recovery – Page 8 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

We’re getting there: FM sets out lockdown easing timetable

The First Minister has set out a timetable for the re-opening of parts of society over the next two months.

Stay at Home regulations will be lifted on 2 April and replaced with guidance to Stay Local, with more services including hairdressers, garden centres and non-essential click and collect services able to open from 5 April.

More college students will also return to on-campus learning and outdoor contact sports will resume for 12-17 year olds on 5 April if progress on vaccination and suppression of Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues.

The Scottish Government then hopes to lift all restrictions on journeys in mainland Scotland on 26 April.

Discussions will be held with island communities already in lower levels on the possibility of having a faster return to more socialising and hospitality with restrictions on mainland travel to protect against importation of the virus.

Vaccination of all nine JCVI priority groups – more than half of the population, accounting for 99% of COVID-related fatalities – is expected to be completed by mid-April, supplies allowing.

The dates outlined are enabled by strong new evidence that suggests vaccines reduce the chances of transmitting the virus as well as reducing serious illness and death, even after a first dose.

Further expected easing on 26 April includes:

all retail premises, libraries, museums and galleries, tourist accommodation would be able to open
the hospitality sector would be able to reopen outdoors for the service of alcohol, and potentially open indoors for non-alcohol service
up to four people from two households could be able to socialise indoors in a public place such as a café or restaurant
six people from up to three households could be able to meet outdoors and the limit on wedding and funeral attendance could be raised to 50 people
gyms and swimming pools would be open for individual exercise and non-essential childcare would be permitted
non-essential work in peoples’ homes and driving lessons could resume from this date

On 17 May, it is hoped that groups of four people from two households would be able to socialise indoors in a private home, and that cinemas, amusement arcades and small scale outdoor and indoor events could restart with limits on capacity.

Further easing on this date would include outdoor contact sport for adults and indoor group exercise

The First Minister also indicated that in early June it is hoped that Scotland could move to Level 1 and by end of June to level 0.

Grants of up to £7,500 for retailers and up to £19,500 for hospitality and leisure businesses will be paid in April to help businesses re-open progressively.

These one-off re-start grants will replace ongoing Strategic Framework Business Fund (SFBF) payments and will provide more money up front to help with the costs of re-opening. Eligible businesses must have applied to the SFBF by 22 March in order to receive these payments.

The last four-weekly SFBF payment of up to £3,000 will be paid on 22 March, as scheduled. Targeted restart grants for businesses that are not in scope for the current SFBF support package may be considered if the Scottish Government receives further consequentials from the UK Government.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Vaccination is already having a significant impact on the number of deaths in Scotland, and research giving us more confidence in its effects against new variants and in helping prevent transmission.

“That gives us more confidence in setting possible dates for our next steps out of lockdown in addition to the significant changes set out last week to allow more socialisation, and get children back to school as soon as possible.

“It is not possible to provide specific dates or details for coming out of lockdown beyond 17 May – that will depend on what impact there is from the changes already made – however my hope and ambition is that from early June, all of Scotland will effectively be in level 1 of the levels system, allowing for a further easing of restrictions – and possibly moving to level 0 in late June.

“That is not the endpoint – we hope and expect that vaccination, better treatments, continued use of the test and protect system, and proportionate ongoing precautions such as good hand hygiene will allow us to keep COVID under much greater control.

“This will allow us to enjoy many of the things that we took for granted before the pandemic– normal family gatherings where we can hug our loved ones, sporting events, gigs and nightclubs.

“I cannot set a date for that point yet, but I do believe that over the coming weeks as more and more adults are vaccinated it will be possible to set a firmer date by which many of these normal things will be possible, and I am very optimistic that this date will be over the summer.

“Thanks to the sacrifices we all made three months ago, and the success of the vaccination programme we are now in a much better and brighter position, with well-earned optimism as we look ahead to the summer.

“We are getting the virus under control, but it is still dangerous, and to reach these dates it’s more important than ever now to stay within the rules – until 2 April stay at home, except for essential purposes; don’t meet people from other households indoors, and follow the FACTS advice when out and about.”

Responding to the announcement of the timetable for lifting estrictions, CAMRA Scotland’s Director Joe Crawford said: “Pub goers, licensees and brewers will be disappointed to see our pubs being treated unfairly compared to similar businesses like cafés and non-essential retail.

“The return of curfews and a ban on alcohol being consumed indoors is devastating news for the industry which is looking to reopen covid-secure venues so that people can socialise safely. For many businesses it just won’t be worthwhile opening back up as they won’t be able to turn a profit under these draconian restrictions.

“Restart grants announced today are welcome – but without a full and proper reopening, and with continuing restrictions like table-service only requirement lasting for the foreseeable future, it is vital that the Scottish Government provides dedicated financial support for our pubs, social clubs and the breweries that serve them until they can trade at full capacity.

“CAMRA are also campaigning for the UK Government to cut tax on beer served in pubs to help them compete with supermarkets.”

Responding to the latest update on lockdown restrictions and the outline of indicative dates for the re-opening of the economy from the First Minister, Dr Liz Cameron OBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:

“Businesses have been patiently waiting for indicative dates to re-open and today’s announcement is a good start. It will enable many businesses and customers to start planning and preparing for re-opening with confidence and optimism.

“In particular, the intention to relax travel restrictions should support the viability of the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors. We are pleased to hear that the Scottish Government will work with the UK Government and the travel & aviation sectors to look at the detail as to how international travel can re-open safely and quickly.

“We also need to see clarification of what is allowed in the various levels of restrictions, sooner rather than later. We would urge alignment across all UK nations which enables the industry to restart together and to avoid confusion for travellers.

“There is still a lot of work to be done to plan for the re-opening of the remaining sectors of the economy. We are now looking to engage on the granular detail of the levels, associated criteria and trigger points. We will work with government to help enable that to be done as quickly and as safely as possible, in line with the continued successful roll-out of the vaccination programme.”

On the establishment of restart grants, Dr Cameron said: “It makes more sense to provide businesses with a lump sum so they can deploy these resources where it can be of most use – businesses themselves are the best judges of this.

“Businesses will welcome the certainty of when they can expect the funds to be allocated and we look forward to working with Scottish Government and local government to ensure this process runs as smoothly as possible.”

‘Tough times ahead’ for licensed hospitality sector, warns Scottish Licensed Trade Association, following the First Minister’s statement today.

The SLTA has expressed bitter disappointment after today’s announcement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that bars, restaurants and cafés will not be able to serve alcohol indoors when the licensed hospitality industry reopens next month.

Warning that there remain “tough times ahead” for licensed hospitality as Scotland slowly emerges from lockdown, SLTA managing director Colin Wilkinson said: “This is not the news we were hoping for. Yes, it’s good news for those bars, restaurants and cafés with suitable facilities who will be able to serve people outdoors – in groups of up to six from three households – until 10pm from 26 April.

“However, for indoor hospitality, today’s news is yet another bitter blow and we are surprised that the Scottish Government has chosen not to allow premises to sell alcohol when they reopen next month. “We of course welcome the news that from 17 May, hospitality venues will be able to open until 10.30pm indoors with alcohol permitted and, for outdoors, until 10pm.

“We welcome these indicative dates for reopening as they provide more clarity for businesses but overall, these slight lifting of restrictions don’t go far enough and, for the majority, reopening will remain unviable. We’re bitterly disappointed.”

The SLTA welcomed confirmation that on 22 March, recipients of support under the Strategic Business Framework Fund will receive a final four-week payment then in April a further combined payment of a two-week payment under the Strategic Business Framework Fund and eligible hospitality and leisure businesses will also receive a further payment of up to £19,500 in the form of a restart grant.

But Wilkinson added: “Restrictions will continue into June and beyond, leading businesses further into debt.

“The typical small hospitality business has taken on between £60,000 and £90,000 in bank debt and deferred bills as of February this year just to survive Covid – and the debt is rising with every week of low or no income.

“If there is a positive to come out of today’s announcement it is that we have something to work towards but that doesn’t change the fact that for a very high percentage of business, reopening in April will simply be unviable.”

Council leaders are encouraging communities and businesses to ‘stick with it’ after a proposed date for lifting the ‘stay at home’ rule was announced today by the Scottish Government.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “This is a welcome and clear roadmap out of lockdown that gives us all something positive to look forward to.

“The successful roll-out of the vaccine programme and the fall in positive cases across Edinburgh is testament to the collective efforts of our health services, our residents and our businesses. The hard work and sacrifices we’re making are the only way can achieve the roadmap and return to normal.

“We are moving in the right direction, with rates across the city at one of the lowest levels since spring last year. We must stick with it and stay within the guidelines, to continue to keep the virus under control and keep our communities safe.

“I know so many of our local traders are anxious to open their doors again and I hope everyone will join me in getting out when we can to support businesses near us and in our city centre. We’ll very soon be able to fully enjoy everything our amazing city has to offer and welcome back friends and visitors to our Capital.

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Tuesday 23 March, a week today, marks a full year since the country went into lockdown and our condolences go out to all those who have lost loved ones during this unprecedented crisis. We will remember them during a national silence next Tuesday.

“Today’s announcement is really good news for businesses across Edinburgh as travel restrictions look to be eased across Scotland from 26 April. Opening up retail, hospitality and tourism gives us all something to look forward to and meeting up with more loved ones in outdoor settings for something to eat and drink will be a real treat again.

“Until then it’s important we don’t drop our guard – we need to continue to observe this gradual, phased approach so we can protect people’s health and safety while working towards Edinburgh’s successful recovery from the pandemic. We all want to keep the virus under control and keep everyone safe.

“So for now, until 2 April, our advice remains the same – please stay at home and help save lives. Hope’s on the horizon and we’ll get there even faster if we stick together now.”

Responding to the First Minister’s announcement on an indicative timeline for lifting restrictions, STUC General Secretary said: “We welcome this cautious approach that is entirely reliant on continuing progress in suppressing the virus. The implications for public health and sustainable economic recovery of moving too fast would be catastrophic.

“We have no doubt that the First Minister will continue to be subject to sustained pressure from bosses in many sectors, including hospitality, to move more quickly but this must be resisted.

“We believe that effective test, trace and isolate measures are essential, along with the flexibility to increase local restrictions when necessary to control any outbreaks.

“For the sake of the public’s health and the safety of workers we need the future return to work to be a steadily managed stream and not a torrent.
“It is essential that the proposed return of students to colleges and universities is only undertaken with full and early consultation of education unions.

“We urge employers planning the return to work to learn from previous mistakes made during the emergence from the first lockdown. They must ensure that all continuing guidelines on social distancing and face coverings in the workplace continue.

“They must respect any ongoing fears and concerns of their own workers and, critically, fully consult with employees both on what is expected of them and on the protection they have a right to expect. Any worker with concerns should contact their union or the STUC.”

Use the power of the pub to level up, report urges

Failure to support the nation’s pubs return from lockdown risks imperilling the government’s levelling up agenda for economic and social renewal, the think-tank Localis has warned.

In a report entitled ‘The Power of Pubs – protecting social infrastructure and laying the groundwork for levelling up’ Localis argues it is vital that the lockdown roadmap is not allowed to slip back further for pubs, and that the commitment to end all trading restrictions by 21 June must be delivered to return all pubs to viable trading.

Without such assurances and medium-term support to help place the pub sector at the foundations of a strong recovery, the authors warned local economies and community resilience in left-behind parts of the country – including ‘blue wall’ former industrial heartlands, rural and coastal areas – would be particularly hit.

Among key recommendations, the report authors urged central government to further reduce the tax burden on the pub sector to aid the recovery and called for an extension to the Business and Planning Act 2020.

Local councils should be directed to help pubs by issuing licence fee refunds – paid for by the Treasury – for the six months to June 2021, through business support grants, the study advised.

Additionally, where premises have been put to new community purposes during the pandemic, councils should offer a diversification grant to pubs looking to retain or expand the services they provided during lockdown.

Localis chief executive, Jonathan Werran, said: “The case for treating Britain’s pubs with fair consideration in exiting lockdown measures is, at core, as simple as it is heartfelt. Where there’s a pub, there’s a community.

“As one of the biggest contributors to the UK economy, the sector has a vital role to play in the recovery and levelling up journey of the country as well as in maintaining community cohesion and social resilience well beyond the pandemic.”

Emma McClarkin, chief executive, British Beer and Pub Association, said: “The Pandemic has fractured our communities economic environment and frayed our social ties.

“The pub is a powerful embodiment and symbol of both, woven into the fabric of our society and it is one we need to support and strengthen as we rebuild our trade as well as reconnect our communities.”

Online school launches package of support to help young people recover lost learning

An online school, established by Wey Education more than 16 years ago, has launched an ‘essential’ programme of English, Maths and Science support, delivered live by expert teachers, to help students across the UK recover the learning they have missed due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

These efforts align with the Government’s recovery support package which includes tutoring programmes, summer provision and recovery premiums for state schools, so that children and young people can catch up on missed learning and development opportunities.

The “InterHigh Essentials” package was developed as a way to alleviate the “pain” of families who were struggling with home schooling and remote learning. It offers young people in the local area the opportunity to enrol on its online platform and access lessons for three core subjects English, maths and science, plus tutorial, in an interactive and effective, yet easy-to-use format. The virtual lessons will be delivered live by experienced teachers who are qualified to teach online.

Developed by a team with over 16 years of experience with online teaching, students will be given opportunities to fully engage with their learning, in a virtual environment that is characteristic of how we will learn, work, and interact in the future.

For the equivalent of £12 a day, families can benefit from supplementary learning in a virtual environment while their child continues to be enrolled in their current school.

Emma Beer, an InterHigh parent who enrolled her son during Covid-19, said: “He’s more settled into a routine and is far more engaged in learning at home. During the first two weeks of schools closing, it was difficult to home educate my son and I struggled to find material online which engaged him, meaning I had to constantly sit next to him to keep an eye on what he was doing.

“The crisis has unveiled an amazing opportunity for my son to try a different approach to education.”

The programme is open to students in Key Stage 2, 3, and 4, and registration can be done individually by students, or by schools on their behalf. The team at InterHigh believe in transformative education which provides a community for students to learn wherever they feel most comfortable, supported, and engaged.

Jacqueline Danielle, CEO of Wey Education, said: “Our aim is to provide all young people with the opportunity to access an education that will inspire a lifelong love of learning – both pure and applied, and I believe we have achieved something truly remarkable over the past 17 years at Wey Education.

“Events this year have opened the eyes of many to the power and possibilities of online learning. We are excited to provide more families with the opportunity to study with us and experience our innovative and pioneering approach to teaching and learning in a virtual environment.”

Dr Sara de Freitas, Executive Director of Education at Wey Education, said: “During the pandemic, many students have missed out on parts of their education which can have long term negative impacts upon employment and mental health.

“Our new programme is designed to plug these gaps in young people’s education and provide the important learning they may have missed during the pandemic.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer this package to students as a supplementary offer and recommend it for all students that have been affected by school closures during this year and last year.”

For more information, including how to enrol, please visit:

http://www.interhigh.co.uk/apply

More pupils back from 15th March

Phase 2 of schools return announced

All remaining primary school children are set to return to school full-time from 15 March, with all secondary pupils returning on a part-time basis from that date.

Regulated childcare, including breakfast and after-school clubs, for primary pupils will also re-start on 15 March as part of the Phase 2 return.

From 15 March, all secondary pupils will receive both high quality remote learning and some in-school teaching. Councils will decide how to safely balance in-school learning based on local circumstances and needs.

Senior phase students (S4-S6) who are taking national qualifications will have priority for face-to-face lessons in school.

Updated schools safety guidance to support the phased return will be published next week and Education Scotland will develop practical guidance for schools, which will be also published shortly.

Local authorities will be encouraged to support young people’s wellbeing in other ways – for example, by providing more opportunities for outdoor learning.

Colleges, who can have up to 5% of learners on campus at any one time, will also be able to prioritise senior phase pupils.

The plans are conditional on continued progress on suppressing coronavirus. All pupils are expected to return to full-time schooling after Easter, subject to continued suppression of the virus.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I can confirm that the next phase of reopening education will take place on 15 March. From that date – unless new evidence or new circumstances force us to reconsider – all children in primary 4 to 7 will go back to school on a full-time basis and all primary school children will be able to return to regulated childcare.

“All secondary school pupils will return to spend some time in school from 15 March – with a clear expectation that all secondary school pupils will be back in school on a full-time basis after the Easter holidays.

“The phased approach to school return is firmly based on the expert advice that we have received. It is the best and also the most sustainable and enduring way to get as many children back to school as possible, as safely as possible.”

All secondary pupils will continue to be required to observe two metre physical distancing while in school in the period immediately after the Phase 2 return. This is in addition to existing measures, including the use of face coverings. School transport will operate with the same physical distancing rules as public transport.

EIS Writes to Party Leaders Urging Support for Vaccinating School Staff

The EIS has written to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister John Swinney and to the Holyrood leaders of Scotland’s major political parties, calling for their support to vaccinate school staff against Covid.

Last week, the Scottish Government announced that it did not intend to prioritise the vaccination of teachers and the EIS is calling for urgent reconsideration of this position.

In the letter, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan says, “It seems short-sighted of the Scottish Government not to utilise the vaccination tool to ensure continuity of education – an action at odds with the political rhetoric about the importance of education to the lives of our young people.”

The letter continues, “Given the caring role that teachers and other education staff undertake, particularly Early Years, Primary and ASN staff, and the difficulties that there are in maintaining physical distance between staff and pupils in these contexts, in omitting to vaccinate teachers, the Scottish Government will have failed to take appropriate mitigating action of the kind that it has undertaken for other frontline care workers.”

The letter also calls on Government to “consider the impact of teacher absence on the education of young people.

In secondary schools, for example, staff absence over the next period through Covid related reasons could seriously impact on the SQA qualifications. On average staff absences in schools has been around 1,500 per week, at one stage last September peaking at over 2,500.

Clearly this is disruptive to education continuity especially for senior phase secondary pupils, already facing a tight timeline around accreditation processes.”

Calling for school staff to now be prioritised, the letter says, “Whilst the EIS very deliberately did not call for education staff priority within Phase 1 of the programme, as that was very clearly predicated on those most at risk of death, we believe there is scope within Phase 2 to take a different approach as 99% of that ‘at severe risk’ group will have been covered in the first phase.

“Within Phase 1 the Scottish Government chose to reorder the JCVI priorities to accommodate its own policy agenda with regard to care homes and we believe a similar approach should apply to schools.”

An online campaign calling for school staff to be vaccinated, launched on Friday by the EIS, attracted almost 5000 signatures over the weekend.

Read a copy of the letters here.

Larry Flanagan recording.

MSP urges projects to apply for new Food & Drink funding

MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald, has urged food and drink projects across Edinburgh to apply for a new Scottish Government fund launched to drive projects that celebrate locally sourced and produced food and drink.

The Scotland Food & Drink Partnership was launched to help the sector with its recovery from COVID and prepare for Brexit, supported by £5 million from Scottish Government for 2020/21. An additional £50 million will be provided over 2021/22.

Since 2018 the fund has awarded over £350,000 to 79 creative, innovative & collaborative projects across the regions of Scotland.

Grants of up to £5000 are available to applicants, and the deadline to apply is 15th March 2021.

MSP Gordon MacDonald said: “Our world-class food and drink sector has faced an extremely challenging year, so this funding – which will contribute to its recovery from Covid-19 – comes at an important time.

“Between Brexit and COVID-19, there are very few food and drink businesses which haven’t been seriously affected – but it’s vital our food and drink industry keeps growing and bringing benefits to Scotland and Edinburgh.

“This money will play an important role in promoting food and drink in local communities and delivering benefits to Scotland’s local food and drink sector over the long-term.

“I’d encourage all eligible groups and businesses in Edinburgh to apply before the deadline on 15th March.”

First Minister sets out Scotland’s Covid recovery route map

Gradual easing of lockdown restrictions announced

Scotland’s phased and careful approach to easing lockdown restrictions while continuing to suppress Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been outlined by the First Minister.

The updated Strategic Framework sets out the six tools the Scottish Government will use to restore, on a phased basis, greater normality to our everyday lives.

The immediate priority will continue to be the phased return of education, building on the return of some pupils to school yesterday.

On the basis that progress in suppressing the virus and vaccinating key groups remains on track restrictions would be eased in the following order:

the next phase of school returns with the rest of the primary school years, P4 to P7, and more senior phase secondary pupils back in the classroom for part of their learning and the limit on outdoor mixing between households increasing to four people from a maximum of two households
the stay at home restriction to be lifted and any final school returns to take place. Communal worship to restart in limited numbers mindful of the timing of major religious festivals. This phase would also see the re-opening of retail, starting with an extension of the definition of essential retail and the removal of restrictions on click-and collect
return to a levels approach with all of Scotland moving to at least level 3, with some possible adjustments. This could mean that from the last week of April that we would expect to see phased but significant re-opening of the economy, including non-essential retail, hospitality and services like gyms and hairdressers

There is likely to be a gap of at least three weeks between each easing of restrictions to assess the impact of changes, and to check that it is safe to proceed further using the six conditions for safe easing set out by the World Health Organisation.

As the vaccination programme progresses, a return to more variable levels of restrictions, which can vary by location, is likely when it is safe to do so.

Ongoing financial support is set out in the Framework and will continue to be available to businesses as we emerge from lockdown. This includes the ongoing commitment to fund the Strategic Framework Business Fund and to provide Level 4 payments for an additional month once businesses are moved down a level. These proposals are contingent on receipt of additional consequentials from the UK Government.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told Parliament: “I know how hard current restrictions are after 11 long months of this pandemic, however they are working and we can now see our way out of them.

“We are in a far better position now than at the start of January and these measures are initial steps on a slow, but hopefully steady, route back to much greater normality.

“Our intent remains to suppress the virus to the lowest possible level and keep it there, while we strive to return to a more normal life for as many people as possible.

“At the moment, and for a bit longer, we need to rely very heavily on restrictions to suppress the virus. This is essential when the virus is so transmissible, and when case numbers are still quite high.

“In time though – once the vast majority of the adult population has received at least one dose of the vaccine – we hope that vaccination will become our main tool for suppressing the virus.

“The Strategic Framework is deliberately cautious at this stage but in the coming weeks, if the data allows and positive trends continue, we will seek to accelerate the easing of restrictions.”

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-strategic-framework-update-february-2021/

CAMRA: First Minister must make sure tier system is fair and extend financial support to save our pubs as lockdown is lifted

A spokesperson for CAMRA said: “Whilst there is now light at the end of the tunnel for pubs and breweries, today’s announcement still leaves lots of uncertainty about what re-opening our pubs could look like.

“The beer and pubs industry will need next month’s announcement on a return to the tier system and the plan for re-opening the economy to treat pubs fairly compared to other industries like non-essential retail.

“CAMRA has concerns that a return to any unfair or unevidenced restrictions like alcohol bans, curfews or only being allowed to serve alcohol with a meal as we move back to the different Covid protection levels would mean we aren’t getting a proper or fair re-opening.

“The First Minister mentioned ongoing tapered financial support. This must include enough help to make sure pubs are viable for as long as they are facing restrictions or having to operate at reduced capacity.

“Next week’s Budget at Westminster is also now more vital than ever. Pubs, breweries and the wider supply chain desperately need ongoing financial support beyond the next few weeks.

“The Chancellor must commit to extending furlough for as long as pubs are running at reduced trade, even if that is longer than in England. CAMRA are also campaigning for a reduction in VAT for on-trade alcohol sales as well as food and cutting duty for beer served in pubs to help them compete with supermarkets.”

STUC broadly welcomes cautious approach set out by First Minister in Framework announcement and that future decisions will be driven by data not dates – but STUC remains concerned about precautions required for safe return of more pupils to schools.

STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “We welcome that the First Minister has taken a cautious approach towards the easing of lockdown restrictions and that, in contrast to the Prime Minister, the government will be driven by data rather than fixed dates. It is entirely correct that Scotland should not move out of national restrictions till all priority groups are immunised.

“We also welcome the call for employers to continue to allow employees to work from home. Unfortunately a minority of employers still seem to be resistant to this and we will name and shame any employer that does not stick to the Government’s guidance.

“Whilst we understand that giving hope is important, we must also manage expectations and tightly control the transition from restrictions to vaccinations as the key way we suppress this virus. If we rush too fast we risk people’s health and the future economic recovery.

“On schools, we echo the concerns of education unions at the Scottish Government rejection of the use of medical grade face masks, already used in other countries, as short-sighted given the need to guard against aerosol transmission.”

“Essential Edinburgh said: “We welcome @ScotGovFM‘s Strategic Framework announced today. It is imperative businesses can plan effectively, with some certainty for re-opening and the statement allows this.

“The proposed date of 26th April for a potential return to Level 3 is still however two months away.”

City council Leaders have welcomed the Scottish Government’s plans for easing restrictions, though have urged the public to continue following guidance.

The gradual easing of restrictions began on Monday when early learning and childcare and schools reopened for primary one to three, as well as for senior pupils carrying out essential practical work. Further easing will be subject to several conditions being met.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Today’s announcement by the Scottish Government offers hope for better times to come, where some sense of normality is restored and where we can return to some of the activities we have all been missing so much.

“Right now, though, our number one priority is keeping the public safe. The First Minister has made it clear that we must be cautious. While the overall number of cases are falling and the rapid vaccine rollout continues, increased cases in Edinburgh of recent days highlight that our position is still fragile.

“That’s why it’s still so important that we continue to observe the restrictions in place, led by expert public health data, to limit the impact of this virus, which has by no means gone away.

“We’re working hard to deliver services with as little disruption as possible during this time, and this week welcomed the return of some of our pupils to schools across the city. We’ll continue to adapt and respond to guidance as it changes, and I encourage everyone to do the same. We’ve come this far – let’s work together to follow the path out of lockdown safely and sustainably.

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “The Scottish Government’s route map outlined today offers guidance on how we could carefully, steadily reduce restrictions.

“It’s essential that we observe this gradual, phased approach if we are to protect people’s health and safety while working towards the city’s successful recovery from the pandemic.

Responding to today’s announcement by the First Minister, a spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “We of course understand the priority given to protecting public health and whatever steps are taken now to prepare the economy for a sustained period of recovery should not distract health professionals from the important job to save lives and protect the NHS.

“But today we hoped we would hear some indicative dates to allow us to begin planning for some form of recovery, but we are no further forward and remain in limbo.

“There does not appear to be a plan, we are unsure what data will be used to make vital decisions about our future and the remit and membership of a task force announced two weeks ago is still to be confirmed. Meanwhile further divergence will see travellers, airlines and jobs move to England. It seems the Scottish Government remains indifferent to Scotland’s impending connectivity crisis.

“If we are going to use New Zealand as a blueprint on suppression then we must also follow their act in support for aviation. Aviation facilitates many things, such as tourism which contributes more than £6 billion to the economy. We cannot afford to throw that away because we failed to invest in protecting our hard-earned direct connectivity.”

The Scottish Licensed Trade Association commented: “Pubs and hospitality businesses, while welcoming the Scottish Government’s “cautious” road map out of lockdown for the sector, are bitterly disappointed that today the First Minister said nothing other than that there will be a “reopening of the economy and society” from April 26th.

“While today’s announcement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon brings hope for the country, a late spring reopening will sadly be too late for many and for those who do survive there remain serious challenges ahead.”

Paul Waterson, SLTA media spokesman, added: “Brighter days lie ahead – there’s no doubt about that. However, pubs, bars and restaurants have been unable to open since before Christmas – under significant Covid constraints – and large swathes of 2020 were lost to lockdown closures or severely limited trading conditions.

“While it is encouraging that our sector can hopefully reopen from the end of April, we are concerned that a return to the previous tiered system will lead many operators to decide that such restrictive reopening conditions are simply not worth the time, effort and money involved.

“Hospitality is not a ‘one size fits all’ sector given the breadth of premises that operate within it – pubs, restaurants, hotels, nightclubs and so on – and depend on events and functions to survive.

“Of course, we welcome today’s news that the Scottish Government is committed to continuing financial support for those firms suffering as a result of the pandemic, and we also welcome the First Minister’s announcement that she is considering support for businesses facing trading restrictions after they are allowed to reopen.

“However, our response to today’s announcement is one of disappointment for the licensed hospitality industry which has been among the hardest hit by trading restrictions throughout the pandemic, an industry that invested an estimated £80 million on becoming Covid compliant.

“For us, it is now a case of waiting to hear what the First Minister puts on the table in her next announcement in three weeks’ time – until then, we will work with her officials to help the Scottish Government make the best decisions for our industry.”

PM Boris Johnson: ‘One Way Road to Freedom’

UK Government publishes four-step roadmap to ease restrictions across England and provide a route back to a more normal way of life
Each step to be assessed against four tests before restrictions ease, starting with the return of schools on 8 March
PM is clear that the decision on each stage will be based on data not dates, and government will move cautiously to keep infection rates under control

The Prime Minister has announced the government’s roadmap to ‘cautiously ease’ lockdown restrictions in England.

In a statement to parliament this afternoon he paid tribute to the extraordinary success of the UK’s vaccination programme and the resolve of the British public in following the lockdown restrictions, which has helped to cut infection rates and reduce the spread of the virus.

He also set out the latest vaccine efficacy data, with Public Health England finding that one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine reduces hospitalisations and deaths by at least 75%. Analysis of the AstraZeneca vaccine efficacy continues, with promising early results.

Supported by the increased protection offered by these vaccines, the government is able to slowly and cautiously begin to ease restrictions in all areas across England at the same time, guided at all stages by data, not dates.

The roadmap, which has now been published on gov.uk, outlines four steps for easing restrictions. Before proceeding to the next step, the Government will examine the data to assess the impact of previous steps.

This assessment will be based on four tests:

The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern.

There will be a minimum of five weeks between each step: four weeks for the data to reflect changes in restrictions; followed by seven days’ notice of the restrictions to be eased.

The Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Scientific Adviser have made clear that this will give adequate time to assess the impact of each step and reduce the risk of having to re-impose restrictions at a later date.

As the Prime Minister said, getting children back into school has been the top priority, and so from 8 March all children and students will return to face to face education in schools and college.

By this point, everyone in the top four vaccine priority cohorts – as determined by the independent JCVI – will have received the first dose of their vaccine and developed the necessary protection from it.

Also from this date:

Wraparound childcare and other supervised children’s activities can resume where they enable parents to work, seek work, attend education, seek medical care or attend a support group
Care home residents will be allowed one regular visitor provided they are tested and wear PPE
The Stay at Home requirement will remain, but people can leave home for recreation outdoors such as a coffee or picnic with their household or support bubble, or with one person outside their household
Some university students on practical courses will be able to return to face to face learning

As part of step one, there will be further limited changes from 29 March, the week in which most schools will break up for Easter. Outdoor gatherings of either 6 people or 2 households will be allowed, providing greater flexibility for families to see each other. This includes in private gardens.

Outdoor sports facilities, such as tennis and basketball courts, will be allowed to reopen, and people can take part in formally organised outdoor sports.

At this point, the Stay at Home order will end, although many lockdown restrictions will remain.

For example, you should continue to work from home where possible, and overseas travel remains banned, aside for a small number of reasons.

The subsequent steps are set out as follows:

Step 2, no earlier than 12 April:

Non-essential retail, personal care premises, such as hairdressers and nail salons, and public buildings, such as libraries and community centres, will reopen.
Most outdoor attractions and settings, including zoos, and theme parks, will also reopen although wider social contact rules will apply in these settings to prevent indoor mixing between different households. Drive-in cinemas and drive-in performances will also be permitted.
Indoor leisure facilities, such as gyms and swimming pools, will also reopen – but only for use by people on their own or with their household.
Hospitality venues can serve people outdoors only. There will be no need for customers to order a substantial meal with alcohol, and no curfew – although customers must order, eat and drink while seated.
Self-contained accommodation, such as holiday lets, where indoor facilities are not shared with other households, can also reopen.
Funerals can continue with up to 30 people, and the numbers able to attend weddings, receptions and commemorative events such as wakes will rise to 15 (from 6).

Step 3, no earlier than 17 May:

Outdoors, most social contact rules will be lifted – although gatherings of over 30 people will remain illegal.
Outdoor performances such as outdoor cinemas, outdoor theatres and outdoor cinemas can reopen.. Indoors, the rule of 6 or 2 households will apply – although we will keep under review whether it is safe to increase this.
Indoor hospitality, entertainment venues such as cinemas and soft play areas, the rest of the accommodation sector, and indoor adult group sports and exercise classes will also reopen.
Larger performances and sporting events in indoor venues with a capacity of 1,000 people or half-full (whichever is lower) will also be allowed, as will those in outdoor venues with a capacity of 4000 people or half-full (whichever is lower).
In the largest outdoor seated venues where crowds can spread out, up to 10,000 people will be able to attend (or a quarter-full, whichever is lower).
Up to 30 people will be able to attend weddings, receptions and wakes, as well as funerals. Other life events that will be permitted include bar mitzvahs and christenings.

Step 4, no earlier than 21 June:

It is hoped all legal limits on social contact can be removed.
We hope to reopen nightclubs, and lift restrictions on large events and performances that apply in Step 3.
This will also guide decisions on whether all limits can be removed on weddings and other life events.

In the meantime, the vaccination programme continues at pace, with the announcement of a new target to offer a first dose of the vaccine to every adult by the end of July.

The government hopes that the increased protection offered by vaccines will gradually replace the restrictions, with the roadmap published today providing the principles of the transition.

MPs will have an opportunity to vote on the regulations that will enable this roadmap in Parliament in the coming weeks.

We continue to work closely with the Devolved Administrations as we have throughout the pandemic. They are setting out approaches for easing for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The roadmap can be found in full here.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will lay out Scotland’s recovery framework later today.

New guide for people recovering from COVID-19

It’s a long road to recovery for many who have contracted COVID-19. In Scotland over 185,000 people have tested positive for the virus, with over 57,000 of these cases recorded within Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

NHSGGC’s Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy teams have created a new online resource to help anyone who is recovering from the virus, having distilled what they have learned from helping people recover both at home and in hospital.

The new self-management resource is available to the public and is aimed at anyone managing the many types of symptoms associated with COVID-19. It also notes the pace of recovery may be slower than expected.

Common symptoms can include: fatigue, breathlessness, reduced exercise tolerance and lack of physical strength. The resource offers advice on recovering from the virus, managing breathlessness, general wellbeing, managing fatigue, exercise programmes and more.

Lynn Glen, Physiotherapist, NHSGGC, said: “We know that the lingering effects of COVID-19 can vary from person to person. We’ve had younger and older patients admitted to wards and intensive care units, some dealing with debilitating fatigue and breathlessness for months after being diagnosed, requiring weeks and months of rehab and physiotherapy input.

“Other patients may only require physiotherapy input for a shorter period. The length of time recovering from COVID-19 can also vary so we had to find a way to support people at home.

“We wanted to help people get back on their feet, to gain knowledge about the virus, learn how to manage their symptoms and ultimately recover with this new resource.”

You can access the new NHSGGC online resource here:

https://www.nhsggc.org.uk/your-health/health-services/allied-health-professionals-ahps/physiotherapy/

Lorna Graham, 27, who has been a nurse for three years, was diagnosed with COVID on 8 April 2020 and has not yet fully recovered. She was off work for six months and has since been diagnosed as suffering from Long COVID.

Lorna said: “The acute phase of my illness lasted a few weeks and I can truly say I felt like I was dying. Without question it was the worst I have felt in my life. It’s not that I haven’t been ill before. I have had sepsis and swine flu but this was different. It felt like I was drowning; at times I couldn’t get a breath.

“This all happened despite me being a fit 26 year old. I wasn’t a fitness fanatic, but I was active on my days off. I would go hillwalking regularly, so you could say I was fit and obviously young too.

“In the first few weeks I was at the COVID assessment centre a few times and was sent to hospital, although never admitted. I had a temperature, no taste or smell and just slept and slept.

“I waited to recover fully and it just never came. It was October before I felt able to go back to work.”

Nearly ten months on, Lorna’s health has yet to recover fully.

Top Ten Tips for Recovering from COVID-19:

Take it slow – recovery may take longer than you expect.
Eat well – your body needs nutrients to get better. This can be difficult when you lose your sense of taste / smell but just as important.
Sleep well – your body needs rest, take it easy.
Plan your day – especially important if you’re feeling fatigued. Plan your day and week to include consistent activity, rather than boom and bust cycles which may leave you more tired.
Deep breathing – sit in a relaxed position, breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth, lying on your front can also help.
Stay active – your physical strength may be impacted so build yourself back up with regular activity like walking or at home exercises.
Get up – easy to forget in lockdown, make sure you are regularly standing, set a timer to make sure you’re getting up once an hour.
Get out – make sure to get outside with nature proven to improve our wellbeing.
Relax – remember to relax your mind however that may be. Some people find meditation helpful.
Stay connected – speak to your loved ones regularly about your recovery and how you’re doing. We all need support.

January: the Last Post

As a dark and dreary January draws to a close, I’m pleased to share at least one wee nugget of positive news.

The NEN blog passed a memorable milestone this week. Your community news website reached and passed the one million hits mark on Thursday.

It’s taken a while – the NEN blog was set up ten years ago this month (the first post was made on 19 January 2011) – but we got there in the end!

Since that first blog post there have been more than 18,300 more. The blog has over 5,000 subscribers and thousands more followers on Facebook and Twitter

When that first post was written, I’m pretty sure the word ‘coronavirus’ didn’t exist. And I know I would have been using ‘lock in’ a lot more than ‘lockdown’ back then. Social distancing. Face Coverings. Blended learning. PPE. Nightingale hospitals. These words and phrases are part of our everyday language now.

It’s twelve months to the day since the first cases of the new virus were confirmed in the UK, on 31 January. Life has changed so much since then, perhaps forever. It’s a darker, more uncertain world.

The NEN first mentioned coronvirus in a post on 25th January 2020. Since then, coronavirus has been tagged 1300 times, COVID-19 1700 times and vaccine close to 300 times in NEN posts.

It’s been a relentless litany of grim statistics and horror stories, lightened only sometimes by tales of heroic workers and volunteers working flat out to support the most vulnerable people in our poorest communities.

But despite the daily awfulness of it all, I do think it’s important to record it. One day, we’ll look back on these unprecedented times to establish what we could have done better – and sooner – and where our leaders got it horribly wrong.

But for now, it’s encouraging that the word ‘vaccine’ is being used more and more in NEN posts; goodness knows we’ve needed a glimmer of light at the end of a terribly dark tunnel.

Last week, the UK death toll surpassed 100,000. One hundred thousand people; each and every one of those deaths will have affected so many friends and families. Coronavirus will leave it’s mark on us all for years to come – perhaps forever – but there will be life after the virus.

As more and more vaccines come on stream, the future is looking an awful lot brighter than it did a few short months ago. IF enough of us remain sensible – and there are still a surprising number of foolish people out there – we will get there.

So while passing the one million mark is a reason to celebrate in these cheerless times, I will put the celebration on hold until life gets back to something like normal again when I will enjoy a real pint in an open pub!

Until then, if you keep reading I’ll keep writing. Deal?

Stay safe everyone.

DAVE PICKERING

Editor, North Edinburgh News

Covid-19 makes improving Scotland’s economy almost four times harder

Dundee faces the biggest challenge in Scotland

Glasgow also faces a big challenge.
Better adult education, transport investment and improvements to Scotland’s urban centres needed.

Covid-19’s economic damage makes the task of improving Scotland’s economy and spreading prosperity almost four times harder according to Centre for Cities’ annual study of the UK’s major urban areas – Cities Outlook 2021.

30,900 people in Scotland’s largest cities now need to find secure, well-paid jobs to rebuild and improve the economy – compared to 8,600 last March.

In Scotland, Dundee faces he biggest challenge, followed closely by Glasgow.

Scottish cities facing the biggest economic challenges post-Covid
Rank	City	Percentage point reduction in unemployment to rebuild and improve the economy
1	Dundee	4.1
2	Glasgow	4.1
3	Aberdeen	3.4
4	Edinburgh	3.0
Source: ONS, Claimant count 2020, population estimates 2019.

In addition to hitting some Scottish cities and the rest of the UK as a whole badly, Covid-19 has also hit many previously prosperous places such as Edinburgh, Aberdeen and London disproportionately hard.

The Government must act fast to prevent a levelling down of these places that the whole UK depends on to create jobs and fund public services.

The UK and Scottish Governments should announce how they will use their respective powers to deal with Covid-19’s short-term damage to cities and large towns. The plans should include:

Making permanent the £20 rise in Universal Credit.
Supporting jobless people to find new good jobs.
Consider the merits of a renewed Eat Out to Help Out scheme for hospitality and non-online retailers once it is safe.

Acting to prevent further economic damage by Covid-19 is not the same as levelling up. Once the health crisis ends, the Scottish Government will need to spend additional money on further measures to level up, including:

Further education to train jobless people for good roles in emerging industries.
Making city centres better places for high-skilled businesses to locate.
Improvements to transport infrastructure in city-regions.

Centre for Cities Chief Executive Andrew Carter said: “Covid-19 has made the task of improving Scotland’s economy and spreading prosperity around its cities and towns much harder.

“Rebuilding and strengthening the economy of Scotland and its cities will not be cheap and will require more than short-term handouts. Government support and investment for new businesses in emerging industries will be essential, as will spending on further education to train people to do the good-quality jobs created.”