Scotland - Framework out of the pandemic - 23rd February 2021

[Butts]

Indoor alcohol is still planned to be allowed from the 17th - I assume the final word on that will come on Tuesday. IIRC the rules are a little bit more restrictive than down south, but fundamentally the pubs which haven't gone bankrupt and can cope with heavy social distancing will be allowed to let customers do their daytime and early evening drinking indoors.

Although weirdly Hotels up here opened before those down South and Barbers, but shops opened later.

It's all bloody nonsense.

More importantly let's hope the parsimonious Green Travel List announced for England is replicated up here, in all honesty it's that limited I think Nicola will struggle to find a reason not to acquiesce.

 

[GusB]

So in simple terms, will I be allowed to have a pint indoors North of the border week commencing 17th of May, just as I will be allowed to South of it?

Hopefully this will be the case, except in my part of the world where I've heard on the grapevine that the current level is likely to be maintained. I can only hope that the end of May will see the weather more akin to what it's usually like at this time of year. So far it has felt more like March. Still, there's no such thing as bad weather; only unsuitable clothing.

 

[Bikeman78]

The Road-map is pretty clear that the June 21st step is not the revocation of all rules and regulations relating to Covid but rather the hope is that it is the point at which limits on "Social Contact" and business closures can be removed.

In particular para 128 of the Road-map states - "some measures may be required even after all adults have been offered a vaccine, because neither coverage nor effectiveness of the vaccine will be 100%. As a result, a significant proportion of the population will remain vulnerable to infection, some of whom will also be vulnerable to severe disease and death."

Things like face coverings will be among the last restrictions to be removed and are very very unlikely to go in June.

Social Distancing is also likely to continue unless you have proved yourself to be "clean" via either test or vaccine.

I'm sure you're right but we really need to get a grip. Are the Police going to follow me around every time I ride my bike to protect me from bad drivers? People die, around 1700 a day in fact. Yesterday a good friend of mine died of a heart attack. That's life unfortunately.

 

[jamieintercity]

Confirmed that from next monday that all of Scotland will move to level 2, Moray remains in level 3 for the time being.

Even better news that most of the islands will move to level 1.

Nicola sturgeon hinted that physical distance may be reduced once most of the adult population has been vaccinated, no mention of the removal of face masks

 

[scotrail158713]

Moray remains in level 3 for the time being.

Ridiculous. This seems to be linked to higher cases despite the fact that cases are virtually meaningless now.

 

[ld0595]

Ridiculous

Why? Their case rate is 4 times higher than the country as a whole. (24 cases per 100k versus 94 per 100k). Seems like a proportionate response given that most businesses can stay open anyway.

 

[Butts]

At least she's fallen into line on Foreign Travel with the same Countries and Traffic Light System as England.

As for this nonsense about hugging and meeting various permutations of people - does anyone but her and other Politicians and the media actually believe it is not happening already.

Why all the pretence ?

 

[scotrail158713]

Why? Their case rate is 4 times higher than the country as a whole. (24 cases per 100k versus 94 per 100k). Seems like a proportionate response given that most businesses can stay open anyway.

1. Cases don’t lead to hospital admissions now in the way they did before. It doesn’t really matter if anyone has covid but doesn’t need hospital treatment - there is no need for restrictions in this situation.
2. The population of Moray is smaller than other areas of Scotland - so using rates/100k can artificially skew the data.

(3. Look at who the Moray MP is and tell me it’s not political )

As for this nonsense about hugging and meeting various permutations of people - does anyone but her and other Politicians and the media actually believe it is not happening already.

Why all the pretence ?

Exactly

 

[duncanp]

(3. Look at who the Moray MP is and tell me it’s not political )

I said the same thing on the support conversation thread.

In England, Bolton has a higher case rate than Moray, (120 per 100k) and it has risen at a faster rate.

Yet Boris Johnson hasn't left Bolton out of the easing of lockdown restrictions due to take place from next Monday.

The real issue should be why Moray, Bolton or anywhere else has a higher case rate.

Is there an outbreak linked to a setting like a school or workplace? If so, and providing you can trace and isolate the appropriate people, there is no need to impose restrictions on the rest of the population.

 

[scotrail158713]

The real issue should be why Moray, Bolton or anywhere else has a higher case rate.

That should be what is done. Whilst, as I said, a rise in cases shouldn't be a cause for concern it would be useful/interesting to know what is causing it.

Technically this is all still speculation though, as it won't be confirmed until Friday - although I suspect this is highly likely to go ahead.

 

[devon_metro]

I said the same thing on the support conversation thread.

In England, Bolton has a higher case rate than Moray, (120 per 100k) and it has risen at a faster rate.

Yet Boris Johnson hasn't left Bolton out of the easing of lockdown restrictions due to take place from next Monday.

The real issue should be why Moray, Bolton or anywhere else has a higher case rate.

Is there an outbreak linked to a setting like a school or workplace? If so, and providing you can trace and isolate the appropriate people, there is no need to impose restrictions on the rest of the population.

Glasgow Central Easterhouse has a case rate of 545.8 per 100k in the last 7 days. I can't see her shutting down a small area of Glasgow. The regional approach is really misguided i'd say and if I lived in Moray i'd be pretty angry. How can businesses plan when the jeopardy of being shut down remains due to local outbreaks. Particularly as new hospital admissions continue to trend downwards and are at such unbelieveably low levels anyway.

 

[GusB]

(3. Look at who the Moray MP is and tell me it’s not political )

Aye, aye... the MSP is of a different political colour, though

It is rather frustrating, but with them ramping up the testing and opening up vaccinations to anyone over 18, hopefully we won't be far behind the rest of the country. The only real difference for me is having to sit outside with a pint rather than indoors, but I appreciate that some pubs don't have the facilities. There are some that do have outdoor space but quite rightly don't want to invest in outdoor seating and tables for such a relatively short period of time. One of the pubs here has put up decking and seem to be making it a permanent arrangement

The worst thing is the bloody weather; ordinarily it's much warmer here at this time of year. We haven't had the usual late spring "taps aff" spell that we've had in previous years.

 

[Cowley]

The worst thing is the bloody weather; ordinarily it's much warmer here at this time of year. We haven't had the usual late spring "taps aff" spell that we've had in previous years.

It’s not been great down here either.
I’ve felt a shift in the weather this week, but it chucked it down this afternoon so I’m clutching at straws a little here.
I drove past The Imperial (the large flagship Spoons in Exeter) a couple of nights ago and they’ve set up extra space outside to get the custom in (out?).
Picture the scene...

Lots of packed tables of people huddling under umbrellas smashing down the drinks in an absolute biblical downpour whilst sitting between a temporary wire mesh fence and one of those dark green portacabin toilet trailers (which was blocking out the normally quite pleasant view towards the station).
The only route of escape was down a dead end road or to the bar.
I don’t know how they got in there, or how they could show such commitment to drinking in that weather, but apart from the beer on tap it looked like a living hell.

 

[kez19]

Isn’t it strange that the NHS app for England is going to tell users that they have been vaccinated and act as a vaccine passport but yet us in Scotland have got nothing? I still have my book on my last dose I got but if I am honest, Sturgeon and co should have seen this coming and have “clearly taken her eye off the ball”.

I wonder if anything will be said or is she going to give us another app to play with for this info? I read on social media that some aren’t happy but I can see their point that there should have been either an established UK wide app or at least better acknowledgement

NHS app ready to become vaccine passport next week

People will be able to use the app for travel - but only if they have received two vaccine doses.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Scotrail314209]

Glasgow and Moray remaining under level 3 restrictions from Monday.

Covid in Scotland: Glasgow and Moray to remain under level 3 restrictions

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made the announcement as cases continued to increase in Glasgow.

www.bbc.co.uk

Glasgow and Moray will remain under level three Covid restrictions for at least another week, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
She said the "difficult" decision to retain the existing regulations in Glasgow came after a rise in cases in the city.
It was previously warned that Moray was likely to remain in level three.
Ms Sturgeon said the situation in Glasgow was causing even more concern than Moray.
She said initial research suggested that the outbreak centred in the south side of the city was being driven by the Indian variant of the virus.

 

[scotrail158713]

Glasgow and Moray remaining under level 3 restrictions from Monday.

Covid in Scotland: Glasgow and Moray to remain under level 3 restrictions

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made the announcement as cases continued to increase in Glasgow.

www.bbc.co.uk

I really can’t understand this. Hospital levels haven’t substantially changed in either area, or nationwide, so what is the issue? Why are restrictions being tightened?

Coronavirus (COVID-19): trends in daily data

Scottish Government past data and trend charts for the daily updates on COVID-19.

www.gov.scot

 

[Drogba11CFC]

I really can’t understand this. Hospital levels haven’t substantially changed in either area, or nationwide, so what is the issue? Why are restrictions being tightened?

Coronavirus (COVID-19): trends in daily data

Scottish Government past data and trend charts for the daily updates on COVID-19.

www.gov.scot

Because she wants to keep lockdown going?

 

[Journeyman]

Because she wants to keep lockdown going?

Something Must Be Done.

This is something.

 

[Scotrail12]

She's a borderline dictator at this point.

I have to question ScotGov's belief in vaccine efficacy at this point. We have had the vaccine for 5 months, all of the vulnerable are protected, basically nobody is at risk now. Why care about a small number of cases? This basically means that we're at risk of shut down at any point. What's the point in living like that for all eternity?

 

[Yew]

She's a borderline dictator at this point.

Roman Dictators only had a term of 6 months, before the senate elected a new one.

 

[devon_metro]

Clearly she has forgotten (deja vu anyone?) what life was like pre March 2020, when we allowed viruses to circulate, but vaccinated the most vulnerable.

 

[kez19]

Clearly she has forgotten (deja vu anyone?) what life was like pre March 2020, when we allowed viruses to circulate, but vaccinated the most vulnerable.

I agree it’s seem it just her some of the general public and include Boris too but yes, you would think that they let viruses circulate throughout year but then again this is fearporn with media help (quelle surprise)

 

[devon_metro]

I agree it’s seem it just her some of the general public and include Boris too but yes, you would think that they let viruses circulate throughout year but then again this is fearporn with media help (quelle surprise)

Always amuses me when the public health experts admit they think it's spreading because people are socialising in houses (which is illegal still). It makes you wonder why the government persists when restrictions are being widely ignored.

 

[kez19]

Always amuses me when the public health experts admit they think it's spreading because people are socialising in houses (which is illegal still). It makes you wonder why the government persists when restrictions are being widely ignored.

thats true but its ironic that those that tell us what to do aren't that good at abiding by the rules either! So why should the public do what either politicians/health experts etc say? Wait it goes back to whats been said all along - one rule for us and one rule for them, I just wish more people woke up to this fact but again taken in by a love in by the media/politicians

 

[Kite159]

I'm surprised she is punishing her supporter heartland of Glasgow after going so easy on them last year (compared to Aberdeen)

 

[Journeyman]

I'm surprised she is punishing her supporter heartland of Glasgow after going so easy on them last year (compared to Aberdeen)

She waited until after the election, though...

 

[devon_metro]

She waited until after the election, though...

I think she could impose a 10 year lockdown and most of her supporters would still be waving their flags and keep voting for her...

 

[Journeyman]

I think she could impose a 10 year lockdown and most of her supporters would still be waving their flags and keep voting for her...

Sadly you're right.

 

[kez19]

I'm surprised she is punishing her supporter heartland of Glasgow after going so easy on them last year (compared to Aberdeen)

I’m going to ask this bit differently, will she lift level 3 from both areas at same time though or if by chance she will lift it quicker for Glasgow than Moray now this could be the twist.

I think she could impose a 10 year lockdown and most of her supporters would still be waving their flags and keep voting for her...

Being sarcastic here, but they be saying she is saving/protecting us.

 

[Butts]

Falkirk should be moving to Level 1 at the same time as The Islands.