Chamber and committees

Individuals identified as being at the highest risk of severe illness if they become infected with coronavirus are advised to shield.

As at 20 May, 57,621 people have requested weekly grocery boxes. Under the Scottish Government’s agreement with Brakes and Bidfood, the two companies providing the grocery service, people who are shielding receive their first grocery box within 7 days of their request reaching Brakes and Bidfood. Thereafter they receive their box(es) once a week, until they cancel the deliveries.

As at 20 May, the details for all 43,725 people who have requested access to the priority delivery service have been passed to supermarkets. Details of new requests are passed on daily. The supermarkets participating are Asda, Tesco, Morrison’s, Sainsbury’s, Iceland and Waitrose.

Individuals identified as being at the highest risk of severe illness if they become infected with coronavirus are advised to shield.

We do not hold estimates of the number of people who require assistance with access to food supplies and/or other essentials. The number of people accessing these services is provided in answer to S5W-29073 and S5W-29097 on 1 June 2020. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The type of tests being used in Scotland (real time PCR assays) ar e widely used for the detection of respiratory viruses, as well as a range of other viral pathogens, owing to their speed and versatility.

Scottish laboratories are working in collaboration with the Scottish Microbiology & Virology Network (SMVN), National Laboratories Programme (NLP) and Health Protection Scotland, as well as linking in with Public Health England, to ensure that all tests are quality checked and validated for use.

Based on work by NHS Lothian on symptomatic cases the accuracy of tests for clinical diagnosis is 98%. This was presented in a Royal College of Pathologists webinar - available online .

The Connecting Scotland project was announced on 7 May and will support 9,000 low income individuals across Scotland that are clinically at risk.

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is working with local authorities and other voluntary sector organisations to identify and reach people who are clinically at risk and on a low income, and to provide support. SCVO will also provide training to staff and volunteers working for organisations to be able to support individuals to use the internet safely, confidently and effectively.

We are continuing to work in partnership across all sectors to identify fresh opportunities where we can build sustainable programs that will support even more people to gain or improve their digital skills. As more organisations become involved we will signpost opportunities to funding, support and access as they arise.

We also recognise that digital exclusion is an issue for some of our most disadvantaged learners. To help ensure as many children and young people as possible are able to connect with their schools, continue their learning, access support and engage with their peers, we are investing an initial £9 million which will provide devices and connectivity for 25,000 learners across Scotland.

The Scottish Government is working with sportscotland and sports governing bodies to ensure robust, medically assessed, guidance is in place to ensure participants can engage in activities safely and in line with the current physical distancing restrictions in place.

The term shielding is applied to those who fall in to the highest clinical risk group. The Scottish Government has published an explanation of who is in the highest clinical risk group here.

Following the shielding advice involves strict social isolation with no contact from the outside world beyond that absolutely necessary, for a period of at least 12 weeks; a move which will significantly impact quality of life, increase social isolation, and would not be without its own attendant physical and mental health risks. For this reason, the four Chief Medical Officers in the UK have advised that it is only those at the highest clinical risk who should undertake shielding. Details of these measures are available on NHS Inform .

Letters have been issued to all those who have been identified because of their underlying health condition through central NHS databases, prescribing data or through GP and hospital clinicians. These individuals have been issued with a letter from the Chief Medical Officer recommending that they strictly follow shielding measures. This is an ongoing identification process as people are newly diagnosed. The Chief Medical Officer has written to GPs and hospital clinicians explaining the process in more detail and asking for their help to ensure the right people receive a letter.

GPs and hospital clinicians are also being asked to identify individuals they feel should be in the highest clinical risk group but do not have one of the conditions identified. These individuals will then receive a letter with shielding advice and access to support services. It is important that the decision to add someone to the highest risk group is led by the clinicians who know the individual’s medical history.

If someone thinks they are in the highest risk group but have not received a letter then they should firstly check the information on NHS Inform about the conditions that require shielding, and if they think they do have one of these conditions, then they should contact their GP or clinician to discuss this.

Following the physical distancing guidance is the best course of action for the vast majority of people, including those who are at increased risk because of underlying health conditions.

People considered at increased risk are people over 70 years old, people who are pregnant and those with underlying conditions listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds):

• chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
• chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
• chronic kidney disease
• chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
• chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
• diabetes
• problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease
• a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
• being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above)

The Scottish Government has published a range of guidance documents aimed at many in this group. These documents provide advice on how to manage their conditions and keep themselves healthy while following social distancing measures. This guidance can be found here .

A new national helpline has now been set up to provide essential assistance to those who do not have a network of support but who are in the ‘ increased risk’ group.

The service offers help to those who do not have family or existing community support and cannot get online and who are over 70, disabled, require the support of mental health services, are pregnant or receive a flu jab for health reasons.

The helpline – 0800 111 4000 – will initially operate during core working hours of 09:00 to 17:00 while plans are developed and implemented to extend it to operate for a longer period each day.

Callers will be automatically connected to their local authority who will support them to access the service they need, such as:

• essential food and medication

• links to local social work services for vulnerable children or adults

• emotional support

• contact with local volunteer groups.

This service is in addition to localised support already available for people who have received letters advising them to shield themselves.

NHS Inform and the Scottish Government website will be updated with information on the support available.

The Scottish Government set out our approach to contact tracing on 4 May in the Test, Trace Isolate, Support Strategy . Existing health protection teams have high quality skills and experience in delivering contact tracing and some are already undertaking COVID-19 contact tracing work.

The increase to the number required is three fold: expansion of existing local teams drawing from NHS Scotland workforce, recruiting from the bank of NHS returners and via the ad campaign.

The Scottish Government has been working closely with COSLA, Local Government and partners from across the waste industry through our Waste and Resources Sector Forum to identify pressures that have arisen as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak and to ensure resilience across the sector. We have recognised that for the duration of the impact of the pandemic some temporary reductions or suspensions of waste and recycling services may be necessary.

We have set out expectations for service prioritisation through this Forum, with a particular focus on measures to maintain public health and support and sustain statutory waste collection and disposal services. Local authorities have been actively prioritising services taking account of key principles discussed at the Forum and in light of well-established local business continuity plans.

We are continuing to work closely with COSLA and local authorities on key issues and are keeping under review the need for any further guidance in relation to waste and recycling services.

We announced on 2 April that Ministers had decided to suspend disclosure fees until at least 11 May where the application was from an individual or an organisation recruiting individuals as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fees are suspended regardless of whether the appointment is being made to a position or role that is voluntary work or paid employment. We are currently reviewing whether the suspension of the fees should continue.

This is an operational matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland.

Police Scotland have advised that the vast majority of people are complying with the social distancing measures because they understand it is the best way to protect the NHS and to save lives.

Police Scotland welcomes this continued co-operation and support by the public in supporting the national effort by making the lifestyle changes needed to combat the spread of coronavirus. They have advised that between 28 March and 26 April there have been just over 6000 Compliant Dispersals.