compromise and jeopardise the progress that we have made.
However, back to the positive, from Friday – we will be able to travel more freely within Scotland, and to meet up in larger groups outside.
A week later, on 26 April, the retail and hospitality sectors will reopen.
And then, as the summer progresses, we do expect to see a return to much greater normality.
All of that is positive news. It’s a testament to the success of the vaccination programme, and more importantly it’s down to the sacrifices all of us have made up until now.
I know how tough that has been and how tough it still is, but it is those sacrifices that now make possible the easing of restrictions that lie ahead of us.
But the final point I need to make really relates to that one. It is the truth and the continuing reality that the best way to keep on making progress out of lockdown, is to continue to keep cases low.
Covid is in retreat in Scotland, no doubt about that, but it hasn’t gone away and it won’t simply magically go away. It will come back if we allow it to come back.
So we must still exercise care and caution because we want our progress this time, even if it as not as fast as we want it to be, to be firmly in one direction.
That means continuing to stick to the rules that are in place.
In particular, for now, please don’t meet up with other households in your or their homes. We hope that can be eased from the middle of May.
Continue to work from home if you can for now.
And on any occasion when you do leave the house, and this becomes more important as we start to ease restrictions, remember all of the basis rules:
wear face coverings;
avoid places that are busy; so this weekend if you decide to travel a bit further to see a group of friends or family, if you go to somewhere that’s crowded, come away and go somewhere else.
remember to clean hands;
use two metre distancing
and self-isolate and get a test if you have symptoms.
As i said, these precautions become more important as we open up.
One final point I just want to clarify, which I should have said earlier on the move to six people from six households outdoors, is that of course doesn’t include children under 12. They don’t count towards that limit.
If we all continue to do the right thing, do the sensible thing, enjoy responsibly these easing of restrictions, then there is every reason for us now to be really optimistic that we are on the right track.
So let me end by thanking you again for everything you have done to make all of that possible.
Council Leaders have welcomed the Scottish Government’s latest COVID-19 update, and the easing of some restrictions earlier than expected.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “I know people across the city will be extremely pleased with the First Minister’s latest COVID update, as am I. So many residents will now be able to visit loved ones in other parts of the country, who they may not have seen for many months, or to gather with more friends and families outdoors, which I know will have such a positive impact on everyone’s wellbeing.
“We’ve all worked so hard over the winter to stick to restrictions, and I know many businesses have had to make real sacrifices to help limit the spread of this virus, so once again I want to thank everyone for their efforts to protect one another during this most challenging of years.
“Of course, with infection rates dropping and an ongoing rapid roll-out of vaccinations, there is much to be hopeful about as we stay on-track in our recovery from the pandemic.
“But, while some of our freedoms are gradually being returned, there’s no room for complacency. There are still rules in place, for good reason, and we must continue to observe these with care if we are to return to the normality that we’ve missed so much, sooner rather than later.
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: Today’s news is to be welcomed and recognises the real need for us to be able to spend more time with family and friends, something I know we have all felt the lack of over recent months.
“Lifting of travel restrictions from England and Wales later this month is also a really positive step for all those missing relatives and friends around the country and will be a huge benefit to all the hospitality businesses and accommodation providers who are looking forward to welcoming visitors back.
“Now, we need to set our sights on recovering safely and sustainably. Though the latest update gives us reason to be optimistic, and will allow us to enjoy spring with one another, we still need to work together to get through this.
“By following the guidance in place around physical distancing, meeting outdoors and continuing good hygiene – as well as looking after our parks and outdoor spaces when we do gather – we can emerge from this healthy and happy.”
The Scottish Government is following a timetable for easing restrictions – indicative dates and further information can be found on their website.
