Covid Scotand RECAP: Daily coronavirus cases hit new high with almost 3,000 recorded | First Minister pressed for answers on future of school exams | Nicola Sturgeon vows to ‘do everything we possibly can’ to save McVitie’s factory
Scroll down to see the latest news on the pandemic on Thursday, June 24.
Covid Scotland: The latest updates on Thursday, June 24
Key Events
- Daily cases hit new high with almost 3,000 recorded
- Sturgeon vows to save McVitie’s factory
- First Minister pressed for answers on future of school exams
Professor Kevin Fenton, regional director for London for Public Health England (PHE), said allowing 40,000 people into Wembley next week was a controlled situation.
Covid Scotland: Attempt to limit how long emergency coronavirus powers can be extended fails
An attempt by MSPs to limit how long emergency coronavirus powers can be extended has failed.
Lack of open facilities damaging young people’s mental health, charity warns
The lack of access to venues and facilities in Scotland could risk doing further damage to the mental health and employment prospects of young people, a charity has warned.
A survey of 220 youth organisations and local authorities by YouthLink Scotland found just 22% have had full access to the necessary facilities, despite the latest government guidance allowing indoor and face-to-face youth work to resume.
The poll also found that 88% of youth groups wanting to access leisure centres are unable to do so, including 94% of third sector organisations.
Access to faith-based centres such as church halls has decreased since last year, according to last year’s survey by the charity, up from 63% who had no access to 74%.
More than half (61%) of organisations reported a drop in youth participation , with 52% stating young people have lost access to key trusted relationships with youth workers and peers.
The findings also show 42% believe progress with learning and development has stalled and a further 41% saying young people have missed out on mental health and wellbeing support.
There has also been a significant impact on organisations, with 46% recording a fall in membership and more than a quarter (29%) suffering a drop in volunteers.
Hope for holidaymakers as Government set to review foreign travel list
Holidaymakers could be given more options for quarantine-free travel when the Government reviews its foreign travel list on Thursday.
An update of the lists which determine the quarantine and testing requirements for people arriving in the UK could see Malta and the Balearic Islands added to the green list, according to reports.
People arriving in the UK from green list destinations are not required to self-isolate, but there are currently no viable major tourist destinations in that tier.
However, Malta and the Balearic Islands, with its popular destinations of Mallorca and Ibiza, are among a “handful” of places being considered for addition to the green list, according to the Times.
Malta and Spain are currently on the Government’s amber list, alongside other popular summer hotspots such as Portugal, Italy and Greece, with a 10-day quarantine period at home required for people returning from those locations.
Longest Covid case as man tests positive for 305 days
A 72-year-old man had Covid-19 for more than 10 months in what experts have said is the longest-ever recorded persistent infection with the virus.
Academics have described how the man, named by The Guardian as retired driving instructor Dave Smith, from Bristol, continuously tested positive for 305 days.
Mr Smith, who had conditions which led to him having a compromised immune system, is alive and well and now tests negative for the virus.
He told The Guardian: “Whenever I went bad, I went really bad – down to death’s door. My wife started to arrange a funeral five times.”
He added jokingly: “I called all the family in to make my peace with them. I wish I’d kept my mouth shut now.”
Economists say Covid recovery under way – despite delay in easing restrictions
Scotland’s economy is expected to return to its pre-coronavirus level in the summer of 2022, three months earlier than previously forecast.
Experts at the Fraser of Allander Institute at Strathclyde University said their forecasts for GDP growth had been revised upwards against the “positive backdrop” of the vaccinations allowing restrictions to be eased.
Back in March, economists there had forecast GDP would grow by 3.6% this year, but this has now been upped so that growth of 5.9% is expected over the course of 2021.
It also said that based on the latest figures “the Scottish economy is slightly ahead of the UK’s overall in terms of its recovery”.
The commentary, which is sponsored by Deloitte, stressed however that despite current optimism “forecasts at the moment are still very uncertain”.
But the report said that the “recovery in the Scottish economy is under way, despite recent delays in the easing of restrictions”.
Almost a third of Scots have rationed power use during pandemic – survey
More than half of Scots have seen their energy bills rise during the Covid-19 pandemic, and almost a third say they have had to start “rationing” the amount of power they use.
Research for consumer organisation Advice Direct Scotland found 58% of Scots have seen an increase in their energy bills since last March.
The study, by pollsters at Survation, also found 30% have had to resort to rationing their energy use.
It comes as more people are spending more time at home, either on furlough or working for home, with parents also having to contend with periods of home schooling.
The Scottish Government’s home heating support fund was set up with the aim of providing financial support to those at risk of self-rationing energy usage – by for example reducing washing or heating – due to hardship.
The grant scheme, which ran earlier this year, provided £878,000 to those in need of assistance – with 1,208 households helped whose energy debts were calculated at just under £1 million.
Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, said: “Many households have experienced greater financial hardship as a direct result of the pandemic.
“This poll shows that more than half of Scots have seen their energy bills increase, and nearly a third have rationed their usage over the past year.
“Working in partnership with the Scottish Government to deliver the home heating support fund has served to alleviate the hardships experienced by those worst affected.”
Holyrood to be recalled during recess for Covid announcements
The Scottish Parliament will be recalled to allow coronavirus announcements to be made to MSPs, the Presiding Officer has announced.
Following meetings with party business managers, Alison Johnstone announced that the parliament will sit virtually on July 13 and August 3.
These meetings will allow the Scottish Government to confirm the easing of restrictions, which could see a move to Level 0 from July 19 and the end of all legal restrictions from August 9, as was announced earlier this week by the First Minister.
The move comes after the Scottish Tories chief whip Stephen Kerr urged the Presiding Officer to ensure time was made to hear from the First Minister ahead of the major decisions.
In a letter to MSPs, Ms Johnstone said: “I intend to recall the Parliament for virtual meetings on Tuesday 13 July and Tuesday 3 August to provide an opportunity for the Scottish Government to update the Parliament by way of a statement and for Members to have an opportunity to ask questions on that statement.
“These dates selected reflect the timings set out by the First Minister yesterday – some business managers had indicated that they would wish meetings to take place on the Mondays of the relevant week but I understand that decisions would not have been taken by the Government at that point in the week.”
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