Communities across the country are to benefit from fast-tracked funding to help tackle climate change and deliver Scotland’s green recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
A total of 279 projects will be funded through the Community Climate Asset Fund, helping to deliver electric bikes, food growing equipment and glazing to improve energy efficiency.
Successful recipients of the Fund based in the capital include Freh Start, Stockbridge Parish Church, ELREC and Granton Parish Church.
Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “Communities across the country are playing a vital role in responding to the pandemic crisis and in maintaining our resilience, our sense of spirit and our local support network.
“In what remains an exceptionally difficult time for us all, this funding is providing fast, tangible support to deliver long-lasting benefits to community based organisations while also helping them tackle climate change as we accelerate our just transition to a net zero society.
“I am particularly pleased that the successful recipients of the Community Climate Asset Fund come from right across the country, meaning many thousands of people will benefit from the projects and help play their part in ending Scotland’s contribution to climate change.”
Chief Executive Officer of Keep Scotland Beautiful Barry Fisher said: “We congratulate all the community-based organisations across Scotland awarded Community Climate Asset Fund grants.
“Keep Scotland Beautiful are committed to making Scotland clean, green and sustainable, and through the Community Climate Asset Fund, we are delighted to support communities to tackle climate change and contribute to a green and just recovery from COVID-19.”
A total of 279 organisations are being funded through the Community Climate Asset Fund. Edinburgh projects to receive funding are:
Action Porty. For community building energy efficiency improvements. £3,777.60.
Blood Bikes Scotland. For an electric motorcycle and charging station to help to reduce carbon emissions within the Lothian region by transporting urgent items for the NHS more sustainably. £24,896.70
Craigmillar Now. For community building energy efficiency improvements. £9,770.00.
Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council. For an electric vehicle to help the BAME communities of Edinburgh to reduce local carbon emissions by empowering their club users to drive more sustainably. £12,150.00
Edinburgh Community Food. For an electric van and charging point to help reduce carbon emissions in Edinburgh by delivering food parcels to families and local community organisations more sustainably. £28,607.16
Edinburgh Hindu Mandir and Cultural Centre. For insulation and low-energy lighting to help the Hindu community of Edinburgh to reduce local carbon emissions by making the community hall more energy efficient. £24,660.00
Edinburgh Napier Students’ Association. For food growing equipment. £2,660.00.
Fresh Start. For an electric van to help reduce carbon emissions in Edinburgh by distributing donations and running their PAT testing service more sustainably. £13,986.00
Friends of Seaview. For food growing and food waste equipment. £2,036.32.
Inverleith Allotments Association. For garden waste reduction equipment. £3,474.00.
Stockbridge Parish Church. For community building energy efficiency improvements. £3,790.80.
Swap and Re-use Hub Co-operative (Edinburgh) Ltd. For an electric cargo bike, fridge and freezer to help the Food Sharing Edinburgh Network to reduce local carbon emissions by reducing emissions for collections and deliveries and diverting more surplus food from landfill. £7,703.00.
The Broomhouse Centre. For an electric van to help communities in South West Edinburgh to reduce carbon emissions by distributing food donations, other deliveries, and activities more sustainably. £18,601.92
The Edinburgh Remakery Ltd. For textile repair equipment as part of the Covid-19 response. £1,000.00.
The Friends of Duddingston Charitable Trust. For food growing equipment. £2,956.83.
The Welcoming Association. For food growing and food waste equipment. £3,100.00.
Water of Leith Conservation Trust. For an electric cargo bike and community building energy efficiency improvements. £4,496.78.
Parents across Scotland have been applying early for the new Scottish Child Payment that will open on Monday 15 February.
Social Security Scotland is taking applications ahead of the introduction of the new benefit to help manage demand. 56,000 applications were received between Monday 9 November and Sunday 3 January.
Those who apply before the start date will have their payments calculated from 15 February. Parents are encouraged to apply now to avoid losing out on any money.
The new benefit will give eligible families on tax credits or certain benefits an extra £40 every four weeks for each child under six.
Scotland is the only part of the UK where this additional payment for families with young children will be available. The Scottish Fiscal Commission have forecast that the payment could support up to 194,000 children this financial year.
Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This is a great response to our new payment.
“The Scottish Child Payment is the most ambitious anti-poverty measure currently being undertaken anywhere in the UK but there are many more families out there who are entitled to this support and we want to make sure that they get every penny that they are due. That’s why we are asking people to get their application in early so that their payments will be calculated from the first day the payment starts.
“Almost 60% of all children in poverty live in a family where a child is under six so I am proud we are able to introduce it early for families with young children before we roll it out to children under 16 in 2022.
“Significantly more families are now relying on benefits due to the events of the last year – some perhaps for the first time – and this payment will help lift children in Scotland out of poverty.
“COVID-19 continues to challenge us and the required additional restrictions bring additional pressures for families. I know that mums and dads and carers will be balancing many things right now but if you can find ten minutes, that’s all it takes to fill in the application form, it could mean that there is some extra money that could maybe ease the financial pressure that you may be facing post-Christmas and amid the national lockdown.”
Paul Carberry, Action for Children Director for Scotland, said: “Action for Children staff see the effects of child poverty every day and the impact it has on many of the children and families whom we support, care for and work with.
“We recognise that the impact of child poverty is not only felt in purely financial means but is also measured by children having an increase in poverty of opportunity. One simple act to help reduce child poverty is by putting money in the pockets of parents.
“The Scottish Child Payment can ease the struggle some families face in providing the basics and necessities of life. The impacts of poverty are profound for Scotland’s children, from poor mental and physical health and wellbeing to poor performance at school.
“The Scottish Child Payment will offer vital financial support for children, young people, and their families. It can give back choice and dignity. We urge all eligible families to apply for this.”
For those who apply before Monday 15 February, their payment will be calculated from Monday 15 February. For those who apply after Monday 15 February, their payment will be calculated from the date they apply.
Passengers travelling to Scotland from abroad will be required to have proof of a negative test taken a maximum of 72 hours before travel.
The new public health requirement, to be introduced as soon as practically possible, aims to strengthen current safeguards against imported cases and in particular protect against new strains of coronavirus such as those identified in Denmark and South Africa.
People arriving into Scotland will have to take the pre-departure test (PDT) up to 72 hours before leaving the country they are in. Those coming from countries not on the quarantine exemption list will still be required to self-isolate for 10 days on arrival.
Non-essential travel to or from Scotland is currently illegal and will not immediately change with the introduction of pre-departure testing.
Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Travel into or out of Scotland is currently illegal and that will remain the case while we work to suppress the new strain of COVID-19.
“The Scottish Government has been consistently clear about the risks associated with international travel and the importance of public health measures in helping to stop the spread of coronavirus. That is why we have been in regular dialogue with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations about what further measures can be put in place, including the introduction of pre-departure testing (PDT).
“The requirement for pre-departure testing will add to our suite of public health measures as we seek to help drive down transmission of the virus to safeguard health, protect the NHS and save lives.
“It is important to emphasise that this additional measure does not remove the requirement for all passengers arriving from countries not on the quarantine exemption list to self-isolate for ten days, even with a negative test.
“Likewise, all passengers will continue to have to complete a Passenger Locator Form and, of course, they will be subject to national lockdown restrictions, which currently bar people from leaving their home or other fixed address without a reasonable excuse for doing so.
“As the UK Government has made clear, there are still some outstanding issues to address and it is important that we consider the implications, but we are keen to implement this as soon as it is possible.”
Edinburgh Airport Chief Executive Gordon Dewar is less than pleased:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1347544474197614592
International arrivals required to prove negative COVID-19 test result before departure for England
all international arrivals to England, including UK nationals, required to present a negative COVID-19 test taken up to 72 hours prior to departure
passengers will be subject to an immediate fine of £500 if they fail to comply with the new regulations on pre-departure testing
all passengers arriving from countries not on the government’s travel corridor list will still be required to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of test result
passengers will still be required to fill in a passenger locator form and be subject to national lockdown restrictions
Passengers arriving from all international destinations will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result before departing for England to help protect against new strains of coronavirus circulating internationally.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced that from next week inbound passengers arriving by boat, plane or train will have to take a test up to than 72 hours before departing the country they are in, to help protect against the new strains of coronavirus such as those seen in Denmark and South Africa.
Today’s (8 January 2021) decisive action is in response to the changes seen in the transmission of the virus both domestically and across the globe. Pre-departure testing will protect travel and will provide an additional layer of safety from imported cases of coronavirus on top of the mandatory 10 day self-isolation for arrivals, helping identify people who may currently be infectious and preventing them from travelling to England.
A negative pre-departure test reduces the risk of someone travelling whilst infectious, acting as another safeguard to prevent imported infections. Passengers arriving from countries not on the government’s travel corridor list must self-isolate for 10 days regardless of their pre-departure test result to provide further robust protection from those travelling from high-risk countries.
Prior to departure passengers will need to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test result to carriers, as well as their passenger locator form. The UK Border Force will conduct spot checks on arrival into England to ensure that passengers are fully compliant.
The move further bolsters existing protective measures which helped to safely enable international travel last year, with self-isolation for new arrivals and travel corridors remaining critical in reducing the risk of imported cases from high-risk countries.
Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps said: “We already have significant measures in place to prevent imported cases of COVID-19, but with new strains of the virus developing internationally we must take further precautions.
“Taken together with the existing mandatory self-isolation period for passengers returning from high-risk countries, pre-departure tests will provide a further line of defence – helping us control the virus as we roll out the vaccine at pace over the coming weeks.”
National lockdown restrictions which came into force on 6 January 2021 remain in place meaning everyone must stay at home unless travelling for a very limited set of reasons, including for work.
Permitted travellers will need to take their test up to 72 hours before departure, and this will apply irrespective of whether a country is on the travel corridor list. The government will set out the standards that these tests will need to meet and what proof passengers will need to present.
Passengers arriving into England who have successfully demonstrated a negative result prior to departure from a country not on the travel corridor list will still have the option to reduce the self-isolation period from 10 to as little as 5 days by paying for a test through the Test to Release scheme. The scheme requires a test to be taken on or after the fifth full day since leaving a country not on the travel corridor list.
Passengers will be required to show their negative test result before boarding, and transport operators will deny boarding if necessary. On arrival back into the UK, Border Force will check passengers test results through the current spot check regime, to ensure that individuals are compliant with the new rules, and passengers will be subject to an immediate fine of £500.
There will be a limited number of exemptions, including for hauliers, children under 11, crews and for those who travelling from countries without the infrastructure available to deliver the tests. Further exemptions will be set out on GOV.UK.
Those who travel indirectly from South Africa must self-isolate for 10 days.
All travellers will still be required to complete a passenger locator form before arrival into England. This is critical in being able to track the virus in case of any local outbreaks, and those who fail to complete a passenger locator form will be subject to an increased fine of £500.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said:“The decision to introduce mandatory testing for people travelling to the UK is a positive step for protecting public health and building confidence that travel is safe, but further detail is needed for how this will work.
“Travellers and airlines urgently need clear information from the government on what type of tests are required and how to access them. There will be a lack of testing capacity in some locations, leaving people at risk of not being able to access a test in time for their flight. This may mean they’re unable to board their flight and have to pay hundreds of pounds for a new one or worse, are left stranded, as most airlines are currently shutting down or reducing flight schedules.”
The temporary ban on eviction orders will be extended until the end of March, the Scottish Government announced yesterday.
Regulations will be laid in the Scottish Parliament on 14 January to extend the current ban, which is in place at present until 22 January. The extended ban – will apply to all evictions in areas subject to level 3 or 4 restrictions, except cases of serious anti-social behaviour, including domestic abuse. Subject to review every three weeks to ensure it remains necessary to protect against the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), it will remain in force until 31 March.
This will provide renters with safe homes during the pandemic. It will reduce the burden on local authorities, who have a duty to rehouse people made homeless through evictions, and will also make it easier for people to follow the guidelines during the current lockdown.
Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Extending the temporary ban on the enforcement of eviction orders in the private and social rented sectors in areas subject to level 3 and 4 restrictions will support tenants, and offer people protection from transmission of the virus by being able to stay safe in their homes.
“It will also prevent additional burdens being placed on health and housing services during a time where they are already working hard due to the impact of the pandemic. This is a proportionate response to an extremely challenging set of circumstances.
“In the case of serious anti-social or criminal behaviour – including domestic abuse – eviction orders can still be enforced.
“We have been clear that no landlord should evict a tenant because they have suffered financial hardship due to the pandemic. Tenants in difficulty should engage with their landlord and seek advice on the options open to them.”
These apply to all eviction notices issued on, or after, 7 April 2020. The original end date was 30 September 2020.
A number of actions have been taken to support tenants through the pandemic, including increasing the Discretionary Housing Fund from £11 million to £19 million to provide additional housing support and the introduction of the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund.
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House on Tuesday 5 January 2021:
Good afternoon everyone and since this is the first media briefing of the new year let me wish all of you a happy new year. This year is having a very difficult start but we do hope that it will nevertheless bring better times ahead.
Now I’m going to say more in a few moments about the announcements that I set out in parliament yesterday. But as usual I will give you an update on today’s statistics first.
I can tell you that the total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 2,529.
That represents 14.8% of the total number of tests, and it means that the total number of confirmed cases that we now have in Scotland is139,027.
Analysis of PCR samples also shows that the new variant is now responsible for around 50% of new cases in Scotland – and that that is a proportion that is rising.
695 of the new cases today were in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 388 in Lanarkshire, 322 in Lothian, and 210 in Tayside. The remaining cases are spread across eight other health board areas.
1,347 people are currently in hospital – now, we haven’t been reporting hospital and ICU figures over the New Year bank holiday period, but to give you some context for that figure today I can tell you that it is 255 more people in hospital now than was the case a week ago – exactly a week ago today.
And 93 people are in intensive care, and that is 28 more than a week ago today.
11 additional deaths have been registered in the past 24 hours, of patients who first tested positive in the previous 28 days. Of course, yesterday was a bank holiday so it is possible that this figure today is artificially low as a result of that.
But it means that the total number of deaths reported under this daily measurement, is now 4,633. And of course every single one of these deaths – I report them here on a daily basis as statistics – but every single one of those statistics represents a human being who has lost their lives to this virus and will have left behind grieving families and friends.
So again today, my condolences and thoughts go to every individual and family who is in that situation.
Now, I am joined today by the National Clinical Director, he is going to help me answer questions in a few moments. But before we get to questions, I would like to emphasise the key points that I set out yesterday in parliament.
Firstly, just to reiterate that the current situation that we face now in the pandemic is, in my view, more serious than it has been at any time since the spring.And that’s because this new more transmissible variant of Covid is becoming increasingly common as I said a moment ago.
And as a result of that, cases are rising much more steeply and rapidly than they had been in the latter part of last year; and as a result of that more people are likely to become seriously ill; and the health service will come under more severe pressure.
That of course is the negative – the worrying – position we face, and I don’t say it for exaggeration, I say it because we all must take that seriously right now.
But of course, there is a difference between now last spring, and that is a positive difference. And that of course is the fact that vaccines have been approved for use in the UK now and vaccines we know does offer us the way out of this pandemic.
More than a hundred thousand people in Scotland have already been vaccinated. And, as I set out in parliament yesterday, we expect – although these timetables are still tentative – that by May more than 2.5 million people will have received vaccination – at least the first dose of the vaccination.
That includes everyone on what is called the JCVI priority list – everyone over the age of 50, and people under 50 who have specific underlying health conditions.
Now we will do everything we can to speed that up to deliver vaccines as quickly as possible, and we will set out what our expectations are around that as the certainty we have on the flow of supplies becomes much firmer – I hope, in the days and weeks to come.
But in the race we currently face – and I am describing it deliberately as a race between the vaccine and the virus, because that really is in essence what it is – we can’t rely solely on speeding up vaccination.
That’s really important, but because this new variant is spreading so much more quickly we must also act as we vaccinate more people to slow the virus down so that the vaccination can get ahead and ultimately be in a position where it wins the race.
And, the new variant – because it is much easier to transmit, and spreads more quickly –means that slowing it down is more difficult and to achieve that takes much stricter restrictions than the ones that have been in place over the past few months.
And that is why we got to the position yesterday of announcing what is effectively a new lockdown.
And the key message we want to convey and are conveying and stressing very, very strongly is a simple message – not simple to abide by, but simple for me to communicate, and it’s a similar message to the one I communicated for much of last year and that is: stay at home.
Staying at home whenever possible is the best way now of protecting ourselves, protecting each other, protecting the NHS and – ultimately – saving lives.
There are of course specified essential purposes for which you can leave your house – these include exercise, essential shopping, providing care, perhaps for a vulnerable relative.
And because extended households are still permitted, to try and help us in some way tackle the loneliness and isolation of these restrictions, you can also leave your home to visit the other people in your extended household.
But fundamentally, I’m asking everybody to really try hard to stay at home as much as possible – and only leave home if it is for a genuinely essential purpose.
And that means that you must work from home if you can.
In fact, it is only permissible to leave home to go to work if you cannot work from home.
Now, businesses, employers have a big part to play in ensuring we achieve that. The Economy Secretary spoke to business organisations yesterday to reinforce this message.
And I want to be clear that we really need businesses in this next phase – as they have been throughout – to be responsible, to help us fight this virus.
And that means – just as this is true for individuals for the stay at home message – it means not always looking for the loophole that allows you to stay open or have your staff physically at work. Instead it means thinking about how you as a business can maximise your contribution to the collective challenge that we all now face.
And in return, government must do – and we will continue to do – all we can to maximise the financial support available to you.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has just announced this morning additional financial support for businesses, and we are over the course of the day trying to get clarity of the detail on that so that we then know what that enables us to do in addition to the considerable financial support for businesses that is already in place.
Returning to what lockdown means for all of us as individuals, we have also introduced tighter restrictions on outdoor socialising, because this virus we know is spreading more easily. So it is still possible to meet someone outdoors – but only two people from two households can now meet up – previously it was up to six people from two households, but now only two people from a maximum of two households.
That rule applies to everyone who is aged 12 and over – and that means that outdoor exercise should also only take place in groups of two, and no more than two households.
Now we announced several other significant restrictions yesterday – you can find full details of these on the Scottish Government website. And where there is a need for it we will put forward and publish additional guidance to help people navigate their way through this as well as we can.
Now one thing I want to mention specifically, because I know it is very distressing for many people – and that was the announcement yesterday that places of worship will close over this next period as well – except for funerals and weddings.
I know for people in faith communities who take great comfort from collective worship this is a particularly large restriction to bear. But we do deem it essential at the moment to help us with that overall task of keeping the virus, or getting the virus back under control.
But we will not keep these restrictions in place for any longer than necessary.
We have also, of course, regrettably decided that school and nursery buildings will only be open for children of key workers and vulnerable pupils until at least 1 February.
For that time, remote learning will continue for the majority of pupils, and this is without a doubt – I said this yesterday but it is worth repeating – the most difficult of the restrictions that we put in place yesterday. I know how tough it will be for pupils, who as well as missing education in the normal school environment will be missing your friends and the normal social aspect of growing up and enjoying your school life. And I am sorry about that and we will try and get you back to school as quickly as possible.
But this is also difficult for parents – particularly those who are working and who are trying to juggle online learning, and we are thinking about what more support we can put in place to help you through this difficult period.
The decision on schools will be reviewed fortnightly – and we will do everything we can to get as many pupils as possible back to school as soon as it is safe to do so.
But at the moment, the community transmission of the virus is too high, and still rising – and also there is some uncertainty about the impact of the new variant on young people, and those two things together lead us to the judgement that it is not safe enough to have schools open right now for the majority of pupils as normal.
Now, the measures that were announced yesterday that I’ve just run through here today are of course not the start to this year that any of us would have wanted.
They are really tough for businesses, for individuals – and as I have said at a couple of occasions already, we will consider what further support we are able to provide.
But the current figures, including those I have reported today, tell us that action is needed.
This new variant is so much more easily transmitted that without these tougher restrictions, cases in Scotland would definitely continue to rise very, very sharply.
And that, of course, creates the likelihood that more people get ill and die than would otherwise be the case, but it also creates the real risk that our National Health Service – which is currently coping, although the pressure on frontline staff is considerable – but it creates the real risk that it would instead be overwhelmed and perhaps quite quickly.
So by acting now, instead of waiting until things get more severe, we give ourselves the chance to avert the more serious challenge that is currently being faced in some other parts of the UK right now.
I know that doesn’t provide any comfort, and nor does it create any comfort for me to say that we are not alone – but we are not alone. People in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are waking up today to similar restrictions, and many other countries across Europe are in similar positions.
But, while this is hard for everybody to take we must hold on to the fact – and it is a fact – that we now have, in a way that we didn’t have last year, a clear route out of this pandemic through the vaccination programme.
And the Scottish Government will be doing everything we possibly can to accelerate, speed up that programme, and get the maximum number of people vaccinated as quickly as possible. But while we’re doing that, we absolutely must – all of us – collectively work to slow down this virus
That’s why these measures are essential and it’s why again I must ask everybody to really rigorously abide by all of these restrictions.
That means following the FACTS advice: wear face coverings; avoid crowded places when you are out of your house, which you shouldn’t be unless it is essential; wash your hands, wash hard surfaces, even when you are staying at home it’s really important still to do that; keep a two metre distancing when you’re out, from people in other households; and, of course self-isolate and get tested if you have symptoms.
These steps all still work, in breaking chains of this new variant and remain as important if not more so.
But fundamentally the most important thing – and the most difficult thing – I am asking everybody to do again is to stay at home.
Staying at home helps us control this virus. It helps us protect ourselves and each other. It helps us protect our NHS. And fundamentally, and ultimately, it helps us save lives.
And that, as we have all known all along, is really important. So my concluding message is the as it was back in March – because the situation we face now is as serious as the one we faced back in March.
So, please – Stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives.
The first people will receive the Oxford University/AstraZeneca Covid vaccine today as the NHS expands COVID-19 vaccination programmes across the UK.
The NHS is the first health service in the world to deploy the life-saving jab, which has been authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) after meeting strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness. It is the only approved vaccine which can be stored at fridge temperatures.
The Government has secured access to 100 million doses of the vaccine on behalf of the whole of the UK, crown dependencies and Overseas Territories.
More than half a million doses are available today, with tens of millions more to be delivered in the coming weeks and months once batches have been quality checked by the MHRA. More than 730 vaccination sites have already been established across the UK and hundreds more are opening this week to take the total to over 1,000, helping those who are most at risk from Covid-19 to access vaccines for free, regardless of where they live.
UKHealth Secretary Matt Hancock said: “I am delighted that today we are rolling out the Oxford vaccine – a testament to British science. This is a pivotal moment in our fight against this awful virus and I hope it provides renewed hope to everybody that the end of this pandemic is in sight.
“Through its vaccine delivery plan the NHS is doing everything it can to vaccinate those most at risk as quickly as possible and we will rapidly accelerate our vaccination programme.
“While the most vulnerable are immunised, I urge everybody to continue following the restrictions so we can keep cases down and protect our loved ones.”
The first Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccinations will be delivered at hospitals for the first few days, as is standard practice, before the bulk of supplies are sent to hundreds of GP-led services and care homes later in the week.
More than a million people in the UK have already been vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and its roll out will continue at pace.
The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine can be stored at fridge temperatures, between two to eight degrees, making it easier to distribute to care homes and other locations across the UK. The vaccines will be deployed through:
hospital hubs for NHS and care staff and older patients to get vaccinated
local community services with local teams and GPs already signing up to take part in the programme
vaccination centres across the country, ensuring people can access a vaccine regardless of where they live
An army of current and former NHS staff have applied to become vaccinators, with tens of thousands having already completed their online training. These are being processed as quickly as possible and volunteer vaccinators will be deployed as more vaccine supplies become available. GPs and local vaccination services have been asked to ensure every care home resident in their local area is vaccinated by the end of January.
The MHRA, Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and the four UK Chief Medical Officers agreed to delay the gap between the first and second dose of vaccines to protect the greatest number of people in the shortest amount of time.
In line with the recommendations of the JCVI, the vaccine will be rolled out to the priority groups including care home residents and staff, people over 80 and health and care workers, then to the rest of the population in order of age and risk, including those who are clinically extremely vulnerable.
82 year old dialysis patient Brian Pinker received the first vaccination at Oxford’s Churchill Hospital at 7:30 this morning. The foundation hospital is barely a mile from the research labs where the breakthrough vaccine was discovered and developed last year.
There are more than 730 vaccination sites across the UK – and all will be rolling out the new vaccine over the coming days.
Patients in Tayside have been among the first in Scotland to receive the Oxford/Astrazeneca coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.
The vaccine was approved for use in the UK by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on 30 December and is being made available to distribution centres through the country.
NHS Tayside is rolling out the vaccines through GP practices in the community, while continuing to vaccinate elderly residents and staff in care homes.
The Astrazeneca vaccine was procured on behalf of the four nations by the UK Government, who have ordered 100 million doses, of which Scotland will get 8.2% based on its population.
As with the Pfizer vaccine, this second vaccine provides an important additional layer of protection to all adults but particularly those most at risk from serious illness and death from COVID-19. With age as the greatest risk factor, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have retained the same phase 1 priority list for both vaccines.
The priority now is to vaccinate as many people with their first dose as quickly as possible, working through that priority list and the advice that the second dose for both vaccines can be given up to 12 weeks after the first means we can maximise this protection quicker than planned. The second dose remains critical for longer term protection and to complete the course.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “Seeing the Astrazeneca vaccine being administered to people in the community aged over 80 is a good way to start the New Year and I’m grateful to everyone in NHS Tayside and boards across the country for their work in preparing for the delivery of this newest vaccine.
“Oxford AstraZeneca has the advantage of being much easier to store and transport, which means it is easier to administer in local settings. We are also expecting to receive it in significantly larger quantities than the Pfizer vaccine.
“When it is your turn to be vaccinated you will be contacted by your local health board and I urge you to please take up the offer.
“While vaccination is one of the most important tools we have as we work our way out of this pandemic, we must all continue our work to suppress the virus in Scotland. This means rigorously complying with the restrictions where we live and making sure we continue to wear face coverings, maintain 2m distance from others outside our own household and wash our hands regularly.
“These three strands – following all we need to do to suppress the virus, using our expanded testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission and rolling out vaccination as fast as supplies allow – are the three critical actions that will see us move, step by step, to a brighter year ahead.”
Associate Director of Public Health Dr Daniel Chandler, Immunisations Co-ordinator, who is overseeing the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Tayside said:“The efforts of our vaccination teams have been amazing and it is testament to a real whole team approach that sees the first over-80s in the general population have their jabs today in Tayside.
“The availability and mobility of the Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine gives us the opportunity to start to roll out the biggest vaccine programme that the UK has ever seen across our communities. Over-80s are the first priority group and patients will be contacted directly to attend a vaccination session.
“Today’s commencement of the community roll-out marks an important next phase in our response to COVID-19. It will act to suppress the virus in our communities to protect those who are most vulnerable, but the plea from all of us in the NHS is keep sticking with all the guidance.”
James Shaw (82), who was one of the first to be vaccinated alongside his wife Malita, also 82, said: “My wife and I are delighted to be receiving this vaccination. I have asthma and bronchitis and I have been desperate to have it so I am really pleased to be one of the first to be getting it.
“I know it takes a little while for the vaccine to work but after today I know that I will feel a bit less worried about going out. I will still be very careful and avoid busy places but knowing I have been vaccinated will really help me.
“All of my friends have said they are going to have the vaccine when it is their turn and I would encourage everyone who is offered this vaccination to take it.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Sturgeon is likely to announce tougher coronavirus restrictions this afternoon as the virus continues to run riot across the country.
Ms Sturgeon has called an urgent Cabinet meeting this morning and will address the Holyrood Parliament this afternoon.
2464 new cases were reported in Scotland yesterday and, with the new strain of the virus a particular concern, it’s understood that the cabinet will consider further delays to the return to school as well as other measures to contain the spread.
Current plans for Edinburgh pupils returning to school:
On 26 December, Level 4 COVID-19 restrictions came into force for mainland Scotland. This means that there are changes to the start of next term for children and young people.
All parents will receive an email about this on 22 December. If you meet the criteria, please apply online for a place by 3 January. Your child’s school will confirm places on 5 January.
Schools will also contact families to offer places for vulnerable children.
11 to 15 January 2020
Remote / online learning for all other pupils, at home.
Children of key workers and vulnerable children can continue to attend their own school if they have a place.
If your child attends a Special School, the head teacher will contact you by 6 January with the arrangements for that school from 11 January.
18 January 2020
All pupils return to school, unless further changes are announced by the Scottish Government.
When pupils return to school
When children return to school, it is essential that everyone follows infection control measures, especially:
face coverings (where appropriate)
hand-washing
two-metre distancing where possible.
NB: These plans are subject to change by Scottish Government.
2,137 new cases of COVID-19 reported yesterday (Satuday)
21,451 new tests for COVID-19 that reported results – 10.8% of these were positive
During 1 to 4 January, daily updates will be published to provide the latest data on the number of new cases of COVID-19 and the test positivity rate. During this period (1 to 4 January) there will be no updates to the remaining statistics – you can access the latest available data in the sections below and in the trends excel file. Following the next holiday weekend, we will update on Tuesday 5 January – we will provide the latest daily data for that day and the previous 4 days.
Local area data
Public Health Scotland’s interactive dashboard now provides a map showing the number of cases in local areas, as well as trends for local authorities and NHS boards
The impact of the UK Government’s ‘damging’ Brexit deal on the people and economy of Scotland has been revealed in Scottish Government analysis.
The analysis lays out the challenges presented in mitigating the wide ranging impact of the deal, and underlines why the Scottish Government believes the best future for Scotland is as an independent country within the EU.
The comparison between the benefits of being a full member of the European Union (EU) and the position after the end of the transition period shows no corner of Scotland’s life and work will be untouched.
The UK deal, which has been denied consent by the Scottish Parliament, means Scotland has been taken out of the Single Market and the Customs Union, hitting jobs and living standards hard.
This initial analysis lays out what Scotland has lost by leaving the EU with this deal – and what it would regain by re-joining – highlighting the impact on Scotland’s economy, trade in services, fisheries, participation in EU programmes, internal security, free movement of people and the environment.
It includes detail on various sectors, including food, for example, where the UK Government has not secured any legally binding protection within the EU of existing UK Geographical Indicators (GIs) – nor any preferential arrangements for the recognition in the EU of potential future UK GIs.
Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said: “This analysis is sobering reading for anyone with Scotland’s best interests at heart.
“Post-Brexit relationships with the EU could have taken many different forms and the damaging outcome with which we are now faced is the result of a political choice by the UK Government, and firmly against the wishes of Scotland.
“As a responsible government we are doing everything we can to mitigate against the consequences of the UK Government’s actions, but we cannot avert every negative outcome.
“We know that businesses are already struggling under the burden of COVID-19, and are now faced with the need to prepare for the economic shock of this hard Brexit.
“Our position is clearer than ever – Scotland now has the right to choose its own future, as an independent country and seek to regain the benefits of EU membership.
“This analysis demonstrates the substantial benefits that we would regain by becoming an independent member state in our own right.”
‘To be clear: that means no gatherings, no house parties, and no first footing.‘
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon updated the Scottish Parliament yesterday:
I will give a short update on today’s statistics and a few other issues. The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 2,045. That represents 11.3% of the total number of tests, and takes the total number of confirmed cases in Scotland to 124,831.
That is a significant number of new cases, and it demonstrates the severity of the situation we face right now.
1,133 people are currently in hospital – 41 more than yesterday. And 69 people are in intensive care, which is four more than yesterday.
I’m also sad to report that 43 additional deaths have been registered in the last 24 hours of patients who had tested positive. In total, 137 deaths have been registered in the past seven days. That takes total number of deaths, under this daily measurement, to 4,510.
National Records of Scotland have not published their usual weekly update today because not all registration offices have been open throughout the festive period. However, the figures published last week showed that the total number of deaths is now over 6,000.
Each one of those deaths is heartbreaking. And so again, I want to send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one.
There are three other issues I want to cover today.
The first is the Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine that has today been authorised for supply in the UK by the medicines regulator.
This is really good news.
It means there are now two effective Covid vaccines available for use in the UK.
The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is also logistically easier to deliver than the Pfizer one.
And, crucially, the UK has secured a much higher number of doses of this vaccine.
It is also now recommended that the second dose of both vaccines can be given up to 12 weeks after the first, rather then three.
That means we can now prioritise providing a first dose to as many people as possible – rather than providing the required two doses in as short a time as possible.
This will allow more people to be vaccinated more quickly.
We have been preparing for the deployment of the Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine for some time and I can confirm that it will be administered in Scotland from Monday.
As of Sunday, more than 92,000 people have already received their first shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
But today’s news means that more people will get their first dose of a Covid vaccine, sooner than anticipated.
The second issue I want to touch on are the restrictions now in place across the country.
On Boxing Day, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, and some other island communities moved to Level 3 protections. At the same time, the rest of Scotland – the vast majority – moved to level 4.
This is not the way that any of us wanted to end 2020 – or start the new year. But these new restrictions reflect the severity of the threat posed by this new variant.
Analysis done by Public Health Scotland shows that, yesterday, 42.8% of positive tests processed for Scotland in the Lighthouse Laboratory Network had the S gene drop out that is indicative of the new strain.
That is a higher than the 38% suggested by ONS analysis for week beginning 14 December. And that in turn compared to just six per cent at the end of November.
So this new strain appears to be fast becoming the dominant one in Scotland.
And that is obviously a cause for real concern – given that it is thought to be significantly more transmissible.
As I indicated before Christmas, the severity of this challenge means we can’t rule out the need for restrictions that are even tighter than the current level 4.
We continue to assess the situation carefully, on a daily basis, and will keep Parliament updated should any changes be required over the remainder of the festive period.
As we learn more about the new variant, we also continue to review when pupils can safely return to classrooms.
The new strain has already made a normal scheduled return impossible but we continue to assess whether it will be possible to reopen schools as planned on 18 January.
That is what we all want and, to be clear, that remains our planning assumption. But we will continue to put the safety of pupils, teachers and staff first. And we will ensure as much notice as possible to parents of any changes we consider to be necessary.
For now, of course, it is vital that we all do as much as possible to suppress transmission.
That means limiting our interactions with people in other households, beyond those which are absolutely essential.
To remind everyone, our very strong advice is that people should stay at home just now, as much as possible. And when we do go out, we should stay as close to home as possible.
With a few limited exceptions, none of us should be visiting each other’s homes right now.
None of us should be travelling to other local authority areas – unless it’s for an essential purpose.
And there must be no non-essential travel between Scotland and other parts of the UK. That advice also applies to overseas travel.
We should also remember the FACTS advice:
face coverings
avoid crowded places
clean hands and surfaces
keep two metres distance from people from other households
and self-isolate, and get tested immediately, if you have symptoms.
Let me stress testing centres are open throughout the entire festive period. So if you do experience Covid symptoms, please don’t wait. Book a test immediately.
It’s worth noting that the NHS 24 Mental Health Hub is also open, over the festive period.
Support of this kind is particularly vital, at a time when so many of us are missing loved ones and normal social interaction. So if you feel the restrictions are affecting your mental health – and you need help or advice – please don’t hesitate to call the number 111.
Finally today, I want to say a few words about Hogmanay.
I know most of us, and I certainly speak for myself here, will be glad to see the back of 2020.
And today’s news about the new vaccine should give all of us greater hope for the year ahead.
But for now, it is really vital to do everything we can to suppress this virus.
To keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. And to protect the NHS.
So we must mark this new year responsibly and in line with the restrictions in place.
To be clear, that means no gatherings, no house parties, and no first footing.
Instead, we should bring in 2021 in our own homes with just our own household.
This new strain is very serious – I cannot stress that enough.
And our prospects for the rest of the year will be better if we get off to a safe start.
So I urge everyone to be responsible on Hogmanay.
I know it’s hard – particularly for young people.
But it is how we best protect ourselves and our loved ones.
It helps the NHS too. And they need our help.
In Scotland, so far, the numbers in hospital and ICU are not at the peak of the first wave. But the NHS is under pressure.
So everything we do as individuals to stop this virus spreading helps reduce the number of people who will end up in hospital and ICU beds over the next few weeks.
And that really matters.
So as this awful year draws to a close, let me again thank everyone across Scotland for your sacrifice and patience, and for looking out for each other.
We do have every reason to believe that the spring of 2021 will bring better times. But we must first get through these difficult few weeks of winter.
So let’s stick with it, and keep looking after each other.
And let me wish everyone across the chamber, and at home, when it comes, a better, brighter and happier new year.
