Nicola Sturgeon update RECAP: Covid Scotland briefing from First Minister and Jason Leitch | Football fans 'chose to ignore' government advice | 'Renewed caution' over rising cases
Follow how the day unfolded in our RECAP blog, below.
Nicola Sturgeon update RECAP: Covid Scotland briefing from First Minister and Jason Leitch | Football fans ‘chose to ignore’ government advice | ‘Renewed caution’ over rising cases
Key Events
- Spike in cases ‘very clearly’ linked to Scotland football fans, health expert says
- 3,823 new cases recorded and four new deaths in the past 24 hours
- More than 50% of Scots now fully vaccinated
Good morning, welcome to our live blog. Follow here for live updates on covid news in Scotland, the UK and the world.
Nicola Sturgeon is expected to give an update on covid in Scotland later today.
It is understood the First Minister is due to speak about track and trace delays.
India’s Covid death toll crosses 400,000
The number of deaths linked to Covid-19 in India crossed the grim milestone of 400,000 as 853 fatalities were reported in the 24 hours ending Friday morning.
Half of the 400,000 deaths were reported during the second wave of the pandemic that overwhelmed India’s healthcare system, according to Reuters. Its tally also showed the last 100,000 were added in just 39 days.
With 46,617 new cases, India’s overall caseload now stands at 30.45 million.
Holyrood considers doubling allowance for unpaid carers
Holyrood will consider whether to double the Carer’s Allowance Supplement given to unpaid carers at the end of the year.
The Parliament’s Social Justice and Social Security Committee is considering increasing the £231.40 paid twice a year to unpaid carers by doubling it when it is awarded in December.
The committee is seeking views on a Carer’s Allowance Supplement (Scotland) Bill that would give the Scottish Government the power to increase the payments in future.
Committee convener Neil Gray said it is looking at ways to ease the economic harm caused by the pandemic that has affected many of the 83,000 carers who currently receive the supplement.
Appealing for feedback from carers and other support groups about the proposal, Mr Gray said: “The devastation caused by Covid has been felt throughout our towns and communities.
“It has been hard for people in so many ways, and it is important that those most affected are recognised and offered the support they need.
“This Bill wants to address some of the extra burden unpaid carers have taken on by increasing the level of the Carer’s Support Allowance. But what impact would this have on those facing unimaginable hardship as a result of Covid?
“We want to hear from those working closely with carers about what this will mean in practice and whether the additional payment is the most appropriate way to support unpaid carers.
“We also want to learn whether people think the Scottish Government should have more flexibility to change this payment in the future.”
There are estimated to be around 690,000 unpaid carers across Scotland, although the Government says about 83,000 are eligible for the allowance.
Decision over vaccination of children 'within weeks'
Scientists on the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have sounded a note of caution over children aged 12 and over being given the jag, amid concerns that the risks of side effects could outweigh the benefits of being protected against a disease that barely affects them.
A senior member of the JCVI said that the panel will announce whether to recommend the jabs for secondary school age children within “weeks”.
Read more here.
When is Nicola Sturgeon speaking today? Will coronavirus restriction easing be delayed, could Scotland face harsher restrictions and how can I watch?
Nicola Sturgeon is going to update the country on the coronavirus pandemic today following the news that Scotland exceeded 4,000 new cases on Thursday – a record high.
The First Minister’s announcement is expected to begin shortly after midday and follows the news that yesterday Scotland recorded the highest daily number of coronavirus cases on record.
When is the announcement and how can I watch?
The First Minister’s update is not in Parliament and is therefore expected to begin just after 12pm on Friday.
Tuesday’s update was delayed due to Ms Sturgeon meeting with The Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
The announcement will be broadcast by the BBC and also streamed on The Scotsman and the Scottish Government Twitter feed.
The Scotsman also stream updates live on the website and via this blog.
Travelling football fans ‘very clearly’ linked to spike in positive Covid tests
The rise in positive coronavirus tests in Scotland is “very clearly” linked to Scotland fans travelling to London for the Euro 2020 match against England, a public health expert has said.
Martin McKee, professor of European public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said the spike in positive cases “coincides very much” with the incubation period of the virus after the match at Wembley on Friday June 18, which finished 0-0.
He was asked if the Euros tournament was “acting as some kind of super-spreader with the number of fans that have been travelling around the continent”.
Prof McKee told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Friday: “I think you in Scotland know very clearly that that is the case.
“We also have another example of Finnish fans who went to one of the Euros matches and 300 of them were infected.
“We can see very clearly in the Scottish data, because the increase coincides very much with what you would expect with the incubation period after the match but also the gender difference, because the cases, the increases seem much greater in men than in women.
“So I think when you put those two together it’s pretty clear that’s what’s been happening.”
Spike in cases ‘very clearly’ linked to football fans travelling for Euros match, health expert says
READ MORE HERE
Nicola Sturgeon to be joined by Scotland’s national clinical director Jason Leitch at 12.15pm today.
Walk-in coronavirus vaccination centres will be open in every part of mainland Scotland from Monday, the Scottish Government has announced.
All mainland health boards will offer drop-in clinics as the rollout nears the target of all Scottish adults receiving at least one dose.
Everyone aged 18 and over will be able to attend one of the walk-in centres for their first jab or – if eight weeks have passed – their second dose without needing an appointment.There will be separate queues in operation for those with a scheduled vaccination slot.
There will be separate queues in operation for those with a scheduled vaccination slot.
Vaccination buses, run by the Scottish Ambulance Service, will also be in operation around Edinburgh and Glasgow over the next two weeks, including Edinburgh’s Fort Kinnaird shopping centre on July 5 and 6 and the Grassmarket on July 7 and 8.
Another mobile vaccination unit will be outside Mecca Bingo in Glasgow Forge on July 5, at Dumbarton Football Club on July 6, the Govan Housing Association on July 7, at Partick Thistle Football Club on July 8 and in the car park of St Roch’s secondary school in Royston on July 9.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Our route out of this pandemic is getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible, that is why I am urging people to get jagged in July.
“The vaccination programme continues to progress at pace and, as always, I want to thank everyone involved and all those who have taken up the offer of vaccine.
“As we approach the final stages of the first Covid-19 vaccination programme we are increasing the options available for how and when you choose to be inoculated.
“You can attend one of the drop-in clinics being run in all mainland health boards or pop into a mobile unit.
“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.”
He added: “You can find out where your nearest drop-in clinics are by visiting NHS Inform, which will direct you to the latest information from your local health board.
“All those aged 18 and over can also self-register to receive their appointment by text or email, which will be convenient for anyone who has recently moved house or is new to Scotland.
“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.”
As of Thursday morning, 3,816,251 Scots had received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and 2,722,725 had received their second dose.
UK cases of Delta variant of Covid-19 have risen almost four-fold, figures show
UK cases of the Delta variant of Covid-19 have risen almost four-fold in less than a month, new data shows.
Public Health England figures show a total of 161,981 confirmed and probable cases of Delta variant have now been identified in the UK – up by 50,824, or 46%, on the previous week.
Nicola Sturgeon gives update on daily figures:
3,823 people tested positive for the coronavirus in the last 24 hours.
This is 10.8 per cent of all tests carried out.
It brings the total number of cases in Scotland to 289,279.
285 people are in hospital having tested for the virus - ten more than yesterday.
19 people are in an ICU having tested positive for the virus - three more than yesterday.
Four new deaths have been registered which brings the total death toll to 7,726.
Vaccine update:
Nicola Sturgeon said more than 50 per cent of the country is fully vaccinated.
As of today, 3831, 770 people have received their first dose of the vaccine.
FM said: “Getting vaccinated is the single most important thing we can all do right now.”
The First Minister confirmed from today, all mainland health boards will provide drop-in vaccination centres.
£385m of funding given to health boards in Scotland to help them cover costs incurred during the pandemic, says FM
Walk-in vaccination centres to be open across Scotland from Monday, FM confirms
Walk-in coronavirus vaccination centres will be open in every part of mainland Scotland from Monday, the Scottish Government has announced.
All mainland health boards will offer drop-in clinics as the rollout nears the target of all Scottish adults receiving at least one dose.
Everyone aged 18 and over will be able to attend one of the walk-in centres for their first jab or – if eight weeks have passed – their second dose without needing an appointment.
There will be separate queues in operation for those with a scheduled vaccination slot.
Vaccination buses, run by the Scottish Ambulance Service, will also be in operation around Edinburgh and Glasgow over the next two weeks, including Edinburgh’s Fort Kinnaird shopping centre on July 5 and 6 and the Grassmarket on July 7 and 8.
Another mobile vaccination unit will be outside Mecca Bingo in Glasgow Forge on July 5, at Dumbarton Football Club on July 6, the Govan Housing Association on July 7, at Partick Thistle Football Club on July 8 and in the car park of St Roch’s secondary school in Royston on July 9.
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