NEN – Page 43 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Contact-tracing app: We trust the NHS!

The UK public want the NHS to be the controlling body in Covid-19 contact-tracing app, says new research.

The public have massive trust in the NHS, who should have control and access to data in the Covid-19 contact-tracing app, according to new research by researchers at the University of Birmingham and in WMG at the University of Warwick.

Carsten Maple, Principal Investigator of the NCSC-EPSRC Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research at the University of Warwick, who led the research, said: “With all of the possible design choices for a contact-tracing app, many commentators and experts have argued which approach is in the best interests of the public.

“For example, some have argued that centralised apps create privacy invasions that are unacceptable; others have argued that to be effective the apps should be centralised.

“However, as yet, the opinions of the public have not been gathered and so we have undertaken a significant survey to elicit their thoughts. We have examined how important privacy is to them and how willing they are to engage and share information.”

Dr Rebecca McDonald, lecturer in experimental economics from the University of Birmingham said: “The first encouraging results of our study are that only 9.6% of the public always chose to opt out of using the contact tracing apps we described to them.

“We asked people to express a direct preference between controlling the pandemic or preserving privacy, and we found that over half (57.4%) of participants favoured prioritising controlling the pandemic over privacy contrasting with around a fifth (20.1%) favouring protecting privacy over controlling the pandemic.”

However the most powerful and important result from the survey was the contrasting degrees to which participants trust different agencies or individuals with their data, even when anonymised.

The group least trusted to be given access to this data was other app users but by far the most trusted group or organisation was the NHS.

Professor Carsten Maple in WMG at the University of Warwick said: “It is clear that the NHS enjoyed overwhelming trust in terms of access to personal data collected by such apps, even when anonymised.

“Surprisingly, respondents’ choices suggest they would be most concerned about the decentralised approach that protects from Government access to information and instead shares information among other app users.

“The results indicate that users want a centralised approach, like the one currently being adopted by NHSX.”

“Our research clearly shows that the public is broadly supportive of the use of a COVID-19 contact tracing app and would download it in significant numbers, providing the app providers listen to their wishes on who should have access to their data.The NHS is by far the most trusted gatekeeper for that data.”

The table below shows in percentage terms how much more willing people are to use an app when their data is shared with different organisations (as in a centralised approach), compared to when it is shared with other app users (as in a decentralised approach).

NHS	70.5%
Researchers	53.4%
National Government	18.9%
Local Government	13.0%

The research highlights that people have a strong desire to understand the way a contact tracing app would work, and many respondents said they would need control over what data is shared about them, and who it is shared with, before they would be willing to download the app.

Since widespread uptake is needed for the app to be effective, addressing these potential barriers has to be at the heart of any large-scale roll out of the contact tracing app. The appetite is there, but the public need transparency in order to trust, download, and use the app.

The research also found that public would also have concerns about linking proximity data to other data sources. (They were particularly concerned about the linkage of their shopping location from credit/debit cards data).

Some also had concerns about practical things like the impact on their phone’s battery life, or the amount of data the app might need to use.

Scotland’s route map published

A route map setting out a phased approach to easing lockdown restrictions while still suppressing coronavirus (COVID-19) has been published.

The Scottish Government route map gives details of a gradual four phase move out of the current state of lockdown.

‘COVID-19: Framework for Decision Making – Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis’ gives practical examples of what people, organisations and businesses can expect to see change over time.

It also highlights some of the things that won’t change for a while, including the continuing need for enhanced public health measures such as physical distancing.

If the evidence shows transmission of COVID-19 is under control and the number of infectious cases is starting to decline, the Scottish Government will consider moving to Phase 1 of the route map following the next end-of-cycle review date on 28 May.

The NHS Scotland test, trace, isolate and support strategy – known as Test and Protect – will be ready for expansion in all 14 health boards from 28 May.

A plan agreed between councils, professional associations and parent representatives to reopen schools on 11 August, subject to scientific advice that it is safe to do so, has also been published today.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Today I have set out details of Scotland’s route map through and out of the COVID-19 crisis.

“The current key public health guidance remains to stay at home except for essential purposes, but the route map provides information about how and when we might ease our lockdown restrictions while continuing to suppress the virus.

“The lockdown restrictions have been necessary to reduce and mitigate the massive harm caused by the COVID-19 virus, but the lockdown itself causes harm including loneliness and social isolation, deepening inequalities and damage to the economy. That is why I have set out the gradual and incremental phases by which we will aim to ease lockdown matched with careful monitoring of the virus.

“At every one of these stages, the biggest single factor in controlling the virus will be how well we continue to observe public health advice. Continued hand washing, cough hygiene and physical distancing will continue to be essential as will wearing a face covering where appropriate.

“By doing the right thing, all of us have helped to slow the spread of the virus, to protect the NHS, and to save lives and as a result we are able – gradually, cautiously, and in phases – to plan our move towards a new normality.”

covid-19-framework-decision-making-scotlands-route-map-through-out-crisis

Council Leader: ‘serious about tackling homelessness for good’

The support being provided to people facing homelessness in Edinburgh has been commended but we’ll need to work together to bring about long-term change, says Council Leader Adam McVey:

Back in late March, when it was announced that the country would be entering lockdown measures, we set about creating a dedicated team to co-ordinate our support to some of our most vulnerable people – our residents experiencing homelessness.

As part of urgent measures to protect those most at risk, we stepped up an Additional Accommodation Needs Team to co-ordinate the crucial task of increasing the amount of emergency temporary bed spaces we can access as a Council, so that no one need be left without a safe place to stay.

Within weeks, empty hotels were secured. Holiday lets were turned into homes for those who might otherwise end up rough sleeping. And importantly, all families who had been living in B&B style accommodation were safely moved into self-contained homes. We now have over 200 extra bed spaces and counting as a result of this work and we’re continuing to meet the need for our services.

This rapid response is testament to our City’s dedicated volunteers, workers from across the third sector and the Council’s team of homeless support officers. It has highlighted the incredible work this service and those of our partners provides day-in and day-out, working hard to help anyone in need.

Yet, this pandemic has also highlighted the very real challenge we’ve been working towards in Edinburgh when it comes to providing much-needed homes.

We’re a compact City but our population is still growing.

The property market is still one of the most expensive in the UK and losing properties which could be safe and warm homes to those without a place to stay to the short-term lets market is simply not sustainable.

A quarter of all homelessness cases in Edinburgh are linked to the private rented sector and our housing teams support people whose tenancies may be at risk to stay in their homes.

Part of their work to prevent people from becoming homeless has involved bringing forward a rent deposit guarantee scheme, to support people with the often expensive upfront costs of renting. It will be vitally important that we continue to encourage landlords to help people whose finances aren’t secure to keep their tenancies, as and when lockdown measures are eased.

We’re ready to work with the private rented sector in partnership though and to understand the very real financial challenges many tenants will face because of the outbreak in the months which lie ahead.

We’re asking landlords of residential properties previously run as short term lets in particular to lets us use their properties to give a home to our citizens who need them in exchange for a guaranteed rent.

When we’re able to, returning to construction to build new, high quality homes will remain a key priority for us too.

We’re building 20,000 affordable homes as well as investing £2bn in new Council homes over the next decade, but this takes time to deliver. In the meantime, we can help landlords to rent their properties to us through our Private Sector Leasing Scheme with Link Housing, which not only offers a solution for private landlords who are unable to receive rental income during the pandemic, but increases the number of homes available to people experiencing homelessness.

We’ve already increased the number of properties we let from the private sector, bringing in 100 extra homes, and I want this number to rise.

We’re serious about tackling homelessness for good.

We look forward to industry working with us to achieve that aim. Let’s work together on this unique opportunity to rebalance the market for the long-term by returning short-term lets to the purpose they were intended for – as homes.

Letters: Austerity – Never Again!

Dear Editor

When the banks crashed through mismanagement and greed most were bailed out by the government, using public money to do so.

People were told that everyone was ‘in it together’.

But as we know from thise years, the government embarked onn what they called Austerity, in whih wages were frozen for years; prices were rising; major cuts were made in services of all kinds;unemployment and zero hours contracts grew.

The years of tremendous sacrifices made by the people in their lives have now been forgotten by employers and government alike.

In fact there is an indication that both of these are preparing the repeat of austerity, more severe than the last – and that will last much longer.

The people must not allow this to happen again!

The investors and financial institutions are intent to make everyone pay and once again decimate the lives of all people.

Tony Delahoy

Care home staff and residents need support to manage their grief during Covid-19

Care home providers need to consider how they can provide support for their staff and residents during the Covid-19 pandemic, as they are likely to be experiencing significant concern and potentially grieving for residents who have died.

Covid-19 is causing thousands of deaths in UK care homes, so the British Psychological Society has launched new guidance to help staff and residents cope with this particularly frightening time.

Professor Nichola Rooney, chair of the BPS’s Covid-19 bereavement task force, said: “We have all seen distressing news reports and figures about the experience of our care homes during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Staff are doing all that they can to protect and comfort residents at an extremely distressing time, and it’s vital that managers give them the support that they need to provide this and to cope with their own grief and concerns

“I hope that this guidance is useful for care home staff, residents and their friends and family in navigating what is an unprecedented and often harrowing time.”

While staff working in a care home may have experienced residents dying before, the guidance says that this does not make each death any easier to cope with, and that staff often develop close relationships with people that they care for.

It suggests that the contagious nature of Covid-19, requiring staff to wear personal protective equipment when dealing with residents, means that some may feel they are unable to provide the comfort to people that they would want.

Care home managers can help staff by making sure that they are given regular opportunities to talk about how they’re feeling, and accommodate regular and frequent breaks. They can consider ways that staff can collectively remember residents who have died, and celebrate their lives.

Care home residents can often face a range of challenges depending on possible medical conditions, and even those in later stages of dementia will be affected by changes in the care home’s day-to-day life.

Staff need to make sure that they maintain communication with residents, even when it feels like this is always to bring sad news. They should explain why changes, such as staff having to wear PPE, are important.

The guidance should be read alongside ‘Supporting yourself and others: coping with death and grief during the Covid-19 pandemic’. They were both produced by the BPS’s Covid-19 bereavement task force.

‘A Better Recovery’: TUC plan to get Britain back on road to a healthy economy

The TUC has set out how the UK can recover from the coronavirus economic crisis, stop the despair of mass unemployment and set working families on a path to prosperity.

Alongside the report, the TUC publishes analysis showing that the fastest recoveries from economic crises in UK history were based on investment for growth, not cuts to services, deregulation and tax breaks for millionaires and bosses.

75 years on from VE Day, the UK should emulate the post-war recovery

TUC analysis shows that the decade of investment for growth (1947-57) that followed World WarTwo achieved an average growth rate of 3.3% But the decade of cuts (2009-19) that followed the bankers’ crisis achieved average growth of just 1.9%.

These examples are part of a wider pattern for the UK’s responses to economic crises over the last century. The UK recovers better and faster when the approach is investment for growth, prioritising workers’ wages, strong public services, a decent safety net and building the capacity of both private and public sectors.

Approaches based on cuts to spending only serve to hold back the whole economy. This can be seen not only during 2009-2019, but also during 1921-31, when severe cuts meant growth averaged just1.9%.

In both 1921-1931 and 2009-2019, slow growth led to higher national debt. By contrast, periods of recovery based on investment for growth have reduced national debt, because they are successful at generating broad growth and making the country wealthier.

A plan to get Britain growing out of the crisis – and stop mass unemployment

The pandemic alone did not cause this economic crisis. It was made worse by a decade of austerity and failure to strengthen the UK’s economy. Choosing the wrong approach to recovery now risks embedding low growth, long-term unemployment and all the social ills that go alongside.

An investment for growth approach means taking action on six key areas:

Decent work and a new way of doing business: New business models based on fairer employment relationships. A fairer share for workers of the wealth they create, with a higher minimum wage and new collective bargaining rights.

Sustainable industry: Economic stimulus for a just transition to net zero carbon. Rebuilding the UK’s industrial capacity with modern tech and training in new skills.

A real safety net: Reforms to social security to provide help faster and prevent poverty. A job guarantee scheme so everyone can work and long-term unemployment does not take hold.

Rebuilding public services: Bringing our public services back to full strength, with decent pay for those who looked after us in the crisis, and a new focus on good jobs and direct employment in social care.

Equality at work: Specific actions to make sure women, disabled people and BME groups do not suffer disproportionately from the impact of the coronavirus recession.

International solidarity: New international rules must prioritise decent jobs and public services for all.

The evidence from the post-war recovery is that this investment for growth recovery plan can pay for itself. Millions of working families with higher disposable income create the economic demand needed for strong growth and healthy public finances. Stronger public services and an effective safety net will support people to start and grow businesses, and will better protect against a future pandemic.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The UK’s weak economy and ten years of cuts left our country unprepared for coronavirus. Only the dedication of millions of individual workers kept our country going.

“Let’s learn the lesson. Together, we can work our way safely out of this recession. Let’s make sure everyone has a decent job, with fair pay and security for their family. Let’s thank our key workers with the pay rise they have earned. And let’s not consign millions of our fellow citizens to the despair of unemployment.

“Today the TUC publishes our plan for recovery. At its heart is good jobs. Jobs in a reborn UK manufacturing sector. Jobs in a social care sector finally getting some respect. Jobs in the green tech of the future. Let’s rebuild our country through hard work, determination and investment in all our futures – not cuts to spending, deregulation and tax breaks for millionaires and bosses.”

She added: “Seventy-five years ago, Britain was bloodied, battered – and broke. Yet after the war Britain’s economy grew faster than ever before. We did it not by pay freezes and cuts, but making the priority decent jobs for everyone, new homes, infrastructure and a new national health service.

“So let’s channel the spirit of 1945. Coronavirus doesn’t have to equal mass unemployment and a poorer, meaner country. We can do what the post-war generation did: grow our way out of this crisis and build a better life for everyone.”

TUC Report ‘A Better Recovery’

Wellbeing ‘Hub in a Tub’ for NHS Lothian staff

NHS Lothian and its official charity partner, Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation, are working together to prepare and deliver wellbeing boxes to NHS Lothian staff working in the community.

The pilot, which is being called ‘Wellbeing Hub in a Tub’, recognises that not all staff have access to the Wellbeing rooms that are being set up across some of the hospital sites and need alternative ways to access support that will make a positive difference to their health and wellbeing during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The boxes are now being sent out and include sleep packs, handcream, lip balm, energy snacks, refreshments, car chargers, headphones, and many other items which will support the wellbeing of our teams in the community as they carry out their day to day role.

They also contain a wellbeing booklet with advice and guidance on how to look after their own emotional and physical health during these challenging times.

Part of a wider staff wellbeing initiative, these boxes have been made possible thanks to funding from Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation through its NHS Lothian Covid-19 Rapid Response Fund, collaboration with NHS Lothian teams, as well as through generous donations from companies including British Airways, Friendly Soap, Doublebase, Cetraben, Hydromol, Diprobase, Epoderm KIND Snacks, RitterSport and BaxterStorey, with Network Rail supporting distribution.

Amanda Langsley, Associate Director of OD and Learning, who has been spearheading the initiative, said: “It was really important for us to acknowledge the important role that all staff are playing during the pandemic and ensure that we were also supporting the wellbeing of our staff in the community.

“We have undertaken a lot of work setting up wellbeing rooms in various hospital sites and we needed to find a way to replicate this as best we could for staff who were unable to easily access these resources. 120 Wellbeing Hub in a Tub boxes will be distributed this week.

“This initiative will then be evaluated to ensure it is having the right impact and to determine the ongoing sustainability of this approach moving forward.”

Director of Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation, Jane Ferguson, said: “Improving health and wellbeing is at the core of everything we do. During this time, staff are under increased pressure and often put their own wellbeing second.

“That is why it is so important that while they are helping us, we help them. This is another fantastic example of everyone coming together to support our amazing NHS Lothian colleagues and we are proud to be part of it.”

Wellbeing Hub in a Tub is part of a range of staff wellbeing initiatives that are being funded by Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation through their NHS Lothian Covid-19 Rapid Response Fund.

These include: supporting the provision of wellbeing rooms with recliner chairs, TVs and appliances so staff can rest, relax and get some much needed downtime, hot meals and drinks to keep staff nourished and refreshed during long and busy shifts, accommodation costs for staff who are self-isolating from their families, and an increased staff listening service offering support to NHS Lothian staff who are under extreme pressure during these challenging times.

An open letter to Government on young people’s mental health during lockdown

Over thirty charities and youth organisations have written a joint letter to the UK Government to tell them to limit the long-term impact of the pandemic on young people’s mental health:

Dear Prime Minister,

Covid-19: impact on children and young people’s mental health

We are writing to you to ask that your Government takes urgent steps to reduce the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on children and young people’s mental health – both now and in the future.

The Covid-19 pandemic is the biggest health crisis for generations, and the measures that the Government has taken to limit the spread of the virus, including restrictions on movement and the closure of schools to most students, are necessary to save lives.

However, the crisis is affecting many young people in ways that will risk long-term consequences for their mental health. One in eight children and young people already have a diagnosable mental health condition, and research suggests that the majority of those believe that the pressures created by the crisis are exacerbating their needs.

Many others – including those who have experienced bereavement, abuse or domestic violence – are also likely to require additional support. The fear of becoming ill or seeing a loved one become ill, the loss of routines, the difficulties of social connection, the impact of loneliness, the disruption to education and the challenges of living in difficult or dangerous situations are creating additional pressure for young people across the country.  Young people who belong to groups that are already marginalised or disadvantaged may be particularly at risk.

While mental health professionals deserve enormous credit for responding to the challenges the pandemic brings, many young people who were receiving some form of mental health treatment before the crisis are now receiving reduced support or no support at all. Other young people who would not previously have met the threshold for mental health support are likely to require it. Without preventative action, their needs are likely to escalate.

With the restrictions on access to schools, universities and primary care, there is often uncertainty or reticence about how and when to access mental health support. In many cases, young people have also lost the coping mechanisms that could help them to manage their mental health.

When it is safe for restrictions to change, there needs to be a clear plan about how to grow and develop services, how to enable social re-integration and how to support groups who are disproportionately affected by the crisis.

Before the pandemic, young people’s mental health was beginning to get the attention and resourcing it needs – but, despite improvements, services were often overstretched and inconsistent across the country. With demand likely to increase, we cannot afford to lose momentum.

We welcome the steps that the Government has already taken to prioritise mental health, including a £5 million fund for organisations providing mental health support, and guidance for parents issued through Public Health England.

However, this falls well short of meeting the scale of need. While many voluntary sector providers have been quick to adapt to the changing landscape – moving support online, and using innovative approaches to safe service delivery – there remain gaps in infrastructure and funding which threaten the long term sustainability of these efforts

That is why your Government must take a clear and coordinated approach to tackling the impact of the pandemic on children and young people, launching a recovery plan that enables the growth and continuity of support as restrictions change.

We are calling on your Government to:

Offer immediate emergency funding to increase young people’s and families’ access to mental health support through youth organisations charities and helplines; and ensure that clear routes are available for young people to access NHS mental health services while restrictions are in place.
Launch a national campaign to reach 10 million children and young people, and their families, to promote positive approaches for maintaining mental wellbeing, working alongside the voluntary sector to do so.

Deliver a wellbeing support package for schools, enabling them to prioritise wellbeing now and over the next academic year, and providing guidance and resources on how to manage transitions when it is safe for students to return to school.

Commit to introducing additional support for young people’s mental health as we move out of the pandemic to meet rising demand, including re-committing to the measures outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan in full and funding additional early intervention services.

Launch a cross-government strategy for young people’s mental health, taking a ‘young people’s wellbeing in all policies’ approach to future policy-making and addressing inequalities that can contribute towards worse mental health

We recognise the scale of the challenge that the Government is facing. However, by taking bold action now, you can reduce the impact of the pandemic and give hope to millions of children and young people across the country.

Find Out More About Beyond Tomorrow

Yours sincerely,

Emma Thomas, Chief Executive, YoungMinds

Professor Peter Fonagy, Chief Executive, The Anna Freud Centre

Kate Fallon, General Secretary, Association of Educational Psychologists

Kathy Roberts, CEO, Association of Mental Health Providers

Natalie Bailey, Chair, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

Javed Khan, CEO, Barnardo’s

Dr Ruth Allen, CEO, British Association of Social Workers

Andrew Radford, Chief Executive, BEAT

Sarb Bajwa, Chief Executive, British Psychological Society

Amanda Chetwynd-Cowieson, Chair of the Board of Trustees, British Youth Council

Sarah Hughes, CEO, Centre for Mental Health

Sir Norman Lamb, Chair, Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition

Kathy Evans, CEO, Children England

Mark Russell, Chief Executive, The Children’s Society

Angela Salt, CEO, Girlguiding

Advocate Youth Panel, Girlguiding

Katie Ghose, Chief Executive Officer, KIDS

Hamish Elvidge, Chair, The Matthew Elvidge Trust

Mark Rowland, Chief Executive, Mental Health Foundation

Paul Farmer CBE, Chief Executive, Mind

Chris Martin, Chief Executive, The Mix

Anna Feuchtwang, Chief Executive, National Children’s Bureau

Paul Whiteman, General Secretary, NAHT

Caroline Stevens, Chief Executive, The National Autistic Society

Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary, National Education Union

Leigh Middleton, Chief Executive, National Youth Agency

Catherine Roche, Chief Executive, Place2Be

Professor Russell Viner, President, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

Professor Wendy Burn, President, Royal College of Psychiatrists

Duncan Stephenson, Deputy Chief Executive, Royal Society of Public Health

Ruth Sutherland, CEO, Samaritans

Schools Wellbeing Partnership

Dr Rania Marandos , Chief Executive, Step up to Serve

Ndidi Okezie, CEO, UK Youth

Denise Hatton, CEO, YMCA England & Wales

Barry Williams, Chief Executive, Youth Access

Face coverings can reduce Covid-19 transmission risk, University study says

Wearing a face mask or other covering over the mouth and nose reduces the forward distance travelled by an exhaled breath by more than 90 per cent, Edinburgh University research suggests.

Scientists testing the effectiveness of seven types of face covering – including medical-grade and home-made masks – found that they could all potentially help limit the spread of Covid-19.

However, some of the masks enabled strong jets of air to escape from the back and sides, researchers found.

The findings could aid policymakers producing guidance on the wearing of masks to help combat the virus, which can be spread in small droplets of water in people’s breath, experts said.

A team led by engineers at the University of Edinburgh assessed different face coverings using a technique – called Background Oriented Schlieren imaging – that enables scientists to measure the distance and direction travelled by air expelled when a person breathes or coughs.

Measurements were taken from people wearing different face coverings while standing or lying down, and from a manikin connected to a cough-simulating machine.

Researchers found that all face coverings without an outlet valve reduce the forward distance travelled by a deep breath out by at least 90 per cent.

A type of mask commonly worn by workers exposed to fine dust – called a respirator mask – was shown to provide protection to the wearer. However, the valves on these masks that made breathing easier could potentially allow infectious air to spread considerable distances in front, the study suggested.

Surgical masks and the tested hand-made masks were found to limit the forward flow of a breath out, but also generate far-reaching leakage jets to the side, behind, above and below. Heavy breathing and coughing, in particular, were shown to generate intense backward jets.

Only masks that form a tight seal with the face were found to prevent the escape of virus-laden fluid particles, the team says.

Researchers found that full-face shields worn without masks enabled the release of a strong downward jet.

The team also discovered that a regular medical procedure known as extubation – the removal of a breathing tube used during anaesthesia and when patients are on a ventilator – may increase the risk of spreading Covid-19.

Simulations showed that the coughing that regularly accompanies extubation caused people nearby to be enveloped in the patients’ exhaled air. This puts clinicians and others at high risk of exposure to the virus, the team said.

The research will be published as a preprint paper at 01.00 BST on Thursday 21 May. An advance copy of the paper is available here: https://bit.ly/36fOqbE. It also involves NHS Lothian clinicians and Heriot-Watt University.

Dr Ignazio Maria Viola, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of Engineering, who coordinated the project, said: “I have generally been impressed by the effectiveness of all the face coverings we tested.

“However, we discovered that some face coverings allow the emergence of downward or backward jets that people are not aware of and that could be a major hazard to others around them.”

Dr Felicity Mehendale, a surgeon at the Centre for Global Health at the University of Edinburgh’s Usher Institute, said: “It was reassuring to see the hand-made mask worked just as well as the surgical mask to stop the wearer’s breath flowing directly forwards.

“This suggests that some hand-made masks can help to prevent the wearer from infecting the public. But, the strong backward jets mean you need to think twice before turning your head if you cough while wearing a mask; and be careful if you stand behind or beside someone wearing a mask.”

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “The use of a face mask to reduce the possible transmission of Covid-19 is apparent and now we have the science to back it up.

“As we move out of lockdown measures such as people using face masks will be vital for keeping the R number down.

“This is a very worthwhile piece of research by the University of Edinburgh on the effectiveness of different face masks.”

Five Million Workers Uncertain of Post-Covid Role

• A quarter (24%) of the UK workforce are learning new skills to mitigate against coronavirus uncertainty
• Concerns for job security as 5 million expect the pandemic to dramatically change their role
• Younger employees are spearheading the distance learning boom, but want more direction from employers in bid to ensure their skills become valued assets
• Course enrolments during lockdown on The Open University’s OpenLearn platform have exceeded 950,000
• OU is urging organisations to harness this appetite for learning to adapt for the future and retain valuable talent

Covid-19 is expected to significantly change the skills required for as many as 5 million job roles across the UK, driving a surge in employees seeking out distance learning opportunities, according to The Open University.

With coronavirus uncertainty affecting half (49%) of current job roles across the UK, a quarter (24%) of employees have taken on additional learning opportunities to boost their employability and protect the value of their skills.

The results suggest that younger employees are particularly fearful that their skills could become obsolete. Over a third (39%) of 18-34 year-olds agreed that they would put their own money towards development opportunities if it made them more employable.

However, for all the hunger for professional development, a quarter of employees (23%) admitted that they would like to have more direction from their employers when it comes to learning new skills, with younger team members again (38%) the most keen to have steer from their leaders on how to remain employable post-coronavirus.

OpenLearn homepage screengrab

Data from one of the UK’s largest free learning sites, The Open University’s OpenLearn, backs up the findings. The site has logged over 950,000 course enrolments during lockdown, taking it beyond the 3.25 million mark since its launch. Specialist work-focused courses such as Leadership and Followership have proved particularly popular, in addition to modules designed to boost fundamental professional skills such as workplace communication.

In April, the Scottish Government and Skills Development Scotland launched a portal with the support of the OU in Scotland in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support furloughed workers. The site on www.myworldofwork.co.uk was launched on 27 April by the First Minister in her daily televised COVID-19 briefing.

Across the board workers are investing in ever-green capabilities that will help them retain value to their employers in the long-term, as well as skills that will help them manage the current digital landscape. The majority of those who have taken on additional learning opportunities during lockdown have focused on developing managerial skills (51%), whilst just under a quarter (23%) have prioritised digital skills such as learning how to use new software.

While the OU welcomes this rise in independent study, the university is urging employers to make the most of the appetite for new skills development and utilise the advantages of online learning for remote employees, to cultivate the skills they are likely to require in the years to come.

Susan Stewart, Director of The Open University in Scotland said: “With the UK approaching a recession and the economic uncertainty that this will bring – the time to invest in skills is now.

“The world of work is changing and it’s clear that employees are recognising this and prioritising the development of their own skill sets to prepare for the ‘new normal’.

“With OpenLearn, employees can enrol on free courses that reward them with certificates and digital badges, helping them signpost their development and the value of their skills to their employers.

“Employees will still need direction from their employer if they are to acquire the new skills needed for post-lockdown business. Employers must embrace lifelong learning as a necessity for growth and ensure that teams stay engaged, potential skills gaps are tackled proactively and the associated risk of losing valuable talent is minimised.”