Chamber and committees

Public Health Scotland (PHS) and Police Scotland have been exploring how data on possible deaths by suicide, as recorded by the police, could be provided more timeously, and act as a valid proxy for confirmed deaths by suicide. This data is intended to inform local and national responses and is not intended to be published. It is now anticipated that this exploratory analysis will be completed by Summer 2021. As part of the exploratory phase, the viability and timing of the implementation of this work will be confirmed.

National Records for Scotland (NRS) validate and publish data annually on confirmed deaths by suicide, usually in June for the previous calendar year. PHS use this data to publish additional analyses to inform suicide prevention, which includes trends by deprivation and comparison with other countries. These analyses are published via the Scottish Public Health Observatory and form part of the Scottish Suicide Information Database. The publication schedule is set each year once it is known when the data will be published by NRS. It can take time for NRS to accurately classify the cause of death as a death by suicide, particularly if post-mortem toxicology tests are needed.

As of 22 March 2021:

• 33,409 first dose vaccinations of all care home residents have now been completed, exceeding the initial target for all care home residents. This is a cumulative count of all residents since the vaccination programme began and may include some residents who have since died.
• 26,354 current care home residents in older adult care homes have received their first dose vaccination (96%) and 22,359 current care home residents in older adult homes have received 2 doses (82%).

There are individuals in care homes who have not received the vaccine for valid medical reasons, or where consent to receive the vaccination has not been received. Other reasons for some individuals in care homes not receiving a vaccination yet may include:

• clinical guidance sets out that where someone has tested positive, vaccination should be scheduled for four weeks later;
• If a care home has only one case of COVID-19 infection in a resident or staff member, other residents and care home staff may be offered vaccination as long as they have not been close contacts of the positive case. If a care home has more than one case in an ongoing outbreak or incident, residents who are symptomatic, positive or close contacts who are self-isolating would not be eligible for vaccination; and
• Care homes should undertake a risk assessment on whether or not the outbreak or incident cases are segregated sufficiently for other residents and care home staff to be offered vaccination. It may be safer to schedule the vaccinations once the outbreak or incident is over – this would be 14 after the last positive test or symptoms, and following a further risk assessment.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35928 on 24 March 2021. 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 information requested is not held centrally.

If people receive an invitation letter from NHS Scotland by post, an information leaflet about the COVID-19 vaccine is included. The information leaflet contains details about:

• What vaccine will be given and the disease that will be prevented.
• Benefits/risks of vaccination versus risks of the disease.
• Any new information that has become available since consent to previous doses of this vaccine were given if applicable.
• Any possible vaccine reactions and how to treat these.
• Follow-up/information as to any further doses required.
• How any personal data will be stored and kept.

People are advised to contact the clinicians who manage their clinical conditions, to check that there are no reasons for them not to receive the vaccine. There is time built in to each appointment for information to be shared and questions to be asked and answered, so that the person invited for the vaccine has an opportunity to discuss any further issues or concerns with the trained vaccinator. The vaccine is only given once the person is fully satisfied that they have all the information they need before proceeding.

After vaccination, all patients are given a leaflet to take away called ‘What to expect after the COVID-19 vaccine’. This contains information on common side effects and what to do if they are mild or more severe.

The Scottish Government has been clear that any decisions made with regard to lifting lockdown restrictions will be informed by the best available data, and this will be published where it is available. The Strategic Framework update announced to parliament by the First Minister on 23 February outlines a cautious approach to easing lockdown restrictions given the number of uncertainties which remain about the new variant of the virus (B.1.1.7 or ‘UK variant’) and the efficacy of the vaccination programmes on transmission of the virus and wider health outcomes. On 16 March, the First Minister announced the next milestones of our exit from lockdown. This includes an indicative timetable for the easing of measures, and from the 26 April will include a national move to Level 3 measures. However, we will continue to monitor case numbers and we are ready to adjust these plans should any evidence of a rise in cases occur. When we move down from Level 4 we want to try to do that as one country, because that will allow us to lift travel restrictions. However, we will consider the data and take final decisions nearer the time.

The Scottish Government recognises that graduation is an important moment in a student’s life, offering students a chance to celebrate their hard work and achievements. The hosting of graduation ceremonies is an operational matter for individual institutions to determine, and any ceremonies this year will of course have to be planned in line with public health measures. Many colleges and universities have adopted innovative approaches to hosting graduation ceremonies virtually to ensure that the hard work of students is rightly recognised.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with colleges, universities, NUS Scotland, and trade unions to ensure that guidance is in place to support the safe return of students, with decisions informed by the data on virus prevalence and in line with our updated Strategic Framework. To ensure the continued safety of staff and students, we have published sectoral guidance for colleges and universities, which also signposts to other relevant sectoral guidance for the range of activities institutions may be engaged in.

Outdoor play and learning is an integral part of the early learning and childcare offer in Scotland and it is common for children to experience free-flow access to the outdoors in these settings. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for early learning and childcare services also explains that, given that the risks of transmission are much lower outdoors, ELC provision should maximise opportunities for outdoor play and experiences. The ELC guidance therefore makes no distinction between children mixing indoors and outdoors. Children should remain within the same groups wherever possible. The appropriate size of groups will depend on the age and overall number of children, and the layout of the setting but the guidance states that it would be reasonable for children to be managed in groups up to the size encountered in primary school, for example no more than 25 to 33 children in any one group. Children in ELC are not required to physically distance from each other, or from adults, either indoors or outdoors.

Similarly, the Coronavirus (COVID-19): Guidance on reducing the risks from COVID-19 in schools explains that, on the basis of the scientific advice, and subject to all other risk mitigation measures, there is no requirement for physical distancing between primary school children. On 16 March the First Minister announced children younger than 12 remain able to mix in larger groups and do not count towards the limit placed on groups of adults or older children.

From 12 March, contact sport for under 12s, such as football, was permitted to re-start, in accordance with the Scottish FA guidelines. Football for young people between 12 and 17 is scheduled to re-start on 5 April. On 16 March, the First Minister set out a firmer timetable for the easing of restrictions adding that a revised Strategic Framework document will be published in due course.

The current regulations limit the entry of other people into homes for the purpose of the upkeep, maintenance or functioning of the house to where the work is essential for that purpose in level 4. These restrictions have been put in place to limit the transmission of the virus. As set out in our guidance, essential work includes domestic cleaning in support of a clean and safe living environment for people in vulnerable circumstance or living with a disability, where as a result of that vulnerable circumstance or disability are unable to clean their own home.

The Scottish Government has reviewed the Strategic Framework. As part of this, we have indicated the steps required for the easing of restrictions. As set out in the First Minister’s statement on 16 March, we expect the restrictions on working in other people’s homes to be relaxed on 26 April. The updated Strategic Framework sets out the conditions on easing, including meeting the WHO’s six conditions and all JCVI Priority Groups 1-9 having been offered the vaccine.