The Scottish Ambulance Service’s vaccination bus has celebrated a huge milestone – the delivery of 10,000 vaccines to individuals across the country, as part of Scotland’s national vaccination programme.
To mark this significant moment, the Service, working with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, brought the vaccination bus to Scotland’s national stadium, Hampden Park, today (Wednesday 28th July).
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf, MSP, was in attendance at Hampden to help mark this achievement and to witness the vital work being carried out.
He met with the Consultant Paramedic Paul Kelly, who has been leading the vaccination bus programme with other colleagues, and Scottish Professional Football League Referee John Beaton, who was there to encourage people to get vaccinated.
Over the last six months, the Service has been working in partnership with health boards and local authorities to support the delivery of the national vaccination programme. This has included taking the vaccination bus to local community settings, such as football grounds and shopping centre car parks, to demonstrate the benefits of a responsive and tailored approach to reach communities across Scotland.
Pauline Howie, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “Reaching the milestone of delivering 10,000 doses of the vaccine is incredibly significant, and it’s been made possible with the dedication of our colleagues, and our close working with Scottish Government, Health Boards and local authorities across Scotland to reach into communities.
“It’s so simple to get vaccinated and protect yourself and others from Covid-19. Just come along to our vaccine buses, roll up your sleeve, and our professional team will administer the vaccine. If we work together, we can all do our part in beating the Pandemic.”
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The vaccination programme has been a huge success and it is great to see so many people taking advantage of the mobile units.
“It is fantastic that the staff at the vaccination bus have administered 10,000 jags and I want to thank them all for their hard work in helping to get our national programme out into the community, making getting a vaccine easier than ever.
“You can pop in to the bus while you are out shopping or walking and staff will answer any questions you have in relation to the COVID-19 vaccination.
“All of the evidence says that the vaccines are working as we continue to battle the faster-transmitting Delta variant so I urge everyone to take advantage of the vaccination programme which is open to every adult in Scotland.”
Dr Emilia Chrighton, Deputy Director for Public Health for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who has come forward so far to receive a vaccination. This is the single biggest factor in helping us control the virus.
“The vaccine bus has played a key role in the vaccination programme rollout so far, and alongside drop-in clinics and appointment clinics, has helped provide as many routes to vaccination to make it as easy for the public as possible.”
The team can administer all three vaccines – Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca – so it is open to all ages. No appointment is necessary and those needing a first or second dose are welcome, as long as you have waited eight weeks between injections.
The clinic, which is just next to M&S, will run from 10am til 6pm, seven days a week from today – Tuesday 27 July.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: First Minister’s statement – 20 July 2021
Good afternoon everyone. As you can see I am joined today by Dr Nicola Steedman, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer and she will answer questions with me shortly.
Firstly, though, an update on the current state of the pandemic, starting with a summary of today’s statistics.
1,604 positive cases were reported yesterday – 9.2% of all of tests carried out. That takes the total number of confirmed cases now to 332,455.
There are 529 people now receiving hospital treatment – which is 7 fewer than yesterday and 47 people are in intensive care, that is 2 more than yesterday.
Sadly, a further 13 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, which means that the total number of deaths registered, under the daily definition, is now 7,813.
As always, my condolences are with everyone who has suffered bereavement.
Now, although case numbers remain high – and I’ll cover the implications of that shortly – they are very much right now on a downward path.
To illustrate that point – in the 7 days up to 2 July, there were an average of 3,305 new cases being reported each day but, in the 7 days to 16 July, that had fallen to an average of 2,112 new cases a day.
So that amounts to a decline in the past two weeks of more than 1/3 – and that is very encouraging. Because of that, we were able to go ahead yesterday with the move to level 0.
But as I said a moment ago, case numbers – though they are definitely falling – do remain higher than we should be comfortable with.
Covid as we know is highly infectious – indeed, Delta is significantly more transmissible than previous variants of the virus.
And although vaccination is weakening the link between Covid cases and serious illness, the virus is still potentially dangerous.
And, of course, long Covid is affecting many, including those in younger age groups.
All of this means that vigilance and care remain really important. Restrictions were eased yesterday as part of a gradual process – but restrictions were not abandoned yesterday.
Important measures and mitigations do remain in place – and we continue to ask people across the country and I do so again today to treat the threat that Covid poses seriously at this stage.
I’ll emphasise that point in more detail towards the end of my remarks, but before then I’ll touch briefly on some other issues.
The first of those is vaccination.
As of this morning, 3,984,433 people had received their first dose of vaccine.
That’s an increase of 2,483 since yesterday. As you can see were are getting to the end of first doses.
In addition to that, 16,340 people had a second dose yesterday and that means the total number of second doses is now 2,995,086.
All adults have now been offered first dose appointments – indeed that has happened earlier than we had initially anticipated.
And as of now, around 90% of all adults in the population have actually taken up the opportunity and had the first jag administered.
Also, more than 2/3 of all adults have had the second dose as well – and that proportion will continue to rise on a daily basis, as the programme of second doses continues.
Remember the clinical advice is that – in order to maximise the protection and the longevity of the protection of the vaccine – we should leave 8 weeks between first and second doses.
I think it’s important to say that the level of uptake achieved so far is quite remarkable by the standard of any previous vaccination programme. And it actually exceeds what we dared hoped for when this programme started back at the turn of the year. That said, we want to see uptake levels increase further, we want to get as close to 100% uptake as it is possible to do.
To put it bluntly, each and every single person who gets jagged helps us take a step back to normality. And of course the converse of that is true, for as long as there remains a proportion of eligible people who have not had the vaccine that leaves us with a vulnerability against the virus.
So we must keep at it.
Although around 90% of all adults have taken up the offer of the first dose, so far amongst 30 – 39 year olds that is only 81% and in the 18 – 29 year old age group it is 70%.
So I want to stress again today and we will keep stressing this that if you are 18 or over, and if you haven’t yet had a first dose, then you can still get it. In fact, we really, really want you to get the first dose of vaccine.
You can access that by registering online, through NHS inform but remember you don’t have to register – you’re also able to simply turn up at one of the drop-in vaccination centres that are now operational across all mainland health board areas.
Covid is – and this is something we should always be thankful for – is less of a threat to younger people than to older people – but that doesn’t mean it poses no threat at all to young people.
Some young people do need hospital care when they get the virus, some young people will even end up in intensive care and of course, as we know, young people can get long Covid which we still don’t fully understand the implications of.
Vaccination will help protect you from those risks– but it will also help you protect other people.
So please – get vaccinated as soon as you possibly can. If you know somebody in a younger age group in your own family that hasn’t had the vaccine yet, please encourage them to do so. There’s lots of information on the NHS Inform website, not just about how to get the vaccine but about the vaccine itself. It is a safe vaccine so please get it or encourage those you know who haven’t done so already to get it.
It’s the single most important thing any of us can do right now to give protection to ourselves but also protect others and of course to help all of us collectively get back to more normality.
Obviously, we want to extend the protection of the vaccine as far as we can.
To that end, the advice yesterday from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on the vaccination of 12 to 17 year olds is important and I want to spend just a couple of minutes talking about that.
At this stage – given that it considers the risk of 12 to 17 year olds falling seriously ill from Covid to be very low – the JCVI is not recommending that we vaccinate all young people in that 12 to 17 year olds age group.
Now, the Scottish Government has always followed the advice of the JCVI – for good reason. You’ll have heard me talk about that before in different contexts including recently that eight week interval between first and second doses.
But I am acutely aware that some other countries are vaccinating younger teenagers and I certainly consider it to be extremely important that this is not ruled out here.
So to that end, the Chief Medical Officer is writing to the JCVI asking that the benefit of vaccinating all 12-17 year olds is kept under close and ongoing review – and that it takes account of all available data from countries already doing this.I think that it is really important if there is a benefit to be got from vaccinating younger teenagers then it’s really important that we make sure younger people don’t lose out on that.
In the meantime though and most immediately, we intend to get on with implementing what the JCVI is recommending – and it is recommending that vaccine should be offered to specific groups of 12 to 17 year olds.
Vaccination is already available to 16 and 17 year olds at higher risk of falling seriously ill and they will continue to be eligible.
But in addition, the JCVI is advising that 12 to 15 year olds should be eligible for vaccination if they have Down’s Syndrome; severe neuro-disabilities; or underlying conditions that mean their immune systems are suppressed.
In addition, it advises vaccination for 12 to 15 year olds with severe learning disabilities; with profound and multiple learning disabilities; or who are on the learning disability register.
Finally, vaccination is recommended for 12 to 17 year olds who are household contacts of people with suppressed immune systems. And in that latter case that is less about the protection of the young person and more about the protection of somebody they may live with.
We will shortly provide details of our operational plans to vaccinate these groups of young people as quickly as possible.
And of course in light of what I said earlier about this advice being kept under review, we will make sure that we are prepared to go further as soon as that is recommended. If indeed that is recommended.
The final point on vaccination I want to stress is that if you are currently 17 years old but if you are due to turn 18 on or before 31 October this year, you are now eligible for vaccination as part of this year’s programme.
You can self-register again through the portal on NHS Inform or go to a drop in centre.
So, I want to just emphasise this point today, if you or indeed if you know somebody in this category, if you are due to turn 18 before the end of October, register for an appointment or go to a drop-in centre, and get your vaccination as soon as possible.
Finally, today, I want to return briefly to the need for all of us to continue to treat this virus seriously and follow all of the rules and advice still in place.
We did take a further very welcome step back to normality yesterday with the next step in what is a careful and gradual easing of restrictions.
Full details of what that means are on the Government’s website.
These rules are more relaxed, considerably more relaxed than the ones we’ve all had to live with in the first part of the year.
But – as I mentioned at the start – case levels are still high and Covid is still dangerous.
So I want to comment more today on the things – in addition of course to that vital imperative of vaccination – that it is important for us still to do so that we are individually and collectively reducing the risk.
Because of vaccination, we are undoubtedly in a much better position than we were last year, or even at the start of this year. But we can’t abandon caution altogether or at least we will be foolish if we do that. We all still have a role to play, in helping to protect ourselves and each other.
Firstly, although the limits have increased slightly as of yesterday, the limit on the number of friends and family who can meet together – 8 people from 4 households indoors and 15 from 15 households outdoors – is still really important because that limits the number of households the virus might spread to as the result of one social occasion.
Face coverings also remain important – and a really good way for all of us to help protect each other – and of course they continue to be a legal requirement in certain settings here in Scotland and indeed that requirement to wear face coverings in some settings is likely to remain in force for some time to come.
Also, please test yourself regularly, particularly if you are planning to visit somebody, or go to an event or perhaps if you’re planning to spend a few days on holiday in a different part of the country.
Free lateral flow tests can be obtained through NHS inform. You can get them sent to you by post but you can also collect them from testing centres and local pharmacies.
Remember If you test positive through one of these devices – or indeed if you have symptoms of the virus – then you should self-isolate, and book a PCR test as quickly as possible.
And, lastly, because it remains really important, please keep following all the basic hygiene measures.
Meet other people outdoors as much as possible and particularly while the weather is as good as it is right now. It’s a really good opportunity to stay outdoors and minimise the risk of transmission that bit more.
As I said a moment ago, stick to the limits on group sizes, and if you are meeting indoors, open windows and keep rooms well ventilated.
And please remember physical distancing, hand-washing, face coverings as I’ve just said – all of these measures are as important now as they have been throughout.
And if all of us do these things, then I hope we will see cases continue to fall in the days and weeks to come and if that happens then that creates the conditions we hope for a further easing of the remaining restrictions over the next few weeks.
My thanks again to everybody for all of your cooperation and all of the sacrifices you continue to make. It doesn’t get any easier but it remains really important so my thanks to everyone.
The vaccination programme completed first doses for all over 18s who have attended their scheduled appointments at close of play yesterday – Sunday 18 July.
Second doses continue to be scheduled and it is expected all adults will have received them by Sunday 12 September.
Some of those eligible have rearranged their initial appointment for health or work reasons and will get their first dose shortly. Anyone else who has not yet received their first dose for whatever reason is urged to head to a local drop-in clinic or go to NHS Inform to book an appointment convenient for them.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “It is testament to the incredible work being done by all those involved in the vaccination programme that we have reached this milestone of giving first doses to all those who attended their scheduled appointments.
“I want to thank them and of course, everyone who has taken up their offer of a vaccine as each and every one is playing their part in helping us out of the pandemic and of course, protecting themselves and those around them.
“For anyone who hasn’t yet come forward, we urge you to do so now. We have made getting a vaccination easier than ever – head to one of the drop-in clinics being offered across the country or, if you prefer, book an appointment online at NHS Inform. Please check your NHS board’s social media posts for the latest information on where you can attend.
“All of the evidence says that the vaccines are working as we continue to battle the faster-transmitting Delta variant which is now dominant so I urge everyone to take advantage of the vaccination programme which is open to every adult in Scotland.”
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has visited a drop-in vaccination clinic in Arbroath as the national programme nears completion of first doses for all adults who attended their scheduled appointments on Sunday.
The clinic in Arbroath is one of many additional walk-in and pop-up facilities operating across the mainland to encourage people to get Jagged in July and Mr Yousaf urged anyone who is yet to take up their offer of a vaccine for whatever reason to come forward now.
No appointment is necessary at drop-in clinics and people can attend whether they are due a first dose or second dose, if eight weeks have passed. Anyone who wishes to book an appointment can do so at NHS Inform.
Mr Yousaf said: “I am pleased to see people making use of the vaccination clinic in Arbroath and urge others to do the same at their local drop-in venues if they haven’t yet come forward to be vaccinated.
“Getting vaccinated has never been easier. Simply head to a drop-in or pop-up clinic – the most up-to-date details of clinics near you can be found on your local NHS board’s social media posts or book an appointment online in a location which suits.
“The vaccination programme is working – evidence shows vaccination is weakening the link between case numbers and severe acute illness. However, case numbers are still high and vaccination continues to be the best way to protect yourself and those around you.
“We are currently working through the final group on the JCVI priority list – those aged between 18 and 29 – and we know that the extra drop-in clinics being operated by mainland health boards until Sunday make it easier for them to fit getting vaccinated into their busy lives. Walk-ins will still be available after this week but now is the time to take advantage of all the additional facilities on offer.
“I want to thank all those involved in setting up these clinics and of course, everyone involved in the national vaccination programme. It has been a huge success and without doubt, represents our best way out of the pandemic.”
NHS Tayside Director of Public Health Dr Emma Fletcher said: “Drop-in vaccination clinics are running at venues right across Tayside to make it as easy as possible for people to get vaccinated. No appointment is necessary and anyone over 18 can drop-in.
“So far, uptake of vaccinations in Tayside has been very good. We have delivered over 532,500 vaccines in Tayside with 300,000 people, 86% of the adult population, having one dose and around 232,500 people, 66%, having had both doses but we need that uptake to be higher to stop the spread of the virus.
“We know that getting both doses of the vaccine offers maximum protection against the virus and we are particularly encouraging people aged 18-29 to come forward as early as they can. So if you have not yet had your first jab, or you are longer than eight weeks from your first jab and are due your second jab, come along to your nearest clinic and we will get you vaccinated.”
Those used in the UK as effective at preventing symptomatic disease in the majority of people with underlying health conditions as the rest of the population
Within these clinical risk groups, there will be people with more severe forms of illness – particularly in the immunosuppressed group – who may not respond as well to the vaccines, and we recommend they seek advice from their specialists.
The study found:
overall vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease in risk groups is approximately 60% after one dose of either AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech, with little variation by age
after 2 doses, vaccine effectiveness is 81% with AstraZeneca in people in risk groups aged 16 to 64. No data is available for Pfizer-BioNTech
in people in risk groups aged 65 and over, vaccine effectiveness with Pfizer-BioNTech is 89% and 80% with AstraZeneca
for those who are immunosuppressed, vaccine effectiveness after a second dose is 74%, with similar protection to those who are not in a risk group. This rises from 4% after a first dose
Although age is the greatest risk factor for adverse outcomes following coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, certain health conditions also increase the risk of severe disease.
Diabetes, severe asthma, chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, neurological disease, and diseases or therapies that weaken the immune system – such as blood cancer, HIV or chemotherapy – have all been linked to an increased risk of hospitalisation or death with COVID-19.
People with these conditions who are at highest risk were initially advised to shield during the peak of the pandemic and all risk groups were then prioritised for vaccination. The government announced the dose interval would be brought forward from 12 to 8 weeks for the clinically vulnerable on 14 May, and everyone in these groups should now have been offered a second dose.
Data on vaccine effectiveness among people in clinical risk groups was previously limited. Though more data is needed, protection against hospitalisation and death in risk groups is expected to be greater than protection against symptomatic disease, as has been seen in studies of the general population.
Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at PHE, said: “This real-world data shows for the first time that most people who are clinically vulnerable to COVID-19 still receive high levels of protection after 2 doses of vaccine.
“It is vital that anyone with an underlying condition gets both doses, especially people with weakened immune systems as they gain so much more benefit from the second dose.”
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advised that those living with immunosuppressed adults should be prioritised for vaccination to help limit the spread of the virus to people in this group.
If the planned booster programme goes ahead, the JCVI has recommended that immunosuppressed adults and their household contacts should also be among the first to be offered a third dose of vaccine in September.
PHE estimates that 30,300 deaths and 8,151,000 infections have been prevented as a result of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, up to 25 June. This is based on modelling analysis from PHE and Cambridge University’s MRC Biostatistics Unit.
PHE also estimates that 46,300 hospitalisations have been prevented in people aged 65 or older in England up to 27 June (approximately 7,000 admissions in those aged 65 to 74, 18,000 in those aged 75 to 84, and 21,300 in those aged 85 and over).
Edinburgh Park’s mass vaccination centre will welcome its final patients this weekend as the site prepares for closure on Sunday.
The mass vaccination centre, based within the Royal Bank of Scotland’s former Younger Building, will close this weekend, having seen thousands of patients come through its doors.
Over the last four months, since the site opened on Monday 1 March, the vaccination team has administered 82,595 doses of the lifesaving vaccine.
NHS Lothian is now in the process of moving to a more flexible delivery model and will utilise more mobile and surge vaccination clinics. This will allow the board to target people who are still to receive their jab by making it as easy as possible to be vaccinated.
The decommissioning of the site will begin on Monday (12 July). Those in the west Edinburgh area wishing to visit a drop-in clinic at a mass vaccination centre can do so at the Royal Highland Showground.
Airport buses have been temporarily diverted to allow passengers to be dropped off directly outside Lowland Hall.
The Edinburgh Park site will still welcome both appointments and drop-ins until closure.
Pat Wynne, Nurse Director of Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said: “The site at RBS has played a key role in the vaccination programme so far and we are really thankful to our team who made it work so well. I would also say thank you to Royal Bank of Scotland for cooperation throughout the site’s operation.
“Anyone wishing to be vaccinated from Monday can do so visiting one of our four mass vaccination drop-in clinics across the region, which are continuing to operate.
“This weekend (10 and 11 July), we will be running our mobile vaccination clinics with the Scottish Ambulance Service at The Centre, Livingston (Sat), and Fort Kinnaird Shopping Centre (Sun).
“These are open to everyone over the age of 18 for first vaccination, and for those who are due their second vaccination having waited eight weeks.”
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh today (Thursday 8th July):
Good afternoon everyone. As you can see, I’m joined by the Chief Medical Officer today, and he will take questions with me shortly.
Before that though I want to reflect on our current Covid situation and, in doing that, I will also look ahead briefly to the statement I will make to Parliament next week.
But before any of that, I’ll summarize today’s statistics.
Yesterday there were 2,802 positive cases reported, which is 8% of all of the tests that were carried out.
The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 306,449.
There are 401 people who are currently in hospital – that is 14 more than yesterday.
And 38 people are receiving intensive care, and that is 4 more than yesterday.
Sadly 4 further deaths were reported over the past 24 hours, and that takes the total number of deaths registered under this daily definition to 7,744.
As always, I want to convey my thoughts and condolences to everyone who has been bereaved over the course of this pandemic.
I’ll also briefly update on the progress of the vaccination programme.
As of this morning, 3,900,864 people had received a first dose of vaccine.
That is an increase of 10,688 since yesterday.
In addition to that, yesterday 16,984 people got the second dose and that brings the total number of second doses to 2,825,886.
So as you can see from these numbers, the vaccine programme continues to make really good progress and that should make us optimistic. For now though, that optimism needs to be balanced by concern at the high case numbers we’ve seen recently – a pattern that is increasingly evident in other countries as well.
However, on the upside – and while there will always be daily fluctuations as we can see, and that’s why we look most closely at 7 day averages – looking at the figures reported over the past few days, we can see the suggestion that the recent surge in cases may be, to some extent, levelling off now. Today’s reported figure, for example, represents 1,432 fewer cases than were reported on this day last week.
Similarly, if we look at the seven day average, there does appear to be a slowdown in the rise in positive cases.
So while we need to monitor this in the days to come, that is encouraging news but obviously case numbers remain high. And that is a worry.
We increasingly hear talk just now of learning to live with the virus, which we all want to be able to do.
And it is true, absolutely true, that we can’t live a restricted way of life forever – because that in itself affects our health and wellbeing. And it is also true, thankfully, that vaccines are offering us an alternative way forward.
However, that desire to just live with it cannot mean that we simply throw all caution to the wind and no longer worry at all about rising levels of infection.
And I want to just set out briefly why we can’t simply through all caution to the wind.
Firstly, this virus is still potentially dangerous. As we see almost every day just now, it is still taking lives – though mercifully, thanks to the vaccines, it is doing so in far fewer numbers than we saw in earlier stages.
Secondly, even though the majority – a quite significant majority – of cases are now in younger people, who are much less likely to become acutely ill, the health impacts can still be significant. Many young people are suffering from long Covid, which of course experts still don’t fully understand.
So it would be wrong and irresponsible – because our young people are not guinea pigs – to have no concern at all about young people being infected with this virus.
And, thirdly, even though far fewer people with Covid are ending up in hospital now – around 3% of all cases compared to 13% earlier in the year – and that’s mainly because vaccines are giving protection to those that previously were most likely to fall seriously ill, it is still the case that 3% of a high number of positive cases will still put significant pressure on our NHS. That’s a matter of basic arithmetic.
And because the NHS is much busier again with non-Covid care – which is a good thing because we are trying to catch up on the backlog created earlier in the pandemic when we had to stop a lot of non-Covid care – that pressure will be felt now much more quickly.
And it is already being felt in our NHS. Already some hospitals are having to scale back a bit on Covid elective care again. And I just want to take the opportunity again today to pay tribute to everybody working really hard in our NHS up and down the country.
So for all of these reasons – while it is still the case, and this bit hasn’t changed, that vaccines are offering us the way out of this, hopefully soon – this is a moment for care and caution.
And that’s not true just here in Scotland, although we are undoubtedly at the sharp end of this Delta curve.
But increasingly we see and hear other countries, faced with an accelerating Delta wave, also re-emphasise the need for caution.
It is worth pointing out – and I am doing this non-pejoratively, just as a statement of fact and because the pressure is always there for Scotland to follow suit – I think it is worth pointing out that the path the UK government is embarking on for England, which is entirely a matter for them, a path of not just lifting all restrictions from 19 July, but also removing the requirement for basic mitigations like face masks, and doing so against the backdrop of sharply increasing case numbers, is something of an exception.
So while I totally understand the desire that some have for us to follow suit in every single respect, we have to think carefully about the steps we do take at this juncture.
My job is not to take the easy decisions in a quest for popularity.
It is to do what I think is most likely to keep the country as safe as possible as we get to the end of the vaccination programme.
You’ve heard me use the analogy before – and I’m far from the only person to have used it – that this is a race between the virus and the vaccines.
Over the next few weeks as we complete the vaccination programme, it is really important that we don’t let the virus outrun us.
So that brings me on to the second issue I want to just briefly cover today, which is the statement I will make to Parliament next Tuesday.
As you know, when we published our revised strategic framework, we said that 19 July was the indicative date for Scotland’s move to level 0.
Next Tuesday, ahead of that date, I will set out to Parliament the final decision that the Cabinet will reach on Tuesday morning on whether and to what extent that move is able to proceed.
It is worth noting – again, just as a statement of fact, not because I want you to read anything particular into this – that these decisions needn’t always be binary. It is always possible to proceed with some planned changes but hold back on others if we think that is appropriate.
Obviously though, I very much hope we will be able to move ahead as planned – and the apparent slowing down in the case numbers gives me more cause for optimism about that than I might have had a week ago – but nevertheless between now and Tuesday, we will continue to monitor very carefully the latest data on cases, but also on hospitalizations and deaths to see whether that weakening of the link between cases and severe illness is continuing.
So that is a decision I will set out on Tuesday and I don’t want to pre-empt that decision any further today, but there is one point I do want to emphasise – particularly given that I’m very aware the media will be full of talk of so-called Freedom Day in relation to England and I absolutely understand everybody’s desire to get to what is called Freedom Day here as quickly as possible.
But as the case numbers show, Covid is still with us. It is still present across the globe and it is going to be around for some time to come.
So it is important, I think, just to remind all of us that a move to level 0 does not mean the immediate end of all restrictions.
Many of the baseline measures we use – things like face coverings, physical distancing, rigorous hand hygiene, advising on good ventilation – these are going to continue to be important mitigations in protecting ourselves and others from the virus, perhaps for some time yet.
So no matter what our decision is next week about the move to level 0, there won’t be an abrupt end to these basic protective measures when we do move to level 0. Obviously I will set out more about that in the statement I make next week.
To finish though, I want to remind everyone of the three things all of us can do to help beat this virus.
We hopefully are seeing a slowdown in the rate of increase that we’ve had in the last couple of weeks. That’s good news. The vaccination programme continues to go well, we’ve got drop in clinics in every part of mainland Scotland to encourage people to come forward for vaccinations. So we have cause and reason to continue to be optimistic – but this is a moment in our path out of this pandemic for us to be careful and cautious.
All of us have a part to play and I just want to end by reiterating the things that all of us can do to help get us back to that position of normality as quickly as possible.
The first is to get vaccinated as soon as you are invited to do so. If you are over 18 years of age, you should have had your invitation for the first jag by now. So if you haven’t had that, you can self-register on the NHS Inform website to get an appointment or you can go to one of the drop-in clinics.
As I said a moment ago, there are open clinics in all mainland health board areas and you can find details of the one nearest to you on NHS Inform website or on the social media accounts of your own health board.
These drop in clinics are also available to anyone who has had a first dose 8 weeks or more ago but hasn’t yet had a second dose.
I simply can’t emphasise enough just how important it is that we all get vaccinated with both doses. So please get both jags as soon as you can and the NHS Inform website is a place to go if you need more information on how to get your jag.
The second thing we’re asking everyone to do, is to take the opportunity to test yourself regularly. That’s particularly important if you are planning to visit somebody or go somewhere. If you take a test before you go, you will reduce the risk of you inadvertently spreading the virus if you perhaps have it and don’t have symptoms. So it helps protect those that you will be coming into contact with.
You can get lateral flow tests through the NHS inform website. That way you can get them sent to you by post. But you can also pick them up from local and regional test centres, or from local pharmacies.
If you test positive through one of these lateral flow devices – or if you have symptoms of the virus – please make sure that you self-isolate, and that you book a PCR test as quickly as possible.
And if you are identified as a close contact of someone with Covid, you will be asked to self-isolate for 10 days – so please do that. We are reviewing the policy on isolation for contacts of positive cases for the future and will set out our intentions on that shortly. But for now it remains an important mitigation.
The third and final thing we’re asking people to do is stick to the rules wherever you live, and keep following the basic hygiene measures.
Meet other people outdoors as much as possible.
If you are meeting indoors, stick to the limits on group sizes, follow the advice around hygiene and ventilation and remember that is important even if you are meeting indoors to watch the football or other sport.
And please remember physical distancing, hand-washing, face coverings – all of these basic mitigations still help us to limit the spread of this virus.
And if, like I’m sure most of us have been over the past few weeks, you have been slipping on these things this is a moment to tighten up again as we hopefully embark on this next and final phase of getting out of the Covid restrictions.
So those are the key things we’re asking everybody do to. We’re all thoroughly sick of every single aspect of this. I don’t just know that, I feel that, but it’s really important that, having come so far, and having hopefully an effective end point to this in sight, that we stick with it to make sure not just that we get to that end point but that we get to that end point as safely as possible.
So thank you for your continued patience, thank you for your continued forbearance with all of this, and please continue to stick with it.
The vaccination bus run by NHS Lothian and the Scottish Ambulance Service will operate this weekend to reach as many over 18s as possible.
The mobile unit is visiting shopping centres in West Lothian and Edinburgh as the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination programme nears completion of first doses for all adults in Scotland.
Meanwhile, every mainland health board continues to offer daily drop-in clinics where people can attend for their first dose or – if eight weeks have passed – their second dose.
Anyone who would prefer a scheduled appointment can continue to self-register with NHS Inform if for any reason they have not yet had their first inoculation.
Visiting the vaccination bus in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nicola Steedman said: “The vaccination programme has been a huge success and it is great to see so many people taking advantage of the mobile units.
“I want to thank NHS Lothian and the Scottish Ambulance Service for their help in adding this option to the programme and, of course, every single person involved in the roll-out in Scotland.
“Our route out of this pandemic is getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible, that is why we are urging people to get jagged in July. We are currently working our way through the remaining people in the 18-29 year old group and would welcome them at the vaccination bus if they want to pop in while they are out shopping or walking.
“If the mobile unit isn’t near you, remember you can attend one of the drop-in clinics being run in all mainland health boards. You can also rearrange the location of your appointment online if, for example, it is more convenient for you to be vaccinated closer to your work than home.
“All of the evidence says that the vaccines are working as we continue to battle the faster-transmitting Delta variant which is now dominant so I urge everyone to take advantage of the vaccination programme which is open to every adult in Scotland.”
NHS Lothian Director of Nursing for Primary and Community Care Pat Wynne said: “The mobile unit is rolling out across Lothian to help us reach into communities and take the lifesaving vaccine to them.
“It is a great boost to our vaccination programme and will complement the drop-in clinics that are already running at our mass vaccination sites and in local, smaller clinics.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for everyone to get their COVID-19 vaccination because we know how crucially important it is. I would encourage anyone who is near these locations this week, and is yet to be vaccinated, not to miss the bus and come forward.”
Scottish Ambulance Service Clinical Governance Manager Keith Colver, said: “The Scottish Ambulance Service, in partnership with local Health Board colleagues and local authorities, has provided mobile vaccination clinics in the heart of communities across Scotland and since launching the service in Perthshire, feedback from the public who have attended one of our drop in clinics has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Over the next two weeks we would encourage anyone aged over 18 who has yet to receive their first vaccination, or had their first vaccination over eight weeks ago, to take the time to drop into a mobile clinic.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the Scottish Government in developing the mobile vaccination service and rolling it out to other areas of Scotland, helping to vaccinate as many people as possible against Covid-19.”
Vaccination bus locations this weekend:
Friday 9 July and Saturday 10 July – Almondvale Shopping Centre, Livingston
Sunday 11 July – Fort Kinnaird Shopping Centre, Edinburgh
Remember you can also get a jag without an appointment at Craigroyston Community High School from 8:30 – 4pm until Sunday.
Scotland is still expected to move to level zero on 19 July, with remaining legal restrictions lifted on 9 August, but First Minister Nicola Sturgeon conceded yesterday that case numbers are worryingly high and that the planned dates are not “set in stone”.
The First Minister will be holding a media briefing at lunchtime today:
