Covid Scotland RECAP: Nicola Sturgeon speaks to nation in TV address | Scots facing new covid restrictions | Booster roll out accelerated
Nicola Sturgeon is addressing parliament right now with an update on coronavirus.
She is thought to be introducing new restrictions as the new Covid variant Omicron is predicted to hit the country hard.
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Hide AdThe First Minister will also be on a televised address to the nation this evening.
Follow here for all updates through out the day.
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Omicron Scotland Update Live: Follow here for all updates as the First Minister addresses the nation
“In this context, I am not seeking to make a political point - simply to set out the factual position.
“Many of the protections that help curtail COVID come at a financial cost to individuals and businesses - so wherever we can, we put in place financial packages to protect people’s health, jobs and livelihoods.
“However, the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments do not have the ability to borrow to meet the COVID funding challenge.
“UK funding arrangements mean we rely on the Treasury to do so on our behalf.
“And although Scottish taxpayers foot our share of the bill, money only flows to the devolved governments when the UK government makes decisions.
“Financial support is not triggered if the devolved governments take decisions we consider appropriate for public health reasons - even though it is our responsibility to do so.
“So because the UK government is at this stage not proposing any further protections - a position I do not agree with - there is no funding generated to compensate businesses for any protections we wish to put in place.”
“There are further steps we could and would have considered today - particularly around hospitality - had we the financial ability to do so. But we don’t.
“However, I can confirm that with some considerable difficulty, we have managed to identify within our own resources around £100 million that we will use to help businesses, mainly those in hospitality and food supply, affected by our advice last week on work Xmas parties and further affected by what I have said today.”
“We have also identified an additional £100 million to ensure the Self Isolation Support Grant is available for those who need it, given the expected increase in the number of eligible people asked to isolate.”
“However, this is the limit of what we are able to do within our resources. I know it does not go far enough in compensating businesses for what we are asking of them now - and, of course, no government can rule out having to go further in the weeks ahead. So we are continuing to press the UK government hard to increase support to enable us to respond adequately to the public health challenge in the weeks ahead.”
“Firstly, given its vital importance against Omicron, we will prioritise the COVID booster programme over the remainder of the flu vaccination programme for the next few weeks. This will allow many more booster appointments to be made available.”
“Secondly, and in line with advice from the UK Chief Medical Officers, the requirement for people to wait in a vaccine centre for 15 minutes after they receive an mRNA vaccine is being removed. This will speed up vaccination times and enable more appointments.
“Thirdly, health boards are working to offer additional drop in capacity within local centres.”
“However, at this stage, I want to again thank everyone working so hard to design and deliver the biggest and most important logistical project in our peacetime history.
“Let me also stress that, while the focus of my statement today is on boosters, if you haven’t had your first dose yet, please book it now. It is more important than ever to do so.”
“Firstly, I will reiterate the changed advice on self isolation. For now, household contacts of a person who tests positive for COVID, are being advised to self-isolate for 10 days. This advice applies to everyone in a household regardless of age, vaccination status or PCR test result.”
“Second, beyond this advice, we are not recommending that entire school classes are required to isolate when a pupil tests positive. The advice on school isolation will continue to be risk-based.
“More generally, a key aim is to ensure that schools stay open if at all possible to minimise further disruption to education.
“However, it is vital that schools are safe for pupils and staff.”
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