Annual investment of £20 million to help low income households
A consultation has been launched on a new heating benefit that will give around 400,000 low income households the reassurance of a guaranteed £50 payment every winter.
The Low Income Winter Heating Assistance will be introduced from winter 2022 to replace the current UK Government Cold Weather Payment scheme.
The current UK Government benefit triggers a £25 payment only when temperatures are recorded or forecast at below zero degrees Celsius for seven days in a row. The replacement Low Income Winter Heating Assistance benefit from the Scottish Government will provide financial stability, no matter the weather.
Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said: “Low Income Winter Heating Assistance will be an investment of around £20 million every year to reliably support people towards the costs of heating their homes irrespective of the weather, temperature, or where they live in Scotland.
“Although Cold Weather Payments have been a valuable support for some during periods of very cold weather, there have been some years when hardly any payments have been made at all by the UK Government.
“If winters, as predicted, are due to become generally wetter and warmer then this may also reduce the numbers of Cold Weather Payments in the future. We want people to have certainty about receiving a payment.
“Our proposed new benefit will be the equivalent to two payments of Cold Weather Payment and should ensure that most people will be better off. Significantly, it will also enable us to provide assistance to more households that are at risk of fuel poverty.
“This is another important milestone in our ambitious programme, using the devolved social security powers we have to deliver more effective benefits for the people of Scotland, and is also part of our broader approach to support people who need extra help with heating costs during the coldest months of the year.”
SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald, has welcomed the First Minister’s announcement that the Scottish Child Payment will be doubled from April 2022.
The announcement will see at least 7555 eligible children across Edinburgh receiving £20 per week per child from spring next year, with more than 106,000 children across Scotland immediately benefitting from the increased payment.
Since the launch of the Scottish Government payment on 15 February 2021, £2,036,820 has been issued in payments to families in Edinburgh.
It is now expected that over 400,000 children could be eligible for the doubled payment by the end 2022, which is when the benefit, which is unique in the UK, will be extended to children under the age of 16.
SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald said: “I am delighted that at least 7555 children across Edinburgh will have their Scottish Child Payment doubled in just four months time. This will give £20 per child per week to 7555 children in Edinburgh – four times the amount originally demanded by campaigners.
“The Scottish Government’s national mission to tackle child poverty is absolute – with £2,036,820 having been provided to families across Edinburgh since February, and almost £32 million across Scotland as a whole.
“The doubling of the Scottish Child Payment to £20 is the type of bold action that makes a real difference to people’s lives and shows how focussed the Scottish Government is on meeting Scotland’s Child Poverty targets.
“Once again, the tale of two governments is striking. While the SNP are doubling the Scottish Child Payment to lift thousands of children out of poverty, the Tories at Westminster have just cut £20 per week from many of the same families – knowingly pushing thousands of families into poverty.
“The people in Edinburgh deserve the chance to escape the damaging policies we get under Westminster control and get the chance to choose a better path, one with the full powers that an independent Scotland would bring and allow us to build a fairer society.”
The British Dental Association Scotland has said new standard operating procedures for dentists published yesterday will NOT restore access to pre-COVID levels.
With high levels of COVID and other seasonal infections, and now the emergence of the Omicron variant, dentist leaders stress they will also do nothing to avert the potentially catastrophic impact of Scottish Government plans to pull away pandemic support from NHS practices.
Patients in Scotland will now be placed on one of two pathways, given the likelihood of them carrying a respiratory illness. It replaces what amounted to a ‘one size fits all’ approach that has been in place since the outset of the pandemic, which reduced capacity across the service.
Those on the non-respiratory pathway can be managed in line with pre-COVID standard infection control precautions for non-aerosol generating procedures.
However, for an aerosol-generating procedure, enhanced precautions will still be required for non-respiratory patients since pre-appointment PCR testing is not carried out in dentistry.
Any patient placed on the respiratory pathway and requiring urgent care will remain subject to enhanced precautions for all procedures, which will include maintaining ‘fallow time’ gaps of up to an hour between treatments.
The new model is unveiled on the day the Omicron variant was confirmed to be present in Scotland. Even setting aside any potential spike in COVID infection, large numbers of patients are likely to end up on the respiratory pathway given typical patterns with seasonal flu and the common cold.
It is anticipated a number of dentists may opt for a ‘safety first’ approach, and use flexibility within new protocols to maintain existing protective measures, particularly given the uncertain effectiveness of triage questions in identifying symptoms of the Omicron variant.
Over 3.5 million NHS dental appointments have been lost in Scotland since the first lockdown, driven by ongoing restrictions.
Cabinet Secretary Humza Yousaf wrote to all NHS dental teams last month stating that all emergency support will be withdrawn by 1 April 2022, as part of a new policy to return to the low margin and high volume system the service operated to pre-pandemic.
The move drew criticism from all opposition parties, given the unsustainable pressure it would place on practices. According to a BDA survey conducted at the time 80% of dentists estimate their practices are set to reduce their NHS commitment should the Scottish Government remove emergency support and return to pre-COVID models of care.
Yousaf told the Scottish Parliament on 3 November that “reform at this stage would be a disruption.” Governments in both Westminster and Cardiff Bay are taking through reforms to their NHS dental systems at this time.
NHS dental care free at the point of use remains a centrepiece SNP policy. BDA Scotland has said the Scottish Government must change course to achieve that goal, develop an interim funding package to support dentists and their teams as they work through the backlog, and begin work on a new, sustainable model for delivering care.
David McColl. Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said: “Since the spring we have been pressing for a plan to safely ease COVID restrictions, to help increase patient numbers.
“Sadly, these new guidelines will not magically restore services. They land as we head into winter when respiratory diseases are set to skyrocket. And with Omicron now present in Scotland many practices will understandably take a safety-first approach.
“We are still facing massive backlogs, saddled with a system that is unfit for purpose. New protocols will not soften the blow of plans to pull away emergency support at this challenging time for infections and try and return to a ‘business as usual’ model during a pandemic.
“Ministers say now is not the time for reform. Reform won’t wait for millions of patients in Scotland who need NHS dentistry to have a future.”
The Scottish Government is to provide funding of £30 million to support GP practices to continue providing a high level of care to patients through winter and into next year.
The funding will help with the provision of existing GP services, including:
supporting more face-to-face appointments
extra GP sessions, practice nurse time and non-core hours covering all appointments
more administrative time and practice manager time
organised cover for reflection, learning and innovation
external GP locum sessions
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The contribution general practice makes to the health and wellbeing of communities, through continuity of care and meaningful relationships with patients, is invaluable.
“We recognise that, as face-to-face appointments have resumed and demand is increasing, surgeries are working overtime to meet patient needs.
“This support package will allow practices to target investment where it is most required to sustain the high levels of care they have always provided through what is likely to be the most challenging period in the history of the NHS.”
Chair of the BMA’s Scottish GP Committee Dr Andrew Buist said: “BMA Scotland has consistently sought a greater level of support for GPs and we are pleased that the Scottish Government has listened and taken this step in the face of the huge challenges of this winter and beyond.
“With demand continuing to outstrip capacity, this will help support practices in the coming months and plug some of the gaps caused by difficulties in recruiting to practice teams.
“It is particularly good GPs have flexibility to focus funding on what will make the most difference to their practice and their patients. As we look ahead to next year and the ongoing threat to the sustainability of practices, this is a welcome addition we have secured in negotiation with the Government.”
The support package will be given in two instalments of £15 million, in December 2021 and April 2022.
Holyrood’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee is calling for the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government to develop a framework to facilitate appropriate and proportionate scrutiny on decisions to align with EU law.
The Committee has been considering Scottish Ministers’ use of powers given to them by the Continuity Act to ‘keep pace’ with EU law by using regulation-making powers. MSPs on the Committee have been looking at the first draft annual report and policy statement, which the Scottish Government are required to publish under the legislation.
The MSPs have concluded that:
• It is essential that the Scottish Parliament and civic society in Scotland can meaningfully engage with and influence Scottish Government decisions on whether or not to align with EU law;
• the draft documents currently provide limited information to aid scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s commitment to continued EU alignment and consideration should be given to providing a fuller picture.
• There is an urgent need for Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government Officials to work together to develop proposals to ensure effective scrutiny of the commitment to align with EU law.
Committee Convener, Clare Adamson MSP, said:“Transparency is key given that aligning with EU law is a policy commitment of the Scottish Government.
“We understand that decisions on whether to align or not will be influenced by a range of factors – which may include the impact of divergence from the rest of the UK, the UK Internal Market Act and how common frameworks are operating, as well as the policies themselves.
“The Parliament and Scottish Government must now develop proposals to deliver on the Government’s commitment to a decision-making framework which will facilitate an appropriate and proportionate level of scrutiny of Ministerial decisions to align with EU law.
“This should include consideration of how to ensure the involvement of businesses, local government, civic society and other stakeholders in an open and transparent way.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s briefing from St Andrew’s House this morning:
Good morning,
I am joined here today as you can see by the Chief Medical Officer.
Now today’s full Covid statistics will be published later on today, so I’m not going to provide all of the detail of those right now.
I can though confirm that the overall situation in Scotland does remain stable at this stage.
We have in recent days been seeing cases declining slightly.
We knew, however, that the weeks ahead would present real risks to this stability.
Colder weather forcing us indoors. Festive socialising. And a deteriorating situation in many countries across Europe.
However, over the past few days a new risk has emerged in the form of the Omicron variant and it is that that we want to update you on today.
I am going to set out what we know so far about the new variant – though I stress there is still much that we and the rest of the world do not know about it.
I will also give the most up to date information we have on numbers of cases identified so far here in Scotland – though I expect that this will be a developing situation in the days ahead.
I will set out the actions we have considered it appropriate to take so far on a precautionary basis.
And of course I will remind everyone what we can all do – must do, in fact – to help contain the spread of the virus in general but this new variant in particular.
Firstly, what do we know at this stage?
And as I said a moment ago, the most important point to make – which was underlined in a briefing issued by the World Health Organisation last night – is that there is still a huge amount that we do not know about the variant.
The number of mutations that it has – and the nature of these – and some of the very early indications from Southern Africa have raised the concern that this variant might be more transmissible than Delta which of course is currently the dominant variant in Scotland and many other countries.
However, much more data and analysis is required to be certain of this and, if it is more transmissible, to understand by how much.
Further work is also needed to confirm what impact this variant might have on the effectiveness of vaccines and the risk of re-infection.
The WHO said yesterday that preliminary evidence suggests there might be an increased risk of re-infection but stressed that information at this stage is still limited.
It also said that there is currently no information to suggest that the symptoms from Omicron are any different to the symptoms from other variants.
In other words, although again more data is still required, there is no evidence at this stage to suggest that the disease caused by Omicron is more severe.
Now the days and weeks ahead will tell all of us much more about the nature of this variant and therefore its implications, if there are implications, for our response to the pandemic.
What we do know at this stage, though, confirms in my view that we should treat it seriously, and we should continue to act on a precautionary basis at this stage.
While we all hope that the emerging understanding of it will reduce rather than increase our level of concern, there is no doubt that this presents – potentially – the most challenging development in the course of the pandemic for quite some time.
Let me turn now to the situation in Scotland. We have stepped up our surveillance in recent days and I want to thank public health teams for the work they are doing to ensure that we are able to detect cases of this variant quickly.
As we confirmed earlier today, that enhanced surveillance has identified 6 cases of the Omicron variant in Scotland so far – 4 of these are in Lanarkshire and 2 in Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
Now it is important for me to stress that the contact tracing of these cases is still ongoing. However, at this stage, we know that not all of them have any recent travel history to, or known links with others who have travelled to, the countries in Southern Africa where the variant was originally detected.
This suggests that there might already be some community transmission of this variant in Scotland but again let me stress there is no evidence yet that this is sustained – nor any evidence from the enhanced surveillance that it is widespread at this stage.
However, evidence of even limited community transmission underlines the importance of all of us increasing our compliance with the protections that are in place.
And I will turn now to the actions we have taken.
We have already reintroduced some travel restrictions – even with evidence of community transmission locally, these travel measures are important and I will say more about them shortly – but given that Omicron is already present in Scotland, we also need to consider carefully what steps are necessary and proportionate to reduce transmission here.
Some protections that the UK Government has announced in recent days in relation to England – for example the requirement to wear face coverings in some settings – are of course already in place, and in fact more extensive already, here in Scotland.
So at this stage, we are asking people, everyone across the country, to significantly step up and increase compliance with all existing precautions – face coverings, hygiene like washing hands and surfaces, getting vaccinated and of course testing yourselves regularly with lateral flow devices and, from now on, testing yourself before mixing socially with people from other households.
We are also reminding people to work from home if possible. As of today, I’m asking employers to make sure they are maximising the potential of home working.
However, this may be, and is likely to be, a fast-moving situation – so our response will be kept under close review as we learn more about the risk Omicron poses, and the nature of transmission here in Scotland.
A key part of our initial response will be to continue to identify cases as quickly as we can and, where possible after that, break the chains of transmission.
To that end, additional testing will be undertaken in areas where cases have been identified.
Now, our local response will complement the UK-wide travel restrictions that aim to avoid importing new cases while we are trying to curb community transmission.
Even with cases already here, it is really important to do what we can to prevent new seeding of the variant from elsewhere.
So in line with the rest of the UK, we have reinstated the red list of countries, and to date 10 countries from southern Africa have been added to that red list.
Anybody travelling back to Scotland from those 10 countries must enter managed quarantine for 10 days on their arrival.
In addition, anyone arriving in Scotland from anywhere outside the common travel area, will be asked to take a PCR test on the second day after arrival, and self-isolate until they get the result of that test.
We know, however, that the incubation period for this virus is very often more than 2 days.
So our view is that it would be sensible on a precautionary basis for these travel rules to be tightened further.
That’s a view shared by the Welsh Government.
I had a called yesterday with First Minister Mark Drakeford and he and I have this written this morning a joint letter to the Prime Minister.
We are proposing a tougher four-nations approach to travel restrictions at this stage that would see people arriving in the UK from overseas asked to self-isolate for eight days. Under our proposal, they would take a PCR test on day eight of their arrival, as well as on day 2.
We believe this measure would be more effective in identifying cases of this variant which result from overseas travel, and therefore help us prevent further community transmission from imported cases.
Now as we know from earlier stages of the pandemic, with so many people travelling to Scotland and indeed to Wales via airports in England, anything less than a four-nations approach to requirements like this will be ineffective. So we hope that a four-nations agreement can be reached.
A four-nations approach obviously requires the four nations to discuss these issues together, and hear the best advice available.
So Mark Drakeford and I have also called on the Prime Minister today to immediately convene a COBRA meeting – with representation from each nation – to discuss what additional steps we might have to consider and how we work together to tackle this new risk.
Mark Drakeford and I are also conscious of the very real concern businesses and staff will feel at the possibility of further protections becoming necessary.
Now let me stress we all hope this will not be necessary but it is prudent to plan ahead and so we have also sought confirmation that – should any further protections be necessary – Treasury funding will be available to any of the four nations that require to activate business support schemes.
Now, given the serious tone and content of my statement today, I want to stress this.
It is always important – and we’ve learned this over these past two years – in the face of new developments in this virus to prepare for the worst, to act on a precautionary basis.
But that does not mean that we are not hoping – because we are hoping – for something considerably short of the worst. We are still hoping for the best, and hoping that our developing understanding of this variant will reduce rather than increase our concern.
I very much hope that additional protections can be avoided. And while we will act on a precautionary basis we will also seek to act at all times in a proportionate manner.
I want to end by stressing what we can all do. Vaccination remains our most important line of defence.
We had already outlined last week that the Scottish Government was working to accelerate even further the booster vaccine programme. We will now step up those efforts more.
We are expecting a statement later today from the JCVI conforming its updated advice on vaccination.
The Scottish Government is getting ready to operationalise any new recommendations from the JCVI – for example in relation to the interval between second doses and boosters, or the range of people who can now receive booster jags and we will do that as quickly as is possible.
Vaccines do remain our best line of defence and I want to stress this point
If – and it is still an if – vaccines do prove to be less effective against this new variant, vaccination will still be hugely important.
Less effective does not mean ineffective.
If anything, the new variant makes it more important – not less important – to get all doses of the vaccine.
Over the weekend, 40-49 year olds became able to book boosters through NHS Inform.
Older age groups can already do so.
So if you are 40 or over, go to the website, book a booster for when you are due it.
And if you haven’t yet had your first or second doses, please book an appointment to get them now.
The Scottish Government will consider carefully in the coming days any further actions that are necessary, as we get more information about this variant and the extent of its presence here.
But the point I want to end on, and indeed stress at this stage, is that the same measures that have worked against previous strains of this virus, will also help us curb any transmission of this new variant.
So if in recent weeks you’ve been sticking a bit less rigorously to all of the public health advice, which I think is entirely understandable and I am sure we are all in that position to a greater or lesser extent, now is the time to start following all of that advice rigorously again.
Every one of us can make a difference in protecting ourselves and each other.
So let me just end with a reminder of what all of us can do and what it is really important that all of us do at this stage.
These steps are now vital so I am asking everybody not to see this as optional.
Firstly, get vaccinated.
It is the single most important thing we can do to protect ourselves and each other.
Secondly, test for Covid regularly. As I said, we will be increasing testing in areas where the new variant has been identified.
But for all of us, wherever we are, even if we are feeling fine, regular lateral flow testing is a really important way of finding out if we might have the virus.
So on any occasion that you are intending to socialize, or mix with people from other households – whether that is in a pub, a restaurant, a house or even a shopping centre – please do an LFD test. You can get kits online, or pick them up from local pharmacies or test centres. They are free so get as many as you need and keep your supply topped up.
And finally, comply with all of the existing protections.
Wear face coverings on public transport, in shops, and whenever you are moving about in hospitality settings.
Keep windows open if you have people in your house to improve ventilation because we know that helps.
Follow all advice on hygiene. It is time to go back rigorously to washing our hands, to cleaning surfaces.
And as I said earlier, please work from home right now if you can.
The Economy Secretary will be meeting business organisations later this afternoon and stressing that home working when possible will help us get through the winter and also this latest risk more safely.
The discovery of the new variant makes these measures more important than ever before. They will make a difference. And by sticking to them, we give ourselves the best possible chance of enjoying the more normal Christmas we are all looking forward to, but enjoying not just a more normal Christmas but a safer Christmas too, and hopefully avoiding the need for any tighter protections in the weeks to come.
So please, let’s all of us make sure that we up our compliance right now. This of course is a concerning development but if we take it as a reminder not to let our guard slip, then I hope we can protect the stronger position that we had already got ourselves into.
So please, get vaccinated, test yourself regularly, and follow all of the protections that are in place.
Thank you to everybody for doing all of these things and for what I know everybody will be seeking to do in the weeks ahead.
Council Leaders urge citizens to help limit Covid spread
City council leaders have urged residents to continue and renew efforts to help limit the spread of the Covid virus following the emergence of the new Omicron variant in Scotland.
The call from Council Leader Adam McVey and Depute Leader Cammy Day comes after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gave a national update earlier today (Monday).
The First Minister stressed the importance of getting vaccinated, carrying out lateral flow tests regularly and rigorously following existing advice, including wearing masks, sanitising hands and surfaces and working from home where possible.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “With the emergence of the new Omicron variant it’s essential that we follow a precautionary approach. While we’re still learning about this variant it’s right that we take action to protect ourselves and those around us.
“We must continue our efforts to limit its transmission, particularly as we head into the coldest winter months. First and foremost that means getting vaccinated – get both your jags and, if eligible, your third, booster dose.
“It’s also crucial that we test ourselves regularly, especially if we’re mixing with others, and, of course, carry on following the public health guidance on handwashing, face-coverings, ventilation and meeting outdoors wherever possible.
“There’s so much we can do to slow the virus’s spread and, hopefully, enjoy the more ‘normal’ Christmas we’ve all been waiting for.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “The latest developments demonstrate that, while we’ve been making strides to limit the spread of the Covid virus, we need to remain alert.
“We can’t let all the sacrifices we’ve made so far go to waste – now is the time to redouble our efforts, look after one another and follow the rules.
“Together we can help limit the spread of the virus, reducing pressure on our health and care services over the winter and the need for further restrictions.”
Community test centres and mobile test centres are open for people with no Covid symptoms. Full details of these, and how to order home lateral flow testing kits, are available online.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) on the continuing impacts of Storm Arwen and has been briefed that the recovery is going to be greater and more challenging than first anticipated.
Last night’s update focused on the scale and severity of the adverse weather which will see a number of homes across the country remain without power overnight and continuing telecommunication and water issues.
Significant efforts are ongoing to restore power as soon as possible and welfare support is being concentrated on the people and households who are most vulnerable and have the greatest need.
Mr Swinney said: “The scale of the damage caused by Storm Arwen is worse than we first feared and as a result our recovery will take longer than anticipated.
“We know this will create significant challenges for communities and households still affected by the storm’s impacts and I want to reassure them we are doing everything we can, liaising with local resilience partnerships, to focus efforts and resources.
“We have been working closely and at pace with power companies who are maximising efforts to restore services to households currently without power.
“Plans are being put in place for further assistance to respond to the longer than expected recovery and we are concentrating getting power restored for vulnerable people and those who need it most.
“In extremely challenging circumstances we have seen an outstanding response from local resilience partnerships who have been providing vital support to local residents and I would like to thank them for their continuing efforts.”
Six cases of the COVID-19 omicron variant have been identified in Scotland.
Four cases are in the Lanarkshire area and two have been identified in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
Public Health Scotland and local health protection teams are supporting and contact tracing is being undertaken to establish the origin of the virus and any individuals they have come into contact with in recent weeks.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “This will be a worrying time for the six people now identified as having the new variant. All will receive expert help and support and Public Health Scotland will undertake enhanced contact tracing in all cases. This will help establish the origin of the virus and any further individuals they have come into contact with in recent weeks.
“There is still much to learn about the Omicron variant. Questions remain about its severity, transmissibility and response to treatments or vaccines and scientists are working at pace to provide additional information. Until more is known we must be cautious and do everything we can to minimise the risk of spreading infection.
“We have already taken steps and are aligning with the new border restrictions being introduced by the UK Government which will require fully vaccinated arrivals to take a PCR test within two days of arrival and to self-isolate until a negative result is received.
“These measures will be introduced as soon as possible and kept under constant review. However, we reserve the right to go further if necessary. We are also adopting the expanded red list of countries identified by the UK Government. This will also be kept under review.
“We must now redouble our efforts to follow the basic rules that have served us well throughout the pandemic – wear a face covering on public transport and in all indoor settings for food and retail; open windows especially if you have people visiting at home; keep washing your hands regularly and thoroughly. Work from home where possible, take regular lateral flow tests – especially before mixing with others outside your household.
“If you have symptoms, self-isolate and take a test and if contacted by Test and Protect or public health teams please co-operate and follow their advice. All close contacts of suspected Omicron cases will be advised to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status.
“And of course, if you are eligible for your booster, or are still to have any dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, please get vaccinated now.”
BREAKING: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will be holding a Coronavirus briefing at 10.30 this morning.
The number of Baby Boxes delivered to expectant parents has reached 200,000. The milestone comes after independent evaluation showed overwhelming backing for the box and its contents.
Children’s Minister Clare Haughey said: “We are proud that the 200,000th Baby Box has been delivered to a family preparing to welcome their wee one. It means that 200,000 newborns and their parents have now benefitted from a range of essential items.
“The Baby Box is part of our commitment to making sure that every child, no matter what their circumstances, has the best start in life. Deliveries of the boxes have continued throughout the pandemic, supporting parents at a time when many may be facing additional financial worries or having to cope without as much face-to-face support from family and friends.
“Last year, a record 98% of expectant parents requested a Baby Box, a big rise on the 85% when they were first launched in 2017.
“This is a further vote of confidence for the scheme following the independent evaluation that showed how much parents value the Baby Box and its contents.”
One Parent Families Scotland CEO Satwat Rehman said: “The fact that all babies in Scotland are gifted a box full of essential items means that as a society we want every child, regardless of their circumstances, to get the best start in life.
“We fully support this positive public health initiative that has the potential, through its universal approach, to make a contribution to the reduction of inequalities at the start of a baby’s life.
“Parents have told us that receiving the box made them feel the Government ‘cares about families’.”
A Baby Box is offered to all newborns in Scotland.
It provides families with a range of essential items for their first six months, delivered in a sturdy cardboard box, which can be used as a safe sleeping space during the early months of a baby’s life. The contents of the Baby Box are designed to inform and support positive parenting behaviours.
In an independent evaluation, 97% of parents who took part in research rated the box and its contents as good. Parents highlighted benefits of the box, including saving them money on essential items for newborns and helping with information on child health and development.
First UK cases of Omicron variant identified Prime Minister confirms new, temporary measures to respond to emergence of UK cases of the Omicron variant
All international arrivals to take a Day 2 PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative test
Face coverings to be made compulsory in shops and public transport
Measures are precautionary, and will be reviewed in three weeks
The Prime Minister yesterday today confirmed new temporary and precautionary measures following the emergence of the Omicron variant in the UK.
The Omicron variant contains a large number of spike protein mutations as well as mutations in other parts of the viral genome. Urgent work is ongoing internationally to fully understand how these mutations may change the behaviour of the virus with regards to vaccines, treatments and transmissibility.
Vaccines remain our best line of defence. Experts remain confident that our current vaccines will provide protection against the new variant, but the extent of this continues to be investigated.
Over 16 million people have already come forward for their booster jabs, and we have seen a fall in hospitalisations and deaths. All adults who have not yet received their first or second dose of the vaccine, or those who are eligible for their booster are encouraged to come forward to help protect themselves and others.
Targeted measures will be introduced from next week as a precaution to slow down the spread of the variant while we gather more information. These are:
All international arrivals must take a Day 2 PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result.
All contacts of suspected Omicron cases must self-isolate, regardless of their vaccination status. They will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
Face coverings will be made compulsory in shops and on public transport from next week. All hospitality settings will be exempt.
Six million booster jabs will be available in England alone over the next three weeks, and the Health Secretary has today asked the JCVI to consider rapidly extending boosters, as well as reducing the gap between the second dose and booster.
Two cases of the Omicron variant were today identified in Essex and Nottingham. Targeted testing and contact tracing is now underway.
Early indications suggest this variant may be more transmissible than the Delta variant and current vaccines may be less effective against it. A rapid rise in infections in South Africa has been attributed to the spread of this new variant of COVID-19.
International efforts are now underway to gather as much data and information as possible about this new variant, with more detailed information expected over the next three weeks. It is due to South Africa’s extensive surveillance system and transparency that the UK has been able to have early warning of this new variant and begin collecting data.
Travel restrictions have already been implemented to slow the spread of the variant and protect our borders. From 04:00 Sunday 28 November South Africa, Botswana, Lesostho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibi, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Angola will be added to the UK’s travel red list.
The vaccination programme and test, trace and isolate system continue to be the most effective way of reducing transmission, along with practicing good hygiene, keeping spaces well ventilated, and wearing a face covering in enclosed or crowded spaces.
The UKHSA continues to monitor the situation closely, in partnership with scientific and public health organisations across the world. The UK government thanks the government of South Africa for its surveillance of this variant and its transparency.
Scots urged to ‘redouble their efforts’
Responding to the confirmation of two cases of the Omicron variant in England, Cabinet Secretary for Health Humza Yousaf said: “News that two cases of the Omicron variant have been confirmed in England is a stark reminder that we must not drop our guard.
“No cases have yet been detected in Scotland, but the fact this new variant is on our doorstep is clearly a worry and we should act as though it is already here.
“There is still much to learn about the Omicron variant. Questions remain about its severity, transmissibility and effect on treatments or vaccines and scientists are working at pace to provide additional information. Until more is known we must adopt the precautionary principle and do everything we can to minimise the risk of spreading infection.
“Following discussions today with Health Secretary Sajid Javid and the other devolved administrations – and in light of the well known practical reasons for preferring a UK wide approach to travel restrictions – we are aligning with the new border restrictions being introduced by the UK Government which will require fully vaccinated arrivals to take a PCR test within two days of arrival and to self-isolate until a negative result is received.
“These measures will be introduced as soon as possible and kept under constant review. However, we reserve the right to go further if necessary.
“We are also adopting the expanded red list of countries identified by the UK Government. This will also be kept under review.
“Throughout the pandemic people in Scotland have been amazing in doing everything possible to get cases down, to protect ourselves, each other and the NHS, and in taking up the offer of a vaccine.
“We must now redouble our efforts to follow the basic rules that have served us well so far in the pandemic – wear a face covering on public transport and in all indoor settings for food and retail; open windows especially if you have people visiting at home; keep washing your hands regularly and thoroughly. Work from home where possible, take regular lateral flow tests and behave sensibly.
“If you have symptoms, self-isolate and take a test and and if contacted by Test and Protect or public health teams please co-operate and follow their advice. All close contacts of suspected Omicron cases will be advised to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status.
“And of course, if you are still unvaccinated or are yet to get your second dose, please get vaccinated now. If you are over 40, you can book your booster jab for six months after your second vaccine dose – please do so.
“As we head into winter we are facing an as yet unknown risk from this new variant. Let’s once again rise to the challenge and do everything we can to keep everyone safe.”
