Politics – Page 151 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

First Minister: ‘never underestimate how cruel a virus this can be’

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Wedneday 29 July):

Good afternoon everyone thank you for joining us. As usual I will start with the most recent statistics on Covid.

I can report that an additional 22 positive cases were confirmed yesterday. That represents 0.7% of those who were newly tested yesterday, and it takes the total number of cases in Scotland now to 18,580.

The health board breakdown of these new cases will be available later but my provisional information is that 14 of the 22 are in Greater Glasgow & Clyde area.

I have also been advised that a possible cluster of cases is currently under investigation by Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

An Incident Management Team meeting will take place later this afternoon, which I hope will give more detail, and an update will be provided after that. But I want to give an assurance today as I always do that all new positive cases are thoroughly investigated for any links and Test and Protect of course gets to work to make sure that all contacts are appropriately traced.

I can also report today that a total of 260 patients are currently in hospital who have been confirmed as having the virus. That is 4 fewer than yesterday.

And a total of 2 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed Covid and that is no change on the figure yesterday.

Finally, I am very pleased to say that yet again during the last 24 hours, no deaths were registered of patients confirmed through a test in the previous 28 days as having COVID-19. The total number of deaths, under this particular measure, therefore remains 2,491.

In addition though, National Records of Scotland has just published its regular weekly report. Unlike the daily figures, it includes deaths of people who have been confirmed as having Covid by a test within the previous 28 days.

But the NRS report also covers cases where the virus has been entered on a death certificate as a suspected or contributory cause of death – even if its presence was not confirmed by a test, or if the test had been more than 28 days previously.

That is a wider measure, and therefore captures more cases and between our daily figure and the NRS report, let me be very clear that all deaths that are associated with Covid either on a confirmed basis or suspected or contributory are captured and reported.

The latest NRS report covers the period to Sunday 26 July. Let me remind you at that point, according to our daily figures, 2,491 deaths of people who had tested positive for the virus had been registered but none of those deaths were registered in the 7 days up to Sunday.

Today’s NRS report shows that, by Sunday, the total number of registered deaths with either a confirmed or a presumed link to the virus was 4,201. Of those, 8 were registered in the seven days up to Sunday. That is an increase of 2 from the week before.

National Records of Scotland has also reported that the total number of deaths recorded last week – from all causes not just the virus – was 24 lower than the five year average for the same time of year.

Now I want to say just a bit more about the fact that the number of Covid deaths rose very slightly last week – especially given that we reported no deaths at all over that period in our daily figures. 4 of the 8 deaths reported by NRS were in hospital; 2 were in care homes; and 2 were in other settings – for example at home.

Now the reason why the 4 deaths in hospitals weren’t captured by our daily figures, is that those daily figures –as I’ve mentioned already today– record people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid.

However some people who test positive receive care for more than 28 days afterwards, but sadly some of them do not manage to recover.

So if these people die after the initial 28 days, but have Covid recorded on the death certificate as a contributing factor, then they would be included in the NRS report, but not in the daily figures but again that is to give you assurance that all deaths associated with Covid are being captured and reported between our daily figures and the National Records of Scotland report .

I want to make just two more general points about today’s figures, .

First obviously, any increase in deaths, however small it might be, is regrettable and very unwelcome . But when we have very low levels as we do now thankfully – fluctuation is to be expected.

However, the second point is this one. These figures are a reminder of the continuing impact of the pandemic – and of the fact that, despite the progress we have undoubtedly made, we should never underestimate how cruel a virus this can be.

We’ve always got to remember that every single life lost to this illness, is of an individual who is being mourned by friends and loved ones. I want to send again today my condolences to everyone who is grieving as a result of Covid.

I also want, as always, to thank our health and care workers for the extraordinary work you continue to do, in what remains very testing circumstances. You have mine and the entire Scottish Government’s gratitude for that.

Now, I have two other issues that I want to briefly update on today and both of them relate to further improvements to our presentation of Covid data.

We have had some discussions with the other nations of the UK about providing regular and consistent reports on the distribution of personal and protective equipment, PPE. Our first report will be published on the Scottish Government website today.

That shows that in the past week alone, more than 16 million items of PPE have been distributed across Scotland by National Services Scotland. These include almost 12 million gloves, 3 million masks, and nearly 1 million aprons. In total, since the 1 March, more than 362 million items have been distributed.

These figures give some idea of the scale of the ongoing work to ensure that health and care workers have the equipment they need to keep them safe and I am grateful to everyone involved in that effort.

In addition, from 2pm today, Public Health Scotland will be presenting a much wider range of Covid information on its website. And doing so, in what I hope you will find to be, a more accessible format.

It will publish our new Covid dashboard which will include summary data of recent cases and deaths, broken down both by health board and by local authority area.

And it includes much more detailed information according to the date of someone’s test result, and also the date on which people have sadly died. So you can, for example, find out exactly how many women or men within a certain age range, tested positive in Scotland on a specific day.

We know from the information requests that we receive, that there is a desire from many people to have easier access to more detailed data about the pandemic – both in terms of the current position, and of course the risk we will continue to face in the weeks ahead but also in terms of how the pandemic has developed over the past few months.

We hope that the new dashboard will help anybody who is interested, to see data about the pandemic in their area or across the whole of the country.

One of the features of the dashboard is that it will use local data to colour-code local authority areas, based on the proportion of neighbourhoods which exceed 55 confirmed cases per 100,000 over a seven-day period.

An average-sized neighbourhood on the map – which would have about 4,000 people – would need to have three cases in the previous week to exceed that limit.

That figure is considerably higher than the current prevalence of Covid within the population, and so – in contrast to the peak of the pandemic – many local authority areas are currently likely to be shown as having no neighbourhoods above that threshold.

That, however, should not be taken as a sign that there is no cause for concern or a signal for any of us to be complacent and I want to stress that very clearly.

The new figures will show, as the figures I report every day right now thankfully show, that Covid is at low levels in Scotland and we have all worked very hard to get to this position. But we also know from the case numbers I have reported today for example that the virus is still circulating in Scotland. And the clusters we have seen, and undoubtedly continue to see, demonstrate how quickly the virus can spread again, if we give it the opportunity to do so.

In addition to that as I was talking about yesterday, news reports from other countries – in Europe and around the world – remind us of how easily progress against Covid can start to go into reverse.

For that reason, when I announce the outcome of the Scottish Government’s formal review of the Covid restrictions in Parliament tomorrow, I’m likely, very likely, to adopt a very cautious approach.

We have made some very significant changes over the last three weeks – including the resumption of indoor hospitality and tourism, and it is still too early to be completely assured about the impact of these or hopefully the absents of the impact of these.

And we also intend to make some very major changes over the next three weeks – for example I hope I can confirm tomorrow the pausing of shielding at the end of the month, and as you know it is our central objective for the next three weeks to get schools back full time from 11 August.

Ensuring that those changes can take place, without raising the prevalence of the virus too far, is not going to leave us very much room for many other immediate changes.

I know sometimes what appear to be anomalies right now, about what is allowed and not allowed can seem confusing – although I would assure you that there are rational explanations for what might appear on the surface to be inconsistencies.

But more fundamentally, and this is a key point that I want to leave you with, we can’t just look at whether an individual change is safe, although that is an important part of our consideration – we also have to consider the cumulative impact of all of the changes we make, and we have to be sensible about the order in which we make changes so we don’t create a situation in which we are doing too much too quickly and therefore giving the virus a chance to overwhelm us again.

So there will be, I’m sure parts of our economy and people, who will be disappointed tomorrow if changes they want to hear are not happening as quickly as they would like and I recognise that and I am genuinely, as I always have been, sorry about that. I don’t relish any of the implications and consequences of what we are dealing with right now.

Where we are unable to move to a further opening up tomorrow, we will indicate as far as we can. indicative dates for the future even though they will be conditional on continued suppression of the virus.

As ever, the decisive factor in ensuring how quickly we can make further changes in the weeks ahead, will be how successful we continue to be at driving this virus to low levels and keeping it at the low levels we see right now.

And as ever, that depends on all of us. Each and every one of us have to ensure that we do everything we can to avoid creating opportunities for the virus to spread.

What I’m about to say, firstly you’ve heard me say it before and secondly it is not intended as a criticism.

We are all human beings and even the politicians among us, and human behaviour is very instinctive and I know, and I totally know from my own observations and I know how hard it is in my own life, that some of the things that we have been getting used to doing for the past four months, physically distancing in particular, we are all perhaps beginning to just drop our guard a little bit on these things.

And this is a moment and I say this directly and I will just say it from the bottom of my heart, it is a moment for all of us just to pause and think about whether that is the case and if we are dropping our guard and letting those standards slip, give ourselves a bit of a shake and make sure we do all the things that we have been advised to do rigorously in the period ahead and that is of course encapsulated in the FACTS advice that I always end with and that I will end with today.

• Please wear face coverings, it’s mandatory as you know in shops and on public transport and I think you will see high levels of compliance with that but in any enclosed space where you might find it more difficult to physical distance, wear a face covering. It gives an added bit of protection against transmission.
• Continue to avoid crowded places. Even if they are outdoors, crowded places wherever they are, increase the risks of this virus spreading, so avoid crowded places.
• Remember to clean your hands and clean any hard surfaces that you’re touching. This one will be cleaned after this briefing today because the virus stays around on hard surfaces and we know it can spread through lack of hand hygiene. So clean hands, clean hard surfaces. .
• Keep a two metre distance. And this is the one more than any of the others that we all need to check ourselves on. Keep a 2 metre distance unless you’re in a premises where there is permission to go to 1 metre with appropriate mitigations the general rule remains 2 metres .
• and lastly Self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms.

Test and Protect right now is performing I think well and those who are working through Test and Protect are doing a sterling job when outbreaks and clusters appear.

But they need the cooperation of each and every one of us, so please make sure if you are experiencing a cough, a fever, or if you are aware of a change in a loss in your sense of taste or smell, then you self-isolate immediately and you take a test immediately because that helps Test and Protect do its job.

If we all follow all of these things, we don’t take away the risks of this virus unfortunately it’s not that simple but we do significantly reduce those risks and we collectively try to protect the progress that we’ve made and hopefully keep that progress and keep this virus under control, so thanks all of you for listening.

COVID-19 Cluster Identified within Greater Glasgow and Clyde

A cluster of eight positive COVID-19 cases have been identified in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area and a thorough investigation is underway.

Contact tracing of individuals has identified a number of businesses across Greater Glasgow and Clyde including a pharmacy in Inverclyde as being linked to the cases.

An NHSGGC-led Incident Management Team is working with Scottish Government, Health Protection Scotland (HPS) and local environmental health teams to provide advice and support.

None of the cases are experiencing anything but mild symptoms.

Close contacts are being advised to self-isolate and other identified contacts are being followed up and given appropriate advice.

To respect and maintain patient confidentiality no further details will be released at this time.

Government urged to learn lessons from gaps in worker and business support

Darren Jones, Chair of Westminster’s Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee, has written to Secretary of State Alok Sharma outlining a number of key issues for the UK Government to address in its approach to support for business and workers as the country emerges from the Covid-19 lockdown.

The correspondence to the Secretary of State recognises the efforts of many workers and businesses who rose to the challenges brought about during the pandemic.

The letter also highlights a number of issues, including gaps in support for workers, the tapering of support for workers through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), and the treatment of workers during the pandemic and health & safety issues.

The letter tackles a number of areas concerning the Government’s support for businesses, recommending the Government review the success of the various loan schemes and the behavior of banks, and also highlighting problems arising from unpaid business rent and the calls for targeted support for sectors that are likely to continue to be hit by restrictions which threaten their future revenue and viability.

Darren Jones, Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee said: “The Business Department and the Treasury deserve significant credit for their efforts in addressing the unprecedented challenges faced by business and workers following the impact of Covid-19.

“Given the evolving situation around Covid-19, it’s inevitable that issues would emerge concerning the effectiveness of the Government’s support package and its impact on workers and businesses.

“However, it is also the case that the alarm over gaps in the Government’s support, such as for women, and those affecting freelancers and agency workers, were being raised repeatedly by those affected and yet these warnings continued to go unheeded.

“Rishi Sunak echoed a previous Chancellor in suggesting that the coronavirus has seen us all in it together. However, it’s clear that the reality of the economic lockdown is that its impact has not been shared out evenly and that it is falling very heavily on some parts of our economy.

“For example, we heard from sectors, including retail, the creative industries and manufacturing, who expressed concern over increasing redundancies in the wake of the furlough scheme changes coming in this weekend.

“It’s clear that some sectors of our economy will continue to face very challenging conditions. The shutdown of the aviation and aerospace sector will, for example, have a longer-term impact on these industries compared to others. In some parts of hospitality and in other sectors too, difficult trading conditions and continuing restrictions threaten future revenue and their viability.

“It’s important the Government quickly learns the lessons of recent months so that they can act in future with more policy sophistication and transparency and be able to step up and deliver the most effective support possible to workers and businesses.

“If we face the prospect of a second-wave and the likelihood of increased local lock-downs, it’s essential the Government looks again at its approach to sector support and to the additional measures which will be necessary to secure our economic recovery, help businesses prosper and enable workers to protect their livelihoods”.

The letter to the Secretary of State notes the examples highlighted by Which? of price-gouging, profiteering, and the inability of consumers to obtain refunds which they were legally entitled to when their holidays and flights were cancelled.

The correspondence also notes the comments from Lord Tyrie, former Chairman of the Competition and Markets Authority, stating that the pandemic had revealed that the CMA needed new powers to deal with profiteering.

The Committee calls for the Government to undertake a review of the powers and responsibilities of the CMA, and other consumer regulation enforcers, to address bad business practices and the effective enforcement of consumer law and the action needed to tackle market abuses, such as profiteering, that took place during the pandemic.

The letter to the Secretary of State highlights issues around the impact of late payments and the problems that many small businesses were experiencing throughout the UK’s supply chains because of cash flow problems.

Following evidence from SMEs, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), and the Small Business Commissioner (SBC) on these issues, the Committee recommends the SBC be given additional powers to proactively investigate late payments, that the Prompt Payment Code be made compulsory, and that late payers should be excluded from government contracts.

Sue Davies, Head of Consumer Protection at Which?, said: “Our research has highlighted terrible practices during the coronavirus pandemic, including airlines that have refused to refund passengers and sellers that have unjustifiably bumped up prices on essential goods.

“In too many situations consumers have been left with nowhere to turn, which is why regulators need to be given stronger and more targeted powers so they can take effective enforcement to tackle the types of bad practice we’ve seen during the crisis.”

Johnson’s ‘jolly’ won’t dispel the gloom, says STUC

As the Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Scotland on Thursday, the Scottish Trades Union Congress warned of further constitutional unrest if economic issues are not addressed

*Prime Minister, crabs:* *Choose your own caption!*

Roz Foyer, General Secretary of the STUC said: “Johnson’s jolly to Scotland won’t dispel the gloom that’s setting in as thousands hear the news that they have lost their work.

“The scale of the economic crisis we are facing is huge. Rather than insult the people of Scotland with his ignorance, he should focus his effort onto announcing concrete plans to rebuild our economy.

“He knows that economic unrest will find a channel in constitutional demands, and he is right to be worried. People in Scotland know how closely politics and the economy are interlinked, as the slump starts setting in across the sectors in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

“Extending the furlough scheme, all across the UK, would massively help many industrial sectors such as hospitality weather the coming storm.

“Investment in a proper Green New Deal would create the environmentally friendly jobs and economic boost that our workers and hard-struck communities are desperate for.

“For far too long, the government and employers have undervalued the kind of work that coronavirus has shown to be of utmost importance. An increase in the minimum wage to £10 an hour, and an additional £2 an hour for all key workers who have kept us safe during this catastrophic pandemic, would be a start in righting the wrongs of the past.

“Boris won’t be so jolly once he starts to see how workers in Scotland respond in the wake of his woeful response.”

First Minister: Phase 3 could last a while longer yet

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Wednesday 22 July):

Good afternoon, and welcome to today’s briefing. I want to start with the usual update on the most recent Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.

An additional 10 positive cases were confirmed yesterday – that takes the total now in Scotland to 18,484.

The Health Board breakdown will be available later as normal.

However, the provisional information I have is that three of these 10 cases are in Lanarkshire where we are dealing with an outbreak, which I’ll say more about shortly. At this stage, we know one of these three is associated with the outbreak.

From today, as well as reporting the overall number of positive cases – which can fluctuate in line with the number of tests carried out – I will also report the percentage of people tested who have been newly identified as positive.

For context, the World Health Organisation suggests than an indication of the epidemic being under control is less than 5% of samples testing positive over a two week period.

The 10 cases being reported today in Scotland represent 0.3% testing positive.

The 22 cases reported yesterday, represented 0.8%.

I can also report that 295 patients are currently in hospital with confirmed Covid. That is eight fewer than yesterday. As you may remember from yesterday’s briefing, we will now report figures for confirmed cases only.

A total of three people last night were in intensive care with confirmed Covid-19. That is one fewer than yesterday.

I am glad to say that during the last 24 hours, no deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test as having Covid-19. The total number of deaths, under this particular measure, therefore remains at 2,491.

In addition, the National Records of Scotland has just published its regular weekly report, which is more detailed than our daily figures. Like the daily figures, it includes deaths of people who have been confirmed by a test as having COVID.

However it also covers cases where the virus has been entered on a death certificate as a suspected or contributory cause of death – even if its presence was not confirmed by a test. That is a wider measure, and therefore it captures more cases.

The latest NRS report covers the period to Sunday 19 July. At that point, according to our daily figures, 2,491 deaths of people who had tested positive had been registered.

However, today’s report shows that, by Sunday, the total number of registered deaths with either a confirmed or a presumed link to the virus was 4,193. Of those, six were registered in the seven days up to Sunday. That is a decrease of seven from the week before.

Three of those six deaths were in care homes, which is a reduction of four from last week.

The total number of deaths recorded last week – from all causes – was 32 higher than the five year average for the same time of year.

We will of course see if there are any causes for concern there, but it is worth remembering that the total number of deaths is always likely to fluctuate a bit. Last week’s figures follow on from a three week period, when the total number of deaths was below the five year average by 18, 35 and 49 respectively.

Last week was the twelfth week in a row in which the number of deaths from the virus has fallen. In addition, the total weekly number of Covid deaths now is the lowest we have seen since we started to record them in this way.

Today’s report shows once again that Covid has been driven to very low levels in Scotland.

However the figures also remind us that more than 4,000 people have lost their lives to this virus.

We must always remember that each of those deaths, was of a unique and irreplaceable individual. I want to send my condolences to everyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one.

I also want, as I always do, to send my gratitude our health and care workers for the extraordinary job they continue to do.

I want to talk about two issues this afternoon. In a few minutes, I will go over some of the changes to lockdown rules which we have previously announced come into effect today.

However before I do that, I will give a brief update on the latest information we have about the Covid outbreak in Lanarkshire, based around the Sitel call centre.

Since Sunday an intensive contact tracing operation has been underway.

All staff at Sitel have been told to isolate at home for 14 days, and in addition all staff have been asked to come forward for testing. As of this morning, around 390 test results, out of around 400 tested overall, have been returned.

As of now, 15 positive cases have been identified of people who work at the site, and a further five additional positive cases have been identified through the tracing of family members and close contacts.

Contact tracing has also confirmed that a number of Sitel staff who have tested positive also had links to other locations, prior to becoming aware of the outbreak.

Environmental Health officers have checked on those locations. They are satisfied that precautions such as protective equipment and cleaning were in place, and that the risk of transmission is therefore low. Close contacts from these locations have also been advised to isolate.

I want to take the opportunity today to thank the five locations – which are Owen’s Bar in Coatbridge; The Railway Tavern and Merlin’s Bar in Motherwell; Costa Coffee in Carfin; and END clothing in Glasgow – for their co-operation.

I would also ask people who might have attended those locations in the last week or so to be extra vigilant, to follow all guidance and to isolate and book a test if you do experience any symptoms. I am saying this not because I think there is a real concern in transmission there but simply as an added precaution

This outbreak should be a very clear reminder to people that Coronavirus has not gone away. It does not take much for very small numbers of cases to become much bigger numbers – and while Test & Protect and our local public health teams are working incredibly hard to contain any outbreaks, it is not just their job. I think that’s an important point for all of us to remember, each and every one of us has a job to do to keep the virus at bay.

The second point I want to cover is to confirm that – in line with the timetable set out in our routemap – more services are reopening today.

From today, universities and colleges can institute a phased return to on-campus learning.

Further personal retail services – such as beauticians and tailors – can re-open, with enhanced hygiene measures in place.

Motorcycle instruction, tractor driving instruction and car theory tests can also resume from today.

And finally drive-in live events – such as comedy and theatre shows, concerts and bingo evenings – can also take place from today

Today’s steps represent a further cautious re-opening of sectors, and cautious resumption of services. As always, there are some risks attached to them, but we believe that with the appropriate mitigations in place, these risks can be managed.

As many of you will know, the regulations currently require us to review the lockdown restrictions every three weeks. The next review is due next Thursday, a week tomorrow, so I now is the right time to inject a note of caution.

Phase 2 of our emergence from lockdown took exactly three weeks. But as I indicated two weeks ago this current phase, phase 3, is likely to last considerably longer.

The changes we have made over the last two weeks have been really significant, including the opening of our tourism sector and indoor hospitality, so we have to carefully monitor the impact of that and the number of new coronavirus cases we are seeing each day.

Examples like the outbreak in North Lanarkshire show what can happen when people are mixing indoors and when guidance is perhaps not rigorously followed.

At a time when the virus is picking up again in a number of European countries, we need to be confident that it is safe to change restrictions further.

Our main focus right now, I think it is a priority, is on keeping the virus at a low enough level to enable schools to fully and safely re-open from the 11th of August.

That would be a further significant change. In addition, we have said already that if possible, we would like to remove the requirement for shielding from 31 July. I will say more about changes for shielding people tomorrow.

These two aims – allowing people who have been shielding to live more normally, and enabling children to go back to school full time – are really important priorities. And to be frank they are only achievable, if levels of Covid in the community remain very low.

Now obviously, we will continue to review the data for new cases and hospital admissions, among other things and our final decisions will be made next week. If there are steps we can take, then we will – we cannot leave restrictions in place for longer than is judged to be necessary.

However I want to flag up now that it is possible that we may not be able to make any changes next week beyond confirming the return of schooling and a pause in shielding.

So for those businesses who are still waiting for a date to restart, I thank you for your ongoing patience. I fully understand how difficult any further delay is for you, but I also hope you will understand why we need to prioritise re-opening schools.

I also want to underline that we are making changes at a pace and at a level that we think is right and safe for our current circumstances here in Scotland.

Announcements made for other parts of the UK do not automatically apply here.

For example I want to underline that the UK government’s encouragement to those who can work from home in England to nevertheless return to workplaces, does not yet apply in Scotland.

Working from home, where that is feasible, remains the default and preferred position and we expect employers to continue to support people to do that. We will be publishing new guidance on home working shortly.

The cluster of cases I have just talked about – around a call centre in Lanarkshire – is a salutary reminder that transmission of this virus can occur in workplaces and spread relatively easily.

Our position remains that non-essential offices and call centres should remain closed, until we judge it is safe to make this significant change for Scotland.

These notes of caution link to the point I want to end on.

It continues to be the case that the only way in which we can take further steps out of lockdown safely, is if we continue to suppress the virus. And achieving that – now, more than ever – comes down to the individual decisions that each and every one of us is making.

I know how difficult it is to maintain two metre distancing when you are meeting people you haven’t seen for three or four months – especially with family members and close friends, the human instinct to hug and be physically close is a very strong one.

But staying that bit further apart can make all the difference – it makes you less likely to get the virus, and makes you less likely to transmit the virus.

The choices we all make as individuals – on physical distancing, on wearing face coverings, on washing our hands – these will decide how quickly all of us can make further progress out of lockdown together.

And so I want to close once again by emphasising Facts – the five key things all of us should remember in everything we do.

Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport.
Avoid crowded places.
Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
Two metre distancing remains the rule – it is the one measure we all need to remind ourselves to constantly comply with
and self-isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms. Go to https://www.nhsinform.scot and book a test immediately

If we all stick to this we have a real chance of getting the virus back under control and accelerating progress back to something much more normal than life has felt in the past few months. My thanks again to everybody who is co-operating and playing their part.

PM Boris Johnson: Union stronger than ever

Marking one year as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson will today visit Scotland to reaffirm his commitment to supporting all parts of the UK through the pandemic …

Marking one year as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson will today visit Scotland to reaffirm his commitment to supporting all parts of the UK through the pandemic
During the visit, the PM will meet local businesses to discuss how they are getting back on their feet; entrepreneurs to see how green technology is driving innovation across Scotland and military to thank them for their efforts in the coronavirus response
Ahead of the visit, the Prime Minister pledged £50 million to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to the union, marking one year as Prime Minister with a visit to Scotland and pledging further support for Scottish communities.

Ahead of the visit, the Prime Minister reiterated how the coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated, more than ever, that each part of the UK benefits from being together and the strength of the union has helped us through this crisis.

In Scotland, the UK Treasury has protected over 900,000 jobs and granted thousands of businesses loans; the UK’s armed forces has airlifted critically ill patients from some of the most remote communities, helped convert the temporary hospitals and ran mobile testing sites; and the Department of Health and Social Care has procured millions of pieces of PPE to keep Scottish frontline workers safe.

This is on top of £4.6 billion ‘we have given straight to the Scottish administration to help tackle coronavirus’.

The Prime Minister has also announced further support to Scottish communities, committing £50 million to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, to help develop the islands’ economic potential. The announcement means that every part of Scotland is now covered by the innovative growth deals and takes the UK Government’s investment in these to more than £1.5 billion.

The multi-million-pound pot for the islands will lead to investment in local projects, driving sustainable economic growth and creating jobs. Projects set to be supported by the Islands Growth deal could include those developing space technology and others researching new renewable energy systems.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “When I stood on the steps of Downing Street one year ago, I pledged to be a Prime Minister for every corner of the United Kingdom. Whether you are from East Kilbride or Dumfries, Motherwell or Paisley, I promised to level up across Britain and close the opportunity gap.

“The last six months have shown exactly why the historic and heartfelt bond that ties the four nations of our country together is so important and the sheer might of our union has been proven once again.

“In Scotland, the UK’s magnificent armed forces have been on the ground doing vital work to support the NHS, from setting up and running mobile testing sites to airlifting critically ill patients to hospitals from some of Scotland’s most remote communities. And the UK Treasury stepped in to save the jobs of a third of Scotland’s entire workforce and kept the wolves at bay for tens of thousands of Scottish businesses.

“More than ever, this shows what we can achieve when we stand together, as one United Kingdom.”

During the PM’s visit, he will meet with members of the military and their families based in Scotland to thank them for their ongoing work in the coronavirus response.

Following the Islands Deal announcement, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “The City Region and Growth Deals will be crucial to our economic recovery from coronavirus.

“Today’s announcement means that every corner of Scotland will benefit from these and takes the UK Government’s investment in growth deals across Scotland to more than £1.5 billion.

“These deals are just part of the unprecedented support that the UK Government is providing to people and businesses in Scotland during this time. We have supported 900,000 jobs in Scotland with our furlough and self-employed schemes, including 11,600 across the islands.

“We look forward to working with our partners across the islands and the devolved administration in Scotland to develop innovative and effective proposals.”

The Prime Minister will not be meeting Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during today’s flying visit.

Ms Sturgeon commented on Twitter: ‘I welcome the PM to Scotland today. One of the key arguments for independence is the ability of Scotland to take our own decisions, rather than having our future decided by politicians we didn’t vote for, taking us down a path we haven’t chosen. His presence highlights that.’

The Scottish Government is also investing £50 million in the Islands Deal.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson, said: “The Islands Growth Deal is the final regional growth deal to be announced and marks our commitment to invest across all of Scotland, which is something we have pushed for.

“This money will work to improve the quality of life for island communities, alongside the Scottish Government National Islands Plan we introduced to the Scottish Parliament at the end of 2019.

“This significant investment will support islanders’ ambitions to create world-class visitor destinations, lead the way to a low carbon future, support growth and future industries and help the communities thrive by attracting and retaining young talent, driving inclusive and sustainable economic growth and delivering long lasting benefits for people living across the three island authority areas.

“It is important that all deals take account of the unprecedented economic challenges created by coronavirus (COVID-19) and we are working with partners, to understand how best to move forward and respond to current circumstances.

“More than £1.8 billion has been committed by the Scottish Government to City Region and Growth Deals and related investments across Scotland, in addition to ongoing capital investment in Scotland’s islands across a range of policy areas.”

Underbelly withdraws Hogmanay street ticket sales

REVERSE FERRET OVER HOGMANAY PLANS

Controversial Edinburgh’s Hogmanay festival organisers Underbelly have halted ticket sales for this year’s event – just hours after announcing ‘exciting plans’ for the New Year celebrations.

Tickets for the Hogmanay Street party were still on sale on the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2020 website yesterday afternoon, but sales were halted and information updated on the site last night.

A statement issued by Underbelly last night said: “As has been reported, exciting and positive discussions are taking place between City of Edinburgh Council and Underbelly in relation to the Hogmanay programme for 2020.

“However, it is clear to all parties that the famous Street Party cannot take place in its current form in 2020 and tickets are today being taken off sale.

“Customers who have booked tickets will be contacted in the next 14 days to be offered a full refund.”

Yesterday afternoon, BBC Scotland had reported:

Tickets for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party have gone on sale with organisers saying it “will be a pivotal moment for the world”.

It follows a meeting on Tuesday looking into how the Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hogmanay could be celebrated at the end of the year.

Organiser Underbelly said it was “excited by the events being discussed”.

A final decision on this year’s activities is expected in late August.

Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam, directors of Underbelly, said: “We’re working closely and positively with City of Edinburgh Council and other partners on plans for Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hogmanay.

“This will be a pivotal moment for the world both to reflect on 2020 and to look to the future, and the safety of Edinburgh’s residents and visitors is critical to how these plans evolve.

“We’re excited by the events being discussed and look forward to sharing the details in the coming weeks.”

‘Positive discussions’

Adam McVey, City of Edinburgh council leader, said: “The council is having positive discussions on how Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hogmanay could be celebrated this year.

“All involved recognise the uncertainty of the current situation and the significant requirements for anything Edinburgh hosts to meet public health guidance.

“It’s clear that if our 2020 winter festivals go ahead they will look very different from recent years, using different locations across the city.

“It is also important to think more creatively about how to better support our local businesses who have been impacted by the lockdown.”

The tickets are priced at £21.50 with 50p from every ticket being donated to the Brain Tumour Charity.

The city council’s press team later announced:

Initial discussions exploring potential revised plans for how both Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hogmanay could be celebrated in 2020 began yesterday with the Council All Party Oversight Group.

A final decision on this year’s activities is expected in late August.

Representatives from all political parties met with senior officers and Winter Festivals’ producers, Underbelly, to discuss a range of proposals, which take account of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic and associated health and safety considerations.

Following the positive informal discussions, the proposals will be developed further before being reported to the Council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee in late August for a decision.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “The Council is having positive discussions on how Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hogmanay could be celebrated this year. All involved recognise the uncertainty of the current situation and the significant requirements for anything Edinburgh hosts to meet public health guidance.

“It’s clear that if our 2020 Winter Festivals go ahead they will look very different from recent years, using different locations across the City. It is also important to think more creatively about how to better support our local businesses who have been impacted by the lockdown.

“Any events will need to give our residents a truly Edinburgh experience that helps discover more of our fantastic businesses that operate all year round. Work is underway with our partners to further investigate the feasibility of these new proposals and Councillors will agree the way forward in the coming weeks.

Depute Leader Cammy Day added: “We’re the proud hosts to what are well established and internationally renowned winter festivals and, in light of the ongoing global pandemic, we’re looking at alternative ways to mark them in a meaningful, workable and safe way.

“I feel positive that our Edinburgh will be able to celebrate Christmas and Hogmanay this year. However, the safety of residents and visitors remains paramount and we need some time to develop and check feasibility of proposals before a final plan can be brought forward for a final decision in August.”

Confused? All will become clear in August. Maybe.

Secretary of State for Scotland annual report published

The Secretary of State for Scotland and his team ‘play a vital role in promoting the best interests of Scotland within a strong United Kingdom, and represent effectively Scottish interests at the heart of the UK Government’, according to the UK Government.

The annual report and accounts of the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland (OSSS) and Office of the Advocate General for Scotland (OAG) have been published today [21 July 2020].

The report provides an overview of a busy year from April 2019 to March 2020. Highlights include:

supporting the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, an unprecedented global crisis which has profound implications for Scotland and the whole United Kingdom. This includes helping to drive our economy recovery strategy, which will be vital in the months and years ahead
delivering a public information campaign to inform and support Scottish businesses, EU nationals resident in Scotland, and the wider public on preparing for a EU exit
working with local authorities and the devolved administration in Scotland to deliver the City Region and Growth Deal programme to boost investment, create new jobs and drive forward economic growth right across Scotland
overseeing the move to Queen Elizabeth House, the UK Government’s new flagship hub in Scotland which will open in September 2020

Commenting on the report, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack (above) said: “I am very pleased to present our annual report and accounts to Parliament, for the first time since I was appointed to the role last year.

“The past 12 months have seen a period of monumental change across Scotland and the rest of the UK. We have left the EU, are tackling a global pandemic, and are getting ready for the end of the EU transition period.

“As we look forward to ensuring our economy can bounce back after coronavirus, and making the most of new global opportunities outside of the EU, the case for the Union has never been stronger. I am proud to be playing a part in sustaining and strengthening our Union”.

The annual report and accounts can be found here

Pledge to protect workers

FAIR WORKS PRACTICES HIGHLIGHT NEED FOR COLLABORATION

Business groups, trades unions and leaders from local government and the third sector have committed to putting fair work at the heart of Scotland’s economic recovery.

As Scotland continues to ease lockdown restrictions, organisations including the Institute of Directors (IoD), SCDI, STUC, COSLA and SCVO have signed a statement underlining the collaborative approach needed between employers, unions and workers to ensure workplaces can operate safely.

Fair Work Minister Jamie Hepburn said: “There is no doubt that Scotland’s economy faces an enormous challenge as we emerge from the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. However, I firmly believe that with employers across all sectors of the economy working in partnership with unions and workers we can use the crisis as an opportunity build fairer and more inclusive workplaces.

“In March we published a statement of Fair Work Principles, setting out our high expectation for keeping fair work at the heart of our national response to COVID-19 during lockdown. Now, as these restrictions continue to ease, we must maintain the momentum we have started to build, ensuring collaboration between workers, employers, representative groups and trades unions.

“This new statement will help employers and employees make decisions that are in everyone’s interest as we carefully reopen the economy. I have been deeply impressed by the work already done in this area, and I want to offer my sincere gratitude to workers and employers for reacting with such agility and dynamism to the challenges thrown up by the pandemic.”

Malcolm Cannon, IoD National Director, Scotland, said: “It is absolutely critical for the recovery of the Scottish economy that the Government works closely with Business Organisations, and the IOD is happy to support this fair work initiative.”

The revised Fair Work Statement was signed by the Institute of Directors, Scottish Council for Development and Industry, COSLA, SCVO, the STUC and Scottish Government.

Last week, the Unite trade union criticised Centrica’s employment plans.

The plan by Centrica, owner of British Gas, ‘to fire and rehire’ its 20,000 employees is the latest example of organisations using the coronavirus emergency as a smokescreen to shed jobs, and erode pay and conditions of workers.

Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union, said the decision of the energy giant follows on from other high profile employers, such as British Airways and the University of Sheffield, which have also adopted similar ‘deplorable’ employment practices during the pandemic.

Unite represents Centrica workers including electrical services’ engineers, as well as those employed at power stations and at Centrica Storage Ltd.

Unite regional officer Mark Pettifer said: “The notice that Centrica has given the trade unions that it is going to ‘fire and rehire’ its 20,000 staff on what, we believe, will be inferior pay and employment conditions is deplorable.

“It is part of a disturbing trend where employers are using the pandemic to shed staff and erode employment conditions.

“Centrica is adopting the same tactics as BA and is using Covid-19 as a smokescreen to cut jobs of loyal and dedicated staff who have worked through the lockdown providing energy to the nation.

“Centrica has been in consultations with the unions for the last fortnight over its future plans and now in an act of bad faith unveils its ‘fire and rehire’ plans. It smacks of blackmail – ‘If you don’t do what we want, we will issue notice of dismissals’.

“Unite urges the Centrica management to have an urgent rethink and engage constructively with the trade unions to tackle the specific issues facing Centrica and, more generally, the UK energy sector post-Covid-19.”

In June, Centrica announced that it would be axing of 5,000 jobs, primarily at management level. Before lockdown the company faced a situation of customers leaving to go to smaller suppliers, the energy price cap and falling gas prices.

More information about Fair Work can be found on the Fair Work Convention website.

PM Boris Johnson: Hoping for the best, planning for the worst

Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a statement on coronavirus this morning:

Good morning,

In the two weeks since I last addressed you from this podium, I am pleased to report that we have continued to make steady progress in our collective effort to beat the coronavirus.

For 3 weeks now, the number of new cases identified through testing each day has been below 1,000.

The latest SAGE advice is that, across the UK, the R rate remains between 0.7 and 0.9.

SAGE also assess that the number of infections is shrinking by between 5 and 1 per cent every day.

The latest ONS data shows prevalence and new infections to be stable and low.

The number of patients newly admitted to hospital with coronavirus each day, and the number of coronavirus patients in mechanical ventilation beds, have both fallen by more than 90% from their peak in early April.

And while we mourn every death, the average daily death rate continues, steadily, to fall.

This progress is testament to the phenomenal efforts of our NHS and social care staff working tirelessly on the frontline.

And it has only been possible thanks to the character and fortitude with which you, the British people, have made fundamental changes to the way you all live and work.

When we set out our plan to rebuild on 11 May, we said our goal was to return life to as close to normal as possible, for as many people as possible, as fast and as fairly as possible, in a way that is safe and continues to protect our NHS.

That goal remains the same – but the tools we use to achieve it are changing.

At the start of the pandemic, when we knew far less about the nature and spread of the virus, we had to take blanket, national measures.

National lockdown was undoubtedly the right thing to do and has saved many thousands of lives.

Now however, we know more about the virus – we understand the epidemiology better and our intelligence on where it is spreading is vastly improved. That means we can control it through targeted, local action instead.

In England, this work is led by NHS Test and Trace and within it the Joint Biosecurity Centre. My sincere thanks go to Dido Harding who oversees this work and who joins me today.

This approach is already working.

In Weston-super-Mare and Kirklees, we took swift and successful action to contain outbreaks at specific premises.

In Bradford and Blackburn with Darwen, we identified troubling trends in the data and worked closely with the respective local authorities to increase testing and take targeted action. That work continues.

And in Leicester, we instituted a local lockdown in order to bear down on stubborn rates of infection. As the Health Secretary announced last night, we will begin to relax the restrictions there next week. We can do so because the data is improving – with the percentage of people testing positive falling from a weekly rate of 12.2% on 29 June to 4.8% yesterday.

The approach varies in different parts of the UK, but all parts of the UK benefit from the support of our armed forces, additional testing facilities, and billions of pounds of support provided by this Government.

Today we are publishing our framework for containing and controlling future outbreaks in England, which will enable national and local government to work closely together.

From tomorrow, local authorities will have new powers in their areas. They will be able to close specific premises, shut public outdoor spaces, and cancel events. These powers will enable local authorities to act more quickly in response to outbreaks, where speed is paramount.

Action by local councils will not always be sufficient. So next week we will publish draft regulations which clearly set out how central government can intervene more effectively at a local level.

Where justified by the evidence, ministers will be able to close whole sectors or types of premises in an area, introduce local “stay at home” orders, prevent people entering or leaving defined areas, reduce the maximum size of gatherings beyond national rules, or restrict transport systems serving local areas.

I know that it will be hard going for people affected by these local measures. It isn’t easy, and for some it may seem unjust that people just a short distance away can live their lives closer to normal.

But it has to be right that we take local action in response to local outbreaks – there is no point shutting down a city in one part of the country to contain an outbreak in another part of the country.

Now of course, this local approach relies on having an effective testing regime in place.

And here we have made substantial progress.

Antigen test capacity – that’s the test which tells you if you currently have the virus – has increased 100-fold since the start of March, from fewer than 2,000 tests a day to more than 200,000 tests a day now.

Publicly available data suggests we are now carrying out our tests more than anywhere else in Europe in total, and more tests than Germany, France, Italy and Spain per capita.

We have set up testing sites around the UK and now have 200 mobile units which can be rapidly deployed wherever they are needed.

It is now the case, and has been for some time, that anyone, anywhere in the UK with symptoms can get a test without delay. We are also testing increasing numbers of people who don’t have symptoms but who are at higher risk.

As we approach winter, we will need to go further – not least as many more people will show Covid-like symptoms as a result of seasonal illnesses, and therefore require a test.

So we will further increase testing capacity to at least half a million antigen tests a day – 3.5 million antigen tests a week – by the end of October.

Demand for testing is not the only challenge that winter will bring.

It is possible that the virus will be more virulent in the winter months – and it is certain that the NHS will face the usual, annual winter pressures.

We have taken a number of steps therefore to get the NHS ready for winter.

We have massively increased the number of ventilators available to patients across the UK – up from 9,000 before the pandemic to nearly 30,000 now.

We have substantially increased the pipeline of personal protective equipment for the NHS and social care -constituting over 30 billion items of PPE over the course of the pandemic.

We will be rolling out the biggest ever flu vaccination programme in the history of the U.K.

And we will also of course give the NHS the resources it needs.

And today, I can confirm that we are providing an additional £3 billion of funding to the NHS in England to get ready for winter. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will also receive additional funds.

This will allow the NHS to continue to use the extra hospital capacity acquired from the independent sector and also to maintain the Nightingale hospitals until the end of March.

This new funding comes on top of the additional £30 billion of funding for health and social care that we have already announced this year.

So we are making sure we are ready for winter, and planning for the worst.

But even as we plan for the worst, I strongly believe we should also hope for the best.

That means looking ahead with optimism – now extending our plan to lift the remaining national measures which have restricted our lives since March so we can get back to something closer to normal life.

Now I must stress, the timetable I am about to set out is conditional. It is contingent on every one of us staying alert and acting responsibly. It relies on our continued success in controlling the virus. And we will not proceed if doing so risks a second peak that would overwhelm the NHS.

Nonetheless, it is important to give people hope and to give business confidence.

So in England, from today we are making clear that anybody may use public transport, while of course encouraging people to consider alternative means of transport where they are available.

From 25 July, we have already committed to reopening the indoor gyms, pools and other sports facilities.

From 1 August, we will update our advice on going to work. Instead of government telling people to work from home, we are going to give employers more discretion, and ask them to make decisions about how their staff can work safely.

That could mean of course continuing to work from home, which is one way of working safely and which has worked for many employers and employees.

Or it could mean making workplaces safe by following Covid Secure guidelines. Whatever employers decide, they should consult closely with their employees, and only ask people to return to their place of work if it is safe.

As we reopen our society and economy, it’s right that we give employers more discretion while continuing to ensure employees are kept safe.

Also from 1 August, we will reopen most remaining leisure settings, namely bowling, skating rinks and casinos, and we will enable all close contact services such as beauticians to resume.

Nightclubs and soft play areas will sadly need to remain closed for now – although this will be kept under review.

We will restart indoor performances to a live audience, subject to the success of pilots, and we will also pilot larger gatherings in venues like sports stadia, with a view to wider reopening in the Autumn.

We will also allow wedding receptions for up to 30 people.

All of these measures for 1 August should be done in a Covid Secure way.

In September, schools, nurseries and colleges will be open for all children and young people on a full-time basis, as planned.

And universities are also working to reopen as fully as possible.

From October, we intend to bring back audiences in stadia and to allow conferences and other business events to recommence – again, these changes must be done in a Covid Secure way, subject to the successful outcome of pilots.

Throughout this period, we will look to allow more close contact between friends and family when we can.

It is my strong and sincere hope that we will be able to review the outstanding restrictions and allow a more significant return to normality from November at the earliest – possibly in time for Christmas.

At all times, we will continue to work with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to support and care for those at risk, wherever they live in the UK.

We have said that the shielding programme for those most at risk in England, the clinically extremely vulnerable, will be paused at the end of this month. We will stay constantly vigilant and be sure to restart shielding at any point if required.

Now I know some will say this plan is too optimistic, that the risks are too great and that we won’t overcome the virus in time.

And of course, if they are right in saying that, and we cannot exclude that they are, let me reassure them, and reassure you: that we will not hesitate at any stage to put on the brakes.

From May 11 onwards, this plan has been conditional, and it remains conditional.

But if we continue to pull together as we have done so far, I know we can beat this virus.

Hoping for the best, but planning for the worst – and it’s in that spirit that we must carry on waging this long, hard fight against Coronavirus.

Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, speaking in response to the Prime Minister’s press conference today, said: “We all want society to reopen, we all want our economy to start growing again. So we’ll look at the details of this plan.

“But the key now is confidence. Do the public have confidence in the measures the Government have put in place? Do businesses have confidence in the advice that’s been given? And can we have confidence that the Government’s scientific advisers support these measures? This can’t be done on a wing and a prayer. It requires a credible plan, and national leadership.”

On local lockdowns:

“Labour has long been arguing that we need local control of lockdown. We need data to our local representatives, our local authorities. They need the powers to take the necessary measures. This is what will drive confidence, and this work with local authorities should have be done a long time ago.

“Mayors across the country, local authority leaders across the country, are saying what we need is the data so we know precisely what’s going on, on a day-to-day basis, on a street-by-street basis, or we need the power to take action, rapidly. That’s what they want most of all.”

On NHS winter funding:

“What I didn’t hear from the Prime Minister this morning was any extra money and funding for social care. And what we can’t do again is to leave social care out of the priorities as we go into the autumn and the winter. So where was the money for social care?”

Responding to Boris Johnson’s announcement today, allowing employers to start bringing home-working staff back to the workplace from next month, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We all want to get the economy up and running as quickly as possible. Returns to workplaces must happen in a phased and safe way.

“The government is passing the buck on this big decision to employers. Getting back to work safely requires a functioning NHS Test and Trace system. Yet progress on test and trace is still patchy, and the government is still refusing to support workers who have to self-isolate by raising statutory sick pay from just £95pw to a rate people can live on.

“A safe return to workplaces also requires much greater investment in public transport if people are to be able to commute to workplaces.

“Before reopening any workplace, every employer must complete a risk assessment, and make plans to reduce the risk to workers through enabling social distancing. They must consult their staff trade unions, and larger employers should publish the risk assessment on their website.

“Not everyone will be able to return to workplaces full-time or immediately. People who have been advised to shield and those without enough childcare may need to work fully from home for the foreseeable future.

“Many businesses have seen the benefits of flexible approaches to working during this pandemic. This progress must not be lost. All staff should have the right to work flexibly from their first day in the job.”

The TUC is calling on employers to do the following before asking staff to return to the workplace:

Complete their Covid-Secure risk assessments as required by law, in consultation with unions and their workforces
Publish their Covid-Secure risk assessment on their website, as the government expects. The TUC is collating links to published risk assessments at covidsecurecheck.uk
Take the actions from the risk assessment to enable safer working, such as requiring social distancing and supplying PPE if it is required
Show flexibility and consideration for workers’ individual circumstances, including considering caring responsibilities, those who are shielding, and those who have other health conditions, including mental health
Allow workers who rely on public transport to have staggered start times to prevent a rush hour crush.

First Minister: Protect Each Other

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House on Monday 13th July:

Good afternoon, and welcome to today’s briefing. I want to start by providing my usual update on the most recent Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.

An additional 6 positive cases were confirmed yesterday which takes the total now in Scotland to 18,365.

It’s maybe worth noting that on Friday and Sunday we saw higher numbers of new cases than has been the norm in recent weeks. Yesterday, 19 new cases were reported.

On any occasion when there is an increase like that, we look very thoroughly to see if there are any patterns or particular causes for concern.

With respect to the cases reported yesterday, 12 of the 19 cases were in Glasgow, and 7 cases – all of which were asymptomatic – related to one care home. That is being looked at in much more detail, and all necessary follow up tests, checks and precautions are being undertaken.

I can also report that a total of 550 patients are currently in hospital with the virus – either confirmed or suspected. That is 13 fewer than yesterday, but it includes an increase of 6 in the number of confirmed cases.

A total of 6 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That is the same number as yesterday.

And since 5 March, a total of 4,125 patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 have been able to leave hospital.

I am pleased to say that during the last 24 hours, 0 deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test as having Covid-19. The total number of deaths under that measurement therefore remains 2,490.

This is the fifth day in a row on which no deaths have been reported, but it is worth providing just a little bit of context for the last two days.

At the start of the Covid outbreak, registration offices took special steps to allow for 7 day operations. I am very grateful to them and their staff for doing so.

But some offices are now going back to their usual pattern of being open only on weekdays – although for emergency situations, they continue to provide weekend arrangements.

Yesterday’s figure of 0 deaths is therefore welcome – but it has to be seen in that context.

And of course, regardless of the figures for any specific day, it is still important to remember the enormous impact the virus has had. I want to pass on my condolences once again to everyone who has lost a loved one in this process.

And again, I want to thank our health and care workers for the incredible work that you are doing.

In a few minutes the Cabinet Secretary for Health will talk about the resumption of breast cancer screening programmes. The National Clinical Director is going to say a little bit about the resumption of outdoor contact sports

I’ve got three issues I want to talk about briefly before then. The first is to tell you briefly about a new contract that NHS Scotland has signed with a Scottish biotechnology firm – E&O Laboratories.

E&O have succeeded in developing a new solution which can be placed within test tubes – the solution helps to make samples of Covid safe, so that each sample can be tested as soon as it arrives at a lab. It therefore improves the efficiency of the testing process.

E&O – who have come up with this product in just a matter of months – are now producing their first batch of the solution for NHS Scotland, and are also looking to supply to other parts of the UK.

Their success has already created 11 jobs, and they are looking to recruit for 10 more. That’s small in the context of the overall impact that Covid is having on employment in Scotland – but it is still welcome, and it is still significant.

This is a good example – and we have seen a lot of them in recent months – of a Scottish company innovating in a way which directly helps our response to Covid, while also supporting jobs.

The second issue I want to highlight is travel. In the coming weeks, we will inevitably start to travel a bit more – as more people return to work, and as some take the opportunity to make shopping trips, to visit friends, or to visit different bits of the country.

That is good news – but please do think about how and when you travel.

First of all – and this perhaps applies especially in relation to leisure travel at the weekend – if you go somewhere and it looks busy, our advice is to go somewhere else.

Yesterday, for example, at least one road had to be closed in the Trossachs, because it was being blocked by parked cars. We have also heard concerns in other areas – for example about large numbers of people wild camping in particular spots.

So we are asking you to, please, use your common sense – if car parks are full, move on, and if places look busy, then also move on.

Camp sites will start to open up from Wednesday onwards, so please if you intend to use them, book ahead of time.

And while public transport services are now returning more to normal, and physical distancing – with safety measures in place – is being relaxed to 1 metre for some services, in spite of all of that we know capacity is still likely to be restricted compared to pre-covid levels.

That is one reason why we are still asking you to work from home if you can. And if you can’t, employers and employees might want to think about other measures – such as staggered or flexible working times – which can help to reduce the pressure on our public transport network.

But I’d also ask people who are in a position to, to think about active travel.

I completely understand why for many journeys, people immediately think about using the car. But if your journey is a local one, think about whether it can be made by walking, cycling or wheeling. That won’t always be possible – but in quite a few cases, it will be a healthy and enjoyable alternative.

So as we all travel a bit more – think about how and why you are travelling.

If you are able to shop locally or work from home, continue do that.

And also, as I said, consider active travel.

And if you’re using public transport, plan ahead. If you’re able to travel at less busy times of day, that will help you and others. And at all times follow safety guidance – including of course by wearing a face covering.

That brings me on to the final point I want to cover today. Saturday and yesterday was the first full weekend when face coverings were mandatory in shops.

Everything I have seen or heard – through social media, through other reports, and through my own brief visit to a couple of shops yesterday – everything suggests that compliance with the new law has been very high indeed and I want to thank everyone for that.

It is exactly what I would have expected – but it is still very welcome.

Face coverings are mandatory in shops and on public transport – but it’s also worth remembering that they can also be useful in other indoor enclosed spaces. So if you are inside somewhere and it’s not easy to maintain physical distancing, it’s always a good idea to put your face covering on.

Indoor shopping malls open today, and you should wear the face covering not just in the shops, but also inside the shared spaces in the mall.

So my thanks to everyone who is now wearing a face covering. It is an important way in which all of us can help to protect each other.

That basic message – of solidarity, of protecting each other – is the note I want to end on. Today sees some more steps in our emergence from lockdown and later this week we will see some of the most significant steps yet.

As I’ve mentioned, indoor shopping malls open up; organised outdoor sport and play resumes for children; and some routine dental treatment restarts.

As these services reopen – and as we all leave the house a bit more it becomes more and more important for us to ensure that we are not creating possible bridges by which the virus can spread.

So I would ask you to remember the Facts. It summarises the five key things all of us should remember in everything we do.

Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport.
Avoid crowded places, whether indoors or outdoors.
Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
Two metres distancing remains the general rule we’re asking you to abide by.
and Self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms.

If all of us remember and abide by these 5 steps then as we get out and about a bit more we can still help to keep the virus under control.

My thanks for your co-operation so far and I appeal to you to continue to co-operate with that basic public advice.