Passengers travelling to Scotland from abroad will be required to have proof of a negative test taken a maximum of 72 hours before travel.
The new public health requirement, to be introduced as soon as practically possible, aims to strengthen current safeguards against imported cases and in particular protect against new strains of coronavirus such as those identified in Denmark and South Africa.
People arriving into Scotland will have to take the pre-departure test (PDT) up to 72 hours before leaving the country they are in. Those coming from countries not on the quarantine exemption list will still be required to self-isolate for 10 days on arrival.
Non-essential travel to or from Scotland is currently illegal and will not immediately change with the introduction of pre-departure testing.
Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Travel into or out of Scotland is currently illegal and that will remain the case while we work to suppress the new strain of COVID-19.
“The Scottish Government has been consistently clear about the risks associated with international travel and the importance of public health measures in helping to stop the spread of coronavirus. That is why we have been in regular dialogue with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations about what further measures can be put in place, including the introduction of pre-departure testing (PDT).
“The requirement for pre-departure testing will add to our suite of public health measures as we seek to help drive down transmission of the virus to safeguard health, protect the NHS and save lives.
“It is important to emphasise that this additional measure does not remove the requirement for all passengers arriving from countries not on the quarantine exemption list to self-isolate for ten days, even with a negative test.
“Likewise, all passengers will continue to have to complete a Passenger Locator Form and, of course, they will be subject to national lockdown restrictions, which currently bar people from leaving their home or other fixed address without a reasonable excuse for doing so.
“As the UK Government has made clear, there are still some outstanding issues to address and it is important that we consider the implications, but we are keen to implement this as soon as it is possible.”
Edinburgh Airport Chief Executive Gordon Dewar is less than pleased:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1347544474197614592
International arrivals required to prove negative COVID-19 test result before departure for England
all international arrivals to England, including UK nationals, required to present a negative COVID-19 test taken up to 72 hours prior to departure
passengers will be subject to an immediate fine of £500 if they fail to comply with the new regulations on pre-departure testing
all passengers arriving from countries not on the government’s travel corridor list will still be required to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of test result
passengers will still be required to fill in a passenger locator form and be subject to national lockdown restrictions
Passengers arriving from all international destinations will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result before departing for England to help protect against new strains of coronavirus circulating internationally.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced that from next week inbound passengers arriving by boat, plane or train will have to take a test up to than 72 hours before departing the country they are in, to help protect against the new strains of coronavirus such as those seen in Denmark and South Africa.
Today’s (8 January 2021) decisive action is in response to the changes seen in the transmission of the virus both domestically and across the globe. Pre-departure testing will protect travel and will provide an additional layer of safety from imported cases of coronavirus on top of the mandatory 10 day self-isolation for arrivals, helping identify people who may currently be infectious and preventing them from travelling to England.
A negative pre-departure test reduces the risk of someone travelling whilst infectious, acting as another safeguard to prevent imported infections. Passengers arriving from countries not on the government’s travel corridor list must self-isolate for 10 days regardless of their pre-departure test result to provide further robust protection from those travelling from high-risk countries.
Prior to departure passengers will need to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test result to carriers, as well as their passenger locator form. The UK Border Force will conduct spot checks on arrival into England to ensure that passengers are fully compliant.
The move further bolsters existing protective measures which helped to safely enable international travel last year, with self-isolation for new arrivals and travel corridors remaining critical in reducing the risk of imported cases from high-risk countries.
Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps said: “We already have significant measures in place to prevent imported cases of COVID-19, but with new strains of the virus developing internationally we must take further precautions.
“Taken together with the existing mandatory self-isolation period for passengers returning from high-risk countries, pre-departure tests will provide a further line of defence – helping us control the virus as we roll out the vaccine at pace over the coming weeks.”
National lockdown restrictions which came into force on 6 January 2021 remain in place meaning everyone must stay at home unless travelling for a very limited set of reasons, including for work.
Permitted travellers will need to take their test up to 72 hours before departure, and this will apply irrespective of whether a country is on the travel corridor list. The government will set out the standards that these tests will need to meet and what proof passengers will need to present.
Passengers arriving into England who have successfully demonstrated a negative result prior to departure from a country not on the travel corridor list will still have the option to reduce the self-isolation period from 10 to as little as 5 days by paying for a test through the Test to Release scheme. The scheme requires a test to be taken on or after the fifth full day since leaving a country not on the travel corridor list.
Passengers will be required to show their negative test result before boarding, and transport operators will deny boarding if necessary. On arrival back into the UK, Border Force will check passengers test results through the current spot check regime, to ensure that individuals are compliant with the new rules, and passengers will be subject to an immediate fine of £500.
There will be a limited number of exemptions, including for hauliers, children under 11, crews and for those who travelling from countries without the infrastructure available to deliver the tests. Further exemptions will be set out on GOV.UK.
Those who travel indirectly from South Africa must self-isolate for 10 days.
All travellers will still be required to complete a passenger locator form before arrival into England. This is critical in being able to track the virus in case of any local outbreaks, and those who fail to complete a passenger locator form will be subject to an increased fine of £500.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said:“The decision to introduce mandatory testing for people travelling to the UK is a positive step for protecting public health and building confidence that travel is safe, but further detail is needed for how this will work.
“Travellers and airlines urgently need clear information from the government on what type of tests are required and how to access them. There will be a lack of testing capacity in some locations, leaving people at risk of not being able to access a test in time for their flight. This may mean they’re unable to board their flight and have to pay hundreds of pounds for a new one or worse, are left stranded, as most airlines are currently shutting down or reducing flight schedules.”
Leading mental health charity, Penumbra, whose team manage the Edinburgh Crisis Centre are continuing to support people experiencing a mental health crisis despite lockdown.
The charity is doubling up on efforts to make sure people across Edinburgh know there is a 24/7 crisis service available to them during the pandemic.
The Edinburgh Crisis Centre is managed by Penumbra on a daily basis and by a representative group involving Centre user representatives (supported by Advocard), NHS Lothian, City of Edinburgh Council, and the Edinburgh Carers’ Council as part of an ongoing Public Social Partnership.
The Penumbra team at the Crisis Centre supports around 2000 people each year.
Penumbra is one of Scotland’s largest mental health charities supporting 1800 adults and young people each week across Scotland. In addition to grassroots support services, the charity also campaigns nationally to promote positive messages around mental health and works with government to improve mental health policies.
Edinburgh Crisis Centre Manager, Barrie Hunter, commented:“Our team here at the Edinburgh Crisis Centre provides short term emotional and mental health support to people in the city who are in distress or who are at risk of suicide and self-harm, and we provide a safe and non-judgemental environment where people can talk in confidence.
“There’s constant demand for support from the Crisis Centre, and it’s not unusual that many of the calls that come in are from people who are extremely distressed and need support immediately.
“The pandemic has been daunting for everyone, but there’s a real risk that people already living with mental ill health could find themselves in real distress. The added pressures of dealing with the isolation, financial worries, and other impacts of lockdown are potentially creating a perfect storm for people reaching crisis.
“At any given time, 1 in 20 of us is experiencing thoughts of suicide. It remains a subject that we find difficult to talk about, but as a leading cause of death among young people and with men in their middle years particularly vulnerable, it’s vital that we open up. The one thing we can all do is talk openly about suicide and encourage conversations around mental wellbeing.
“It’s important for people to know that even during lockdown they can still contact us for support 24/7.”
On Monday Boris Johnson, in response to mounting evidence and calls to take urgent steps to protect the public, announced a new lockdown, the third we’ve had to date. The government must ensure that those asked to shield are able to do so (writes TUC’s Quinn Roache).
New strains of coronavirus are spreading like wildfire.
The new strain of the virus is 50% to 70% more transmissible and levels of infections are increasing to record levels, leading to huge strains on hospitals across the country.
Disabled people make up the majority of those who have died from Covid-19 – government statistics show that disabled people accounted for 3 in 5 covid-19 deaths. This is why it is imperative that, going into this new lockdown, disabled people who are told to shield can do so effectively.
Impact
This new lockdown is having a tangible impact on everyone. It impacts on many workers physical and mental health as well as livelihoods and income.
This is particularly true of those who’ve been asked to shield. A group the government have termed ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’, which means they have a higher risk of severe illness if infected.
Evidence suggests that in England this group is almost 4% of the population, or 1 in 25 people, and that they are disproportionately more likely to be disabled.
Disabled workers previously asked to shield told the TUC they felt forgotten and overlooked. They told us that the first lockdown left them isolated, without access to basic needs like food and a negative impact on both their physical and mental health1.
The government must do better this time.
Government advice to those who should shield
Their guidance is that those advised to shield should no longer attend work, school, college or university.
And that they should limit the time they spend outside their home, only going out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential.
Shield confirmation
Many people asked to shield will have done so already and they and their employers will have a good understanding of how to proceed throughout this lockdown.
However, it is important for employers and workers to understand the changing nature of the shielding group.
Since the start of the pandemic, workers will have come on and off the shielding list as their health conditions have changed. For example, those who were newly diagnosed with cancer and are undergoing active chemotherapy would have only just be put on the shielding list.
To avoid any confusion, everyone who needs to shield will be sent a letter by the government to confirm their shield status. However, receiving confirmation you should shield has not been a seamless process in the past.
In the first lockdown many people who were at very high risk from the virus were not on the list of those who should shield and, as a result, did not receive a letter advising them to do so.
Government guidance says, a GP or hospital clinician can add individuals to the Shielded Patient List if, based on their clinical judgement, they deem to them be at higher risk of serious illness if they catch the virus.
Workers who do not receive a letter telling them shield but who think they should be on the list should speak to their clinician or GP.
Furlough
It is vital that workers advised to shield should stay at home to protect their health, however, being told to shield and being able to afford to do so are two different things.
We’ve been told that although employers have access to the furlough scheme not all of them are using it so often those most at risk from the virus, are not being furloughed.
Employers should ensure that shielding workers who cannot work from home are offered an alternative role they can fulfil from home. Failing that, shielding workers should be furloughed.
Workers told to shield from any sector, public, private or the charity/third sector, who can not work from home but cannot return to the workplace must be furloughed. And to ensure this group’s health, the job retention scheme should be open to workers who live with someone told to shield and who cannot work from home.
Nobody should be losing pay as a result of an existing health condition and NHS advice to shield. No one should have to choose between their life and livelihood.
This is why the government, upon the urging of unions, has extended the job retention scheme to the end of April 2021 and which means furloughed workers will continue to receive up to 80% of their salary up to £2,500 which employers can claim back from the government. Employers can, and we believe should where they can afford it, top up wages to 100 per cent.
The government must also make sure benefits like statutory sick pay and universal credit pay the real living wage. It must repair the UK’s safety net as far too many people, around 14 million, were already living in poverty before the virus struck. Disabled people are disproportionality effected by this as nearly half of all people living in poverty in the UK are disabled themselves or live with someone who is.
People who lose their jobs must get the support they need to make ends meet and to get back on their feet.
Without fixing these benefits, many risk being plunged into poverty.
TUC recommendations
The TUC is calling on all employers to:
ensure that shielding workers who cannot work from home are offered an alternative role they can fulfil from home. Failing that, shielding workers should be furloughed.
The TUC is calling on the government to:
raise the basic level of Universal Credit for the duration of the outbreak to 80% of the real living wage – or £260 a week
raise sick pay from £94 a week to the equivalent of a week’s pay at the Real Living Wage – around £320 a week.
“Education is absolutely vital – the BBC is here to play its part and I’m delighted that we have been able to bring this to audiences so swiftly.”
The BBC is set to deliver the biggest education offer in its history across more of its platforms. It will bring together BBC Two, CBBC, BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer and online to deliver a new education offer to children, teachers and parents as a third national lockdown begins.
Reacting quickly to the news of UK schools moving to remote learning, the new offer from the BBC will ensure all children can access curriculum-based learning, even if they don’t have access to the internet.
Starting on Monday 11 January, each weekday on CBBC will see a three-hour block of primary school programming from 9am, including BBC Live Lessons and BBC Bitesize Daily, as well as other educational programming such as Our School and Celebrity Supply Teacher and much loved titles such as Horrible Histories, Art Ninja and Operation Ouch.
BBC Two will cater for secondary students with programming to support the GCSE curriculum, with a least two hours of content each weekday.
Content will be built around Bitesize Daily secondary shows, complemented by Shakespeare and classic drama adaptations alongside science, history and factual titles from the BBC’s award-winning factual programming units.
Bitesize Daily primary and secondary will also air every day on BBC Red Button as well as episodes being available on demand on BBC iPlayer.
Tim Davie, BBC Director General, says: “Ensuring children across the UK have the opportunity to continue to follow the appropriate core parts of their nation’s school curriculum has been a key priority for the BBC throughout this past year.
“Education is absolutely vital – the BBC is here to play its part and I’m delighted that we have been able to bring this to audiences so swiftly.”
This TV offer sits alongside a wealth of online content which parents, children and teachers can access when and where they need it:
For primary, BBC Bitesize online has an expanded offer of structured lessons in Maths and English for all year groups – these can be used at home or in the classroom. ‘This Term’s Topics’ also covers other curriculum subjects and curates learning content that works for the Spring curriculum. This content can be easily incorporated into a learning plan or used to explore different topics at home. Visit bbc.co.uk/bitesize, click on the year group and subject and all the content is there.
For secondary pupils, Bitesize is also home to two-week learning packs for English and Maths in KS3 (years 7, 8 and 9) as well as This Term’s Topics for other subjects to be used at home or to support teachers in the remote classrooms.
For students in Years 10 and 11, the Bitesize GCSE offer allows students to pick their exam board and subject to find everything they need to help with their studies. Visit bbc.co.uk/bitesize/secondary for details.
Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, says: “The BBC has helped the nation through some of the toughest moments of the last century, and for the next few weeks it will help our children learn whilst we stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.
“This will be a lifeline to parents and I welcome the BBC playing its part.”
Educational content for all nations will also be available.
With tighter restrictions and national lockdowns back in place, I want to reassure you that we are doing everything we can to keep you and our colleagues safe when you shop with us (writes Sainsbury’s Chief Executive SIMON ROBERTS).
Everyone must wear a mask in our stores
Keeping you and our colleagues safe is our absolute priority and we are looking again at all of our safety measures in stores.
We continue to limit the number of people in our shops at any one time and we have greeters outside every supermarket to help with this.
We are also asking all customers to please wear a mask and to shop alone. This will help us limit the number of people shopping at any one time and help everyone shop and work safely.
We’ll also have posters and tannoy messages making it really clear that everyone must wear a mask, unless you have an exemption.
Convenience stores will also have colleagues at the store entrances to help customers and manage numbers. All our stores have hand sanitising stations available for you to use at the entrance and please be assured our colleagues continue to regularly clean trolleys and baskets.
Ramping up online capacity
As people are being asked to stay at home, more people want to shop online and we’re doing everything we can to support you with this. We have increased slots from 340,000 last March to over 800,000 per week now and we’re doing everything we can to increase that number, across both home delivery and click and collect. We continue to give elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers priority access to these slots.
Please shop for others and only buy what you need
We have good availability of products in our stores and online and we have new stock arriving from our suppliers every day. You can still feel confident that you can find what you need at Sainsbury’s and if we all continue to buy just what we need, there will be enough food for everyone.
It’s been really heartening to see so many of you and our colleagues doing what you can to help elderly and vulnerable people in your communities. With clinically extremely vulnerable people required to shield once again in many areas, I would like to encourage everyone to please shop for others if you can. Our Volunteer Shopping Card can help you do this without needing to use cash.
Supporting our communities
With your help, our ‘Help Brighten a Million Christmases’ campaign raised nearly £6 million for over 800 local charitable partners as well as Comic Relief and FareShare. Thank you for all of your support and donations.
To continue to support our communities as we head into this third lockdown, I’m pleased to let you know that we’re creating another £1 million local community fund for all our stores to donate to charities and other good causes in their local area over the coming months.
We are also continuing to support the government’s free school meal vouchers scheme, helping children who qualify for free school meals have access to these meals while schools are closed.
I want to thank all of our colleagues who continue to deal with these challenges that affect their everyday lives while also carrying out a vital role in helping to feed the nation. Thank you too for helping us to keep you and our colleagues safe.
As always, if there is anything you think we could be doing better please let me know.
Following the latest coronavirus guidelines announced on Monday, Granton Information Centre staff are working from home and our office on West Granton Road will remain closed for the foreseeable future – BUT PLEASE BE ASSURED THAT WE ARE STILL OPERATING!
You can contact us by email at info@gic.org.uk or by calling 0131 551 2459 or 0131 552 0458.
Any messages left on our answering machine will be dealt with as soon as possible – please ensure you clearly leave your full name and telephone number when leaving a message.
Let’s all play our part in keeping each other safe, stopping this terrible virus and getting life back to normal!
Scotland woke up to tougher restrictions this morning
The STUC has strongly welcomed the extension of blended learning in schools and extra lockdown requirements but is disappointed at failure to protect all non-essential workers.
STUC position on shielding workers has now been heeded
STUC calling on all employers to offer furlough to all working parents affected by school closures, who are not classed as keyworkers
Measures are short of a full lockdown as many non-essential workplaces in sectors like manufacturing and construction will still remain open
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “By the government’s own admission the situation is now more serious than it has been at any other point, we are literally in a race to save lives, yet the measures set out are still less stringent than the lockdown last year.
“We welcome the decision to move to blended learning in schools until at least February. It is absolutely vital in the period ahead that education workers are listened to, and that a precautionary approach is maintained. Further changes to the plan for staggered return to universities also seems to be inevitable.
“We are also pleased our position has been heeded that shielding workers should not be required to attend work.
“However, we are deeply disappointed that, despite the severe circumstances, the First Minister, appears to be prepared to allow a range of non-essential workplaces such as construction and manufacturing to remain open.
“As well as posing increased transmission risks. this is a recipe for confusion and will place many workers in an invidious position, particularly those who have caring responsibilities. We intend to raise this as a matter of urgency with the Government.”
Responding to the latest announcements, David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: “We recognise the situation with the pandemic is fast moving and are behind the government’s efforts to get on top of the virus.
“Nonetheless these further restrictions are unsettling and come at an incredibly difficult time for the retail industry. Non-food retail as a whole has been thwacked hard by the onslaught of coronavirus, and even before the latest lockdown came into effect was trading almost a quarter down compared to the same period last year.
“Even when stores are eventually permitted to re-emerge from this enforced hibernation, it is likely many will continue to suffer from lower shopper footfall. Prior to the current lockdown footfall was down by a third.
“Whilst a return to trading is crucial, it will not be a panacea for the industry. That’s why we hope to see a recovery plan from government to get retail moving once again, including visibility on the route out of lockdown, early clarity over continued rates relief for the coming financial year, and short term stimulus to boost consumer confidence and spending once shops can re-open perhaps through a high street voucher scheme.”
Police Scotland issued the following statement:
Responding to the First Minister’s announcement of a new lockdown, Director for CAMRA Scotland Joe Crawford said: “Tighter restrictions under the new national lockdown means that the light at the end of the tunnel still seems months away for Scotland’s beleaguered pubs and breweries.
“With pubs having missed out on any money through the tills over Christmas – which would have been their busiest time of year – and no prospect of re-opening on the immediate horizon, it is clear that the existing financial support on offer won’t be enough to save our pubs and breweries from permanent closure.
“The Scottish Government must recognise that local pubs are a force for good, bringing communities together and playing a key role in tackling loneliness and social isolation.
“They deserve a new, long-term, sector-specific financial support plan to make sure that they can survive the next few weeks and months and are still around to open their doors again once restrictions start to be lifted.”
The EIS has expressed its support for the decision to keep schools on a remote learning platform for at least the month of January, as part of the lockdown announced the Scottish Government.
Commenting on the decision, EIS General Secretary, Larry Flanagan said: “There was already heightened concern from teachers in Level 4 areas around school safety and the surge in infection levels, driven by the new variant, will have compounded those concerns especially as it seems clear that children can be as easily infected as anyone by the new strain, with subsequent transmission also occurring.
“Given that social distancing amongst pupils is physically impossible in crowded classrooms, moving to remote learning is the correct decision, therefore, if we are to successfully drive down community infection levels. Suppressing the virus is key to school buildings safely reopening.”
He added, “Whilst the education system is better prepared to deliver education remotely than during the first lockdown, challenges remain and we need to ensure that all pupils, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can access learning on an equitable basis.”
Mr Flanagan concluded: “We have raised with the Scottish Government the question of prioritising vaccination of school staff as a mechanism to allow school buildings to reopen for all pupils.”
With a new national lockdown announced to combat rising case numbers, Council leaders have called on Edinburgh residents to do their utmost to help bring COVID19 rates down.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “This is obviously a very concerning situation for the whole country, perhaps the most precarious position we’ve been in since the pandemic first took hold in Scotland in early 2020.
“Everyone has sacrificed so much already in our collective fight against this virus but as the new strain is now accounting for almost half of all new cases, we need to act decisively.
Edinburgh residents and businesses have demonstrated extraordinary resilience throughout this crisis and we face more very difficult weeks ahead. I know we’ve got what it takes to pull together once again and keep ourselves and each other safe. The more we stick together on this, the faster we’ll bring the spread under control to keep our communities safe.
“We’re actively reviewing all relevant council services in light of today’s announcement and will provide further updates to residents and businesses as soon as we’re able. Our focus will remain on providing the best support we can to those most in need across the Capital.
“We’ll be speaking to partners over the next hours and days and will be sharing information when details are finalised on the dedicated COVID pages on our website and through our social media channels.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “New Year is always a hopeful time of year and with the vaccines being rolled out nationwide we can all draw comfort from the prospect of a return to a more normal way of life later in 2021. We’ll get to that point more quickly, though, if we put in the effort now to really minimise our risk of transmitting or picking up the virus.
“Please stay at home except for essential purposes and help protect the NHS, who are going through such an incredibly difficult period right now – and it looks set to worsen in the coming weeks. We need to follow the public health guidance and get this right.
“I want to offer my thanks in advance to all the frontline workers in health, retail, essential transport, core Council services and other sectors who help keep us all going through these extremely tough times.”
From tomorrow, mainland Scotland will move from Level 4 to a temporary Lockdown, with new guidance to stay at home except for essential purposes.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made the following statement to Parliament this afternoon:
I’m grateful to you, Presiding Office for this recall of Parliament today. And I want to wish you, members, and everyone watching, all the best for a new year that we hope – despite a very difficult start – will bring better times.
The Cabinet met this morning to assess the up to date Covid situation – which is extremely serious – and discuss what further action is necessary to minimise further spread of the virus. I will set out our decisions shortly.
However, I can confirm now, in summary, that we decided to introduce from midnight tonight for the duration of January, a legal requirement to stay at home except for essential purposes. This is similar to the lockdown of March last year.
However, before I set out Cabinet’s decisions in more detail, I want to explain in some detail why they are so necessary.
In the last few weeks, there have been two significant game changers in our fight against this virus.
One, the approval of vaccines, is hugely positive and offers us the way out of this pandemic.
But the other – the new faster spreading variant of the virus – is a massive blow.
Possibly the most simple way of explaining the challenge we face right now is to compare it to a race.
In one lane we have vaccines – our job is to make sure they can run as fast as possible. That’s why the government will be doing everything we can to vaccinate people as quickly as possible. I will say more about that later.
But in the other lane is the virus which – as a result of this new variant – has just learned to run much faster and has most definitely picked up pace in the last couple of weeks.
To ensure that the vaccine wins the race, it is essential to speed up vaccination as far as possible. But to give it the time it needs to get ahead, we must also slow the virus down.
And because it is now spreading faster, that means even tougher restrictions are necessary.
The evidence is now compelling that the new variant is up to 70% more transmissible than previously circulating strains, and that it may add as much as 0.7 to the R number.
And according to recent analysis of PCR test samples, it appears that the new variant already accounts for almost half of all new cases in Scotland. That increased and faster spread is undoubtedly driving the very serious situation we now face.
Today’s case numbers – 1,905 new cases, with 15% of tests being positive – illustrate the severity and urgency of the situation.
No new deaths were reported today – because yesterday was a Sunday and registration offices were largely closed – but since I updated Parliament before Christmas, 289 deaths have been recorded in the daily figures. That again reminds us of the continuing grief this pandemic is causing.
But this is not just about one day’s numbers.
We are now seeing a steeply rising trend of infections.
Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that I am more concerned about the situation we face now than I have been at any time since March last year.
In the week from 23 to 30 December, the seven day incidence of cases per 100,000 of the population increased by 65% – from 136 per 100,000 to 225 per 100,000.
Test positivity has risen sharply too.
The next update on the numbers of Covid patients in hospital and intensive care will be published tomorrow.
I would expect these to show that, nationally, the total number of Covid patients in hospital is close to its April peak. And in some boards, the pressure is already very real.
For example, in terms of hospital beds, NHS Ayrshire and Arran is currently at 96% of its Covid capacity, and three other health boards – Borders, Greater Glasgow & Clyde and Lanarkshire – are above 60% of their capacity.
The number of people in intensive care is still significantly lower than the April peak – which partly reflects the fact that treatment of Covid has improved significantly since last spring.
But even so, the total number of patients in intensive care in Scotland is already above normal winter levels. Indeed, all mainland health boards have now exceeded their normal intensive care unit capacity.
And it is important to be clear that people who are in hospital and ICU now are likely to have been infected 10 days to 2 weeks ago.
That means that these numbers reflect what the level of new cases was around 2 weeks ago.
Given that the number of cases has increased significantly since then, we can expect to see significantly increased pressure on the NHS over the course of this month.
Contingency plans remain in place to double and then treble ICU capacity if necessary.
And the NHS Louisa Jordan continues to be available to help meet demand – as indeed it has been doing in recent months. 12,000 patients have attended there for scans and outpatient appointments; nearly 5,000 NHS staff and students have been trained there; and it is currently being used for Covid vaccinations.
In short, NHS services are coping at present – although the pressure on frontline staff is considerable – but already in some areas the position is fragile, and getting more challenging.
And if the rate of increase in case numbers that we have seen in past two weeks was to continue unchecked, there would be a real risk of our NHS being overwhelmed – even with contingency plans in place.
In fact, our modelling suggests that without further intervention, we could breach inpatient Covid capacity within 3 or 4 weeks.
And, of course, a sharply increasing number of cases, in human terms, means many more people becoming ill and dying. All of that explains why we have to act quickly and decisively.
The situation in some other parts of the UK – where case numbers are already much higher than here, and where the contribution of the new variant is already greater – shows what may lie ahead if we don’t.
As things stand, we estimate that we are possibly about four weeks behind the position in London and the south east.
The rapid acceleration in London began when it was at about 160 new cases a week, for every hundred thousand people. That’s the level Scotland was at a week ago.
London is now seeing 900 new cases a week per 100,000. Test positivity is around 27%. And pressure on NHS services is acute.
We have an opportunity in Scotland to avert the situation here deteriorating to that extent.
But we must act quickly.
The advice of our clinical advisers is clear that the increased transmissibility of the new variant means that the current level 4 measures may not be sufficient to bring the R number back below 1.
It is essential that we further limit interaction between different households to stem the spread and bring the situation back under control, while we vaccinate more people.
In short, we must return for a period to a situation much closer to the lockdown of last March.
Let me therefore set out in more detail the decisions Cabinet has reached.
It is important to stress that these are not decisions taken lightly. I am acutely aware of the impact they will have and I know they will not be welcome.
But they are in our judgment essential.
As government, our clear and overriding duty right now is to act quickly to save lives and protect the NHS.
We know that delay or prevarication in the face of this virus almost always makes things worse not better – even if it stems from an understandable desire that we all share to wait for more data or evidence.
To turn to the decisions in detail. The decisions I will speak about a bit later on schools, let me be clear at this stage, they will apply to all parts of Scotland. However other decisions that I will outline will apply to those parts of Scotland currently at level 4, which of course is all of mainland Scotland, and they are effectively an enhancement to level 4.
The island areas currently in level 3 will remain there for now, although we will continue to monitor them very carefully.
These additional level 4 restrictions – essentially returning us to a position similar to the lockdown of last March – will be in place for the whole of January. We will keep them closely under review.
However, I cannot at this stage rule out keeping them in place longer, nor making further changes. Nothing about this is easy.
The first measure is that our fundamental advice, for everyone, is to stay at home.
That is the single best way of staying safe.
We consider that this stay at home message and advice is now so important that, from tomorrow, it will become law, just as it was in the lockdown last year.
This means it will only be permissible to leave home for an essential purpose.
This will include, for example, caring responsibilities, essential shopping, exercise and being part of an extended household.
In addition, anyone who is able to work from home, must do so. It will only be a reasonable excuse to leave your home to go to work, if that work cannot be done from home.
We are asking people and businesses to take this really seriously – as we all did in March, during the first lockdown, – because the situation is at least as serious now as it was then.
The law already requires many businesses in certain sectors to close in Level 4. We now need every business to look again at their operations, and to make sure that every single function that can be done by people working at home, is being done in that way.
Businesses have already shown a tremendous capacity to adapt during this pandemic and I’m very grateful to them for that – and we need them to consider their operations again, as we all work together to reduce transmissions.
The Economy Secretary will be speaking to business organisations about this, including this afternoon. We will also engage with unions on these issues. And we will continue to consider if more regulatory action is required.
We are also providing new guidance for people who are in the shielding category.
If you were shielding and you cannot work from home, our clear advice now is that you should not go into work at all.
The Chief Medical Officer is writing to everyone who falls into this category, and his letter will count as a Fit Note for those who need it.
Unlike the lockdown last year, the frequency of outdoor exercise is not being limited.
It is important for physical and mental health that we can get outdoors for fresh air and exercise as much as possible.
However, from tomorrow, the rule on outdoor gatherings will change.
As of now, up to six people from two households are able to meet outdoors. Given the greater transmissibility of this new variant, we consider it necessary to restrict that further.
From tomorrow, a maximum of two people from up to two households will be able to meet outdoors.
Children aged 11 and under will not be counted in that limit, and they will also be able to play outdoors in larger groups, including in organized gatherings.
However, for everyone else – including 12 to 17 year olds – outdoor exercise should only take place in a way which is consistent with the 2 people from 2 households rule.
In addition, strict travel restrictions remain in place across Scotland. From tomorrow, if you live in a level 4 area – as the majority of us do – you cannot leave your home except for an essential purpose. When you do go out, stay as close to home as possible and stay away from crowded places.
And it remains the case – and let me stress this point – that no-one is allowed to travel into or out of Scotland unless it is for an essential purpose.
Presiding Officer, a number of other measures will come into effect on Friday of this week.
It is with real regret that we consider it necessary for places of worship to close during this period for all purposes except broadcasting a service, or conducting a funeral, wedding or civil partnership.
I am well aware of how important communal worship is to people.
But we believe that this restriction is necessary to reduce the risk of transmission.
While up to 20 people will still be able to attend funeral services, wakes will not be possible during January. And a maximum of 5 people will be able to attend wedding and civil partnership services.
Presiding Officer, I know how devastating restrictions like these are and I give an assurance that we will not keep them in place for longer than is absolutely necessary.
There will also be additional measures in relation to businesses, in addition to the tightening of the essential retail definition that took effect from Boxing Day.
The current 1 metre exemption for workplace canteens will end – so canteens will have to ensure that employees sit 2 metres or more apart, rather than 1 metre.
The number of non-essential services which remain open will be further restricted.
Premises which will need to close as a result of these changes will include, for example ski centres, showrooms of larger retailers, and clinics offering cosmetic and aesthetic procedures.
I know that many businesses have already been hit by the restrictions which were put in place on Boxing Day.
And of course I know that the vast majority of businesses have taken their responsibilities seriously, and have invested in Covid safety measures.
In addition, the move to home working has brought challenges for workers and employers. I am hugely grateful for the way in which businesses and their staff have responded to those challenges.
Grants are of course available for businesses required to close as a result of restrictions. That support is in addition to support through the UK wide furlough scheme.
The Scottish Government’s financial support for businesses during the pandemic currently totals more than £2.3 billion.
However, we will continue to assess what more the Scottish government can do – either in closure grants or other forms of support – to help businesses and those who work for them.
We will also work with councils to ensure community and social support for those who need it, including for parents balancing work and online learning. We will confirm additional resources later this week.
Presiding Officer, The final substantive issue I want to address – before giving an update on vaccination – relates to schools.
We announced before Christmas that most school pupils would learn remotely – rather than in school – until Monday 18 January.
I can confirm that we have now decided to extend that date and keep schools closed to the majority of pupils until 1 February. We will review this again in mid-January.The change will apply to all pupils – except vulnerable children, and children of key workers. And it includes nursery schools, as well as primary and secondary schools.
There is no doubt that of all the difficult decisions we have had to take today, this was the most difficult of all and its impact is of course the most severe.
The evidence to date makes clear that thanks to the hard work of school staff and pupils, schools in Scotland have been low-risk environments for Covid. We will work with our partners to ensure that remains the case.
That will include ongoing work on testing in schools and discussions about when, in the context of the overall programme, it will be possible to vaccinate school staff.
And I want to be clear that it remains our priority to get school buildings open again for all pupils as quickly as possible and then keep them open.
However, right now, two factors mean that it is not consistent with a safety-first approach for all children to attend school in person.
First, the overall level of community transmission is simply too high. We need to get transmission down before schools can safely reopen. A period of online learning will also, in turn, help us do that.
The second reason is that there is still significant uncertainty about the impact of the new variant on transmission amongst young people.
We therefore have to adopt a cautious approach at this stage.
So most pupils will be learning online for at least the rest of the month.
We will review on 18 January whether they can – as we hope – return to school on the 1 February.
I know that remote learning presents significant challenges for teachers, schools, parents and young people, and we will work to support children and parents throughout this.
The Scottish Government, Education Scotland and local authorities are working together to further improve the remote learning options which are available for schools.
And it is also worth highlighting that since schools returned after the summer, more than 50,000 devices – such as laptops – have been distributed to children and young people to help with remote learning. More devices are being distributed by councils on a weekly basis, and in total we expect our investment –which builds on existing local authority action – to benefit around 70,000 disadvantaged children and young people across Scotland.
I also want to stress one final point.
Just as the last places we ever want to close are schools and nurseries – so it is the case that schools and nurseries will be the first places we want to reopen as we re-emerge from this latest lockdown.
They remain our priority.
That is why we are considering whether and to what extent – consistent with our overall duty to vaccinate the most vulnerable first in line with JCVI recommendations – we can achieve vaccination of school and childcare staff as a priority. Many teachers will of course be vaccinated over coming weeks as part of the JCVI priority list.
The fortnightly review will not simply be a choice between opening and closing schools – we will always seek to maximise the number of pupils we can safely get back to classrooms and nurseries.
So if the evidence tells us we can get some pupils back safely, we will do that.
However ultimately, the best way of enabling more pupils to return more quickly is by reducing community transmission of the virus as much as possible. And all of us – by accepting and abiding by the wider restrictions I have set out today – have a part to play in achieving that.
Before I leave the issue of education, let me remind the chamber that we already had plans in place for the staggered return of universities and colleges. We will be considering this week whether any further change is necessary.
Presiding Officer, Before I close today, I want to give a brief update on our current expectations around vaccine supply.
The Health Secretary will give a more detailed update on vaccination in a statement the chamber next week.
However, I can confirm today that well over 100,000 people have now received their first dose of the vaccine.
The first doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccine are being administered today.
In total, over the period to the end of January – including the more than 100,000 already administered – we expect to have access to just over 900,000 doses of vaccine. Obviously, we hope that increases.
These will be split roughly equally between the Pfizer and Astra Zeneca vaccines.
However, we anticipate that some of the Astra Zeneca portion will be available only in the last week of January.
We do not yet have certainty on supply schedules beyond January but will keep Parliament updated as these become firmer.
However, our current expectation, based on assumptions about supply and the new advice on doses being administered up to 12 weeks apart, rather than 3, is that by early May everyone over 50, and people under 50 with specific underlying conditions, will have received at least the first dose of vaccine.
That is everyone who is on the JCVI priority list, and comprises more than 2.5 million people.
Once everyone on the priority list has been vaccinated, we will start vaccinating the rest of the population, and will do this in parallel with completing second doses for those on the priority list.
Those timetables are of course heavily dependent on vaccine supply. And for that reason, they are at this stage cautious.
However, I have tasked our vaccination team with exploring and keeping under ongoing review all options to speed up the rate of vaccination and bring these timescales forward as far as possible.
I am grateful for the many offers of assistance we have received and while many of them may not prove possible or practical to take up, they will be considered
The Health Secretary will say more about all of this in her statement next week.
Presiding Officer, To conclude, this is most certainly not the new year statement I wanted to give. And I know it is a statement no one wanted to hear.
But as I said at the beginning, we are now in a race between the vaccine and the virus.
The Scottish government will do everything we can to speed up distribution of the vaccine.
But all of us must do everything we can to slow down the spread of the virus.
We can already see – by looking at infection rates elsewhere – some of what could happen here in Scotland if we don’t act.
To prevent that, we need to act immediately and firmly.
For government, that means introducing tough measures – as we have done so today.
And for all of us, it means sticking to the rules
It means continuing to follow the FACTS guidance
And it means – above all – staying at home.
That is again our central message.
Stay Home. Save lives. Protect the NHS.
If we do this, we give the vaccine the time it needs to get ahead and ultimately win the race.
I know that the next few weeks will be incredibly difficult.
I’m sorry to ask for further sacrifices, after nine long months of them. But these sacrifices are necessary.
And the difference between now and last March is that with the help of vaccines, we now have confidence that these sacrifices will pave the way to brighter days ahead. So – for everyone’s sake and safety – please stick with it and stay at home.
Restaurants, bars, and pubs across the country are being forced to close their doors after being plunged into tier three and four restrictions following the government’s latest announcement.
Enterprising hospitality businesses up and down the country are boxing up their offerings and shipping them directly to your door, offering a lifeline through takeaways and home deliveries.
As part of their Christmas Hampers Index report, the consumer spending experts at money.co.uk have compiled a list of independent businesses across the nation who have had to think outside (and inside) the box.
Here’s a sample of the content:
From cook-at-home hamper kits to take away drink delivery services, these are the independent businesses across the UK that you can still support whilst under the highest restrictions.
Scotland
Glasgow
Hanoi Bike Shop
Nestled away in the heart of the West End, the Hanoi Bike Shop brings the spirit of Vietnam to Glasgow, so let the twinkling lights and the scent of the Pho Kitchen lead you down the lane to the contemporary canteen. Indulge into a ‘Hot Banquet for 2’ and eat like a King or Queen for the evening and enjoy some homemade dumplings.
The Gannet opened in Glasgow’s Finnieston neighbourhood in September 2013, by three friends Ivan Stein, Peter Read and Peter McKenna, and Kevin Dow joined them in 2014.
The Gannet’s menu remains dominated by exceptional Scottish produce. If anything, the kitchen seems to have stepped things up a notch this year despite the challenges that has faced the hospitality industry as a whole.
Being placed into tier 3 restrictions meant Five March had to think of alternative ways to offer their menu to their guests. The Malaysian restaurant introduced a dine at home menu, starting at £50 for two. But it doesn’t stop there, they have also introduced a Christmas box filled with festive foods, ready for collection on Christmas Eve, costing £100 for two.
Award winning Red Onion is situated in the heart of Glasgow city centre, Red Onion is a contemporary casual dining experience, with a menu that offers something for everyone. John and his team are now offering delicious ready made nutritious meals to warm at home. All meals are cooked fresh, ready for your fridge or for reheating and all dishes are suitable for home freezing – perfect for when you don’t want to prep and cook dinner.
If you miss your weekend tipple, then look no further than The Gate’s “create my cocktail” to make a drink based on the flavours you love. You can choose from their house specials, classic cocktails or a cocktail party package for the perfect night in.
Immerse yourself in the luxury of 111 by Modou in your own home with the new alternative home cooking kits available to you, the kits are available to order online now and include a five course dining experience, priced at £60 for two.
They have also created your alternative Christmas Day experience which includes a hamper filled with festive foods ready for the big day, for either two people or four. Much like the restaurant, the at home menu highlights local and seasonal ingredients.
Eusebideli works alongside local suppliers and friends in Italy to bring you the best produce straight to your table.The Italian restaurant has made Christmas dining at home easy with their three course menu – simply just heat. All the meals are prepared by their chefs, using the same quality ingredients from independent local producers. All recipes are made from scratch, the dishes can be popped straight in the oven or straight in the freezer to enjoy at a later date. All you have to do is simply heat, eat and enjoy.
Get in the festive spirit with Cask Smugglers providing you with your cocktail needs. Enjoy their cocktail bundle including five different cocktails including Sloe Sazerac, Noel Negroni, Xmas Sangria, Gingerbread Martini, and Spiced Pear Martini – what else do you need to get you into the Christmas spirit?
All cocktails are available now on their online store, you can purchase now or pre-order, also available for nationwide and local delivery.
