public health – Page 45 – The NEN

Scottish Government announces new national facility for families affected by drug use

A new residential rehabilitation facility to support families affected by drug use is to be developed in North Ayrshire.

Funding for the National Specialist Residential Family Service which will be run by the charity and housing association Phoenix Futures and based in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, has been agreed in principle. The facility will provide rehabilitation services for twenty families at any one time and will be based on an existing facility run by the organisation in Sheffield.

Once given final approval, funding for the development will be made available from the £100 million announced as part of the national mission to improve and increase the provision of residential rehabilitation.

Meanwhile following the publication of the latest drug-related death statistics, an urgent review has been ordered on the use of so-called street benzos after latest statistics showed the drugs were implicated in 73% of drug-related deaths in 2020.

Benzodiazepines are usually prescribed for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia however increasingly, illicit supplies of street benzos are being used with opiates such as methadone and heroin contributing to poly-drug use in Scotland.

The rapid evidence review will look at who is using the drugs and why in order that measures to reduce demand can be introduced. It follows work by the Drug Deaths Taskforce to develop guidelines on the consistent prescribing of benzodiazepines across the country so that people can be offered support for their drug use and any underlying mental health problems.

Other actions include:

commissioning research on the role and risks of methadone in drug related deaths
awareness campaign on the increasing availability of naloxone and its benefits
awareness campaign on stigma and its negative effect on people seeking treatment
consider whether alcohol and drugs services should be included in new National Care Service as part of the consultation
setting of a target for the number of people in treatment for 2022

Minister for Drugs Policy Angela Constance said: “Once again, Scotland drug-related death statistics are a national disgrace and my heart goes out to all the families who have lost a loved one.

“We announced a national mission on this crisis in January and we have been taking a range of actions to tackle this national tragedy backed by an investment of £250 million over the next five years.

“Of that, £20 million each year is being spent on increasing capacity and improving access to residential rehabilitation and to that end, we have approved in principle an application for a development in North Ayrshire which will create a new national specialist service for families. It is vital that we make it easier for parents to access treatment by removing any barriers such as a lack of childcare and this project, run by Phoenix Futures will do exactly that.

“Though men are more likely to use and experience harms from drugs, there has been a disproportionate increase in drug related deaths among women and there is a strong link between women having children removed from their care and risk of drug related death.

“Poly-drug use – the use of more than one drug at a time – is an increasing concern with benzos implicated in almost three quarters of deaths last year and I have asked for an urgent review of benzo use so we can fully address the rise in popularity of this type of drug and reduce the demand.

“To tackle the number of drug deaths in this country we must increase the number of people in treatment and we will shortly be announcing a target so we can measure the impact of the introduction of the Medication-Assisted Treatment standards. These include the roll-out of same-day support services for anyone asking for help.

“We know there is much work to do and that the investment we are making must reach those directly affected by drug use and I am absolutely determined to make every penny count.”

Phoenix Futures Director of Operations CJ Williams said: “The Scottish Government’s Residential Rehabilitation Rapid Capacity Programme (Recovery Fund) announcement that it has agreed in principle to fund a National Specialist Residential Family Service in Scotland has been well received by all at Phoenix Futures Scotland.

“There is a clear and defined need for a service that supports families to stay together in a safe residential setting. Phoenix Futures have decades of experience of providing services for families to draw from in establishing and operating this new project.

“The Specialist Family Service will create fairer access to residential rehab for the whole family, and is a welcomed start to the commitment of investment from The Scottish Government as part of its mission to reduce drug related deaths and harms.

“We look forward to working with all involved to open Scotland’s National Specialist Residential Family service.”

Lothian Tory MSP calls for local residential rehab to be utilised

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, has called for local residential rehab to be utilised, following the announcement that a national rehab centre is to be developed in North Ayrshire.

The facility will provide rehabilitation services for twenty families at any one time and will be based on an existing facility run by the organisation in Sheffield.

Scottish Ministers agreed to increase funding for rehabilitation beds earlier this year, following a campaign by the Scottish Conservatives to secure the funding.

Last week figures were released showing that drug related deaths in Scotland had reach a new record high, having risen consecutively in each of the last seven years.

The number of drug related deaths in Lothian rose to 159, an increase of 4 deaths from 155 in 2019. The number of drug related deaths in Lothian has more than doubled in the last 10 years.

The Scottish Conservatives are calling for the Right to Rehabilitation to be made into law, so that anyone needing drug and rehabilitation support has a legal right to access it.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “Scotland used to have a national rehab centre in the form of Castle Craig Hospital which used to provide vital residential rehab to NHS patients across Scotland.

“It is fundamentally clear that the drug deaths crisis needs to see all available services utilised. That is why Scottish Conservatives have led calls for a Right to Rehab.

“Castle Craig Hospital sits just 20 miles south of Edinburgh. But currently only 2 of the 60 patients are NHS funded.

“I have visited Castle Craig Hospital and was hugely impressed with the residential rehab services they offered and the person centred care which was helping people mostly from the Netherlands to get their lives back on track.

“There are growing questions being asked why SNP Ministers not using the rehab beds available on NHS Lothian’s doorstep ?

“I have raised the opportunities which Castle Craig Hospital could present with SNP Ministers for years – we’ve seen no action as the same time as drug deaths have escalated to the shocking level we see today.

“I have written to Drugs Minister, Angela Constance, to ask why SNP Ministers are not utilising this local residential rehab facility and instead will expect patients across the East to travel Ayrshire when local rehab opportunities already exist.”

Scotland opens first new blood donor centre in 60 years

Scotland’s first new blood donor centre venue in at least 60 years has opened at The Centre, Livingston – at a crucial point in history for the nation’s blood donors.

Recent exceptional weather combined with the easing of pandemic restrictions has led to a dip in group O and A blood donations – and with elective surgeries recommencing across the country, the need for donations is rising.

Livingston Donor Centre, situated in The Centre, aims to bring in 210 donations each week from donors living, shopping and working in the area. Designed to make blood donation easier by placing the facility within a busy shopping centre (with excellent transport links and ample parking) the hope is the venue makes it easier for local people to build giving blood into their regular routines.

Debbie McNaughton, Associate Director Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, says: “We’re delighted to be opening our new venue in Livingston today. It’s a fantastic new facility which will play a huge part in saving lives across Scotland in the future.

“This is the very first time we’ve opened a blood donor centre in a brand new Scottish location since the 1960’s – up until now, our donor centres have all been based in our biggest cities – Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness.

“However, no matter where you live, patients in Scotland need you to make an extra special effort to give blood in the coming days.

“The good weather, lockdown easing and the school holidays, mean we really need donors with the blood group O and A – that’s O-, O+, A- and A+ donors in particular.

“Please make a special effort to keep your appointment, and let us know if you need to cancel. If you’ve never given blood before, or haven’t for a while, now is the time to donate.

“The Livingston Donor Centre is currently a pilot, and we plan to be in this venue for six months. we welcome all donor feedback on the blood donor centre, its location, donating hours and your donation experience there.”

Please make an appointment to give blood at Livingston Blood Donor Centre.
You can book your appointment by creating your online donor account at www.scotblood.co.uk, contacting us online, or by phoning 0345 90 90 999 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm).

Union advises cleansing workers to prioritise safety and refuse self-isolation exemptions

GMB Scotland has today advised thousands of local government cleansing workers to prioritise safety and exercise their ‘right to refuse’ requests from employers to continue working if they have been exposed to COVID-19.

It follows the Scottish Government’s announcement that double-vaccinated workers in key services, returning negative PCR tests and undertaking daily lateral flow tests, can avoid self-isolation if notified of exposure to COVID-19 by the test and trace app, and continue working if their employer’s requests meet conditions set by Ministers.

The union has over 2,300 members in cleansing and waste services across Scotland’s local government, including Glasgow, North and South Lanarkshire, and West Lothian councils, who have worked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and the decision was taken after consultation with their workplace representatives.

GMB Scotland Senior Organiser for Public Services Drew Duffy said: “A major underlying factor in the so-called ‘pingdemic’ is the chronic understaffing in our frontline services after years of cuts, and our cleansing and waste is no different.

“But the Scottish Government’s new guidance has opened the door for employers across the country to heap more pressure on these key workers if they have been exposed to COVID-19. That’s not safe for workers, families, or communities.

“And again, some of the lowest paid are being asked to take the greatest risk in another example of how poorly they are valued by government. You cannot cut and coerce your way out of a crisis, if you want services to function then you must invest in them.

“That lesson needs to be learned, and it’s why we are advising our members to exercise their right to refuse and instead follow the general self-isolation rules if they are exposed to COVID-19.”

Vaccination Bus is back in the Grassmarket today

NHS’ Lothian’s vaccination Lothian Buses vaccination bus is rolling into the Grassmarket again today.

Anyone over 18 who requires either a 1st or 2nd dose of Moderna or AZ (provided they received the 1st more than 8 weeks ago) can attend – no appointment necessary.

More details: https://www.nhslothian.scot/…/Pages/Drop-in-Clinics.aspx

Scottish Ambulance Service is on the ball as it delivers 10k vaccines

SAS gives Covid a kick!

The Scottish Ambulance Service’s vaccination bus has celebrated a huge milestone – the delivery of 10,000 vaccines to individuals across the country, as part of Scotland’s national vaccination programme.

To mark this significant moment, the Service, working with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, brought the vaccination bus to Scotland’s national stadium, Hampden Park, today (Wednesday 28^th July).

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf, MSP, was in attendance at Hampden to help mark this achievement and to witness the vital work being carried out.

He met with the Consultant Paramedic Paul Kelly, who has been leading the vaccination bus programme with other colleagues, and Scottish Professional Football League Referee John Beaton, who was there to encourage people to get vaccinated.

Over the last six months, the Service has been working in partnership with health boards and local authorities to support the delivery of the national vaccination programme. This has included taking the vaccination bus to local community settings, such as football grounds and shopping centre car parks, to demonstrate the benefits of a responsive and tailored approach to reach communities across Scotland.

Pauline Howie, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “Reaching the milestone of delivering 10,000 doses of the vaccine is incredibly significant, and it’s been made possible with the dedication of our colleagues, and our close working with Scottish Government, Health Boards and local authorities across Scotland to reach into communities.

“It’s so simple to get vaccinated and protect yourself and others from Covid-19. Just come along to our vaccine buses, roll up your sleeve, and our professional team will administer the vaccine. If we work together, we can all do our part in beating the Pandemic.”

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The vaccination programme has been a huge success and it is great to see so many people taking advantage of the mobile units.

“It is fantastic that the staff at the vaccination bus have administered 10,000 jags and I want to thank them all for their hard work in helping to get our national programme out into the community, making getting a vaccine easier than ever.

“You can pop in to the bus while you are out shopping or walking and staff will answer any questions you have in relation to the COVID-19 vaccination.

“All of the evidence says that the vaccines are working as we continue to battle the faster-transmitting Delta variant so I urge everyone to take advantage of the vaccination programme which is open to every adult in Scotland.”

Dr Emilia Chrighton, Deputy Director for Public Health for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who has come forward so far to receive a vaccination. This is the single biggest factor in helping us control the virus.

“The vaccine bus has played a key role in the vaccination programme rollout so far, and alongside drop-in clinics and appointment clinics, has helped provide as many routes to vaccination to make it as easy for the public as possible.”

Pop-up Covid vaccination clinic opens at Gyle Shopping Centre

NHS Lothian has opened a pop-up vaccination clinic at Gyle Shopping Centre.

The team can administer all three vaccines – Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca – so it is open to all ages. No appointment is necessary and those needing a first or second dose are welcome, as long as you have waited eight weeks between injections.

The clinic, which is just next to M&S, will run from 10am til 6pm, seven days a week from today – Tuesday 27 July.

More information here: http://ow.ly/3IWJ50FDPel

Health chiefs issue warning as childhood respiratory infections rise ahead of winter

Respiratory infections in young children have begun to rise out of season, following low infection levels in response to COVID-19 restrictions and good infection control measures that have been in place.

Parents are being encouraged to look out for symptoms of severe infection in at-risk children, including a high temperature of 37.8°C or above (fever), a dry and persistent cough, difficulty feeding, rapid or noisy breathing (wheezing).
The NHS is preparing for a rise in children needing treatment.
Through the Respiratory DataMart surveillance system, positivity of samples tested for RSV has increased over the last 5 consecutive weeks and now stands at 8.9%.

Health chiefs in England are encouraging parents to be aware of the signs of respiratory illnesses in young children, as data from Public Health England (PHE) shows cases are starting to rise in parts of the country.

Respiratory illnesses, including colds and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are very common in young children and we see them every year.

Last winter, due to the various restrictions in place to reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), there were far fewer infections in younger people. This means many will not have developed immunity and so we may see more cases this year than in a typical season. For the majority of children, these illnesses will not be serious and they will soon recover following rest and plenty of fluids.

RSV is a very common virus and almost all children are infected with it by the time they are 2 years old. In older children and adults, RSV may cause a cough or cold.

However, some children under 2, especially those born prematurely or with a heart condition, can suffer more serious consequences from these common infections such as bronchiolitis, an inflammatory infection of the lower airways – which can make it hard to breathe.

The early symptoms of bronchiolitis are similar to those of a common cold but can develop over a few days into a high temperature of 37.8°C or above (fever), a dry and persistent cough, difficulty feeding, rapid or noisy breathing (wheezing).

Most cases of bronchiolitis are not serious and clear up within 2 to 3 weeks, but you should contact your GP or call NHS 111 if:

you are worried about your child
your child has taken less than half their usual amount during the last 2 or 3 feeds, or they have had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more
your child has a persistent high temperature of 37.8C or above
your child seems very tired or irritable

Dial 999 for an ambulance if:

your baby is having difficulty breathing
your baby’s tongue or lips are blue
there are long pauses in your baby’s breathing

While still at low numbers, respiratory infections in young children are expected to rise this summer and as we go into the winter months.

Health Minister Lord Bethell said: “I remember the long nights in hospital when my 8 week old daughter fought off RSV. The image of her tiny body plugged into those machines and gasping for air will not leave me. I would not wish those moments for anyone.

“I urge all parents and carers to be alert to the signs of RSV, particularly amongst young children. It’s a nasty bug, so watch out for it.”

Dr Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at PHE, said: “This winter, we expect levels of common seasonal illnesses such as cold and flu to increase as people mix more and given that fewer people will have built up natural immunity during the pandemic.

“Children under 2 are at a particular risk of severe infections from common seasonal illnesses. If a child under 2 is suffering from a cold, keep a close eye on their symptoms and make sure to contact your doctor if they get a high temperature, become breathless or have difficulty feeding.

“It’s important that we carry on with good hygiene habits that we’ve become used to during the pandemic, in order to protect ourselves and those around us. This means washing your hands regularly, using a tissue to catch coughs or sneezes and washing your hands afterwards, and staying away from others if you feel unwell.”

Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: “For most children these illnesses won’t be serious and they will soon bounce back but if you do need medical help for your child, especially if they are under 2, please do come forward for the care you need.

“The NHS has detailed plans in place for a wide range of scenarios ahead of winter and will continue to adapt them as needed, in line with the guidance from PHE.”

NHS England began planning for the potential rise in paediatric respiratory infections in April 2021, with paediatric units bringing forward their usual winter planning, escalation and emergency processes which will support an increased capacity in terms of beds, workforce and ward supplies.

Promoting physical activity is key to achieving U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, says study

A new study by Queen’s University Belfast and Washington University in St. Louis shows that promoting physical activity is key to achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

The research provides new evidence to show that integrating strategies to promote increased physical activity is a key part of the action plan for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The study, ‘Physical Activity Promotion and the United National Sustainable Development Goals: Building Synergies to Maximize Impact’ was published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health. It is the first study to systematically explore the links between the seven strategies known to be effective for promoting physical activity at scale or a population-wide level, and the 17 U.N. development goals  (SDGs). 

The study found strong links between physical activity promotion strategies and eight out of the 17 SDGs: good health and well-being (SDG 3); gender equity (SDG 5); industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9); reduced inequalities (SDG 10); sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11); climate action (SDG 13); and peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16).

Deborah Salvo, Assistant Professor of Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis and lead author on the study, said: “Physical inactivity has been characterized as a pandemic, accounting for 7% of all premature deaths per year globally and resulting in billions of dollars spent on health-related expenditures.”

The international research team applied a modelling method to simulate the effects of large-scale physical activities strategies to gain insights on the potential impacts of widespread scale-up of active transport systems and active urban design strategies on three different city types of high-, middle- and low-income countries.

The simulation results indicated that expected physical activity gains are greater for low- and middle-income countries. In high-income countries with high car dependency, physical activity promotion strategies may help to reduce air pollution and traffic-related deaths, but shifts toward more active forms of travel and recreation and climate change mitigation may require complementary policies that disincentivize driving.

Dr Leandro Garcia, from the Centre for Public Health at Queen’s University Belfast and co-author, said: “The simulation results reveal context-specific relations. In terms of physical activity increases, low- and middle-income country cities stand more to gain from urban transformations that prioritize equitable access to walking, cycling, public transport, and recreational infrastructure.

“As for high-income country cities, findings suggest that to observe meaningful improvements in physical activity levels and climate change mitigation, these types of strategies may need to be further complemented by policies that increase the cost of driving.

“Our research provides strong evidence to illustrate the multiple benefits of promoting physical activity on a large scale, not just for specific areas or populations. The benefits are huge for individuals, communities and to the planet and goes a long way in contributing to the U.N. sustainable development agenda.

“As well as helping to prevent chronic disease, promoting physical activity at scale can reduce traffic deaths and pollution. It helps to create more equitable societies and reduce climate change.

“Physical activity promotion strategies can bring benefits beyond health and bring us closer to a more equitable, sustainable and environmentally friendly future.”

Ten FREE defibrillators up for grabs for Scottish Men’s Sheds

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) is working in partnership with St Andrew’s First Aid to offer FREE Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to ten Scottish Men’s Sheds on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sudden cardiac arrest strikes 7 million people a year worldwide with no warning and no pattern. There’s little time to react and even less time to think, this means an AED must be close at hand, easy-to-use and ready to shock.

St Andrew’s First Aid is Scotland’s dedicated first aid charity and leading first aid training provider and the Association is delighted to be teaming up to provide this life-saving kit to Sheds to not only protect Shedders but also the wider community.

The HeartSine Samaritan PAD 500P Fully Automatic Defibrillator (RRP: £1,557.60 inc. VAT)

Ready to Shock: Small, portable and lightweight (2.4 lbs) and offers the highest level of protection against dust and water.
Easy-to-Follow Instructions: Easy-to-understand visual and voice prompts guide the rescuer through the entire resuscitation process, including CPR—a key link in the chain of survival.
Simple, two-button operation – an ON/OFF button and SHOCK.
After analyzing heart rhythm, the unit will automatically deliver a shock (if needed), eliminating the need for the rescuer to push a shock button.
Always Ready: A System Status Ready Indicator flashes to show that the complete system is operational and ready for use.
Self-check: The device automatically runs a self-check each week.
View full product info here

Conditions

The AED’s are being offered FREE OF CHARGE to ten Scottish Men’s Sheds however, as they are not new, they will require new pads/electrode batteries (which will last for four years) at a cost to each individual Shed of £117.60.
St Andrews First Aid advise that these defibrillators are accessible to the public 24/7 outdoors and are placed in cabinets (available at a discounted cost of £540 inc.VAT for Sheds through St Andrew’s First Aid), however, if this is not possible, they are still happy to donate them to Scottish Sheds.
Interested Sheds will pay a delivery charge for the equipment.

Please register your Men’s Shed’s interest by submitting your details online at the link below. Defibrillators will be issued to ten SMSA Shed members on a first-come, first-served basis.

First Minister: Vaccinating younger teenagers ‘not ruled out’

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: First Minister’s statement – 20 July 2021

Good afternoon everyone. As you can see I am joined today by Dr Nicola Steedman, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer and she will answer questions with me shortly.

Firstly, though, an update on the current state of the pandemic, starting with a summary of today’s statistics.

1,604 positive cases were reported yesterday – 9.2% of all of tests carried out. That takes the total number of confirmed cases now to 332,455.

There are 529 people now receiving hospital treatment – which is 7 fewer than yesterday and 47 people are in intensive care, that is 2 more than yesterday.

Sadly, a further 13 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, which means that the total number of deaths registered, under the daily definition, is now 7,813.

As always, my condolences are with everyone who has suffered bereavement.

Now, although case numbers remain high – and I’ll cover the implications of that shortly – they are very much right now on a downward path.

To illustrate that point – in the 7 days up to 2 July, there were an average of 3,305 new cases being reported each day but, in the 7 days to 16 July, that had fallen to an average of 2,112 new cases a day.

So that amounts to a decline in the past two weeks of more than 1/3 – and that is very encouraging. Because of that, we were able to go ahead yesterday with the move to level 0.

But as I said a moment ago, case numbers – though they are definitely falling – do remain higher than we should be comfortable with.

Covid as we know is highly infectious – indeed, Delta is significantly more transmissible than previous variants of the virus.

And although vaccination is weakening the link between Covid cases and serious illness, the virus is still potentially dangerous.

And, of course, long Covid is affecting many, including those in younger age groups.

All of this means that vigilance and care remain really important. Restrictions were eased yesterday as part of a gradual process – but restrictions were not abandoned yesterday.

Important measures and mitigations do remain in place – and we continue to ask people across the country and I do so again today to treat the threat that Covid poses seriously at this stage.

I’ll emphasise that point in more detail towards the end of my remarks, but before then I’ll touch briefly on some other issues.

The first of those is vaccination.

As of this morning, 3,984,433 people had received their first dose of vaccine.

That’s an increase of 2,483 since yesterday. As you can see were are getting to the end of first doses.

In addition to that, 16,340 people had a second dose yesterday and that means the total number of second doses is now 2,995,086.

All adults have now been offered first dose appointments – indeed that has happened earlier than we had initially anticipated.

And as of now, around 90% of all adults in the population have actually taken up the opportunity and had the first jag administered.

Also, more than 2/3 of all adults have had the second dose as well – and that proportion will continue to rise on a daily basis, as the programme of second doses continues.

Remember the clinical advice is that – in order to maximise the protection and the longevity of the protection of the vaccine – we should leave 8 weeks between first and second doses.

I think it’s important to say that the level of uptake achieved so far is quite remarkable by the standard of any previous vaccination programme. And it actually exceeds what we dared hoped for when this programme started back at the turn of the year. That said, we want to see uptake levels increase further, we want to get as close to 100% uptake as it is possible to do.

To put it bluntly, each and every single person who gets jagged helps us take a step back to normality. And of course the converse of that is true, for as long as there remains a proportion of eligible people who have not had the vaccine that leaves us with a vulnerability against the virus.

So we must keep at it.

Although around 90% of all adults have taken up the offer of the first dose, so far amongst 30 – 39 year olds that is only 81% and in the 18 – 29 year old age group it is 70%.

So I want to stress again today and we will keep stressing this that if you are 18 or over, and if you haven’t yet had a first dose, then you can still get it. In fact, we really, really want you to get the first dose of vaccine.

You can access that by registering online, through NHS inform but remember you don’t have to register – you’re also able to simply turn up at one of the drop-in vaccination centres that are now operational across all mainland health board areas.

Covid is – and this is something we should always be thankful for – is less of a threat to younger people than to older people – but that doesn’t mean it poses no threat at all to young people.

Some young people do need hospital care when they get the virus, some young people will even end up in intensive care and of course, as we know, young people can get long Covid which we still don’t fully understand the implications of.

Vaccination will help protect you from those risks– but it will also help you protect other people.

So please – get vaccinated as soon as you possibly can. If you know somebody in a younger age group in your own family that hasn’t had the vaccine yet, please encourage them to do so. There’s lots of information on the NHS Inform website, not just about how to get the vaccine but about the vaccine itself. It is a safe vaccine so please get it or encourage those you know who haven’t done so already to get it.

It’s the single most important thing any of us can do right now to give protection to ourselves but also protect others and of course to help all of us collectively get back to more normality.

Obviously, we want to extend the protection of the vaccine as far as we can.

To that end, the advice yesterday from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on the vaccination of 12 to 17 year olds is important and I want to spend just a couple of minutes talking about that.

At this stage – given that it considers the risk of 12 to 17 year olds falling seriously ill from Covid to be very low – the JCVI is not recommending that we vaccinate all young people in that 12 to 17 year olds age group.

Now, the Scottish Government has always followed the advice of the JCVI – for good reason. You’ll have heard me talk about that before in different contexts including recently that eight week interval between first and second doses.

But I am acutely aware that some other countries are vaccinating younger teenagers and I certainly consider it to be extremely important that this is not ruled out here.

So to that end, the Chief Medical Officer is writing to the JCVI asking that the benefit of vaccinating all 12-17 year olds is kept under close and ongoing review – and that it takes account of all available data from countries already doing this. I think that it is really important if there is a benefit to be got from vaccinating younger teenagers then it’s really important that we make sure younger people don’t lose out on that.

In the meantime though and most immediately, we intend to get on with implementing what the JCVI is recommending – and it is recommending that vaccine should be offered to specific groups of 12 to 17 year olds.

Vaccination is already available to 16 and 17 year olds at higher risk of falling seriously ill and they will continue to be eligible.

But in addition, the JCVI is advising that 12 to 15 year olds should be eligible for vaccination if they have Down’s Syndrome; severe neuro-disabilities; or underlying conditions that mean their immune systems are suppressed.

In addition, it advises vaccination for 12 to 15 year olds with severe learning disabilities; with profound and multiple learning disabilities; or who are on the learning disability register.

Finally, vaccination is recommended for 12 to 17 year olds who are household contacts of people with suppressed immune systems. And in that latter case that is less about the protection of the young person and more about the protection of somebody they may live with.

We will shortly provide details of our operational plans to vaccinate these groups of young people as quickly as possible.

And of course in light of what I said earlier about this advice being kept under review, we will make sure that we are prepared to go further as soon as that is recommended. If indeed that is recommended.

The final point on vaccination I want to stress is that if you are currently 17 years old but if you are due to turn 18 on or before 31 October this year, you are now eligible for vaccination as part of this year’s programme.

You can self-register again through the portal on NHS Inform or go to a drop in centre.

So, I want to just emphasise this point today, if you or indeed if you know somebody in this category, if you are due to turn 18 before the end of October, register for an appointment or go to a drop-in centre, and get your vaccination as soon as possible.

Finally, today, I want to return briefly to the need for all of us to continue to treat this virus seriously and follow all of the rules and advice still in place.

We did take a further very welcome step back to normality yesterday with the next step in what is a careful and gradual easing of restrictions.

Full details of what that means are on the Government’s website.

These rules are more relaxed, considerably more relaxed than the ones we’ve all had to live with in the first part of the year.

But – as I mentioned at the start – case levels are still high and Covid is still dangerous.

So I want to comment more today on the things – in addition of course to that vital imperative of vaccination – that it is important for us still to do so that we are individually and collectively reducing the risk.

Because of vaccination, we are undoubtedly in a much better position than we were last year, or even at the start of this year. But we can’t abandon caution altogether or at least we will be foolish if we do that. We all still have a role to play, in helping to protect ourselves and each other.

Firstly, although the limits have increased slightly as of yesterday, the limit on the number of friends and family who can meet together – 8 people from 4 households indoors and 15 from 15 households outdoors – is still really important because that limits the number of households the virus might spread to as the result of one social occasion.

Face coverings also remain important – and a really good way for all of us to help protect each other – and of course they continue to be a legal requirement in certain settings here in Scotland and indeed that requirement to wear face coverings in some settings is likely to remain in force for some time to come.

Also, please test yourself regularly, particularly if you are planning to visit somebody, or go to an event or perhaps if you’re planning to spend a few days on holiday in a different part of the country.

Free lateral flow tests can be obtained through NHS inform. You can get them sent to you by post but you can also collect them from testing centres and local pharmacies.

Remember If you test positive through one of these devices – or indeed if you have symptoms of the virus – then you should self-isolate, and book a PCR test as quickly as possible.

And, lastly, because it remains really important, please keep following all the basic hygiene measures.

Meet other people outdoors as much as possible and particularly while the weather is as good as it is right now. It’s a really good opportunity to stay outdoors and minimise the risk of transmission that bit more.

As I said a moment ago, stick to the limits on group sizes, and if you are meeting indoors, open windows and keep rooms well ventilated.

And please remember physical distancing, hand-washing, face coverings as I’ve just said – all of these measures are as important now as they have been throughout.

And if all of us do these things, then I hope we will see cases continue to fall in the days and weeks to come and if that happens then that creates the conditions we hope for a further easing of the remaining restrictions over the next few weeks.

My thanks again to everybody for all of your cooperation and all of the sacrifices you continue to make. It doesn’t get any easier but it remains really important so my thanks to everyone.