Tag: Scottish Government

FM: Progress – but DO NOT meet people from another household indoors

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Thursday 4 June):

Good afternoon. Thank you very much for joining us for today’s briefing. I want to start with my usual update on the current position in relation to Covid-19.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 15,553 positive cases confirmed – that is an increase of 49 from yesterday.

A total of 1,021 patients are currently in hospital with either confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That represents a total decrease of 96 from yesterday, including a decrease of 21 in the number of confirmed cases.

A total of 28 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid 19. That is a decrease of 6 since yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 3,758 patients who had tested positive and required hospital treatment for the virus have been able to leave hospital.

And in the last 24 hours, 9 deaths have been registered of patients confirmed through a test as having the virus – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 2,395.

Now, as I often say, we cannot and indeed we should not read too much into any one day’s figures – and tomorrow’s figure or the next day’s figure may be higher than the one I have just given you – but I think it is still worth noting that yesterday was the first weekday, since 27 March, when the number of deaths registered under our daily measure was in single figures.

I think that demonstrates the progress we are making against this virus, but it also underlines why we all continue to need to comply with the public health guidance, so that we can continue to make this progress and don’t allow it to go into reverse.

But of course 9 deaths is still too many, and thinking of those 9 lives lost reinforces the point I make every day: that these figures are not just statistics; they represent people – unique and irreplaceable individuals – whose loss will have left families shattered and grieving. So I want to send my condolences once again to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus.

I also want to express my thanks– as I always do – to our health and care workers, for the incredible work you are doing in incredibly challenging circumstances. My thanks goes to each and every one of you. The entire country owes you a debt of gratitude.

I am joined today by the Chief Medical Officer and the Cabinet secretary for Health. The Cabinet Secretary has some information to share about the prioritisation of cancer services, and the Chief Medical Officer will focus on figures which were published yesterday relating to patients in intensive care.

Before they speak, I want to  acknowledge the job losses announced yesterday at Rolls Royce in Inchinnan.  That announcement will have been devastating news for the workforce and their families, at what is already a very anxious time – and unfortunately it may not be the last of its kind in the period ahead. I want to stress that the Scottish Government will do everything we can to secure as good an outcome as we can for those whose jobs are at risk.

Yesterday’s news emphasises a point I have made before – that alongside a public health emergency, we are also now dealing with an economic emergency, on a scale none of us have experienced.

And that requires – and it will get – the attention and focus of the Scottish Government, just as the health emergency has and continues to get.

We have already allocated more than £2.3 billion to help businesses in Scotland through measures such as grants and business rates relief. That is in addition to welcome UK Government measures such as the furlough scheme.

Mitigating and addressing the economic costs of Covid is going to become an even greater priority in the weeks and months ahead.

But alongside that, and as part of our response, we also want to help businesses, where possible, to adapt and find new markets.

One of the areas where we have been doing that already, is in relation to personal and protective equipment, or PPE – in Scotland.

We are publishing a report today that summarises how we are securing PPE for health and care workers in Scotland – it also sets out the work we are doing to develop a manufacturing chain for that equipment.

To demonstrate the scale of some of this work, it’s maybe worth looking at an item such as fluid resistant surgical masks. Those are masks which help to prevent blood, bodily fluids and secretions from one person – including water droplets from coughs – coming into contact with the mouth or nose of the person wearing the mask.

Prior to Covid-19, National Services Scotland would provide around 57,000 of those masks to our health and care sector each week.

Now, instead of needing 57,000 masks a week, we need 4 ½ million. That is an 80-fold increase.

To meet that demand, we are importing equipment from overseas. 100 million fluid resistant masks have been imported from China, and a further 60 million are on order.

But we are also working with suppliers in Scotland to establish domestic supply chains.

Alpha Solway, a firm based in south-west Scotland which specialises in protective clothing, is due to start producing masks in August.  They have taken on 30 new staff to do so, and they are using raw material sourced from Don & Low in Forfar.

As a result, we hope that in due course, manufacturers in Scotland will be able – not just to meet demand for these masks here in Scotland – but also provide them to other parts of the UK or to other countries in Europe.

There is a similar story in relation to other items of equipment. We are creating supply chains for non-sterile gowns and FFP3 masks.  In addition, Berry BPI are planning to make 2-3 million new aprons a week in Greenock. A number of smaller Scottish enterprises are planning to make visors.

And CalaChem Ltd has produced 580,000 litres of hand sanitiser at its Grangemouth plant, using ethanol provided by Whyte & Mackay.

Many other Scottish businesses have diversified in order to help with the provision of PPE and I am grateful to each and every one of them.

They have worked alongside public service bodies such as NHS Scotland, Scottish Development International and the National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland.

And it is worth highlighting that in many cases, companies are not simply making existing products. They are often using innovation to improve the equipment – for example by ensuring that face masks fit better on small faces, and that more equipment can safely be re-used.

Fundamentally, the Scottish Government’s priority – which we are achieving – must always be to ensure that we have adequate stocks of PPE.

Our health and care service workers – the people who help and protect us – must themselves be protected.

That is important at the moment, but also for the future, as we look to reopen the NHS, and maintain secure stocks of equipment for social care.

We will always, when necessary, place major orders with overseas suppliers.

However we are also increasingly taking advantage of the expertise of manufacturers here. Doing that gives us greater reassurance that supplies will be secure in the long term, and it also creates real benefits in terms of jobs and exports.

Those benefits don’t of course come close to balancing the wider economic harms caused by this pandemic – and so the Scottish Government will continue to work with business and the UK Government to address those. But these benefits are welcome nonetheless. And they are a testament to the ongoing importance and excellence of our manufacturing sector here in Scotland.

I will hand over to the Cabinet Secretary and Chief Medical Officer in a moment. Before I do that, however, I want to re-emphasise our key public health guidance.

And I’m asking you today to focus not just on what you are now allowed to do as a result of the small changes we made last week – but to focus even more so on what we are still asking you not to do.

It is by not doing certain things right now that we will help stop the virus spreading – so that means not meeting other households indoors, not coming within 2 metres of people from other households, not shaking their hands or hugging them, not sharing food or utensils with others or touching hard surfaces they may also have touched and not leaving your face uncovered in enclosed spaces like shops and public transport.

So I’m asking you to think about all of that every time you leave home or meet with someone from another household.

And, particularly, ahead of a weekend when the weather forecast is more traditionally Scottish ie heavy rain – I want to particularly emphasise this point:

You cannot and must not meet people from another household indoors – that is a sure fire way of allowing this virus to spread again.

So if you’re not willing to get your waterproofs on and meet outdoors, don’t meet up at all.

I cannot emphasise that enough.

So to recap –

You should still be staying home most of the time, and you should still be meeting fewer people than normal. If your life feels like it is getting back to normal at the moment, you should ask yourself whether it should be and whether you are complying with all the guidance.

When you do meet people from another household, you must stay outdoors, and you must stay 2 metres apart from them.

Don’t meet with more than one other household at a time, don’t meet more than one a day – and keep to a maximum – I stress, a maximum – of 8 people in a group.

Wash your hands often. Take hand sanitiser if you are out and about.

Wear a face covering when you are in shops or on public transport.

Avoid touching hard surfaces – and clean any you do touch.

And if you have the symptoms of Covid-19 – a new, continuous cough; a fever; or a loss of, or change in, your sense of smell and taste – you must get tested, and follow the advice on self isolation.

Above all else, please remember that the decisions each of us take as an individual, affect the health and wellbeing of all of us.

Please, continue to do the right thing, and to stick to those guidelines. It really, really matters, and it matters as much now as it did at the start of this pandemic. By doing so, we will continue to slow the spread of the virus, and save lives. So thank you, once again, to all of you for doing that.

Face coverings to become mandatory on public transport in England

  • UK Government asks transport operators in England to make wearing face coverings a requirement of using public transport from 15 June to coincide with the next stage of carefully easing restrictions
  • bus, coach, train, tram, ferry and aircraft passengers must wear a face covering on their journey to help reduce the risk of transmission when social distancing is not always possible – with government also working with operators to ensure staff are provided with face coverings where appropriate
  • guidance remains to work from home if you can and avoid public transport where possible.

Face coverings are to become mandatory on public transport in England, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced.

This differs to advice in Scotland, where it is recommended that you consider using face coverings in limited circumstances – on public transport and when shopping, for example – as a precautionary measure.

Wherever possible people should continue to avoid public transport and walk, cycle or drive, but for some people this may not be an option. Transport usage has been slowly increasing, including on the tube which has seen around a 20% rise this week compared to last week.

When necessary to use public transport people may be more likely to be in enclosed spaces for longer periods of time where we know there is a greater risk of the spread of the virus and social distancing is likely to be difficult to follow consistently.

This differs from enclosed spaces like shops, for example, where people can more easily go outside if social distancing is not possible and where shop owners can place limits on the number of customers allowed inside at any one time.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has set out that using face coverings in this setting can provide some small additional protection to fellow passengers and can help people to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus if they are suffering from coronavirus, but not showing symptoms.

Speaking at the Downing Street coronavirus briefing yesterday, Grant Shapps confirmed the government is asking operators to introduce face coverings as a requirement for travel from 15 June 2020.

The UK government will also work closely with the transport industry to help them implement the plans.

The changes will be made under legislation such as the National Rail Conditions of Travel and Public Service Vehicle Regulations for buses. While the government expects the vast majority of people to comply with the changes, operators will be able to refuse travel or issue penalty fines for those who fail to wear a face covering, in a similar way to the rules on having a ticket for travel. British Transport Police will also support the implementation of these changes.

Social distancing and hand washing remain by far the most important disease prevention measures but it is also vital all passengers travelling on buses, coaches, trains, trams, ferries and aircraft should wear a face covering and the government will also work with operators to ensure staff are provided with, and wear face coverings, where appropriate for their role.

People should wash their hands or use hand sanitiser before putting their face covering on and after taking it off and it is important that people don’t touch their face covering when wearing it, where possible, to avoid hand to mask transmission of the virus.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “People should continue to avoid public transport wherever possible. But, as restrictions are carefully eased when it is safe to do so, it’s likely that we will see more people needing to use public transport.

“So, while respecting social distancing and maintaining good hand hygiene remain the most important steps we can all take to stay safe, wearing a face covering can play a role in helping us to protect each other.

“This is about the small changes we can take to help control the virus, which is why I urge everyone using transport to wear a face covering, to help keep us all safer.”

Face coverings are not the same as face masks. It is important that people do not use medical grade PPE masks to ensure these remain available for frontline staff.

Last month, the UK Government set out advice for people on how to make their own face coverings easily at home, using scarves or other textile items.

These face coverings should cover the mouth and nose while allowing the wearer to breathe comfortably and can be as simple as a scarf or bandana that ties behind the head to give a snug fit.

Paul Plummer, Chief Executive of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Wearing face coverings on trains will help to ensure that those who need to travel by rail can do so with confidence.

“Greater use of face coverings will boost the othehttps://www.facebook.com/DHSCgovuk/videos/804076303453181/?t=4r measures we are putting in place to keep people safe, like more thorough cleaning, improved information on potential crowding and one-way systems at busier stations.”

https://www.facebook.com/DHSCgovuk/videos/804076303453181/?t=4

To ease pressure on public transport, the UK Government has announced measures to encourage people to choose other forms of transport, including £2 billion for cycling, and the acceleration of e-scooter trials across the country.

To capitalise on the increase in cycling uptake in recent months, the government is also encouraging more people to commute by bike with initiatives such as the Cycle to Work scheme to help with the cost of bikes, including e-bikes.

In Scotland, it is recommended that you consider using face coverings in limited circumstances – such as public transport and when shopping – as a precautionary measure.

Protest … but do so safely

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has urged people planning to protest against racial injustice to do so in a way that safeguards them and the wider public from the on-going threat from coronavirus (COVID-19).

Mr Yousaf said: “In the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd, it is again clear that the scourge of racism continues to blight every nation on earth, and all of us must play our part in tackling it.

“I fully understand and feel the anger, and the sadness, that leads people to want to gather together and to show solidarity and community at this time.

“Unfortunately, the threat of COVID-19 is still with us and I must urge people not to attend mass gatherings, which pose a clear risk to public health, even with social distancing in place.

“The Scottish Government advice is still that no more than eight people should meet at any one time, and for those people to be from no more than two households.

“I would encourage people to explore alternative ways to make their voices heard on this vital issue, including for example through social media and by engaging friends, families and work colleagues.

“In Scotland, we value the considerable and important role of our diverse minority ethnic communities. We cannot, and will not, tolerate hate crime, prejudice or discrimination of any kind. It is not enough to simply not be a racist – we must be anti-racist, by supporting our minority ethnic communities, and condemning racism, hate and injustice wherever we find it.

“I hope we will soon be able to gather together to show our solidarity. But until then we must continue to do what is necessary to protect the health of everyone, following the guidelines. That is the best and quickest way to ensure we continue along the path of easing lockdown, and meet again sooner rather than later.”

If someone is a victim of a racist hate incident, or a witness to one, they can contact Police Scotland or one of the third party reporting centres that continue to provide a service by telephone or online.

More cash for Scottish Government’s Food Fund

People most at risk from food insecurity due to the COVID-19 outbreak are to receive further support from the Scottish Government’s £70 million Food Fund. An additional £1.6 million of funding will help FareShare purchase more food for local authorities, community-run initiatives and frontline charities across Scotland.

FareShare, a national network of charitable food distributors, has distributed over 1,440 tonnes of food –  the equivalent of almost 3.5 million meals – since 23 March, supported by £500,000 of Scottish Government funding.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “At this difficult time, it is more important than ever that we tackle food insecurity by supporting the work of community food distribution groups across the country who are best placed to ensure vital supplies reach those who need it most.

“By working in partnership with FareShare and their partners in communities across Scotland, this extra funding will help frontline charities and community food groups provide support to even more people in need.

“I would encourage anyone who is struggling to afford or access food during these challenging times to contact our national helpline on 0800 111 4000.”

Head of FareShare Scotland Gillian Kynoch said: “We are experiencing an enormous pull on our resources during these challenging times. While food companies continue to make their surplus food available to us, the need in communities for support with additional food remains great.

“This additional £1.6 million will enable us to top up our food supplies through the coming months and keep on providing food to the frontline organisations caring for and supporting people hard pressed by the current crisis.”

 Leader of Highland Council Margaret Davidson said:  “The strong collaboration between the council and FareShare has benefited the many households who have been receiving nutritional food parcels from our local community hubs since lockdown began.

In addition to the food supplies for the council, FareShare continues to supply a wide range of community groups across the Highlands who in turn are ensuring local households are nourished.

“Our welfare team continues to carry out benefit checks ensuring that all benefits are claimed, including the Scottish Welfare Fund.”

The £70 million Food Fund supports people facing additional barriers in accessing food, and has been distributed as follows:

  • £30 million for the national shielding programme to provide food parcels to those at high clinical risk from COVID-19
  • £30 million to Local Authorities for others who are at-risk or struggling financially, including over-70s and families eligible for free school meals
  • £10 million to third-sector partners delivering community-based responses at national and local levels, including FareShare.

FareShare is a UK-wide network of charitable food redistributors, made up of 17 independent organisations. Together they take quality surplus food from across the UK and get it to almost 11,000 frontline charities and community groups.

If you live in North Edinburgh and are experiencing hardship, local support is right on your doorstep:

First Minister salutes carers and volunteers

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Tuesday 2nd June):

Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for joining us. I’ll start as always with an update on the current position in relation to COVID-19.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 15,471 positive cases confirmed – which is an increase of 53 from the figures I gave you yesterday. However, I need you to note today that this figure of 53 includes 40 older positive test results, which have only been received today and are being added to the overall total now.

A total of 1,168 patients are currently in hospital with either confirmed or suspected COVID-19 and that is an increase of 122 from yesterday.

However, please note that the number of confirmed cases in hospital actually decreased by 23 compared to the figures yesterday.

A total of 34 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. That is an increase of 7 since yesterday – all 7 of those are suspected cases at this stage, not confirmed cases.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 3,721 patients who had tested positive and required admission to hospital for the virus have now been able to leave hospital.

And unfortunately, in the last 24 hours, 12 deaths have been registered of patients confirmed through a test as having COVID-19 – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 2,375.

Of course, tomorrow we will have the weekly report from National Records of Scotland which includes confirmed and suspected deaths from the virus.

Each one of these of course is an individual whose loss is being grieved and mourned by many. I want again today, to send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this illness.

Lastly, on statistics I can confirm that the latest report on delayed discharges has been published today. That includes details on the number of older people discharged from hospitals – where they had no clinical need to be – to care homes. In April that figure was 510. An additional 600 were discharged during April to their own homes.

In addition to thanking our health and care workers – as I do again today from the bottom of my heart – there are two other groups I want to pay tribute to and these groups are relevant to the two substantive issues I want to cover today.

The first group is our unpaid carers, who of course provide vital support to family, friends and neighbours at all times. This pandemic has been an especially stressful time for many of them, and I want to thank each and every one of them, you if you are watching, for your efforts.

One of the ways in which the Scottish Government has already acted to support carers, is by establishing a Carer’s Allowance Supplement – worth £460 a year. The supplement is paid to around 83,000 people across the country who receive Carers’ Allowance – people who are on low incomes, and who provide 35 hours or more of unpaid care to a child, or to an adult on disability benefits.

Last month, we announced that these carers will receive a further Coronavirus supplement of £230. Parliament approved our plans two weeks ago, and so people who are eligible will receive this payment at the end of this month, together with their normal Carer’s Allowance Supplement.

The specific date of payment will be confirmed in the next few days. Let me stress now, if you are eligible, you don’t need to do anything to receive this Coronavirus supplement – it will be paid to you automatically at the end of the month.

I know that this pandemic has been really hard for everyone but it has been very hard for carers emotionally – you are inevitably concerned about your own health, and the health of the people that you are caring for.

However in many cases, it has also been very difficult financially. This extra payment is one way of providing you with some additional help – but is also an important way of us acknowledging the help and care that you provide to others.

I also want to acknowledge that this week is Volunteers Week – that’s an opportunity for all of us to highlight and celebrate the service of volunteers in communities the length and breadth of the country.

Of course, like unpaid carers, the efforts of volunteers are important at all times, but the Covid outbreak has demonstrated once again just how much they contribute.

The Scotland Cares campaign, which you will recall we launched at the end of March, received more than 80,000 sign-ups in total. More than 60,000 of those were from people who wanted to volunteer through the British Red Cross or through Volunteer Scotland.

Some have been shopping for their neighbours – making sure people get the food and prescriptions and other essentials they need – others have been making befriending calls, or providing emotional support, to isolated or lonely people.

Some are directly helping with the response to COVID-19, and others are volunteering through long-standing community organisations.

There are also some people who signed up who may not have been asked to volunteer yet, but you may well be needed in the future – for example in supporting people who are asked to self-isolate under the “test and protect” system.

And of course, alongside the tens of thousands of people who have signed up under the Scotland Cares campaign, there are hundreds of thousands of people and many of you watching will be amongst that number who have been volunteering for years and in some cases for decades.

There are also, I know, many of you who are maybe not formally recognised as volunteers, but who have been performing important acts of kindness for neighbours and friends for a long, long time. I want to say how grateful I am, and how grateful the Scottish Government is to each and every single one of you.

Our national response to Covid depends on people being prepared to look out for each other and show solidarity with each other. Volunteers are an essential and highly valued part of that collective national effort.

Of course, each and every one of us has a part to play in that effort. And it remains the case, that the best way in which each of us can show solidarity with each other, is by sticking to the rules and the public health guidance.

That is the point I want to end on this afternoon.

You should still be staying at home most of the time right now, and you should still be meeting fewer people than normal.

I’d ask all of you to consider whether or not your life feels as if it is going back to normal? I’m sure that’s not the case but if it is, perhaps you should think about whether you are following all of the public health guidance because unfortunately, and regrettably, our lives shouldn’t feel completely normal right now.

When you do meet people from another household, when you are away from home,  you should stay outdoors at all times, and you should stay 2 metres apart from people in other households.

Now you might be reading or hearing in the media today some voices saying that 1 metre is sufficient – so I want to take the opportunity today to stress that the clear and strong advice from the Scottish Government is to stay 2 metres apart from those in other households.

Don’t meet up with more than one other household at a time, don’t meet more than one a day – and please keep to a maximum, and I stress, a maximum of 8 people in a group.

Remember to wash your hands often. That is actually more important as you start to meet, albeit at a physical distance, with people from other households. So wash your hands often and thoroughly. If you’re away from your home, out and about, please remember to take hand sanitiser with you.

Wear a face covering when you are in shops or on public transport. And again, I want to make a direct appeal to you here, if you haven’t been wearing a face covering so far when you’re in a shop or on public transport or in other enclosed spaces, I’m asking you to please think about doing so now.

Because it can offer some protection to other people, it protects them from you transmitting the virus to them if you have it perhaps without knowing it and other people who wear a face covering are offering you some protection as well. So again, it’s something all of us can do to protect each other.

Remember to avoid touching hard surfaces – and when you do touch a hard surface remember to clean it.

And if you have symptoms of COVID-19 – a new, continuous cough; a fever; or a loss of, or change in, your sense of smell or taste – you should get tested, and follow the advice on self-isolation.

I want to underline that point today as well. The success of our test, trace and isolate system – Test & Protect – depends on everyone with symptoms coming forward and getting tested.

So if you do experience symptoms – please do not delay – do not do that thing that sometimes in normal times all of us do, wait to see if we feel better after a day or so. The moment you start to experience these symptoms, book a test at nhsinform.scot or you can phone NHS 24 on 0800 028 2816.

It is really important that if you experience those symptoms, a cough, fever, a loss or change in sense of taste or smell then you come forward and book a test.

Above all else, and this is my final point, please remember that the individual decisions that all of us take right now have an impact far beyond our own health and wellbeing – our individual decisions right now affect the wellbeing of our families, our communities, indeed they affect the wellbeing of the entire country.

The Scottish Government’s responsibility to lead the country through this pandemic and to take all of the appropriate practical steps we need to take is a responsibility we and I, personally take very seriously.

But the truth is that our success or failure in suppressing this virus and keeping it suppressed will also depend on all of us as individual citizens and it will depend on our collective efforts as a society.

We must all continue to do the right thing by each other – by following all the rules and following all of the public health guidance.

I want to stress today that if we all do that, we will continue to slow down the spread of this virus and we will save lives. So my thanks to each and every one of you for doing that so far and I ask you to continue to do the right thing.

First Minister: ‘virus has not gone away’

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday, Monday 1st June:

Good afternoon. Thanks for joining us for today’s briefing. I want to start by providing provide an update, as I always do, on the current position in relation to Covid-19.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 15,418 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 18 from yesterday.

A total of 1,046 patients are in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That represents a total decrease of 27 from yesterday, including an increase of 3 in the number of confirmed cases.

A total of 27 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid 19. That is the same as the figure yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 3,695 patients who had tested positive and required hospital treatment for the virus have been able to leave hospital.

And unfortunately, in the last 24 hours, 1 death has been registered of a patient who had been confirmed through a test as having Covid-19 – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 2,363.

That figure should be treated with some caution.  Although deaths can be registered at weekends, registration numbers are usually relatively low at the weekend and they can be especially low on a Sunday.

For example, just to illustrate that point, last week I reported 3 deaths on Monday, but then reported 18 deaths on Tuesday. That should be taken into account when looking at today’s figure.

And of course we must always remember that these numbers are not simply statistics. They represent unique and irreplaceable individuals whose loss is mourned by many. I want to send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus.

I also want to express once again my deep thanks to our health and care workers. You are doing incredible work in exceptionally challenging circumstances, and all of us owe you a debt of gratitude.

The statistics that I have just read demonstrate the real progress we have made together against the virus.  There are now far fewer people in hospital and in intensive care than at the peak of the outbreak.

But these statistics also demonstrate how fragile that progress is. There are still hundreds of people in hospital and suffering from this virus. There are still new infections in many health board areas. And it is still the case that every day, I have to stand here and confirm further loss of life.

The fact is the virus is being suppressed – but it has not gone away, and it is still extremely dangerous. Indeed, our routemap out of lockdown expressly recognises that during phase 1, which we entered on Friday, there is still a high risk that the virus is not yet contained.

We all must understand that and continue to remember it.

I know that in the last three days, many of you have had long-awaited reunions with family, friends and loved ones. I really hope you enjoyed that – and enjoyed the lovely weather too.

I also know that the vast majority of people stuck to the rules when having those reunions and I want to thank you sincerely for that – you stayed outdoors in small groups, and you stayed more than 2m away from other households. So again my thanks to you for that.

However it is also clear that over the weekend not everyone stuck to the rules. I’m told by the police that on Saturday alone there were 797 dispersals and that is people being moved on for not complying with the rules. To give some content to that, that 797 is five times higher than the figure the previous Saturday.

And there were clearly cases where, despite the guidance we have issued, people were driving more than 5 miles to beauty spots. In some cases, people were staying overnight in tents, caravans or motorhomes.

Some of the early statistics we have from Transport Scotland are especially concerning.

Overall, transport yesterday was 70% up from the previous Sunday. Transport on Saturday was 60% up on the week before.

In some places – like Loch Lomond and Glencoe for example – the increase was even more dramatic.

On Saturday, on the A82 by Loch Lomond, traffic was around 3 times higher than the previous Saturday. We saw a similar picture around Glencoe.

I’m going to be blunt here – it is very hard to see how all of that can have been caused by local residents, or by people travelling a reasonable distance to meet loved ones. So we will be considering all of this as we continue to assess the impact of the Phase 1 changes.

Last week we deliberately allowed some flexibility when we changed the lockdown restrictions. We recommended that people don’t travel more than 5 miles for recreation, but we left room for some discretion so that you could go further to visit family.

And we strongly recommended that when two households meet, there should be no more than eight people in total in a group – but again, we put that into guidance rather than putting it in law, because we trust, and continue to trust, the majority to keep those groups small and to stay within the rules.

But it is worth being clear, in fact I have a duty to be clear with you, that if there is continued evidence of even a minority not abiding by those guidelines and travelling unnecessarily – if people meet up in larger groups or make journeys which risk spreading the virus – we will have to put those restrictions, on group size and travel distance, into law. And we won’t hesitate to do so if we think it is necessary for the collective safety and wellbeing of the nation.

I should make clear, of course, that the  stipulation that no more than two households can meet at any one time is already the law, and if need be, it will be enforced.

And I also want to remind you that the two households should keep 2 metres apart from each other, not share food or utensils, and not go inside each others’ houses.

And the reason I’m stressing all of this – the real danger we still face – is not because I want to be imposing these restrictions but it is because the progress we have made so far in tackling Covid-19 is not guaranteed and it is not irreversible.

Cases could increase again, it won’t take too much for that to happen, rather than continuing to decrease. And if that happens then that will result in more loss of life.

And if all of that happens restrictions will have to be reimposed, rather than being relaxed. None of us want that. But the only way of avoiding it, is for all of us to comply with the rules.

Unless you are an essential worker, or work in one of the categories now permitted to be at work  – you should still be spending the majority of your time at home.

You should still be seeing far fewer people than you might normally do. And those meetings you are now able to have – and your life more generally – still should not be feeling normal.

That basic point applies to everyone. I know that young people, for example, will be hugely frustrated after weeks in doors, and will be desperate to spend more time with friends in the park or at the beach. Young people may also think they are generally less likely to become very seriously ill as a result of this virus.

I want to say very directly to young people, this virus can still be harmful to you. And even if you yourself are not adversely affected, you can still pass the virus on to other young people, and then some of them may pass it on to others – for example parents or grandparents – who are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill.

So please think about that wider interest when you are considering your own behavior in the days and weeks to come.

All of us want to be able to lift more restrictions, so that we can meet friends in more normal circumstances. We also want to be able to restart NHS services, as the Health Secretary spoke about yesterday – and to allow people to get back to work, school or study.

But we can only do this if we keep driving the overall level of Covid infections down, and if we continue to suppress the spread of the virus. And we can only do that, if people continue to stick to the rules.

So please, if I can conclude again by reminding you of what we are asking everybody to do:

Only meet people from other households outside – because the risk of transmission outside is lower than the risk of transmission indoors – and even outdoors stay 2 metres apart from the other household when you do meet.

Don’t meet with more than one other household at a time, don’t meet more than one a day and keep to a maximum of 8 people in a group.

Wash your hands often. Take hand sanitiser with you if you are out and about.

Please wear a face covering when you are in shops or on public transport or other enclosed spaces where physical distancing might be more difficult.

Avoid hard surfaces – and clean any you do touch.

And if you have symptoms, get tested and follow the advice on self isolation.

Above all, more generally – and this applies to each and every one of us – let’s remember that each decision we take as an individual, affects the safety and wellbeing of us all.

I know that that’s difficult. I understand just as much as anybody does the desire to see more people, and to travel outside your local area.

But if we all stick to these rules we are helping to suppress this virus. But if even just a few of you don’t stick to these rules, we are providing a chance for the virus to spread more quickly, and to spread to different parts of the country.

We need to continue to do the right thing, and to do right by each other. I know that the vast majority of you are doing that. Again, I want to sincerely thank you for that.

My appeal goes to everybody across the whole population. Let’s stick together and let’s all do the right thing for the benefit of ourselves and each other.

Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design: next steps for NHS Scotland

NHS Scotland will begin resuming some services that have been suspended, delayed or deferred due to coronavirus (COVID-19), whilst continuing to protect emergency, urgent and maternity care.

‘Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design, The Framework for NHS Scotland’ sets out how Health Boards will follow national and local clinical advice to safely and gradually prioritise the resumption of some paused services. Health boards will introduce these plans while maintaining COVID-19 capacity and resilience and providing appropriate support for social care.

The Interim Chief Medical Officer and National Clinical Director have provided an initial outline on what services could be prioritised in the next phase of Health Board mobilisation planning.

These include:

  • cancer services, especially referrals and postponed treatments
  • expanding treatments for non-cancer urgent inpatients and outpatients
  • outpatient therapies where delay will increase the risk to patients, such as management of macular degeneration, paediatrics and respiratory services
  • mental health support
  • treatment room services such as blood monitoring and B12 injections

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “The coronavirus pandemic has seen an unprecedented response from our NHS and care staff. Our fantastic staff have delivered a massive reorganisation of services in just a matter of weeks. This has ensured that our NHS has not been overwhelmed. 

“We are taking an evidence-based, cautious and phased approach to resuming services to ensure the virus continues to be suppressed. While NHS Scotland will remain on an emergency footing, this framework sets out our approach for the next phases as we continue to respond to this pandemic.

“Our approach is not only driven by clinical priorities but also what matters to people’s quality of life like pain clinics, dental treatment and preventative work like cancer screening.”

Interim Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said: “Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design, The Framework for NHS Scotland sets out the steps being taken to safely resume some paused NHS services across Scotland.

“It ensures that the successful steps taken to maintain services during the pandemic are learnt from and built upon. This includes the significant innovations introduced across the NHS to assess patients utilising digital technology.

“The reality is coronavirus is likely to be with us for some time to come, and so many changes made in the coming weeks and months have to be measured against the need to keep the virus under control, continuing to protect the NHS and save lives.

“Our approach will be informed by national and local clinical priorities. We will continue to work with health boards, local authorities, Royal Colleges, professional bodies, unions and other key stakeholders to ensure this is robust and up to date.”

 You can read Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design, The Framework for NHS Scotland online.

Outdoor learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

Funding for Virtual Nature School

Children and families are to benefit from expert guidance on learning and play in an outdoor environment during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

Funding of £159,000 is being given to Living Classrooms to expand their Virtual Nature School programme, providing professional training and learning materials to early learning and childcare (ELC) practitioners. This will help them support the delivery of outdoor play sessions for children who usually attend their settings.

Up to 2,000 practitioners will receive training on the Virtual Nature School’s digital platform and about 20,000 families will benefit. The focus will initially be in areas of higher deprivation, where children will benefit most.

Children’s Minister Maree Todd said: “Playing, learning and having fun outdoors helps to improve children’s wellbeing and resilience, as well as their physical and mental health. It also gives children the opportunity to develop a life-long appreciation of the natural world.

“This is particularly important during the current circumstances, when we are all having to spend so much more time indoors.

“This programme will make a real difference to help families with their home learning, while maintaining a vital connection with the ELC settings and key workers that children are used to having contact with. That will help when the time comes for youngsters to return to those settings.”

The Virtual Nature School (VNS) is a non-profit programme created by Living Classrooms in response to the needs of children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The work is led by Dr Claire Warden, manager of Auchlone Nursery, Living Classrooms and Mind Stretchers Academy.

The programme currently provides home learning support to non-keyworker families, many of whom normally attend the Auchlone Nursery, where children are unable to attend settings. Sessions are delivered online, with families being supported to carry out outdoor play-based tasks and evaluate their learning.

The programme will be delivered across two eight-week cohorts.

First Minister: ‘A happier and sunnier weekend’

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Friday 29 May):

Good afternoon – and welcome to today’s briefing.  I am joined today by the Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Fair Work and Culture, Fiona Hyslop; and our National Clinical Director, Jason Leitch.

I want to start – as I always do – by updating you on some of the key statistics in relation to Covid-19 in Scotland.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 15,327 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 39 from yesterday.

A total of 1,216 patients are in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That represents a total decrease of 22 from yesterday, including a decrease of 28 in the number of confirmed cases.

A total of 40 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid 19. That is an increase of 3 since yesterday.

We shouldn’t read anything into that increase  – these figures will fluctuate day to day. But nevertheless it is a reminder that the virus has not gone away.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 3,640 patients who had tested positive for the virus and required hospitalisation have been able to leave hospital. I wish all of them well.

And unfortunately I also have to report that in the last 24 hours, 15 deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed through a test as having Covid-19 – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 2,331.

We must never lose sight of the fact that these numbers are not simply statistics. They represent individuals whose deaths are being mourned by friends, family and loved ones. I want to send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus.

I also want to thank – as I always do – our health and care workers. For the tenth Thursday in a row last night, people across the country joined together to applaud your efforts and show our gratitude.

There are two items I want to cover today. Firstly, I want to recap on the changes to the lockdown restrictions on social interaction and leisure that have taken effect today.

I’m very conscious that this weekend will be the first – in quite a while – that people will be able to meet up.  And so I want to take the time to outline, once again, what the changes are…and the rules you must follow to stay safe and avoid a resurgence of the virus.

From today, you and your household can meet with another household out of doors – for example in a park or in a private garden.

However, you should limit the total number of people meeting up, to a maximum of 8.   Ideally it should be less than that.

You should not meet with more than one household at a time.  And don’t meet with more than one other household per day.

If you do meet up, you need to be outside – and you need to stay at least 2 metres away from people in the other household.  You should also avoid touching the same hard surfaces.

For example, if you are having a picnic or barbecue this weekend – not only should you stay 2 metres apart from members of the other household, but each household should also bring its own food, cutlery, plates and cups.

And please – don’t go indoors. Being in someone else’s house should still be avoided, unless you are providing support to someone who is vulnerable.

We are not putting a legal limit on how far you can travel to meet another household.  But if the distance is so far that you would have to use someone else’s bathroom, please don’t go.

Again, to be clear, these rules are for a reason. If you go inside a house, or come within 2 metres of each other, or if you touch the same surfaces as another household, that creates an opportunity for the virus to spread.

And we must do everything we can to avoid that.

From today, you are also able to sit or sunbathe in parks and open areas.

You will be able to travel – preferably by walking or cycling – for recreation. However, please stay within, or close to, your own local area.  Don’t travel more than around 5 miles from your home.

We do not want to see large numbers of people at tourist hot spots or local beauty spots. So if you do go somewhere and find it is crowded, please change your plans and go somewhere else.

If you haven’t done so already, please go to the Scottish Government’s website and read the guidance we are asking you to follow.

I hope that these changes will bring some improvement to the quality of our lives.

But they are deliberately and by necessity cautious – and they have been carefully assessed.

I said yesterday I was nervous ahead of these changes and that’s still the case.

If too many of us change our behaviour a bit more than these changes are designed to allow, we could see the virus spread quickly again and we will be back to square one.

And the consequences of that will be measured, not just in more time spent in lockdown – it will be measured in lost lives too.

So I’m not trying to cramp anyone’s fun this weekend. I want everyone to enjoy these changes – you have more than earned it.

But I am asking you to please do so responsibly. I am appealing to your judgment and your sense of solidarity to each other.

Please stay within the rules.

Apply judgment. We can’t give bespoke guidance for every individual circumstance – but remember that the purpose of the rules is to deny the virus bridges to jump across.

So continue to limit the people from other households you see.

Stay distant.

Be rigorous in your hand hygiene.

And don’t allow the virus to spread from you to someone else via a hard surface.

And generally, if you’re wondering whether or not it’s ok to do something this weekend, consider whether you might be providing that  bridge.

And if you are in doubt about whether your plans are within the rules or not, err on the side of caution.

Because however harsh these rules might feel right now, abiding by them will never be as harsh as grieving the loss of a loved one.

So please, before you make any plans, stop and think to protect you and your families.

The second item I want to cover today relates to the economy.   This morning, as I do every Friday morning, I chaired the Cabinet sub-committee on the economy. Among the items we discussed was our support for business – and particularly for those industries which are not yet able to reopen. 

One of those is – of course – our manufacturing sector.  And that’s what I want to focus on today.

We know that manufacturing is vital to Scotland.  And that fact has been underlined over the past couple of months.

In that time, manufacturers across country have stepped forward, to help Scotland’s response to the crisis.  Many have repurposed or scaled up their operations, to meet the demand for things like hand sanitizer and PPE.  In doing so, they’ve helped us to provide our frontline services, with the supplies that they need.

So I want to thank everyone who has contributed to that effort.  I also want to thank the many manufacturing businesses – not involved in that essential work – who have remained closed.   I know how tough things are at the moment – and I appreciate the sacrifices you are making.

Unfortunately, most of Scotland’s manufacturing businesses will not be able to reopen until phase 2 of our route map.  However, during this first phase, they will be able to start preparations, for a safe return to work.

Earlier this week, the Scottish Government published guidance for the sector, on the measures that will need to be put in place.

We are determined to support our manufacturing industry, as it prepares for that restart.  We also want to do everything we can to ensure its future success.  That was already a priority for the Scottish Government.  But it becomes even more important, as the industry recovers from this crisis.

That’s why I am announcing today that we will provide an additional £20 million of funding for Scotland’s new National Manufacturing Institute.  That brings our total investment to £75 million. 

I can also confirm today that the contract to build the new Institute has been awarded, though work will only commence when it is safe to do so.

The National Manufacturing Institute will be operated by the University of Strathclyde – and it will bring together expertise from academia and industry.

It will allow businesses – of all sizes – to access research and development.  And it will ensure that  Scotland remains at the very forefront of advanced manufacturing.

Of course, we also want to improve the support available to manufacturers – at a local level – right across Scotland.  So today, we’re also announcing investment in 12 new projects, as part of our Advancing Manufacturing Challenge Fund.

Each of the projects is designed to help small and medium sized businesses.  And the Cabinet Secretary will set out more detail on them, shortly.

We know that a strong manufacturing sector is vital to our economic success.  So by investing now, we are preparing our economy, for the challenges – and the opportunities – of the post-Covid world.

Of course, for now, the Scottish Government’s primary focus is on dealing with this crisis.

Our country has made significant progress over recent weeks.  But make no mistake, this virus has not gone away.

So before I hand over to the Cabinet Secretary, I want to set out for you – once again – what the new rules are.

Let me be very clear – you should still stay home as much as you can. Lockdown has been modified slightly – but it is not over.

You should still be seeing far fewer people than you might normally do.

Don’t meet with more than one other household at a time, don’t meet more than one a day and keep to a maximum of 8 people in a group.

Stay 2 metres apart when you do meet. That will be difficult, I know. We all want to hug our loved ones. But please, don’t put them or yourself at risk.

Wash your hands often. Take hand sanitiser if you are out and about.

Avoid hard surfaces – and clean any you  do touch.

And if you have symptoms, get tested and follow the advice on self isolation.

Above all, remember that each individual decision we take, will affect the safety and wellbeing of everyone.

Recent weeks have been tough – and tough times still lie ahead – but I have never been prouder of this country than I am right now.

So let’s continue to stick together and do right by each other.

And remember, at all stages – stop, think and protect.

So I want to thank all of you in advance for doing that – and wish you all, within the rules of course, a happier and certainly a sunnier weekend than we’ve had in a while.

Public support for Test & Protect

A new poll found a high level of support for testing measures to control the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The survey, carried out days before NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect was rolled out across the country, showed 91% of adults in Scotland recognised the importance of testing while 89% agreed that staying home helped to save lives. In total 88% said they would want a test if at all possible if they developed symptoms, and 88% would be happy to provide details of people with whom they had been in contact.

Under the system, people will need to isolate with their household as soon as they have symptoms and get tested straight away through NHSInform.scot. If they have a positive test result, they will be asked to provide details of all recent close contacts to NHS contact tracers, and those people will be contacted and asked to isolate for 14 days.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “Test and Protect is an essential step in our response to COVID-19. We are taking this step now because it’s the appropriate thing to do for this stage of the virus.

“As with lockdown, we need everyone to take this next step very seriously. They have done this so far, and I am very confident they will step up to show the same spirit of solidarity and care for each other as before.

“It is a collective national endeavour. People will need the help of family, friends, colleagues and employers. But support from us and our local authority partners will be available for anyone who needs extra help to self-isolate.

“If we all agree that some of us will have to stay home at times – when we have symptoms, test positive, or have been in contact with someone who tests positive – we can gradually move away from a situation where everyone has to stay home all of the time.”