Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House on Monday 13th July:
Good afternoon, and welcome to today’s briefing. I want to start by providing my usual update on the most recent Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.
An additional 6 positive cases were confirmed yesterday which takes the total now in Scotland to 18,365.
It’s maybe worth noting that on Friday and Sunday we saw higher numbers of new cases than has been the norm in recent weeks. Yesterday, 19 new cases were reported.
On any occasion when there is an increase like that, we look very thoroughly to see if there are any patterns or particular causes for concern.
With respect to the cases reported yesterday, 12 of the 19 cases were in Glasgow, and 7 cases – all of which were asymptomatic – related to one care home. That is being looked at in much more detail, and all necessary follow up tests, checks and precautions are being undertaken.
I can also report that a total of 550 patients are currently in hospital with the virus – either confirmed or suspected. That is 13 fewer than yesterday, but it includes an increase of 6 in the number of confirmed cases.
A total of 6 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That is the same number as yesterday.
And since 5 March, a total of 4,125 patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 have been able to leave hospital.
I am pleased to say that during the last 24 hours, 0 deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test as having Covid-19. The total number of deaths under that measurement therefore remains 2,490.
This is the fifth day in a row on which no deaths have been reported, but it is worth providing just a little bit of context for the last two days.
At the start of the Covid outbreak, registration offices took special steps to allow for 7 day operations. I am very grateful to them and their staff for doing so.
But some offices are now going back to their usual pattern of being open only on weekdays – although for emergency situations, they continue to provide weekend arrangements.
Yesterday’s figure of 0 deaths is therefore welcome – but it has to be seen in that context.
And of course, regardless of the figures for any specific day, it is still important to remember the enormous impact the virus has had. I want to pass on my condolences once again to everyone who has lost a loved one in this process.
And again, I want to thank our health and care workers for the incredible work that you are doing.
In a few minutes the Cabinet Secretary for Health will talk about the resumption of breast cancer screening programmes. The National Clinical Director is going to say a little bit about the resumption of outdoor contact sports
I’ve got three issues I want to talk about briefly before then. The first is to tell you briefly about a new contract that NHS Scotland has signed with a Scottish biotechnology firm – E&O Laboratories.
E&O have succeeded in developing a new solution which can be placed within test tubes – the solution helps to make samples of Covid safe, so that each sample can be tested as soon as it arrives at a lab. It therefore improves the efficiency of the testing process.
E&O – who have come up with this product in just a matter of months – are now producing their first batch of the solution for NHS Scotland, and are also looking to supply to other parts of the UK.
Their success has already created 11 jobs, and they are looking to recruit for 10 more. That’s small in the context of the overall impact that Covid is having on employment in Scotland – but it is still welcome, and it is still significant.
This is a good example – and we have seen a lot of them in recent months – of a Scottish company innovating in a way which directly helps our response to Covid, while also supporting jobs.
The second issue I want to highlight is travel. In the coming weeks, we will inevitably start to travel a bit more – as more people return to work, and as some take the opportunity to make shopping trips, to visit friends, or to visit different bits of the country.
That is good news – but please do think about how and when you travel.
First of all – and this perhaps applies especially in relation to leisure travel at the weekend – if you go somewhere and it looks busy, our advice is to go somewhere else.
Yesterday, for example, at least one road had to be closed in the Trossachs, because it was being blocked by parked cars. We have also heard concerns in other areas – for example about large numbers of people wild camping in particular spots.
So we are asking you to, please, use your common sense – if car parks are full, move on, and if places look busy, then also move on.
Camp sites will start to open up from Wednesday onwards, so please if you intend to use them, book ahead of time.
And while public transport services are now returning more to normal, and physical distancing – with safety measures in place – is being relaxed to 1 metre for some services, in spite of all of that we know capacity is still likely to be restricted compared to pre-covid levels.
That is one reason why we are still asking you to work from home if you can. And if you can’t, employers and employees might want to think about other measures – such as staggered or flexible working times – which can help to reduce the pressure on our public transport network.
But I’d also ask people who are in a position to, to think about active travel.
I completely understand why for many journeys, people immediately think about using the car. But if your journey is a local one, think about whether it can be made by walking, cycling or wheeling. That won’t always be possible – but in quite a few cases, it will be a healthy and enjoyable alternative.
So as we all travel a bit more – think about how and why you are travelling.
If you are able to shop locally or work from home, continue do that.
And also, as I said, consider active travel.
And if you’re using public transport, plan ahead. If you’re able to travel at less busy times of day, that will help you and others. And at all times follow safety guidance – including of course by wearing a face covering.
That brings me on to the final point I want to cover today. Saturday and yesterday was the first full weekend when face coverings were mandatory in shops.
Everything I have seen or heard – through social media, through other reports, and through my own brief visit to a couple of shops yesterday – everything suggests that compliance with the new law has been very high indeed and I want to thank everyone for that.
It is exactly what I would have expected – but it is still very welcome.
Face coverings are mandatory in shops and on public transport – but it’s also worth remembering that they can also be useful in other indoor enclosed spaces. So if you are inside somewhere and it’s not easy to maintain physical distancing, it’s always a good idea to put your face covering on.
Indoor shopping malls open today, and you should wear the face covering not just in the shops, but also inside the shared spaces in the mall.
So my thanks to everyone who is now wearing a face covering. It is an important way in which all of us can help to protect each other.
That basic message – of solidarity, of protecting each other – is the note I want to end on. Today sees some more steps in our emergence from lockdown and later this week we will see some of the most significant steps yet.
As I’ve mentioned, indoor shopping malls open up; organised outdoor sport and play resumes for children; and some routine dental treatment restarts.
As these services reopen – and as we all leave the house a bit more it becomes more and more important for us to ensure that we are not creating possible bridges by which the virus can spread.
So I would ask you to remember the Facts. It summarises the five key things all of us should remember in everything we do.
Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport.
Avoid crowded places, whether indoors or outdoors.
Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
Two metres distancing remains the general rule we’re asking you to abide by.
and Self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms.
If all of us remember and abide by these 5 steps then as we get out and about a bit more we can still help to keep the virus under control.
My thanks for your co-operation so far and I appeal to you to continue to co-operate with that basic public advice.
New guidance has been produced to support the safe re-opening of small and micro businesses following the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The publication provides practical advice for employers on the steps they need to take before and after re-opening.
Key measures include:
risk assessments to protect the safety of employers, staff and customers
provision for employees to work from home where appropriate
consultation with employees, trades unions or employee representatives before re-opening
infection and control measures such as physical distancing and good hygiene
staggered break and start times to reduce contact between employees
Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The importance of small and micro businesses to our economy cannot be overstated. Over 98 per cent of all businesses in Scotland have less than 50 employees so it is critically important that they can re-open as soon as it is safe to do so.
“This guidance, developed in partnership with employers and trades unions, provides the information small and micro businesses need to ensure the safety of staff and customers as they re-open.
“And we are providing grant support worth over £1 billion to businesses as part of a wider support package worth over £2.3 billion and we will continue to do all we can to support this vital sector.”
Andrew McRae, the Federation of Small Businesses’ (FSB) Scotland Policy Chair, said: “It’s in everyone’s interests to get as many small businesses as possible back up and running as quickly as is safe.
“But to do so, small businesses need to make a lot of changes to how they work – often involving lots of complex, changing information.
“That’s why we asked the Scottish Government to help them cut through the mountain of information by providing some clear steps to follow. This is particularly important for all the smallest businesses who don’t fit neatly into a specific sector – the dog groomer, say, or the portrait photographer.
“For businesses that aren’t sure where to start, this guide will help, as it sets out the key steps they should take across four key areas, as well as providing links to other support and advice
The guidance covers both small businesses, with fewer than 50 employees, and micro businesses, with fewer than 10 employees.
This guidance sits alongside any other relevant sector specific guidance.
People in hospital who do not have coronavirus (COVID-19) will be able to have a designated visitor from tomorrow, Monday 13 July.
Until now, hospital visits during the pandemic have only been permitted in limited essential circumstances. These include where a patient is reaching end-of-life, where a patient needs a birthing partner to be present or where people with mental health issues would be caused distress if they didn’t receive the benefit of a visit.
In the first phase of this three part plan, hospital visitors will need to adhere to strict public health guidance to ensure patient, staff and visitor safety, and to protect progress made in suppressing the spread of COVID-19.
All hospital visitors must:
arrange a time to visit in advance with ward staff
not visit any other patient in the hospital
adhere to strict hand hygiene and face covering guidance
maintain strict physical distancing in communal areas of hospital
not visit anyone in hospital if they have symptoms suggestive of COVID-19
Specific visiting arrangements may vary between health boards depending on the type of care patients are receiving, and the space available in different care settings to maintain physical distancing.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “Restricting access to people in hospital has been necessary to keep patients and staff as safe as possible and it has helped us protect the capacity and resilience of NHS Scotland.
“I want to thank everyone who has followed this guidance as I know how hard it has been for patients, families and carers not to have seen their loved ones in hospital. The continued progress we are making in suppressing the virus has allowed us to safely, and in a series of phases, resume hospital visiting in line with clinical expert advice.
“There is a need to balance the risk of physical and psychological harm that the absence of visitors can cause, with the gradual reduction of COVID-19. We have worked with Health Protection Scotland to plan how we safely restore a person-centered approach to visiting in Scotland’s hospitals.
“The safety of patients, staff and visitors will continue to be our priority. I want to reassure you that we are taking these precautions so that we can safely offer the right care, at the right time, in the right place.”
Updated guidance for hospital visitors can be read online.
Essential hospital visiting is permitted for patients with COVID-19. Essential visits includes circumstances such as, but not limited to, visits at end-of-life, birthing partners, to accompany children, and to visit people with mental health issues such as dementia, learning disabilities or autism where not having a visit would cause distress.
Updates on public health advice for COVID-19 can be found on NHS Inform, and a free helpline has been set up for those who do not have symptoms but are looking for general health advice: 0800 028 2816. If patients have any concerns they should contact 999 for emergencies or 111 for any urgent requests.
Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 should now contact the NHS to arrange to be tested – either online at NHS Inform, or by calling 0800 028 2816.
Guidance published to ensure safe return for salons
Hairdressers and barbers are preparing to re-open on Wednesday 15 July under the Scottish Government’s route map out of lockdown.
New guidance has been published to ensure salons can safely re-open.
The guidance also covers services such as beauty salons, spas, indoor photography studios and make-up counters which have been given an indicative opening date of 22 July.
Key measures include:
physical distancing with marked areas between seats and treatment stations
perspex screens installed at workstations, including reception areas if possible
bookings by appointment only with times staggered to minimise overlap of clients
the retention of customer details for four weeks to share details for Test and Protect if required
face coverings mandatory for staff and customers with visors recommended for staff
reading materials and refreshments removed other than water on request
Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills Jamie Hepburn said: “The re-opening of hairdressers and barbers next week signals a further step out of lockdown for our economy and shows that we continue to make progress in successfully suppressing coronavirus (COVID-19).
“If everyone sticks to the rules we will be able to drive the virus down further and live less restricted lives in the weeks and months ahead.
“Our guidance, developed in partnership with employers, industry bodies and trades unions, provides the information these businesses need to ensure the safety of staff and customers as they re-open.
“People should look for those safety measures and be aware of the need to follow the FACTS at all times when out in the community. If you don’t see those safety measures, or you don’t feel you can follow appropriate hygiene rules, than don’t take the risk.
“We are providing grant support worth over £1 billion to businesses as part of a wider support package worth over £2.3 billion and we will continue to do all we can to support this vital sector.”
Hilary Hall, chief executive of the National Hair and Beauty Federation, said: “The Scottish hair and beauty industry generates a turnover of over £600 million, which is 8% of the UK total.
“As well as the economic contribution, this sector is also imperative to our well-being and so we are delighted that hairdressers and barbers will be able to return to work on 15 July.
“Protecting clients and employees is their top priority so our members have already been preparing their salons to make them safe to re-open. They are reporting that they are fully booked for the near future which is positive news and should mean that businesses can recover and grow from the pandemic.”
Finance Secretary announces measures to boost the economy.
New initiatives to support homebuyers and help people into work or to re-train have been announced by Finance Secretary Kate Forbes.
The measures are part of the Scottish Government’s wider efforts to help the economy recover from the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) and are expected to involve an investment of around £200m.
The threshold at which Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) is paid will be raised from £145,000 to £250,000, meaning 80% of house buyers will be exempt from the charge – excluding the Additional Dwelling Supplement. Home movers purchasing a property costing more than £250,000 will save £2,100.
In addition, an extra £50m is being added to the First Home Fund, a shared equity scheme providing first time buyers with up to £25,000 to buy a property. This will support an estimated 2,000 first time purchases and increase the total funding to £200m.
A further £100m is being invested in targeted employment support and training. Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop will set out further details on this employment funding in due course.
Ms Forbes announced the initiatives as part of a statement following spending announcements by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The Finance Secretary said: “Regrettably the Chancellor’s statement is a missed opportunity for Scotland. While I support certain measures, such as the reduced VAT for tourism and hospitality, which I had already called for, much of the rest falls well short of delivering what is needed to boost the economy and protect jobs.
“The Chancellor’s economic measures outlined in the statement only generate an additional £21m for the Scottish Government’s budget, limiting our ability to tailor a Scottish approach to regenerating our economy.
“Nevertheless, I can confirm several important new steps we will take.
“I have listened to calls to raise the starting threshold for LBTT to help stimulate housing market activity and the economy. Today’s changes will benefit house buyers and are focused directly on the particular needs of the Scottish economy.
“To ensure first time buyers can also benefit, I will provide an additional £50m this financial year to directly support them to get on the property ladder.
“On employment, the Chancellor’s announcement included UK-wide schemes that will apply in Scotland, but I believe more is required to support the labour market.
“We will therefore make an additional £100m available this year for targeted employment support and training. I recognise that we still need to do more to support employment and skills, but this is a step in the right direction.”
The change to LBTT will come into force as soon as possible, allowing time for legislation to be prepared and for Revenue Scotland to be ready to collect and manage the tax.
The rates for the Additional Dwelling Supplement and non-residential LBTT remain unchanged.
These latest initiatives will be part funded by money expected to be received by the Scottish Government following the UK Government’s decision to raise the threshold at which Stamp Duty Land Tax is paid on house purchases and from the Scottish Government’s financial transactions budget.
Only just overa quarter of teachers in Scotland think it will be safe for their pupils to return to their school or college in August, a survey by teachers’ union NASUWT has found.
Nearly half of teachers who responded to the survey said they do not feel prepared to return to their school or college in August and just 22% said they feel safe or very safe as a result of the provisions their employer is putting in place to mitigate the risks of COVID-19.
The survey, which examined the experiences of over 350 teachers in Scotland during the lockdown and in preparing for wider reopening from the start of the new academic year in August, found concerns about a lack of PPE and adequate safety measures to protect staff and pupils in schools and colleges.
The survey found:
Nearly half (49%) of teachers do not feel prepared to return to their school or college in August;
Only just over a quarter (28%) think it will be safe for their pupils to return to their school or college in August;
Over a third (34%) of teachers who said they were in one of the government’s vulnerable groups said they had nevertheless been asked to attend work during the lockdown period;
Just 22% said they felt safe or very safe as a result of the provisions their employer is putting in place to mitigate their risks of COVID-19. Over a third (36%) said they either felt unsafe or very unsafe;
Only 19% have been told there are plans to deploy additional cleaning staff in their school or college. Over a quarter (27%) said teachers and/or pupils are being asked to undertake cleaning;
Only a minority of teachers said their school or college has sufficient stocks of PPE, including masks (10%), gloves (15%) and hand sanitiser (35%). Only 38% were confident their school or college has sufficient availability of soap and hot water to enable regular hand washing by staff and pupils.
82% of teachers said they were asked to return to school in June to prepare for reopening in the new academic year. Of the tasks teachers were asked to return to school to undertake, 30% said this work could have been completed from home.
Teachers were asked about the impact of the pandemic on exams, with 83% saying they believe changes are needed to the exam diet for 2021 as a result of the lockdown, with 53% in favour of a delay to exams.
Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said: “Given the abrupt eleventh hour changes announced by the Scottish Government just as schools and colleges were preparing for the summer break, it is little wonder that so many teachers do not feel that schools and colleges are prepared for the full return of pupils in August.
“Teachers have been left in a state of uncertainty by the announcement, which has made it particularly challenging for schools and colleges to plan and prepare appropriately for reopening on a full-time basis from 11 August.
“Schools and colleges must be given dedicated time to finalise their plans for full reopening before the return of pupils.
“It is also concerning that teachers are reporting that their school or college does not have adequate safety provisions in place, such as PPE and enhanced cleaning routines and that a significant number of vulnerable teachers have been pressurised to attend work by their employer.
“The Government needs to address the concerns raised by teachers and ensure that all schools and colleges take appropriate action to ensure that teachers and other staff are safe at work.”
Jane Peckham, NASUWT National Official Scotland, said: “The survey underlines the fact that ministers still have much work to do to win the confidence of teachers in their plans for the wider reopening of schools and colleges.
“This will not have been helped by the timing of the decision on full reopening, particularly as many teachers had spent considerable time and effort developing a model of blended learning for pupils.
“The Government must now ensure that the next steps on school and college reopening do not put at risk public health and that there are robust mechanisms in place to ensure that all employers are taking effective measures to minimise and mitigate the risks of COVID-19 in every school and college.
“They must start listening to and acting on the concerns of the profession so that we can achieve the shared aim of an orderly return to full teaching and learning in a way which supports the safety and welfare of every pupil and member of the education workforce.”
Scotland will officially move to Phase 3 of the route map out of lockdown this weekend, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
From today (Friday 10 July), up to three households will be able to meet indoors for the first time – up to a maximum of eight people. Meanwhile, up to five different households to a maximum of 15 people will from tomorrow be able to meet outdoors.
A household can meet up to four other households per day in total. Two metre distancing between households should continue, with heightened hygiene measures to avoid creating bridges which allow the virus to spread.
Mandatory face coverings will be required in shops. Physical distancing of two metres remains the law, however on public transport and in retail settings exceptions will be allowed once appropriate mitigations are in place.
From Monday (13 July), organised outdoor play and contact sports can resume for children and young people under 18 (subject to guidance), non-essential shops inside shopping centres can re-open, and dental practices can see registered patients for ‘non-aerosol’ procedures.
From Wednesday (15 July), indoor restaurants, cafes and pubs will be able to re-open. Hospitality venues can be granted an exception to the 2 metre distancing requirement, however this requires mitigating measures in place such as clear information for customers, revised seating plans, and all hospitality venues are required to record contact details of customers to support Test and Protect.
All holiday accommodation can re-open from Wednesday, as well as the childcare sector, hairdressers and barbers. Museums, galleries, cinemas and libraries can also open from Wednesday, with strict physical distancing and for many of these facilities advanced ticketing will be required.
Places of worship can re-open from Wednesday for communal prayer, congregational service and contemplation with limited attendance numbers and physical distancing. Specific guidance is being finalised with faith communities.
Restrictions on attendance at services and ceremonies for funerals, weddings and civil partnerships will be eased, although full-scale gatherings are still not permitted and some mitigation measures will remain.
During a statement to parliament, the First Minister said: ““Scotland has made major progress in tackling COVID-19 – prevalence of the virus in Scotland is now several times lower than it is across the UK as a whole. And it is because of that action we can move into Phase 3.
“Today marks the most significant milestone yet in Scotland’s emergence from lockdown. Measures announced today are, of course, dependent on us keeping the virus under control and we will not hesitate to re-impose restrictions if we consider it necessary to halt the spread of the virus and save lives.
“During Phase 3 we will start to resume and re-open many activities and settings such as opening indoor pubs and restaurants, allowing more indoor meetings between households, and re-opening places of worship.
“Eliminating the virus as far as possible now – ahead of the almost inevitable challenges we will face come winter – remains our objective.
“The five principles behind our facts campaign – face coverings; avoiding crowded spaces; cleaning hands and surfaces; two metre distancing; and self-isolation if you have symptoms – are more important than they have ever been.”
The Scottish Government is required by law to review lockdown restrictions at least every three weeks. The latest review falls due today, so I will set out our decisions and the next steps in our careful and cautious exit from lockdown. However, I will first give an update on today’s Covid-19 statistics and a report on our progress in tackling the virus.
Since yesterday, an additional six cases of Covid have been confirmed, which takes the total number of cases to 18,315. A total of 646 patients are currently in hospital with suspected or confirmed Covid, which is an overall decrease of 121 since yesterday. That includes a decrease of 16 in the number of confirmed cases. As of last night, nine people were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid, which is a decrease of two on the number that was reported yesterday.
I am pleased to report that, in the past 24 hours, no deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed as having the virus. The total number of deaths in Scotland under that measurement therefore remains 2,490. However, we must never lose sight of the fact that every death is a tragedy, and I send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this illness. I also know that statistical trends do not console those who are grieving.
However, the statistical trends are clear. In Scotland, Covid has now been suppressed to a low level. Indeed, even in the three weeks since I last updated Parliament, there has been significant progress. At that time, we were reporting approximately 20 new cases of Covid a day. The daily average now is around seven cases a day. Three weeks ago, there were more than 540 people in hospital with confirmed Covid, and the figure today is 342. Further, there are now just three patients with confirmed Covid in our intensive care units.
The number of people dying has also fallen week on week, as is shown in our daily statistics and in the weekly reports from National Records of Scotland. In addition, our latest modelling suggests that the R number remains below 1. It has been between 0.6 and 0.8 for most of the past month.
The number of people in Scotland with the virus also continues to fall. Three weeks ago, we estimated that around 2,900 people were infectious. Our estimate for last week was that around 1,000 people in Scotland were infectious. That confirms, as I explained yesterday when setting out our decision on air bridges, that the prevalence of the virus is now several times lower in Scotland than it is in the United Kingdom as a whole.
In determining whether we can move from phase 2 to phase 3 of our exit from lockdown, we have assessed our progress in tackling Covid against the six criteria for this stage that are set out by the World Health Organization, and we have concluded that we meet each of them.
However, I must advise Parliament that the fifth of those criteria, which relates to managing the risk of importing cases from outside Scotland, gave us some pause for thought. The balanced decision on air bridges that we announced yesterday was essential for us to conclude that we are managing that risk in an effective and proportionate manner at this stage. It is essential that we keep the risk under close review. To be clear, that must cover the possibility of importation from other parts of the UK, as well as from overseas.
Taking all the various factors into account, I confirm that it is the judgment of the Government that we can now move from phase 2 to phase 3 of the route map.
I also confirm that, in a limited number of sectors, we will allow an exception to be made to the requirement for 2m physical distancing. However, that will be subject to strict conditions that are tailored to the circumstances of each sector. Let me stress the term “exception”, because the general rule remains 2m.
For public transport and the retail sector, that exception will be permissible from tomorrow. However, it is essential that the required mitigations are in place and that appropriate discussions have taken place with trade unions before it becomes operational in any particular setting. Given some of what I will cover later, it is worth being clear at this point that the retail sector includes personal services such as hairdressing.
I also remind everyone that face coverings, which are already mandatory on public transport, will from tomorrow be mandatory in shops as well. There will be some exemptions: for young children under the age of five, for people with certain health conditions, and for staff in some circumstances. For the vast majority of us, however, it will be the law that we wear face coverings in shops. For the foreseeable future, wearing a face covering on a bus or a train or in a shop should become as automatic as putting on a seat belt in a car.
Although it should not need to be enforced, the police can issue fines for anyone who does not comply. However, I ask everyone to comply not from fear of enforcement but because it is the right thing to do—it helps us protect each other from the virus. That leads me to a general point that is important to stress before I outline the further restrictions that we intend to lift. The virus has not gone away. It is still out there, and it is just as infectious and just as dangerous as it ever was. Lockdown has suppressed it but, as lockdown eases, there is a very real risk that it will start to spread again. That is not conjecture; it is already happening in many parts of the world.
With every restriction that we lift, the risk increases, especially as we start to permit more indoor activity. All of us must therefore do everything that we can to mitigate it. Wearing face coverings is part of that, but so, too, are the other measures that are summarised in our FACTS campaign: face coverings; avoiding crowded spaces; cleaning hands and surfaces; 2m distancing; and self-isolation and booking a test if you have symptoms. I simply cannot stress enough that, as we move out of lockdown, those basic measures become much more important, not less—please, follow them to the letter.
Let me now confirm the key steps in phase 3 for which we are now able to set specific dates. You will find more detail on the Scottish Government website later today. As will be obvious from what I am about to say, we intend to take the same staggered approach to phase 3 that we did to phase 2. Not all changes will happen immediately or at the same time, which means that we do not bear all of the risk at once. However, the first changes, relating to the ability of different households to meet up together, will take effect from tomorrow.
Yesterday, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport announced important changes for people who are shielding. For example, from tomorrow, you will no longer be asked to physically distance from people you live with, and you will be able to form an extended household if you live on your own or with children under the age of 18. Today’s route map includes a link to the additional changes that we hope to make to the shielding advice up to the end of July.
The other changes that I am about to announce unfortunately do not apply to people who are shielding but do apply to everyone else. Before I set out what those are, let me make a general point. Last week, we said that children under the age 12 no longer had to physically distance when outdoors; from tomorrow, that will also apply indoors. However, for adults and, for the time being, older children, the advice to keep a 2m physical distance from people in other households will remain.
However, from tomorrow, the general rules on household gatherings will be as follows. A maximum of 15 people from up to five different households may meet together outdoors. The advice is to remain 2m distant from people in households other than your own. From tomorrow, limited indoor gatherings will also be permitted. A maximum of eight people from up to three different households may meet indoors. To be clear, that is the household whose house the gathering is in and people from up to two additional households. As long as physical distancing between different households is maintained, that can include overnight stays.
I must stress, however, that that is one of the highest risk changes—if not the highest risk change—that we have made so far. We know that the risk of transmitting the virus indoors is significantly higher than it is outdoors. It is therefore essential that we all take the utmost care and strictly follow all the public health advice. That means keeping 2m distant from people in other households, being very careful to clean surfaces after you touch them, and washing your hands regularly, especially when you first enter someone’s house. At all times, try to avoid creating bridges that allow the virus to spread from one household to another. We are also advising that, between indoor and outdoor activity, adults do not meet with people from any more than four different household in any single day.
Finally, from tomorrow, we will change the guidance so that, regardless of their living arrangements, people who are part of a non-cohabiting couple no longer need to stay physically distant from each other, indoors or outdoors.
The next set of changes will take effect from next Monday 13 July. From Monday, organised outdoor contact sports and physical activity can resume for children and young people, subject to guidance being followed. So, too, can other forms of organised outdoor play.
Non-essential shops inside shopping centres can reopen, provided, of course, that they follow all relevant health and safety guidance. That will mean that, from Monday, the vast majority of retail will be open.
There will also, from Monday, be a further resumption of important public services. Community optometry practices will further increase their services, especially for emergency and essential eye care. Dental practices will be able to see registered patients for non-aerosol procedures. Let me explain that a bit more: aerosol procedures are those that create a fine mist, for example through use of a high-speed drill; we cannot yet allow those. Unfortunately, that means that many forms of dental care will still not be possible. However, procedures such as check-ups and the fitting of dentures and dental braces can resume.
From Monday, a woman can have a designated person accompany them to ante and postnatal appointments and can designate, in addition to their birth partner, one other person to attend the birth and make ante and postnatal ward visits.
Further important changes will then come into force from Wednesday next week, that is, 15 July. From that date, indoor restaurants, cafes and pubs will be able to reopen. However, just as with indoor household meetings, opening up indoor hospitality poses significantly increased risks of transmission, so it is essential that the guidance on health and safety is followed rigorously by businesses, staff and customers. That includes guidance on physical distancing and taking customer contact details, for use, if necessary, by test and protect.
Like public transport and retail, outdoor and indoor hospitality venues will be granted an exemption from the 2m rule from 15 July. However, that is dependent on the implementation of all relevant mitigating measures and appropriate discussions taking place with trade unions. Mitigating measures in this sector include clear information for customers that they are entering a 1m zone, revised seating plans and improved ventilation.
The tourism sector can also reopen from 15 July. That means that all holiday accommodation, including hotels, can reopen, as long as the appropriate guidance is followed.
Museums, galleries, other visitor attractions, libraries and cinemas, including drive-ins and other venues screening films, can also reopen on 15 July, although physical distancing and other safety measures will be required and for many if not most of those facilities, tickets must be secured in advance.
The childcare sector can also fully reopen from next Wednesday—I know that that is important to families across Scotland.
I can also confirm that, from 15 July, hairdressers can reopen, subject to enhanced hygiene measures being in place. The finalised guidance for hairdressers will be published this week.
Finally, I am pleased that we are able to bring forward two changes that we were previously keeping under review for later in phase 3 but now judge can be undertaken safely next week, provided that necessary mitigations are in place.
After careful consideration, we have decided that, from 15 July, places of worship can reopen for communal prayer, congregational services and contemplation. However, numbers will be strictly limited, 2m physical distancing will be required, and there will be a requirement to collect the contact details and time of attendance of those who enter a place of worship. Unfortunately, given what we know of transmission risks, singing and chanting will be restricted.
Detailed guidance is being finalised in consultation with our faith communities, but I hope that today’s announcement will be welcomed by all those for whom faith and worship is important and a source of comfort.
In addition, and linked to that change, we will ease restrictions on attendance at services and ceremonies for funerals, weddings and civil partnerships. However, numbers will be even more limited than for worship generally and physical distancing will be required. I stress that that change applies only to services. Associated gatherings, such as wakes or receptions, must continue to follow the limits on household gatherings and hospitality.
I am acutely aware that the restrictions that we have had to place on attendance at funerals in these past few months have been particularly hard to bear and I am very grateful to everyone who has complied, in what I know will have been heartbreaking circumstances. Although the changes that come into effect next week will not allow full-scale gatherings, I hope that they will allow more people to find solace at a time of grief, as well as allowing more people to celebrate happier occasions, such as weddings and civil partnerships.
The next set of changes will take effect from 22 July. At that time, personal retail services that have not yet been able to reopen—for example, beauticians and nail salons—will be able to reopen with enhanced hygiene measures in place.
Universities and colleges can implement a phased return to on-campus learning as part of a blended model with remote teaching. Motorcycle instruction and theory and hazard tests can also resume from that date. However, driving lessons and tests in cars will, unfortunately, have to wait a bit longer.
Unfortunately, there are other activities that are included in phase 3 of the route map that we are not yet able to attach a firm and specific date to. However, although we will keep these under review and, as we have done with communal worship, will bring dates forward wherever possible, it should be assumed at this stage that those further activities will not restart before 31 July. Those activities include the reopening of non-essential offices and call centres, the resumption of outdoor live events and the reopening of indoor entertainment venues such as theatres, music venues and bingo halls. They also include the opening of indoor gyms and the resumption of non-professional adult outdoor contact sports.
We will continue to work closely with relevant sectors on the reopening of all those activities as soon as possible. For example, we will work with the outdoor events sector to review the range of events that could take place, as we recognise that a one-size-fits-all approach might not be appropriate. However, I hope that it will be appreciated—as difficult as it is—that a number of those activities present particular challenges. Although I know that it is difficult, it will take a bit more time to work through how those can be safely addressed.
I also want to indicate that our current expectation is that phase 3 may well last longer than three weeks. Given the scale of the changes that we are making in phase 3, it might be wise not to rush them or go into phase 4 too quickly. However, we will keep that under close review.
Let me reiterate that it is our ambition and intention that schools will return full time in August. That is dependent on the virus continuing to be suppressed to very low levels, and it is therefore one of the reasons that we are being so careful and cautious in everything else that we do right now.
There is no doubt that today’s statement marks the most significant milestone yet in Scotland’s emergence from lockdown, and I hope that the measures that we have announced or confirmed today are welcome. All of them depend on us keeping the virus under control. Eliminating it as far as we possibly can now, ahead of what I am afraid to say are the almost inevitable challenges that we will face come winter, remains our objective. We will not hesitate to reimpose restrictions if we consider it necessary to halt the spread of the virus and save lives. I will make a further statement to the Parliament on 30 July, and will deliver regular updates through the regular media briefings between now and then.
I end by stressing the point that I made at the outset, which is, perhaps, the most important one of all. This is undoubtedly a time for cautious hope and optimism. There is no doubt that Scotland, through our collective efforts, has made great progress in tackling Covid. We should all savour our first indoor meetings and meals with friends, our first pint in a pub or catch-up over coffee. I know that many of us are looking forward to our first non-amateur haircut in many months. There will be other milestones and reunions that we will enjoy during the next few weeks. They have all been hard earned by each and every one of us. However, I have a duty to be crystal clear with the country that this is also a time of real danger. Next week represents the most substantial easing of lockdown so far, and we know that meeting people indoors poses far greater risks than going to a park or to someone’s garden.
We see signs of resurgence in many countries across the world and we must all be aware of that in everything that we do. We must remember that Covid, although at very low levels in Scotland, is still out there. Everything that we learn about this still new virus—its infectiousness, ability to kill and potential to do long-term damage to health—should warn us that we mess with it at our peril. Therefore, perhaps more than ever, now is a time for great caution. Remember that life should still not feel entirely normal and that at all times, especially when we are meeting indoors with people in other households, we must constantly be alert to the steps that we need to take to deny the virus the chance to spread.
That is why the most important things that everyone must remember and abide by are the FACTS. They are as follows.
Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces such as on public transport, in shops and anywhere else that physical distancing is more difficult.
Avoid, literally like the plague, crowded places indoors or outdoors.
Clean your hands regularly and thoroughly and clean hard surfaces after touching them.
Two-metre distancing remains the clear and important advice.
Self-isolate and book a test immediately if you have symptoms of Covid.
The symptoms to be aware of are a new cough, a fever, or a loss of or change in the senses of taste or smell. People can book a test at nhsinform.scot or by phoning 0800 028 2816. I ask them, please, to act immediately and to err on the side of caution. If they have any reason at all to worry that they might have Covid symptoms, they should get tested straight away.
It is only because of our collective action—our love for and solidarity with each other—that we have made so much progress. Now is not the time to drop our guard. Let us all keep doing the right things to keep ourselves safe, protect others and save lives.
Chancellor’s statement welcomed by Scottish Secretarybut Scottish Government saysthepackage is a huge opportunity missed.
The Chancellor yesterday set out the next steps in the UK Government’s strategy to secure Scotland’s economic recovery from coronavirus – announcing a “Plan for Jobs” to level up, spread opportunity and unite the UK.
Rishi Sunak outlined how he would focus on protecting, supporting and creating jobs as the UK enters the next phase in its recovery following the outbreak.
Delivering his Summer Economic Update, he said: “Our plan has a clear goal: to protect, support and create jobs. It will give businesses the confidence to retain and hire. To create jobs in every part of our country. To give young people a better start. To give people everywhere the opportunity of a fresh start.”
As part of a series of landmark measures the Chancellor announced that the government will:
support jobs with the Job Retention Bonus to help businesses keep furloughed workers. UK Employers will receive a one-off bonus of £1,000 for each furloughed employee who is still employed as of 31 January 2021.
expand Worksearch Support including a Flexible Support Fund and a £2 billion Kickstart scheme to subsidise jobs for young people
create jobs in the construction and housing sectors through funding to decarbonise public sector buildings, a demonstrator project to decarbonise social housing and funding to support research and development for Direct Air Capture (as announced by the PM on 30 June)
protect jobs with VAT cuts for hospitality and tourism, as well as a Eat Out to Help Out discount scheme.
The Summer Economic Update confirms an additional £800 million of Covid-19 funding for the Scottish Government through the Barnett formula.
The UK Government is now providing £4.6 billion through the Barnett formula to help the Scottish Government support individuals, businesses and public services through Covid-19.
Rishi Sunak said the plan for jobs was the second phase of a three-phase plan to secure the UK’s economic recovery from coronavirus.
The first phase, beginning in March, focused on protection with a £160 billion package of support – one of the largest and most comprehensive economic responses in the world. In Scotland this package has so far protected more than 620,000 jobs, helped thousands of businesses and paid £425 million to 146,000 self-employed people.
The Chancellor outlined that following the second phase focusing on jobs, there would come a third phase focusing on rebuilding, with a Budget and Spending Review in the autumn.
Speaking about the impact for Scotland, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “Since this crisis started, our wide-ranging package of support for Scotland has protected more than 620,000 jobs, thousands of businesses and paid £425 million to self-employed people.
“Today I’ve set out our plan to protect, create and support jobs across Scotland – to level up opportunity, safely reopen our economy and strengthen the Union.
“With a massive funding boost for Jobcentre Plus, doubling the number of work coaches, more people will now benefit from personalised and tailored job support. We’re investing £800m through the Barnett formula, giving Scotland the funds to create green news jobs. And we’re protecting the thousands of existing jobs in the hospitality sector with a cut to VAT and the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.”
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “The measures announced by the Chancellor to support the country’s post-coronavirus economic recovery delivers for all parts of the UK.
“The UK Government’s ambitious plan for jobs, with its strong emphasis on our young people, is great news for young Scots.
“The VAT cut for tourism and hospitality will be a huge boost for Scotland. It is now absolutely essential that Scotland’s world-class tourism and hospitality industry can properly open for business.
“The stamp duty cut gives a helping hand to the housing market and building trades in England. I urge the devolved administration to use their powers to do the same in Scotland.
“And, thanks to UK Government spending decisions in the rest of the UK, Holyrood will get a £800 million cash boost, bringing their total additional coronavirus support funding to £4.6 billion.”
“The Chancellor has set out a fantastic package of support. The devolved administration now need to play its part and show they are serious about Scotland’s economic recovery.”
Responding the UK Chancellor’s Summer Statement, Scottish Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said: “We called for an £80bn stimulus package to build a strong, green and inclusive economic recovery and while there are elements in this announcement to be welcomed, in particular the measures on VAT for tourism and hospitality, overall this
“It falls well short of delivering what is needed to boost the economy and protect jobs.
“There is no new capital spend, no extension to the furlough scheme for hard-hit sectors and no further support for households in financial difficulty. A half price meal out does not help those struggling to put food on the table.
“Many of the initiatives are short-lived and do not provide long term certainty for business or households. Instead they will simply push the problems back to the end of the year when we will also have to deal with the end of the transition period with the EU.
“Despite announcing new funding measures worth up to £30bn today, most of it bypasses devolution and does not provide the Scottish Government with the funding we need to enable us to tailor an economic response that meets Scotland’s needs.
“Like all governments, we are facing huge spending pressures but we do not have the tools that others have to meet them. Along with the Governments of Wales and Northern Ireland, we set out a reasonable, proportionate set of new financial powers that would enable the Scottish Government to respond effectively.
“Regrettably, the UK Government has turned a deaf ear to those needs.”
Andrew McRae, Federation of Small Business’s (FSBx) Scotland policy chair said: “Good news has been in short supply for nearly four months. We needed action to help protect jobs and stimulate local economies across Scotland and that is exactly what the Chancellor has set out to do.
“However, it should be noted that there are many small businesses that were not supported by the Chancellor’s package – with company directors once again overlooked. Given these businesses have had little to no support in over 100 days, FSB is hoping that support can be provided in the near future.”
On the “kickstart” jobs scheme, Andrew said: “The jobs scheme will hopefully prevent a lost generation of young people, but for it to work in local economies, it must focus on the small employers who employ around one million people in Scotland. We can’t have a situation where local businesses are behind a queue of big corporates because of a target-driven approach.”
On the temporary VAT cut for hospitality and tourism sectors, he added: “Reducing VAT in sectors hit especially hard by the pandemic is an astute move. It will make everyday activities like grabbing a coffee and cake more affordable for budget conscious consumers – while making the country a more attractive destination for tourists home and abroad.”
On the discount to encourage people to eat out, Andrew said: “Scotland is fortunate to have an array of fantastic food offerings in restaurants, cafes and pubs across the country. We need to encourage more people to get back out into the community and spending money, so any moves to do this are welcome.”
The Poverty Alliance has also responded to the Chancellor’s Summer Statement. Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, said:“Young workers have been hard hit by Covid-19 job disruption, so the Chancellor’s announcement of a kickstart jobs scheme is welcome.
“But as the pandemic has highlighted, for too long people have been locked into poverty by low pay and insecure work.So these jobs should pay at least the real Living Wage and should have been accompanied by measures to tackle the precarious work that too many young people have to rely on.
“Part-time jobs that pay only the minimum wage cannot be a long-term solution to the problems in our labour market.
“Our recovery should be based on principles of fair work; that means redesigning jobs not reinforcing current problems.
“With the confirmation that the Job Retention Scheme is to end in October, the statement was an opportunity to fix our social security system before an expected surge in applications in autumn.
“Increasing the numbers of Work Coaches is welcome, but if we want our economic recovery to be a recovery for all, we need a social security system that loosens – not tightens – the grip of poverty on people’s lives. That means ending the benefit cap, making advance Universal Credit payments non-repayable, and ensuring that benefits actually meet people’s needs. “There is still time to make these changes before October and we urge the government to make them.
“The announcement of vouchers to support the hospitality sector falls short of expectations. At a time when more people than ever before are relying on emergency help from food banks, it is action to put cash in people’s pockets that is required, not the offer of a £10 discount on eating out.“
Passengers arriving in Scotland from 57 overseas destinations that have similar or lower levels of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection than Scotland will no longer need to quarantine. Travellers from the 14 UK overseas territories will also be exempt.
This public health measure will be lifted on Friday (10 July) for those arriving from countries and territories where the risk of importing COVID-19 is sufficiently low – with 26 European nations among them, including Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy and Malta.
Passengers arriving from these countries will still be required to complete the online passenger locator form prior to travel and to supply contact details, travel details and the address of the final destination where they will be staying. Travellers arriving into Scotland via an English port or airport, or direct to the country, will still need to quarantine if they have been in a country which is not on the exemption list.
A further review will be conducted on the 20 July.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Having carefully considered the public health impact of proposed exemptions we will lift the quarantine requirements from a limited number of countries where the risk of importing COVID-19 is sufficiently low.
“These exemptions will take effect on Friday, at the same time as those being introduced for travel into England and Wales.
“As we have lowered the level of the virus in Scotland, we must manage the risk of more cases coming into the country, particularly from areas where infections are more prevalent than here. That makes decisions about lifting quarantine requirements particularly difficult.
“Anyone travelling should follow public health advice at all times including wearing face coverings, avoiding crowded places, washing hands and surfaces, staying two metres apart and self-isolating if you get symptoms and immediately registering for a test.”
Passengers arriving in Scotland will no longer need to quarantine provided they have not been in a non-exempted country in the previous 14 days.
Public health rules for international travel are an important part of Scotland’s wider response to the COVID-19 pandemic – to limit the introduction of new chains of transmission of the virus as the country’s own infection rates are/have been falling.
The measures were initially introduced across the UK and applied to travellers arriving from all countries outwith the Common Travel Area (CTA)
Exempting additional countries, including Spain and Serbia, will be considered at three weekly review points with the next review being 20 July.
Data received from the UK Government indicates that the prevalence of the virus in Spain is 0.33% which means 330 people per 100,000 have the virus. In Scotland that figure is 28 people per 100,000.
Those travelling abroad should check in advance if there are any requirements to quarantine on arrival at their destination.
The list of overseas destinations where the self-isolation requirements for those arriving in Scotland will be lifted on Friday are:
Andorra; Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; Australia; Austria; The Bahamas; Barbados; Belgium; Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba; Croatia; Curaçao; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Dominica; Faroe Islands; Fiji; Finland; France; French Polynesia; Germany; Greece; Greenland; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Hong Kong; Hungary ; Iceland; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg; Macau; Malta; Mauritius; Monaco; The Netherlands ; New Caledonia; New Zealand; Norway; Poland ; Réunion; San Marino ;Seychelles; St Barthélemy; St Kitts & Nevis; St Lucia; St Pierre and Miquelon; South Korea; Switzerland; Taiwan; Trinidad & Tobago; Turkey; Vatican City State and Vietnam.
The fourteen UK overseas territories also on the list of exemptions are: Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Anguilla; Bermuda; British Antarctic Territory; British Indian Ocean Territory; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands; Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Ireland is already exempt as part of the Common Travel Area, as are the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said:“Retaining quarantine restrictions on these countries could lead to Scottish holidaymakers being left out of pocket.
“Those who have already booked package holidays from an English airport may not be able to claim a refund because the holiday will now go ahead.
“It’s important that those affected get an opportunity to rebook at a later date and don’t have to pay the price for England and Scotland having different quarantine lists.”
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House this afternoon (Wednesday 8th July):
Good afternoon everyone, welcome to today’s update.
My remarks are going to be a bit longer than normal because there is one issue, the issue of air bridges, I want to update you on today and it’s a bit complex so I want to take a bit of time to go through that.
But firstly, I’ll start with an update on the latest figures.
Since yesterday, an additional 7 cases of covid have been confirmed, which takes the total number now to 18,309.
A total of 767 patients are currently in hospital with either suspected or confirmed COVID-19, which is an increase of 68 overall since yesterday, but includes a decrease of 18 in the number of confirmed cases.
As of last night, 11 people were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, which is an increase of 4 the number that I reported yesterday – but that increase is all in suspected cases.
Since 5 March, a total of 4,106 patients who had tested positive for COVID-19 and required hospital admission, have now been able to leave hospital.
Unfortunately, in the last 24 hours, 1 death has been registered of a person who had been confirmed as having the virus and that takes the total number of deaths under that measurement to 2,490.
In addition, National Records of Scotland has just published its more detailed weekly report.
This includes deaths of people who have been confirmed by a test as having the virus and also cases where the virus was entered on a death certificate as a suspected or contributory cause of death – even if its presence had not confirmed by a test.
The latest NRS report covers the period to Sunday 5 July. At that point, if you recall according to our daily figures, 2,488 deaths of people who had tested positive for the virus had been registered.
However, today’s report shows that, by Sunday, the total number of registered deaths with either a confirmed or a presumed link to the virus was 4,173. 17 were registered in the seven days up to Sunday, which is a decrease of 18 from the previous week.
This is tenth consecutive week in which the number of deaths from the virus has fallen.
Deaths in care homes made up less than a quarter of all Covid deaths last week – the number of COVID-19 deaths in care homes reduced from 16 to 4.
Finally, the total number of deaths recorded last week – from all causes – was 40 below the five year average for the same time of year. This is the second week in a row that the total number of deaths has been below that 5 year average.
National Records of Scotland has also published today a report on the breakdown of COVID-19 deaths by ethnic group.
It concludes that deaths among people from the South Asian ethnic group, were almost twice as likely to involve COVID-19, as deaths in the White ethnic group. That conclusion is reached after accounting for age, sex, deprivation and whether people live in urban or rural areas.
We do not have sufficient evidence to say that deaths among people in any other ethnic groups were more likely to involve covid.
You may remember that Public Health Scotland looked at this issue back in May, and at that stage found no evidence of a correlation between ethnicity and death rates.
However today’s NRS report has been able to cross reference death registrations with the 2011 census data, so it is more comprehensive – at least in relation to registered deaths – than the earlier study.
This new data will be considered by our COVID-19 and Ethnicity Expert Reference Group which meets tomorrow. Their views will help us to consider what further action is required.
Overall, these weekly statistics confirm what our daily data has also been telling us – Scotland has made real and sustained progress against this virus.
However the numbers also speak of heartbreak for too many people. We can take comfort in the trend of recent weeks, but every single death is a tragedy. I want to send my condolences to everyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one.
I also want, as I always do, to thank our health and care workers, and indeed all of our key workers who have been so magnificent throughout in this crisis.
Tomorrow I will give an update to Parliament at the slightly earlier time of 12.20. I hope then to confirm that Scotland can move from phase 2 of our route map out of lockdown, to phase 3.
And in a few moments, the Cabinet Secretary is going confirm some changes for those who are Shielding. Changes which will take effect at the end of this week.
As we make changes in wider society – opening up hospitality, allowing more people to meet up outside, travelling outside our local communities – it is I think really important we remember that there are thousands of people in the shielded category, for whom life remains severely restricted right now.
They cannot go for a drink or a coffee – and even more significantly, in some cases, they have had to physically distance from their own households for the last three months. We must not underestimate how difficult this period has been and indeed continues to be for them.
That perhaps gives some context and perhaps a sense of perspective to the main issue I need to address today, which relates to international travel – and particularly the requirement to enter 14 day self-isolation, or quarantine, when you return to or enter Scotland from countries outside the UK and Ireland, because Ireland has never been included in the UK quarantine arrangements.
You will recall from some weeks back that as a result of the genome sequencing of the virus – something we have discussed here before – we now know that many of the strands of COVID-19 introduced into Scotland, came here through overseas travel. In particular, they arrived as a result of travel to and from mainland Europe in late February and early March.
Since then of course over 4,173 people have died, and though those numbers are increasing far more slowly now, and the numbers of cases each day is very small, we should not forget the potential of this virus to do serious harm – both in lives lost and also, as is increasingly feared, in longer term damage to health.
As we look ahead now, we must be aware, that one of our biggest risk factors as we suppress the virus here, is the importation of new cases to Scotland, that then of course have the potential to spread.
That risk is illustrated very well I think by the situation in Australia right now. Melbourne, it’s second biggest city, has gone from virtual elimination of the virus to a new six week lockdown in a very short space of time – and while there are still investigations of that underway, there are indications that this may well have been from cases coming into the country.
It is also the case that one of the criteria that we must satisfy ourselves of, for our move to phase 3 – one of the criteria set out by the World Health Organisation – is the need to “Manage the risk of exporting and importing cases from communities with high risks of transmission.”
This is an issue which becomes more and more important, as fewer and fewer people within Scotland have the virus.
On the other side of that, I know, and am acutely aware of how important international travel is for our tourist sector and for the aviation industry.
So these decisions are really difficult – not least for a government like ours that celebrates free movement and cherishes Scotland’s reputation as open and welcoming – and we do not take these decisions lightly.
On Friday, the UK Government published a list of 59 countries and territories for which it would no longer for England, impose quarantine restrictions. The information underpinning that list, separated countries into a green or low risk category and an amber or medium risk category.
In the green category are 39 countries or territories, which either have very low rates of Covid or very small populations, and therefore considered low risk.
And in the amber group are 20 countries where the risks are considered to be greater and so classed as medium.
Those green and amber ratings are decided on the basis of two factors – first, the prevalence of the virus in each country, and second an assessment of the current situation – based on things like numbers of new cases and local outbreaks – conducted initially by Public Health England.
Thanks to the efforts that all of us have made, as we know, Scotland now has a low and declining prevalence of Covid. I’m going to refer to this issue of prevalence a little bit, so it’s worth stressing that these estimates change regularly, and that they always have ranges attached to them. So when I quote figures, I am always quoting the middle number in our estimated range.
Our current central estimate for Scotland right now is that for every 100,000 people in the population, 28 people have Covid. That’s a prevalence of 0.028%.
We are not yet at the stage where we can say that we have virtually eliminated the virus within the community, but that prize is clearly attainable, and brings with it the prospect of a much brighter future and more sustainable recovery, including in particular, the return of full time education in August.
Scotland’s position is a bit different from that of the UK as a whole. Across the UK, it is estimated that around 180 people in every 100,000 currently have Covid. That’s higher than the 28 which is our central estimate for Scotland. And this is relevant to the decisions we take on the relaxation of quarantine.
Amongst those countries that the UK Government has rated as amber, quite a few – including for example Denmark, Greece and the Netherlands – have a prevalence range which is lower than Scotland’s.
However there are others, such as Spain in particular, that have a significantly higher prevalence. As reported by the Joint Biosecurity Centre, the prevalence of the virus in Spain is around 330 people in every 100,000 have Covid.
That means the rate reported for Spain, while less than twice the rate for the UK as a whole, is more than 10 times the estimated rate for Scotland.
And this variation in the amber countries, feeds into the decision we are making today.
Alongside prevalence, there is also an assessment of risk. The four CMOs agreed last week to do further work to improve the methodology behind the risk assessments for each country, ensuring that a wider range of factors can be considered and that we can effectively assess whether outbreaks in different countries are being effectively contained.
Once that work has been completed – which I hope is within days – we hope to will be able to make more targeted assessments in future, taking greater account of how different countries are managing to control the virus.
The decision we are making today, however, makes some distinction between countries given green and amber status by the UK Government.
Let me set out that decision.
I can confirm that from 10th of July onwards, if you are travelling to Scotland from any of the 39 places the UK Government has rated as green, we will not require you to self-isolate upon arrival in Scotland. A full list of those countries will be published on our website – however they include Germany, Austria, Norway and Malta.
Australia is also on that list, so let me mention that now. Despite the recent outbreak in Melbourne which I talked about, it is still assessed to be a low risk country. Because, as I mentioned – they have acted quickly to impose a strict localised lockdown so people in Melbourne can’t travel
We will also lift quarantine for the countries on the amber list that have a prevalence below or not significantly higher than Scotland. That list includes France, Greece, the Netherlands, Italy, and Poland.
However unfortunately, and I do mean that, we cannot in good conscience at this stage lift restrictions on people arriving from Spain because of the significantly higher prevalence.
We also have concerns about Serbia – where a recent outbreak has led neighbouring states to close their borders with that country. The impact of that outbreak will not be seen in the data for a couple of weeks.
So the decision the Cabinet reached this morning is that the quarantine requirements cannot be immediately lifted for Spain and Serbia.
Now, let me be clear: I hope that we will be able to add Spain – and possibly Serbia – to the exemption list, either in full or perhaps in part at the next review point which is on the 20th July.
To that end, we will be liaising closely in the coming week with the relevant authorities as well as with airports and airlines, to gather more information on control of outbreaks and prevalence, and what other mitigations such as testing we could possibly put in place as an alternative.
Now, this has been a very difficult decision but, but as I hope I have demonstrated today, and I know I have taken quite a bit of time to do, it is evidence driven – and motivated only by a determination to protect Scotland as far as possible from a resurgence of this virus in the weeks ahead.
Let me make three further quick points about this.
Firstly, all countries are keeping these issues under review, so depending on developments with the virus, they are subject to change including the reimposition of quarantine – including at short notice – so you should always be aware of that if you are planning to travel.
Secondly, for the future, we are also looking closely at whether there are alternative measures that could replace or reduce the amount of time an individual is required to quarantine and will seek to discuss these with airports and others over the next few days.
And the third point I wish to stress, because there is a misconception about this, you cannot get round the requirement to quarantine in Scotland by flying to or from an airport in England.
Public Health Scotland will have access to contact details for people staying in Scotland, regardless of whether an individual arrives in Glasgow, Manchester or London and it will carry out sample checks as you will have heard started yesterday.
This decision – which has not been easy for the Government to reach – is also not an easy one to hear for many in the travel, tourism and aviation sectors. And I know how many people from Scotland enjoy travelling to Spain and how much we love welcoming Spanish tourists.
My hope is that these restrictions can be relaxed soon – and possibly very soon. But at present, this is the best balance we can arrive at between enabling greater freedom of movement and protecting public health which is so important given the risks we face.
I’m aware that this has been quite a detailed statement. As I say, an up to date list of countries and territories from which you can, as of Friday travel to Scotland without quarantine will be will be published on the Scottish Government’s website.
Let me stress though that just because you don’t have to quarantine when you come to Scotland from these countries, it doesn’t mean you don’t need to comply with all the other rules and guidance in place here, you do.
Now I’ll hand over to the Cabinet Secretary in a moment to talk about shielding but before I do , let me emphasis exactly the advice that we are asking everybody to follow – the Facts advice – · Face coverings in shops and public transport. · Avoid crowded places. · Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly. · Two metre distancing. · and Self isolate, and book a test, if you have any of the symptoms of covid.
If we all stick to these five measures, whether we live here or if we’re visiting Scotland, if we all stick to these five measures, we minimise the risk of the virus spreading again.
Thank you for listening and for bearing with me through what I know was not just a lengthy, but quite a complex in places, update but I do believe it is important to share as far as possible, not just the decisions we are reaching but the evidence and the process of decisions that underpins them.
