The first effective vaccine against coronavirus vaccine can prevent more than 90% of people from getting Covid-19, a preliminary analysis shows.The vaccine developers, Pfizer and BioNTech – have described it as a “great day for science and humanity”.
Vaccine candidate was found to be more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 in participants without evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first interim efficacy analysis
Analysis evaluated 94 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in trial participants
Study enrolled 43,538 participants, with 42% having diverse backgrounds, and no serious safety concerns have been observed; Safety and additional efficacy data continue to be collected
Submission for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) planned for soon after the required safety milestone is achieved, which is currently expected to occur in the third week of November
Clinical trial to continue through to final analysis at 164 confirmed cases in order to collect further data and characterize the vaccine candidate’s performance against other study endpoints
Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE today announced their mRNA-based vaccine candidate, BNT162b2, against SARS-CoV-2 has demonstrated evidence of efficacy against COVID-19 in participants without prior evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, based on the first interim efficacy analysis conducted on November 8, 2020 by an external, independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) from the Phase 3 clinical study.
“Today is a great day for science and humanity. The first set of results from our Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent COVID-19,” said Dr. Albert Bourla, Pfizer Chairman and CEO.
“We are reaching this critical milestone in our vaccine development program at a time when the world needs it most with infection rates setting new records, hospitals nearing over-capacity and economies struggling to reopen.
“With today’s news, we are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis. We look forward to sharing additional efficacy and safety data generated from thousands of participants in the coming weeks.”
After discussion with the FDA, the companies recently elected to drop the 32-case interim analysis and conduct the first interim analysis at a minimum of 62 cases. Upon the conclusion of those discussions, the evaluable case count reached 94 and the DMC performed its first analysis on all cases.
The case split between vaccinated individuals and those who received the placebo indicates a vaccine efficacy rate above 90%, at 7 days after the second dose. This means that protection is achieved 28 days after the initiation of the vaccination, which consists of a 2-dose schedule.
As the study continues, the final vaccine efficacy percentage may vary. The DMC has not reported any serious safety concerns and recommends that the study continue to collect additional safety and efficacy data as planned. The data will be discussed with regulatory authorities worldwide.
“I want to thank the thousands of people who volunteered to participate in the clinical trial, our academic collaborators and investigators at the study sites, and our colleagues and collaborators around the world who are dedicating their time to this crucial endeavor,” added Bourla. “We could not have come this far without the tremendous commitment of everyone involved.”
“The first interim analysis of our global Phase 3 study provides evidence that a vaccine may effectively prevent COVID-19. This is a victory for innovation, science and a global collaborative effort,” said Prof. Ugur Sahin, BioNTech co-founder and CEO.
“When we embarked on this journey 10 months ago this is what we aspired to achieve. Especially today, while we are all in the midst of a second wave and many of us in lockdown, we appreciate even more how important this milestone is on our path towards ending this pandemic and for all of us to regain a sense of normality.
“We will continue to collect further data as the trial continues to enroll for a final analysis planned when a total of 164 confirmed COVID-19 cases have accrued. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to make this important achievement possible.”
The Phase 3 clinical trial of BNT162b2 began on July 27 and has enrolled 43,538 participants to date, 38,955 of whom have received a second dose of the vaccine candidate as of November 8, 2020.
Approximately 42% of global participants and 30% of U.S. participants have racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds. The trial is continuing to enroll and is expected to continue through the final analysis when a total of 164 confirmed COVID-19 cases have accrued.
The study also will evaluate the potential for the vaccine candidate to provide protection against COVID-19 in those who have had prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2, as well as vaccine prevention against severe COVID-19 disease.
In addition to the primary efficacy endpoints evaluating confirmed COVID-19 cases accruing from 7 days after the second dose, the final analysis now will include, with the approval of the FDA, new secondary endpoints evaluating efficacy based on cases accruing 14 days after the second dose as well.
The companies believe that the addition of these secondary endpoints will help align data across all COVID-19 vaccine studies and allow for cross-trial learnings and comparisons between these novel vaccine platforms. The companies have posted an updated version of the study protocol at https://www.pfizer.com/science/coronavirus.
Pfizer and BioNTech are continuing to accumulate safety data and currently estimate that a median of two months of safety data following the second (and final) dose of the vaccine candidate – the amount of safety data specified by the FDA in its guidance for potential Emergency Use Authorization – will be available by the third week of November. Additionally, participants will continue to be monitored for long-term protection and safety for an additional two years after their second dose.
Along with the efficacy data generated from the clinical trial, Pfizer and BioNTech are working to prepare the necessary safety and manufacturing data to submit to the FDA to demonstrate the safety and quality of the vaccine product produced.
Based on current projections the companies expect to produce globally up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021.
Pfizer and BioNTech now plan to submit data from the full Phase 3 trial for scientific peer-review publication.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to hold a press conference at 5pm and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the vaccine announcement is welcome news.
The First Minister ended today’s lunchtime media briefing by saying: “It might not be all that visible at the moment but there is light at the end of this tunnel.
“The news we’ve heard this morning – that early indications show a vaccine being developed by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, which has been trialled in other countries across the world, is 90% effective – is good news. Perhaps amongst the best news we have had in recent weeks.
“It’s not going to provide us with the way out of this today, or tomorrow, or next week, or perhaps not even in this calendar year. But this development, along with all of the work that is going into the development of other vaccines, does give us real hope that in the not too distant future, science is going to find us the way out of this terrible time.
“So hold onto that hope today, and also use it as a motivation. What we are living through right now, and all the restrictions that are so difficult for all of us, will not last forever. But it is really important we stick with them so that we get out of the other side of this with as few people as possible becoming ill, with as few people as possible losing their lives.
“That means all of us sticking with these tough restrictions that we are all fed up with but which we know will reduce the impact of this virus.
“So please stick with it for now and keep hold of the hope we have today that there is an end, and that we will see it in the not too distant future.”
Chancellor statement to the house – Furlough extension
Statement, as delivered by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in Westminter on 5 November 2020:
Mr Speaker,
On Monday, the Prime Minister set out the action we need to take between now and the start of December to control the spread of coronavirus.
In response, we’re providing significant extra support to protect jobs and livelihoods in every region and nation of the United Kingdom:
An extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme;
More generous support to the self-employed and paying that support more quickly;
Cash grants of up to £3,000 per month for businesses which are closed, worth over £1 billion every month;
£1.6 billion for English councils to support their local economy and local healthcare response;
Longer to apply for our loan schemes and the Future Fund;
The chance to top-up Bounce Back Loans;
And an extension to the mortgage payment holidays.
All on top of more than £200 billion of fiscal support since March.
This statement follows the Bank of England’s monetary policy decisions earlier today, meaning all economic and monetary institutions are playing their part.
As you would expect, the Governor and I are in constant communication as the situation evolves.
Our responses are carefully designed to complement each other and provide certainty and support to people and businesses across the UK. The Bank’s forecasts this morning show economic activity is supported by our substantial fiscal and monetary policy action.
And the IMF just last week described the UK’s economic plan as “aggressive”, “unprecedented”, successful in “holding down” unemployment and business failures and “one of the best examples of coordinated action globally”.
Mr Speaker,
Our highest priority remains the same: to protect jobs and livelihoods.
That’s why we’ve already decided to extend the Job Retention Scheme to December.
But people and businesses will want to know what comes next; how long we plan to keep the scheme open, and on what terms.
They want certainty.
The government’s intention is for the new health restrictions to remain only until the start of December.
But, as we saw from the first lockdown, the economic effects are much longer lasting for businesses and areas than the duration of any restrictions.
And as the Bank of England have said this morning, “the economic recovery has slowed”, and the economic risks are “skewed to the downside”.
Given this significant uncertainty, a worsening economic backdrop, and the need to give people and businesses security through the winter, I believe it is right to go further.
So we can announce today that the furlough scheme will not be extended for one month – it will be extended until the end of March. The government will continue to help pay people’s wages, up to 80% of the normal amount.
All employers will have to pay for hours not worked is the cost of Employer NICs and pension contributions.
We’ll review the policy in January to decide whether economic circumstances are improving enough to ask employers to contribute more.
Of course, as the furlough itself is now being extended to the end of March, the original purpose of the Job Retention Bonus to incentivise employers to keep people in work until the end of January – obviously falls away.
Instead, we will redeploy a retention incentive at the appropriate time.
And for self-employed people, I can confirm the next income support grant which covers the period November to January, will now increase to 80% of average profits, up to £7,500.
Mr Speaker,
I also want to reassure the people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The furlough scheme was designed and delivered by the Government of the United Kingdom on behalf of all the people of the United Kingdom – wherever they live.
That has been the case since March; it is the case now; and will remain the case until next March.
It is a demonstration of the strength of the Union – and an undeniable truth of this crisis – we have only been able to provide this level of economic support because we are a United Kingdom.
And I can announce today that the upfront guaranteed funding for the devolved administrations is increasing from £14 billion to £16 billion. This Treasury is, has been, and will always be, the Treasury for the whole of the United Kingdom.
Mr Speaker,
I know that people watching at home will have been frustrated by the changes the government has brought in during the past few weeks. I have had to make rapid adjustments to our economic plans as the spread of the virus has accelerated.
So I’d like to take this opportunity to explain how and why this has happened.
During the summer, as we began slowly unlocking it was our hope the country would continue to be economically open, albeit with local restrictions being put in place as and when needed.
We knew there would likely be a resurgence in the spread of the virus, but with increased NHS capacity and Test and Trace, our belief was we would be able to stay ahead of the virus.
On this basis we designed an economic approach which continued providing wage support to people, incentivised businesses to retain staff beyond the end of the furlough scheme and created new job creation and training schemes, such as Kickstart.
All built to support an economy that was broadly open but operating with restrictions and overall lower demand.
At the time this approach was not Government acting alone. Our proposals secured wide ranging support, from the TUC to the CBI.
It was their hope, as it was ours, that the public health situation would allow us to keep businesses and workplaces open.
The virus however, continued to spread. Localised restrictions were having an impact, and so we intensified this approach and added further areas.
As these restrictions intensified, the economic impact, particularly on industries such as the hospitality sector, was significant.
So in response, we altered our approach to wage support, making it much more generous to employers and in turn protecting jobs.
We also introduced a range of grants to businesses, whether open or closed, to help them meet their fixed costs.
And additional funding for local authorities to respond to specific local economic challenges.
But again, the virus continued to spread, but more quickly.
And so we arrive at last week, when the government’s scientific and medical advisers presented data which showed that R is greater than 1 in all parts of the UK, that the NHS was at risk of being overwhelmed in a matter of weeks and the likely resultant loss of life that would accompany such an event.
The only viable solution left to protect our NHS was the re-imposition of temporary significant enhanced restrictions in England, in addition to those in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
And so, given these changed public health restrictions and the economic trauma they would cause in job losses and business closures I felt it best to extend the furlough scheme, rather than transition at that precise moment to the new Job Support Scheme.
Now political opponents have chosen to attack the government for trying to keep the economy functioning and to make sure the support we provide encourages people to keep working.
And they will now, no doubt, criticise the government on the basis we have had to change our approach.
But to anyone in the real world, that’s just the thing that you have to do when circumstances change.
We all hope for the best, but make sure we plan for any eventuality.
We can reintroduce the furlough now only because we kept the system on which it is based operational, because there was always the possibility that we would be back in this situation.
I’ll leave it to the people of this country to decide whether they believe the Government is trying its best to support people through an unprecedented crisis.
To decide whether it is a good or bad thing to alter our economic plans as the health restrictions we face change.
What I know is that the support we are providing will protect millions of jobs.
What I know is that it is never wrong to convey confidence in this country and our economy through our words and action.
And what I know is today’s announcement will give people and businesses up and down our country immense comfort over what will be a difficult winter.
And I commend this Statement to the House.
PM Boris Johnson later gave a statement at the coronavirus press conference:
Good evening everyone,
Across the whole United Kingdom, people are engaged in a huge joint effort to put the coronavirus back in its box. Throughout the pandemic, this government has done whatever it takes to protect lives and livelihoods – in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
We have put in place an unprecedented package of economic support, protecting the wages and jobs of millions of people.
We have built the largest testing capacity in Europe, with 32 million tests conducted so far and over half a million tests now available every day across the UK.
We have ensured that, as we head into winter, the NHS has at its disposal over 30,000 ventilators and billions of items of Personal Protective Equipment, most of it now manufactured here in the UK.
Across the whole of the UK, we have a shared goal – to suppress the virus, ensure the NHS is not overwhelmed, and in doing so to save lives.
The UK Government and the devolved administrations are working together on a joint approach to the Christmas period, because all of us want to ensure families can come together wherever they live.
The challenges we face are significant across the U.K.
The average number of new cases each day is now 22,398, that’s up from 9,716 a month earlier.
There are now 12,320 patients in hospital, up from 2,602 a month earlier.
1,142 patients are now in mechanical ventilation beds, up from 369 a month earlier.
Sadly 492 deaths were reported yesterday. The weekly average number of deaths each day is now 295, up from 53 a month earlier.
That’s why new restrictions are in place in each part of the UK.
In England, from today, we are once again asking you to stay at home.
As I explained on Saturday you can only leave home for specific reasons: for work if you can’t work from home, for education, and for essential activities and emergencies.
The full rules, all of the details, are available at gov.uk/coronavirus and on the NHS Covid-19 app – please log on to see what you can and can’t do.
I know how tough this is:
For staff in the NHS and care homes, who are facing a tough winter on the frontline.
For families, who can’t meet in the way they would want to.
For businesses, forced to shut just as you are getting back on their feet.
I know many of you are anxious, weary and quite frankly fed up with the very mention of this virus
But I want to assure you this is not a repeat of the spring.
Schools, universities and nurseries are all staying open.
And these measures though they are tough are time-limited.
The advice I have received suggests that four weeks is enough for these measures to make a real impact.
So these rules will expire, and on 2 December we plan to move back to a tiered approach.
There is light at the end of the tunnel.
We have better treatments and techniques to take care of those in hospital, thanks largely to the ingenuity of British scientists.
Rapid testing is being rolled out on a massive scale – with city-wide testing starting tomorrow in Liverpool.
I am hugely grateful to the people of Liverpool for their participation in this pilot. I hope that by working together, we can get that great city on top of the virus.
More broadly, there is also the very real chance of safe and effective vaccines.
So taking those things together, these scientific advances can show us the way ahead.
And in the meantime, the government will continue to support people affected by these new restrictions.
As you know, we have protected almost 10 million jobs through furlough, and as the Chancellor announced earlier today, we are now extending the scheme through to March.
We are also extending our support for the self-employed, so that the next payment increases to 80 per cent of average profits.
We’re providing cash grants for businesses who are closed, worth more than £1 billion every month.
We are giving £1.1 billion to Local Authorities in England to support businesses.
And a further £2 billion of funding is guaranteed for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
As we face these challenges together, we must look after those in most need.
As of September we have helped over 29,000 rough sleepers off the streets, two thirds of whom are now in settled accommodation.
Today we’re announcing a further £15 million to help councils offer safe accommodation for people who are sleeping rough or at risk of becoming homeless. This programme will help areas that need additional support most during the restrictions and throughout the winter.
These are difficult times.
And while it pains me to have to ask once again for so many to give up so much, I know that, together, we can get through this.
So please, for the next four weeks, stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, has accused SNP Ministers of having second thoughts about the development of Sheriffhall junction.
Plans for the development of Sheriffhall junction stalled earlier this year when the SNP Government went back on their commitment to commence the development, following pressure from the Greens.
Last week, (Wednesday 28th October), the Lothian MSP met with Scottish Conservative Transport Spokesperson Graham Simpson and South Scotland MSP Michelle Ballentine at the junction to see first hand the urgent need for the junction to be developed.
The development is a key national infrastructure projects that is vital for commuters in Edinburgh and the Lothian’s and to meet future demand with the South East of Scotland having the fastest growing population in Scotland.
A Written Answer to Lothian MSP Miles Briggs, attached, states “should Transport Scotland be unsuccessful in removing all objections, then a public local inquiry may be required” and that “Delivery of the scheme itself can only commence if it is approved under the relevant statutory procedures and thereafter a timetable for its progress can be set”.
The junction is also a major safety hazard with 299 accidents involving injury or death at the junction over a 10 year period.
Investment in infrastructure should be a key approach to Scotland economic recovery from Covid-19 and it is disappointing the this development is being delayed.
Lothian MSP Miles Briggs commented:“This development of Sheriffhall Junction needs to be brought forward as soon as possible.For too long we have been campaigning for this and it is now time for action.
“This is a key national investment for the South East of Scotland which will reduce congestion and create jobs.
“I have written to the Scottish Government to get an update on their review to improve active travel and public transport provision.”
South Scotland MSP, Michelle Ballantyne, commented:“Sheriffhall Junction is the gateway to Edinburgh for much of south-east Scotland and thousands of residents rely upon it every day.
“We cannot afford any further delay; upgrades to the roundabout are critical for development in the region and will attract jobs and investment to Midlothian and the Borders.
“I will continue to press the Scottish Government on this important issue. South East Scotland deserves a road network that is fit for purpose.”
Scottish Conservative Transport Spokesperson, Graham Simpson, commented:“This project is badly needed and the SNP need to pull their fingers out and deliver it.
“It’s essential to Edinburgh and the wider region. Delays at Sheriffhall should be sorted – and fast.”
With the NHS weeks from being overwhelmed, and a higher death toll than the first wave predicted without new restrictions, the Prime Minister, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Scientific Advisor, and Cabinet agreed there was no alternative to tougher national measures.
The Prime Minister will update Parliament on Monday, and MPs are set to vote on the measures on Wednesday. This follows a Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister earlier today.
He said that no one wants to impose these kinds of measures, but no responsible Prime Minister could ignore the evidence presented.
He also said that, whilst Christmas will inevitably be different this year, tough action now could mean families may be able to be together.
Belgium, France, Germany and other countries have already put in place national restrictions, following earlier local measures.
From Thursday 5 November, everyone in England must stay at home, and may leave only for a limited set of reasons. These include:
For education;
For work, if you cannot work from home;
For exercise and recreation outdoors, with your household, support bubble or on your own with one person from another household;
For all medical reasons, appointments and to escape injury or harm;
To shop for food and essentials;
And to provide care for vulnerable people, or as a volunteer.
A full set of exemptions will be set out in law.
Single-adult households will still be able to form an exclusive support bubble with one other household, and children can move between homes if their parents are separated.
Non-essential shops, leisure and entertainment venues will be closed. Click and collect services can continue and essential shops, including supermarkets, will remain open, so there is no need for anyone to stockpile.
Pubs, bars, restaurants must close, except for takeaway and delivery services.
People should work from home wherever possible. Workplaces should stay open where people cannot work from home – for example, in the construction or manufacturing sectors.
Shielding as practised in the spring will not currently be reintroduced. The clinically vulnerable, or those over the age of 60, should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise contacts with others. Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable should not only minimise their contacts with others, but also not go to work if they are unable to work from home.
There is no exemption for staying away from home on holiday. This means people cannot travel internationally or within the UK, unless for work, education or other legally permitted exemptions. Overnight stays away from primary residences will not be allowed, except for specific exceptions including for work.
Inbound international travel will continue to be governed by the travel corridor approach, and those currently on a domestic holiday will be allowed to finish their holidays, but are still subject to the requirements in England not to go out without a reasonable excuse.
Public services, such as job centres, courts, and civil registration offices will remain open.
There is no exemption for communal worship in places of worship (except funerals and individual prayer), organised team sports, or children’s activities.
Elite sport will be allowed to continue behind closed doors as currently.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, known as the furlough scheme, will remain open until December, with employees receiving 80% of their current salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500. The cost for employers of retaining workers will be reduced compared to the current scheme, which ended on Saturday.
As the Prime Minister and Education Secretary have said, keeping young people in education is a national priority so early years settings, schools, colleges and universities will all remain open. Parents and carers should make sure their children keep attending school. However, universities and adult learning providers should consider increasing online provision where possible.
Parents will still be able to access registered childcare and other childcare activities where reasonably necessary to enable parents to work. Parents are also able to form a childcare bubble with another household for the purposes of informal childcare, where the child is 13 or under.
Ministers are also clear that it is vital to keep the provision for non-Covid healthcare needs going. Unless clinicians tell patients otherwise, they should continue to use the NHS, get scans and other tests, turn up for all appointments and collect medicines and treatments.
Ministers have done everything in their power to avoid another national lockdown.
The natural rate of R is around 3, meaning local restrictions have helped slow the spread of the virus, whilst NHS Test and Trace is testing more than any other country in Europe.
But the R rate is still above 1, meaning infections, hospitalisations and deaths continue to double, and the virus is now a national problem.
On present trends, in the South West, where incidence is low for example, it is clear they would run out of hospital capacity in a matter of weeks unless we act.
Whilst work is underway to boost capacity, including preparing the Nightingales, it is impossible to create extra bed space, and recruit extra doctors and nurses, at the rate necessary to outpace the virus.
Prime Minister’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 31 October 2020
Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave a statement at the coronavirus press conference
Good evening and apologies for disturbing your Saturday evening with more news of Covid and I can assure you I wouldn’t do it unless it was absolutely necessary.
First I will hand over to Chris and then Patrick who will present the latest data.
Thank you very much Patrick, and Chris. I am afraid that no responsible PM can ignore the message of those figures.
When I told you two weeks ago that we were pursuing a local and a regional approach to tackling this virus, I believed then and I still believe passionately that it was the right thing to do.
Because we know the cost of these restrictions, the damage they do, the impact on jobs, and on livelihoods, and on people’s mental health.
No one wants to be imposing these kinds of measures anywhere.
We didn’t want to be shutting businesses, pubs and restaurants in one part of the country, where incidence was very low, when the vast bulk of infections were taking place elsewhere.
Our hope was that by strong local action, strong local leadership, we could get the rates of infection down where the disease was surging, and address the problem thereby across the whole country.
And I want to thank the millions of people who have been putting up with these restrictions in their areas for so long. I want to thank local leaders who have stepped up and local communities.
Because as you can see from some of those charts, the R has been kept lower than it would otherwise have been, and there are signs that your work has been paying off
And we will continue as far as we possibly can to adopt a pragmatic and local approach in the months ahead
But as we’ve also seen from those charts, we’ve got to be humble in the face of nature
And in this country alas as across much of Europe the virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst case scenario of our scientific advisers
Whose models as you’ve just seen now suggest that unless we act we could see deaths in this country running at several thousand a day
A peak of mortality alas far bigger than the one we saw in April
Even in the South West, where incidence was so low, and still is so low, it is now clear that current projections mean they will run out of hospital capacity in a matter of weeks unless we act.
And let me explain why the overrunning of the NHS would be a medical and moral disaster beyond the raw loss of life
Because the huge exponential growth in the number of patients – by no means all of them elderly, by the way – would mean that doctors and nurses would be forced to choose which patients to treat
Who would get oxygen and who wouldn’t
Who would live and who would die,
And doctors and nurses would be forced to choose between saving covid patients and non-covid patients
And the sheer weight of covid demand would mean depriving tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of non-covid patients of the care they need
It is crucial to grasp this that the general threat to public health comes not from focusing too much on covid, but from not focusing enough, from failing to get it under control
And if we let the lines on those graphs grow in the way they could and in the way they’re projected to grow, then the risk is that for the first time in our lives, the NHS will not be there for us and for our families
And even if I could now double capacity overnight – and obviously I am proud that we have massively increased capacity, we do have the Nightingales, we’ve got 13,000 more nurses now than last year, we have many more doctors – but it still would not be enough, because the virus is doubling faster than we could conceivably add capacity
And so now is the time to take action because there is no alternative. From Thursday until the start of December, you must stay at home.
You may only leave home for specific reasons, including:
For education; For work, say if you cannot work from home; For exercise and recreation outdoors, with your household or on your own with one person from another household; For medical reasons, appointments and to escape injury or harm; To shop for food and essentials; And to provide care for vulnerable people, or as a volunteer.
I’m afraid non-essential shops, leisure and entertainment venues will all be closed – though click and collect services can continue and essential shops will remain open, so there is no need to stock up.
Pubs, bars, restaurants must close except for takeaway and delivery services.
Workplaces should stay open where people can’t work from home – for example in the construction or manufacturing sectors.
Single adult households can still form exclusive support bubbles with one other household, and children will still be able to move between homes if their parents are separated.
If you are clinically vulnerable, or over the age of 60, you should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise your contacts with others.
I know how tough shielding was, and we will not ask people to shield again in the same way again. However we are asking those who are clinically extremely vulnerable to minimise their contact with others, and not to go to work if they are unable to work from home.
I am under no illusions about how difficult this will be for businesses which have already had to endure hardship this year. I am truly, truly sorry for that.
This is why we are also going to extend the furlough system through November. The furlough scheme was a success in the spring. It supported people and businesses in a critical time. We will not end it. We will extend it until December.
There will be some differences compared to March.
These measures above all will be time-limited, starting next Thursday 5 November. They will end on Wednesday 2 December, when we will seek to ease restrictions, going back into the tiered system on a local and regional basis according to the latest data and trends.
Christmas is going to be different this year, very different, but it is my sincere hope and belief that by taking tough action now, we can allow families across the country to be together.
My priority, our priority, remains keeping people in education – so childcare, early years settings, schools, colleges and universities will all remain open. Our senior clinicians still advise that school is the best place for children to be.
We cannot let this virus damage our children’s futures even more than it has already. I urge parents to continue taking their children to school and I am extremely grateful to teachers across the country for their dedication in enabling schools to remain open.
And it is vital that we will keep provision for non-Covid healthcare groups going.
So please – this is really important – unless your clinicians tell you otherwise, you should continue to use the NHS, get your scans, turn up for your appointments and pick up your treatments. If at all possible, we want you to continue to access these services, now and through the winter. Indeed it’s only by taking this action that we can protect the NHS for you.
On Monday I will set out our plans to parliament. On Wednesday, parliament will debate and vote on these measures which, if passed, will as I say come into force on Thursday.
We have updated the devolved administrations on the action we are taking in England and stand ready to work with them on plans for Christmas and beyond.
We should remember we are not alone in what we’re going through. Our friends in Belgium, France and Germany have had to take very similar action.
So as we come together now to fight this second wave, I want to say something about the way ahead
Because people will reasonably ask when will this all end
And as I have said before I am optimistic that this will feel very different and better by the spring
It is not just that we have ever better medicine and therapies, and the realistic hope of a vaccine in the first quarter of next year
We now have the immediate prospect of using many millions of cheap, reliable and above all rapid turnaround tests
Tests that you can use yourself to tell whether or not you are infectious and get the result within ten to 15 minutes
And we know from trial across the country in schools and hospitals that we can use these tests not just to locate infectious people but to drive down the disease
And so over the next few days and weeks, we plan a steady but massive expansion in the deployment of these quick turnaround tests
Applying them in an ever-growing number of situations
From helping women to have their partners with them in labour wards when they’re giving birth to testing whole towns and even whole cities
The army has been brought in to work on the logistics and the programme will begin in a matter of days
Working with local communities, local government, public health directors and organisations of all kinds to help people discover whether or not they are infectious, and then immediately to get them to self-isolate and to stop the spread
And I can tell you tonight that the scientists may be unanimously gloomy about the immediate options
But they are unanimously optimistic about the medium and the long term future
We will get through this – but we must act now to contain this autumn surge
We are not going back to the full-scale lockdown of March and April
It is less prohibitive and less restrictive
But from Thursday the basic message is the same: Stay at home. Protect the NHS. And save lives.
HOW WILL THIS AFFECT SCOTLAND?
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted last night:
She added:
2. @scotgov will take considered decisions based on what is right for Scotland. A key point for us – which we hope to clarify ASAP – is whether extended furlough support is available only in November or flexibly for devolved admins. That could have an impact on our decisions.
The Scottish Parliament is today announcing its first virtual Festival of Politics, with events moving online as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taking place from Thursday 19th to Saturday 21st November, the entire Festival is free to attend.
The Festival programme – in partnership with the Scottish Parliament’s think tank, Scotland’s Futures Forum – puts the spotlight on the key issues facing society, with COVID-19 and our recovery from the pandemic being a core theme throughout. In addition to COVID-19 and its impact, topics covered include climate change, the American Presidential election, Brexit, and the type of country Scotland is likely to be in ten years’ time.
Speaking as the Festival programme was launched, the Presiding Officer the Rt Hon Ken Macintosh MSP, said:“We are delighted to launch this year’s Festival of Politics which for the first time will be held online and will be free to watch.
“The Parliament has always prided itself on being open and accessible to all and moving the festival online provides us with another method by which we can engage with people of all ages and backgrounds from across Scotland and beyond.
“The challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic have affected every aspect of our lives and it has never been more important for panellists and audience members to come together to discuss and share ideas on the best way forward for society.
“But we are not just focused on the pandemic. With sessions devoted to climate change, race, Brexit and the American elections, we will be taking on all the major issues of our time.
“I’d encourage everyone to get online from November 19th, watch for free and join the debate for Festival of Politics 2020.”
Offering people a unique chance to engage with MSPs, journalists, academics and commentators, attendees can take part in the Festival at www.parliament.scot/festival
Opening statement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in yesterday’s debate (Tuesday 27 October):
Presiding Officer, I will begin by moving the motion in my name and also confirm that we will also consider each opposition amendment carefully.
While we don’t necessarily agree with all of them in their entirety, there are good suggestions in each of them and so, regardless of how the votes go this evening, we will seek to take these forward constructively.
The Scottish Government published our new strategic approach to tackling COVID on Friday. This included the proposed 5 levels of intervention.
I will not repeat all of the detail today. But I will set out some changes we are proposing as a result of our considerations since Friday. And I will give a very preliminary indication of the levels that we think might apply to different parts of Scotland from next Monday.
I would draw members’ attention to a technical paper that we have published today giving more detail of the data and wider factors that will guide these decisions.
Firstly, though, I will just briefly summarise today’s statistics, which were published a short time ago.
The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 1,327. The total number of confirmed cases in Scotland is now 59,201. The number of positive tests reported yesterday was 8.7% of the total.
1,100 people are currently in hospital – an increase of 48 from yesterday. I think it is worth noting Presiding Officer that for those who think we are being too tough with the restrictions right now.
The number in hospital right now is just 400 short of the number of hospitalisations at the April peak.
82 people are in intensive care, which is 8 fewer than yesterday. And in the last 24 hours, I’m sorry to report that 25 additional deaths have been registered.
Which takes the total number of deaths, under this measurement, to 2,726.
I want to send, again, my deepest condolences to all those who are grieving a loved one.
The rise in cases that we are seeing in Scotland is part of an international pattern.
It is reflected elsewhere in the UK, Europe, and around the world. Indeed, many countries across Europe in particular face a much more severe situation than we do currently.
However, it is to try to avoid that kind of deterioration and to try to avoid mounting pressure on our National Health Service that we are acting firmly at this stage.
It is why we acted back in September to stop household gatherings, and then took further action earlier this month to restrict hospitality.
The positive news is that we believe the restriction on household gatherings may already be having an effect.
The number of new cases is growing more slowly than at the start of the month, and we have not seen the 9 day doubling of cases that was predicted earlier this month.
We hope that the effect of the difficult, and I know unwelcome, restrictions on hospitality, which have been in force now for just over 2 weeks, will soon start to be seen as well.
Our hope is that the rate of increase in new cases will slow even further and we will then see a decline in the number of new cases.
And if we do see that progress, it is important to stress that that will be down to a reduction in our interactions with each other as a result of the restrictions in place.
It’s important to bear that in mind as I run through some of the detail of the new levels because, while this is difficult for all of us and it is difficult for many businesses, it is by reducing our interactions with people – in other households, and in environments with higher risks of transmission – that we will continue to make progress.
All of that said our position just now is still fragile, and it is too early to draw firm conclusions. Cases are still rising, and that is not a stable position to be in.
And given that we are entering winter, COVID is likely to present a significant, continued challenge for us – with higher numbers of cases than we would want to see – for some time to come.
In addition, given the lag effect associated with the incubation period of the virus and how it affects people over time, we know that we are also likely to see hospital and ICU admissions and unfortunately deaths rise for some time yet, even as we hope the rate of increase in cases continue to slow.
So all of this means we must continue to be very cautious – and we must take the action necessary to suppress the virus to the lowest possible levels.
But given that we are likely to be living with this virus for a while, it also means that we must try be as proportionate and as targeted as possible in the actions that we take.
As I was saying the virus, we know, does direct harm to human life and health and that must be minimised. But we also know that the actions we take to do this also cause harm – to the economy and living standards and to wider health and wellbeing.
So the difficult task that all countries have is to balance all of that and minimise the overall harm of the pandemic.
The strategic framework – and the 5 levels – are designed to help us do that.
Having 5 levels does not prevent us from applying restrictions consistently across the country if that is deemed necessary.
But it means we can avoid a one size fits all approach if it is not. It will enable a part of the country with relatively low transmission to live with fewer restrictions than an area with much higher transmission.
Such an approach is more proportionate but the downside is that it makes the messages we communicate more complex.
To help with that, we will be launching a new postcode checker to allow people to know what restrictions are in place in their area at any given time.
The detail within each level is intended to give people greater certainty of what to expect at different rates of transmission.
But it is important that we retain some flexibility.
I want to be clear that we will keep the detail of each level under review as the situation develops.
And that’s a point that may be particularly relevant to the hospitality industry.
Let me, Presiding Officer try to make some progress, I just want to summarise for parliament today the levels we are proposing. Members should note that levels 1, 2 & 3 of the 5 levels are intended to be broadly comparable, albeit not identical, to the 3 levels deployed in England.
I explained on Friday that the baseline level – zero – is the lowest level of restrictions.
It is similar to the state of affairs that applied in August when we had suppressed the virus to very low levels.
We consider this to be the closest to normality we can get to without better treatment or a vaccine for COVID.
Of course, we remain hopeful about the prospects of both these scientific developments over the next few months.
Level 1 is similar to the restrictions we had in mid-September, as cases started to rise again but prevalence remained very low.
Our objective, of course, is to get all parts of the country to level 0 or level 1 and remain there if we can.
The restrictions we propose for level 2 are similar to those that currently apply across Scotland outside the central belt.
Level 3 resembles the tougher restrictions which currently apply in the central belt.
And finally, level 4 – which we hope not to have to use – envisages something closer to a full lockdown. For example non-essential shops would close at that level.
However even in level 4, up to 6 people from up to 2 households could still meet outdoors; and manufacturing and construction businesses would stay open.
Levels 2 and 3 are intended to apply for short periods of time and level 4 will be deployed only if absolutely necessary as a short, sharp intervention to address extremely high transmission rates.
Under all 5 levels, we would expect schools and childcare to remain open if at all possible.
Since publishing our proposed levels on Friday, we have consulted with various stakeholders.
And as I said those consultations included discussion with opposition leaders.
Of course it is not possible to accommodate all the asks of different sectors and still suppress the virus.
But I can confirm that we have decided on some changes that will hopefully be welcomed. These relate to childcare, shared parenting and child contact centres; outdoor retail; bingo; and numbers allowed at weddings at level 4.
Full details are on the revised table circulated to MSPs earlier and will be made available on the Scottish Government website.
Before turning to hospitality in a bit of detail – because that is one of the sectors bearing the biggest impact of current restrictions – let me mention one other, hopefully temporary, change.
The table published on Friday envisaged that at level 1 we would be able to meet with 6 people from 2 households in our own homes. But it also made it clear that this might change in some circumstances.
The public health advice to Ministers is that if a decision is taken this week to move any area to level 1, the current prohibition on meeting anyone from other households in our own homes should remain in place for a period as an extra precaution.
We intend to accept this advice. But, that position will be reviewed weekly.
I want to turn, Presiding Officer, now to hospitality. I will describe the restrictions that will apply in each level and outline any changes from the current situation.
I hope the changes will be welcome but I know that the sector will have wanted to see even fewer restrictions, especially at level 3.
I will explain why that is not possible at this stage. However, I want to be clear that we will continue dialogue with the sector on the proposals it has put forward.
We also intend to establish an expert advisory group on reintroducing safe low level music and background noise.
At level 0, hospitality will operate almost normally – subject to rules on physical distancing, limits on numbers and other mitigations, such as table service only.
Level 1 will be similar but with a curfew closing time. However, that will be 10.30 rather than 10pm.
Level 2 is broadly comparable to the restrictions currently in place outside the central belt.
Currently, in these areas, hospitality can operate normally outdoors with an early closing time. I know this will get more difficult in winter. That will continue to be the case under level 2 – but the closing time will be extended to 10.30pm.
Just now premises in these areas can open indoors until 6pm for the service of food and non-alcoholic drinks only. At level 2, that will be extended to 8pm and alcohol will be permitted with main meals.
In the central belt areas under tougher restrictions just now, only cafes can open, until 6pm and for food and non-alcoholic drinks.
Level 3 is broadly similar but all hospitality premises will be subject to the same rules – so cafes, pubs and restaurants will be allowed to open until 6pm for food and non-alcoholic drinks.
At level 4, hospitality will be closed.
I know the sector wants to see more activity allowed, especially at level 3 and will continue to discuss that with them.
But I must stress that areas at level 3 are the areas with the highest levels of infection.
Our judgment is that to ease up anymore at this stage – particularly as our progress remains so fragile – could risk tipping these levels closer to level 4, rather than have them make the progress we want to see towards level 2.
Assuming Parliament agrees the overall framework today Presiding officer, I will confirm on Thursday what level each local authority will be placed into initially. This will be with effect from Monday and it will be reviewed on a weekly basis.
These decisions will be based on advice from the government’s advisers and the national incident management team. We are also consulting with local authorities.
While we will initially apply levels to whole local authority areas, we will look in future at any situation where it might make sense to be more targeted – for example, a different approach for the Argyll islands than for the rest of the Argyll & Bute council area.
As I said earlier, we have published a technical paper detailing the factors and data that will guide these decisions.
We will look at actual and projected cases per 100,000 of population, test positivity rates, and projections for hospital and ICU capacity. And different thresholds for these will apply at different levels.
It is important to stress though that these decisions will not involve the automatic application of a single statistic or even basket of statistics. These will inform and guide the decisions but judgment will required to be applied to them.
As we migrate initially to this new system, we will be deliberately cautious.
As I said earlier, we are seeing signs of progress but the situation is very fragile and could go in the wrong direction – so we must take care.
I hope that over the next couple of weeks – if progress in slowing the rate of new cases continues – we will see more local authorities dropping down a level.
But initially, most are likely to stay in broadly the same category as now.
Now final decisions have not yet been taken but I want to give parliament a broad indication today of what that means.
The central belt areas currently under the toughest restrictions, are likely to be in level 3 initially. And most of the rest of the country is likely to start in level 2.
There are however some exceptions under consideration.
Firstly, it is hoped that the Highlands, Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles and Moray might go to level 1.
Less positively, we believe that the escalating situation in Dundee City makes it possible it will go to level 3.
And, as has been reported, we are considering whether the very high rate of transmission and hospital admissions in North and South Lanarkshire may necessitate a move for them to level 4. These are the only areas currently being considered for level 4.
There have however been some encouraging signs in the last few days that the situation in Lanarkshire may have stabilised slightly.
So we will only take this decision if it is deemed absolutely necessary and I hope we can avoid it.
As I say, I hope to confirm these decisions to Parliament ahead of FMQs on Thursday.
For all of Scotland Presiding officer, our aim is to get to level 1, and then to level 0 of the framework as quickly as it is possible to do.
We know this is possible because over the summer, we got to the very low levels of transmission that would be needed for that.
If we can do it once, we can do it again. But it will not be easy. It will take action from the government to support the wider efforts.
That’s why our strategic approach doesn’t simply set out restrictions.
It also explains how we will expand testing, and the steps we will take to better support people to comply with the rules, especially on self-isolation.
We set out details of our testing expansion in the paper we published last week.
And finally Presiding officer,
We know that while government must lead, success against this virus will depend on all of us.
It is difficult and frustrating, and getting more so by the day, especially as we head towards Christmas.
But if we dig in now and get Covid under more control, we perhaps open the door – not to 100% normality at Christmas – but hopefully to more than we have right now.
We all want that.
So please stick with it.
As of Monday, make sure you check what restrictions apply in your area.
Please stay out of other people’s houses, except for the limited reasons allowed.
Follow the rules on:
Face coverings.
Avoiding crowded areas.
Cleaning hands and hard surfaces.
2 m distancing.
And self-isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms.
And all of us must try to be as patient as possible at not being able to go to the football or for a pint or out for a meal with friends.
These are hard sacrifices – but they will protect you and your loved ones. They will help protect the NHS. And they will save lives.
And right now, Presiding officer, that is what we must all pull together to do.
Expansion of hospitality provisions
Changes to current restrictions
The new levels framework will increase the opportunity for hospitality businesses to operate during different levels of coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions.
Under the new system set out by the Scottish Government, hospitality premises may sell alcohol indoors with a main meal up to 8pm at level two, enabling the service of an early evening meal. At present, hospitality premises outside the central belt cannot serve alcohol indoors and must close indoors at 6pm.
At level three – equivalent to the current restrictions in the central belt – the definition of cafes will be removed, enabling all hospitality premises to operate in the daytime, up to 6pm, without the sale of alcohol.
Hotels and other accommodation will continue to be able to serve evening meals to residents.
The expansion of the hospitality provisions within the new levels system takes effect from Monday 2nd November and will be kept under review as the spread of the virus hopefully stabilises.
The Scottish Government has also committed to taking forward a range of additional mitigations suggested by the industry with the sector, as well as continuing to consider how low level background sound in hospitality premises can be safely managed.
The changes follow close engagement with the sector, since Friday, including ministerial discussions on Saturday, and discussions are continuing on the content of the relevant regulations.
Cabinet Secretary Fergus Ewing said:“I understand that any restrictions are hard for business and I know that many will want us to go further, however this is a proportionate relaxation of the current rules that will enable premises to serve evening meals and alcohol in level two, in addition to removing the distinction between cafés and other licensed premises at level three.
“We need to be very cautious at level three, to ensure that the restrictions in place contribute to reducing the spread of the virus, so that they can be lifted as soon as possible.
“I want to thank the sector for its constructive engagement over the weekend and commit to continuing these discussions as we go forward.”
Scotland’s licensed hospitality sector presented the Scottish Government with an alternative workable Strategic Framework ahead of yesterday’s debate in the Scottish Parliament.
Industry Groups wrote ahead of the scheduled debate on the Scottish Government’s Strategic Framework that will set the course of hospitality for the next six months.
While emphasising that hospitality in Scotland is not to blame for the spread of the virus, the trade bodies have sought clarification on a number of issues and made proposals designed to support a sector that has been devastated by the COVID-19 crisis.
Higher levels of restrictions will require higher levels of support for businesses. These must be at least in line with levels in England.
The economic support made available in the form of grants will not be sufficient. There must be information from the Scottish Government as soon as possible on how it intends to use its share of the £700 million funding allocated recently by the Chancellor to the devolved governments.
Urgent confirmation of how the Job Support Scheme will work for Scottish businesses to save up to 70,000 jobs.
Support must be provided for sub-sectors including music and entertainment venues, nightclubs and conference centres, that are unable to open.
Anomalies regarding the serving of meals in cafes but not pubs or restaurants, or hotels unable to serve alcohol to residents, must be reviewed immediately.
The letter also urged the Scottish Government to ensure it does not impose any restrictions longer than is necessary, with any measures regularly reviewed.
There also needs to be a clear roadmap for how areas facing tighter restrictions can work towards exiting those restrictions, with comprehensive guidance for businesses, based on consultation, issued in advance of any new measures.
The sector has confirmed it is prepared to make additional concessions to assuage concerns of the MSPs and the Scottish Government.
In a joint statement, the trade bodies said:
Today the Scottish Parliament will debate the Scottish Government’s proposed Strategic Framework for dealing with COVID. The framework, as it was announced last week, will clearly have an enormous impact on the lives of people and businesses. No other sector has been as heavily disrupted as hospitality and the planned framework looks set to provide further restrictions which may destroy businesses and wipe out jobs.
Clearly the objective for everyone must be to contain the spread of the virus. It must, however, be done in a way which gives the incredibly valuable businesses in our sector the best possible chance of survival and a more equal shouldering of the burden at this time. If we are not careful, businesses will be closed for good and jobs permanently lost.
We are now calling on the Scottish Government, and all MSPs, to acknowledge that our sector stands to lose the most if the framework is not absolutely right. They must take on board our points and ensure that any legislation, that is designed to keep communities safe and businesses intact, does not have the unintended consequence of delivering the final blow.”
New approach will ensure dignity, fairness and respect
There will be no DWP- style assessments to access disability assistance under the new Scottish social security system, says Social Security Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville.
Decisions will be made using information gathered through the applications process including from health care providers
Should more detail be required to make decisions on an application for the new Adult Disability Payment, it will be gathered through a consultation which will be based on a conversation between a healthcare professional employed by the Scottish Government and the client. There will be no private sector involvement in this process.
Most consultations will be by phone but can be face to face in a GP practice or even at home, whatever works best for the person applying. No-one will be asked to carry out tasks in order to prove the impact of their disability or health condition.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “Two of our principles enshrined in law is that social security is a public service and an investment in people – it is there for all of us when and where we need it. So no one should ever experience stress when accessing the support they are entitled to.
“People who require disability assistance will already face a number of challenges and interacting with a benefit system shouldn’t become another one. That is why I am pleased to set out plans for Scotland’s new system – plans that will make sure that people are treated with dignity, fairness and respect.
“We want people to feel that they have been treated well and fairly at every stage – from having an application form that is clear and easy to use right through to how we make sure someone is still able to access money when they want to appeal our decisions.
“Getting rid of degrading assessments that our Experience Panels told us were ‘traumatic and intrusive’ is the right thing to do. It is an obvious change but one that will make a massive difference to people.
“I’d like to thank the people who have worked with us to design this service – the volunteers on our Experience Panels and stakeholders. Together we will deliver a markedly different benefit system and create a public service that we can all be truly proud of.”
2200 paediatricians sign open letter to Prime Minister urging Government to extend free school meals to cover holidays
Thousands of health professionals have signed an open letter urging the UK Government to change course on free school meals during the holidays. They praise footballer Marcus Rashford’s campaign tackling food poverty and call for the Prime Minister to follow the lead of the devolved administrations.
In 24 hours, 2200 Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) members have signed an open letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, calling for the UK Government to match the pledge made by the Welsh and Scottish Governments, and the Northern Ireland Executive to provide food vouchers to cover school holidays for children from low-income backgrounds.
More than 800 paediatricians signed the letter within an hour of circulation.
The letter argues that childhood hunger is an issue that should transcend politics, and that good nutrition is at the heart of health, wellbeing and development for children and young people. It notes that without it, children’s health outcomes worsen, and with that, so do their life chances.
With over four million children in the UK living in poverty and the current pandemic entrenching this reality, children desperately need government support.
The letter says that while food vouchers will not solve the problem of child poverty, they do offer a short-term remedy for children that don’t have enough to eat.
Professor Russell Viner, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said: “I’ve rarely seen such anger among our members. We care for children who don’t have enough to eat. We see far too many of them. It is heartbreaking that it has become a normal part of our jobs and hunger is all too common for millions of families in the UK.
“There is an opportunity to put this right. It is pointless to talk about levelling up the country, an ambition which we support, while refusing to offer temporary relief to children and families.
Dr Max Davie, Officer for Health Improvement at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said: “We’re a rich country. This isn’t about money, it’s about making sure people have food to eat, and it’s about doing the right thing for children who need a hand up.
“We shouldn’t have to fight for food vouchers when we’re in the middle of a pandemic.”
Dr Liz Whittaker, Consultant Paediatrician at St. Marys Hospital, London said:“Household food insecurity is linked to long-term negative consequences for health, educational outcomes and future income.
“Missing meals isn’t just about going hungry on an individual day, it has a lasting impact on a young person’s life. Aside from the fact that it is wrong to see children go hungry, it is impossible to justify any argument that this saves the state money.”
The open letter pays tribute to Marcus Rashford for his influential and inspiring advocacy on behalf of children and young people. RCPCH is proud to support his campaign.
Letter text:
As paediatricians we are shocked by the refusal of the UK Government to extend the provision of free school meals in England to children from low-income backgrounds during the school holidays.
Childhood hunger is an issue that should transcend politics. Few would disagree that one of our most basic human responsibilities is to ensure children have enough to eat.
Every day, we see the impact of hunger and malnutrition in our work as paediatricians. It is not unusual for us to care for children who don’t have enough to eat or who don’t have access to a substantial meal outside of what is provided in school. Good nutrition is at the heart of health, wellbeing and development for children and young people. Without it, children’s health outcomes worsen, and with that, so do their life chances
More than 4 million children in the UK live in poverty and around one third of those are reliant on free school meals. The pandemic has entrenched and exacerbated this reality; families who were previously managing are now struggling to make ends meet because of the impact of COVID-19. It is not good enough to send them into the holiday period hoping for the best, while knowing that many will simply go hungry. Food vouchers will not solve this problem, but they offer a short-term remedy.
We call on the UK Government to match the pledges of the Welsh and Scottish Governments and the Northern Ireland Executive, to continue to provide children from low-income backgrounds with free meals over the coming weeks and to then extend this at least until the Easter school holiday, as they have done in Wales and Scotland.
We pay tribute to Marcus Rashford and his powerful campaigning. His advocacy for children and young people has been a source of inspiration in difficult times. We are proud to stand with him on this issue.
Marcus Rashford MBE said: “If you can do one thing for me, sign the petition:
Advice on safe and enjoyable Halloween celebrations
Families and children are being urged to avoid guising this Halloween to minimise the risk of spreading Coronavirus (COVID-19).Deputy First Minister John Swinney says the move is necessary to ensure people stay within the current restrictions on indoor and outdoor gatherings.
Advice on the Parent Club website suggests ways for families to have a safe Halloween at home including ideas around party games, fancy dress and storytelling.
For Bonfire Night, the advice includes guidelines around group sizes, distancing and FACTS precautions to reduce the temptation for people to hold gatherings and firework displays in their back gardens.
Mr Swinney said: “Under the current restrictions it is not possible to meet up indoors or in large groups outdoors, so the safest thing to do this year is to stay at home.
“I know guising is a big part of Halloween and children will be sad to miss out, but as door-to-door guising brings an additional and avoidable risk of spreading the virus, our clear advice for families is to avoid it.
“Children can still get dressed up and share jokes with their families, and our Parent Club guidance has lots of fun and creative ideas for families to enjoy a safe celebration at home.
“On Bonfire Night it is vital the public adhere to the rules on meeting up with other households to help stop the spread of the virus. We know that some people may consider using fireworks in their back gardens If you do plan on using fireworks this Bonfire Night, please do so responsibly and safely.
“Adapting alternative celebrations and sticking to the rules in place can go a huge way to ensuring everyone’s safety.”
Five level plan to vary rules for rapid but proportionate response to COVID-19.
A five-level framework which will allow for a refreshed strategic approach to suppressing Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreaks across Scotland has been published.
The framework indicates different levels of protection that might be needed based on different levels of transmission for the virus. It will allow for rapid but proportionate responses on both a local and national basis using a transparent range of measures and options.
The framework will comprise five protection levels. ‘Level 0’ is effectively the same level of protection as the Route Map Phase 3 measures Scotland reached in August and will act as a baseline, with four levels above that designed to apply increasing protection from the virus in areas according to prevalence, the risk to communities and the need to protect the NHS.
Levels 1, 2 and 3 will be broadly equivalent to the UK Government levels to offer some uniformity with measures south of the border. Levels will be reviewed on a regular basis.
Ongoing financial support is set out in the framework and will be available to businesses which are required to close or which can remain open but will be directly affected by restrictions. The Scottish Government will work with local authorities to ensure grants are made available quickly and efficiently.
In the coming days the Scottish Government will engage with local government, stakeholders, economic groups and other partners, prior to a final version of the strategic framework being debated in parliament next Tuesday (27 October).
Further details on which local authority areas of Scotland will fall under which levels will be announced following discussions with directors of public health and local authorities, taking on board recommendations from the national incident management team, before coming into force on 2 November.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “It has become increasingly clear that we need to update our approach to tackling Coronavirus to adapt to this latest phase of the pandemic. The draft strategic framework we are publishing sets out how we intend to do that.
“It tries to balance different types of harms. But it is worth stressing that if we allow the virus to run out of control then that will exacerbate every other harm.
“In the coming days, we will listen to views from stakeholders on any suggested changes they might have, or how they would like to see it implemented. Although the framework we have published is new, the principles behind it will be familiar.
“I know that when people hear the daily figures it’s easy to feel as though the hard sacrifices we are all living with are not making a difference. But by taking these difficult steps we will help suppress the virus, and that is why I am asking everyone to stick with it.”
