Covid-19 briefing: Friday 17 December 2021

Guidance for business published

The Scottish Government has published new guidance to help limit the rapid spread of the Omicron variant which took effect from 00.01 today (Friday 17 December 2021).

Businesses will now be legally required to take reasonable measures to minimise transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) including enabling home working for those who are able to work from home. Masks should be worn in all businesses, and retail and hospitality businesses should consider reasonable measures to reduce crowding and manage queues.

Workplace testing is being extended and businesses with more than 10 employees are encouraged to sign up to receive free lateral flow test kits to ensure staff are able to test regularly.

The full announcement is at: https://www.gov.scot/news/limiting-the-spread-of-omicron/

  • Safer Businesses and Workplaces guidance: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-general-guidance-for-safer-workplaces/  (this guidance has been updated to reflect requirements around protection measures and home working).
  • Tourism and Hospitality sector guidance: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-tourism-and-hospitality-sector-guidance/  (this guidance has been updated to reflect reinforcement of protective measures in hospitality settings)
  • Workplace testing can be found on the Find Business Support website: https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/service/programmes/coronavirus-asymptomatic-workplace-testing-in-scotland

Guidance on visiting care homes and hospitals

The Scottish Government has updated advice and guidance for hospitals and care homes with additional covid protection measures.

Visitors to hospitals and adult care homes are being asked to take an LFD test before every visit under new guidelines Adult care homes and hospitals should continue to support visits for residents and patients, however new recommendations set out that visits should be in line with the rules for the general public brought in to control the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

Under the new guidelines no more than two households should meet with a resident at any one time inside the care home and residents are asked to avoid larger gatherings when visiting friends and family outwith the care home.

Staff testing has increased to daily and all visitors should test before every visit. As before named visitors can still be supported  to visit residents in care homes with a controlled COVID-19 outbreak if the local Health Protection Team has agreed this can happen. Essential visits in circumstances such as distress or end of life should be compassionately and generously supported at all times.

Hospital visiting must continue to be prioritised, with appropriate precautions and protections. These include asking all visitors to use an LFD test ahead of visiting, and for no more than two people to visit a patient at any one time, on wards where there is no current active outbreak. Where an active outbreak is being managed, hospitals should allow essential visits only.

Guidance to care homes:

Updated Guidance on visiting in care homes issued on 15 December is available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-adult-care-homes-visiting-guidance/

Updated guidance on hospital visiting is available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-hospital-visiting-guidance/

Pregnant women urged to come forward for COVID-19 vaccination

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is calling on all pregnant women to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The JCVI highlights that there is growing evidence showing that women who are pregnant are at increased risk of serious consequences from coronavirus (COVID-19) and as a result, they should be considered a clinical risk group within the COVID-19 vaccination programme. Given that the majority of pregnant women who have been admitted to hospital with severe COVID-19 are unvaccinated, the key priority is to increase the number of pregnant women completing their primary course (2 vaccine doses 8 weeks apart).  Find out how to get your vaccine at nhsinform.scot/covid19vaccinepregnancy

NHS Scotland has also produced a short video presented by Jaki Lambert,  Professional Advisor Midwifery & Perinatal Care, Scottish Government: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdMrd1Jw1s0&t=1s

Booster vaccine rollout – 18-29 year olds

The COVID-19 booster programme online portal is now open to 18-29 year olds.  NHS Inform website has a great deal of information on there about the vaccination itself and you can, if you are eligible, book an appointment: https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/roll-up-your-sleeves

Covid vaccine to be prioritised ahead of flu

The Scottish Government has announced that COVID-19 booster jabs will be prioritised over the remainder of the flu vaccination programme to speed up vaccination times and enable more appointments. NHS Inform website has a great deal of information on there about the Covid vaccination itself and you can, if you are eligible, book an appointment: https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/roll-up-your-sleeves

Covid helpline available

Inverclyde residents continue to be supported by the Council’s Covid-19 Helpline. Assistance can be provided on a wide range of support including food and fuel provision, financial advice and wellbeing. The helpline is available Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm over the festive period. Call 01475 715275 to speak to an advisor.

11 countries removed from international travel red list

Eleven countries have been removed from the international travel red list as Omicron cases increase globally. Pre-departure tests and PCR testing measures on or before day 2 on arrival in Scotland will remain in place, with a review of all travel measures in the New Year. The red list countries and territories removed from 4am Wednesday 15 December 2021 are: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. As Omicron cases rise in Scotland and in countries around the world, restrictions targeted at specific countries on the travel red list are no longer as effective as they were in slowing the incursion of Omicron from abroad.

Find out more at: https://www.gov.scot/news/11-countries-removed-from-international-travel-red-list/

Armed forces supporting vaccine rollout

An additional 100 Armed Forces personnel are being deployed to support the vaccination programme in Scotland bringing the total deployment to 221.  https://www.gov.uk/government/news/extra-100-armed-forces-personnel-to-support-scotlands-vaccine-rollout

G7 leaders: “deeply concerned” over Omicron variant

G7 health ministers have issued a joint statement highlighting that the rise in Omicron cases should be seen as “the biggest current threat to global public health” and reiterating the importance of ever closer co-operation across nations including sharing data.  They also reiterated their support for COVAX, the commitment to the global effort on vaccine rollout and their support for accelerated development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics in pandemics.  This was the final meeting of the UK’s G7 Presidency.

Covid Public Inquiry

The terms of reference and a chair for the public inquiry into the handling of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Scotland have been announced.  In a statement to Parliament, Deputy First Minister John Swinney confirmed that the Hon. Lady Poole QC, Senator of the College of Justice of Scotland, will chair the inquiry. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also announced the chair of the UK inquiry into the pandemic.  The Rt Hon Baroness Heather Hallett DBE has been appointed Chair of the forthcoming public inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic. The Inquiry will play a key role in examining the UK’s pandemic response.