The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Testing is being wound down more gradually in Scotland, but the population-wide testing and contact tracing system will shut down by the end of April. Community cases of the virus are falling but the number of Covid-positive hospital patients remains high. People are no longer legally required to wear face masks on public transport and in most indoor public spaces in Scotland as the rule moved into guidance on Monday. I also want to acknowledge, because I think it is important that we do so, that the NHS was under pressure before Covid struck us. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Present within and moving around clinical areas/ communal areas in hospital and primary/community healthcare settings. The NHS mask mandate remained in place in clinical areas in hospitals until June 2022after which decisions about mask policy were entrusted to individual hospitals. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. (primary care, hospital and community healthcare settings). "Our emergency departments are struggling, our hospitals are . "But I think, just as the vast majority of people have abided by all that we've asked of them over the last two years - not because politicians have been asking or the law necessarily has required it - because people understand that the best way to protect themselves and protect those they love is to abide by these really sensible, basic precautions against the spread of a virus. People in Scotland are still legally required to wear face coverings in shops and other indoor public places, and on public transport, The first minister had twice delayed the lifting of the laws, Free lateral flow tests will no longer be available for the general public, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, This website and its associated newspaper are members of Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). He acknowledged the daily case rate remained high but he told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that vaccination and therapeutics had "changed the game". Other changes that will come into effect on Monday mean most people who do not have Covid symptoms will no longer be asked to take lateral flow tests. Table 3 outlines the following situations where when FRSMs are strongly recommended to be worn by patients, outpatients and visitors across all healthcare settings. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Masks are recommended following a recent exposure to COVID-19, when someone has or suspects they have COVID-19, when someone is at high-risk of severe COVID-19, and for anyone in a crowded, enclosed, or poorly ventilated space. About one in 17 people in Scotland had the virus in week ending 9 April - down from one in 13 the previous week, according to the Office for National Statistics. Your cookie preferences have been saved. Even when patients are in single rooms, they are strongly encouraged to wear a mask whenever anyone enters their room, i.e. What's more, the authors did not observe a delayed effect, with no change in the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate during the time when the mask-wearing policy was removed (weeks 26 to 40). Public Health Scotland publications. But with more than 5000 cases of covid still being recorded every day the public are being urged to still take "sensible precautions" over the virus. But they are beginning to see footfall rise. Scotland's remaining legal requirements to wear face masks have been lifted today. "If I choose not to wear a mask, I make it dangerous for somebody who's vulnerable and I take their choice away," he said. People in Scotland are no longer legally required to wear face coverings in crowded indoor places like shops and restaurants, or on public transport. "But if we had a new variant in the future, the big scientific questions are: is it more transmissible? For general inquiries, please use our contact form. experience. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said a fortnight ago that she expected the face covering rules to be lifted on Easter Monday. The matter has been reported to Police Scotland. close panel. The move brings Scotland into line with the rest of the UK. "In general we're hoping that people will be more comfortable coming into the city centre, having a bit more of a wander, branching out a bit more," she said. The party's public health spokeswoman, Sue Webber, said the confirmation that the restrictions would now be lifted was welcome but should have happened several weeks ago. "Once again we just have to ask for patience from people until the NHS can work a bit normally as Covid cases recede.". VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line, Why an Indian comedian is challenging fake news rules, What Europe's royals could teach King Charles. "This was frustrating for many people and damaging for businesses.". Consideration is also being given to reviewing Covid-related restrictions in hospitals, such as isolation and distancing requirements, in order to increase capacity. 2023 BBC. Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. Is climate change killing Australian wine? The Scottish government said this showed that the situation had generally improved in recent weeks, but that the virus had still not gone away - with the NHS continuing to face significant pressures. All rights reserved. ", Russia launches pre-dawn missile attack on Ukraine, Chaos at port as thousands rush to leave Sudan, Air strikes pound Sudan capital as truce extended. Copy link. Is climate change killing Australian wine? But they are beginning to see footfall rise. Factors to consider include the local epidemiological trends or rising hospitalization levels, levels of vaccination coverage and immunity in the community, and the setting people find themselves in. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? Nicola Sturgeon is to confirm whether Scotland's last remaining Covid regulations - over the wearing of face coverings - will be lifted next week. Meanwhile, people without symptoms of the virus are no longer being asked to take regular lateral flow tests as of April 18 as part of changes to the test and protect system. I think it's premature. However, she stressed that the NHS was still under pressure and the most vulnerable members of society could still benefit from people taking additional measures to protect them from the virus. That will benefit patients, I think its important to note that first and foremost, but it will also free up much-needed capacity in hospitals.. Share page. All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except for graphic assets and where otherwise stated, Supporting patients and staff with additional needs, adults with brain injury, head and neck cancer, neurological conditions, elderly patients, including those with dementia, staff and patients that need to communicate with other NHS employees that have communication impairments. Those eligible for an exemption card can obtain the card by visitingwww.exempt.scotor via the free helpline at 0800 121 6240. The rule easing came the day after Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was reported to police after footage showed her apparently breaching the country's Covid face mask law while on the council election campaign trail. Mask wearing has been part of a package of infection control measures employed to reduce COVID-19 in hospitals throughout the pandemic. However,. Professor Linda Bauld, a public health expert and an advisor to the Scottish government, said she was worried about a new variant taking hold. But it can also be prescribed by a paediatrician, neurologist or cardiologist. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Scotland's national clinical director, Professor Jason Leitch, said coronavirus was now being dealt with through common sense and guidance, rather than law. Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors. Read about our approach to external linking. This PR exercise was too little, too late. This can be done at home or at a dedicated facility, such as a hospital or clinic. This includes continuing to wear face coverings in places such as indoor . Community cases of the virus are falling but the number of Covid-positive hospital patients remains high. What are the rules on face masks in Scotland? *clinicians/community healthcare managers should apply judgement and consider if other IPC measures, such as hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette and ventilation are sufficient depending on the patient/ resident/ clients condition and the care pathway. A leading infections expert told the BBC masks should still be worn on public transport and in healthcare settings when legal enforcement are dropped. She said: Faced with the most difficult winter in NHS history, the SNP are deflecting blame and rehashing the same old promises they have been making for years. The material has been peer reviewed by the congress selection committee. . Patients who are being transferred or transported to hospital are also strongly encouraged to continue to wear a face mask. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' It may be helpful to advise the individual that the reason for continuing to ask patients to use face masks inhealthcare settingsis to help protect the many vulnerable individuals using the services. corridors, stairways, lifts), and in all clinical areas. Guidance for patients, outpatients and visitors across all healthcare settings, It may be helpful to advise the individual that the reason for continuing to ask patients to use face masks in. Scottish Labour meanwhile has called for more support to be given to hospitals, saying that lives were being put at risk despite the "tireless" work of staff. Leader Douglas Ross said Ms Sturgeon "can't use the higher case rates that she has completely failed to reduce as an excuse to delay or backtrack on lifting the remaining restrictions". There will also be instances of staff who may suffer from breathing difficulties, or suffer from genuine discomfort or distress when wearing a FRSM. People without symptoms are no longer required to take the regular tests, but PCR tests will be available to people with symptoms until the end of April. "People are starting to come back in for work, so it's started to pick up again. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Your feedback is important to us. Isolation of people with COVID-19 is an important step in preventing others from being infected. Free lateral flow devices (LFDs) for twice weekly routine testing are no longer available for the general population. Covid rules are being phased out across the UK, with masks now only compulsory in health and social care settings in Wales. The testing regime has also changed, with free lateral flow tests no longer available to the general population. Updated version of guidance and questions and answers added in html. What difference will lifting face mask laws make? Ms Sturgeon's cabinet discussed the latest data on Tuesday, but no announcement was made in parliament with Ms Sturgeon attending the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service in London. Although of very low certainty, evidence also showed that people discharged at day 5 following symptom onset risked infecting three times more people than those discharged at day 10. WHO has extended its strong recommendation for the use of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (also known by its brand name Paxlovid). Both ScotRail and the ferry operator CalMac are strongly recommending that passengers continue to wear face coverings. Wherever possible, maintain two-metre distancing if FRSM removed. "People are starting to come back in for work, so it's started to pick up again. To find out more, researchers from St George's Hospital in south-west London analyzed routinely collected infection control data over a 40-week period between December 4, 2021 (the first week when the omicron variant became dominant) and September 10, 2022 (when universal COVID-19 screening on admission by PCR stopped) to examine hospital-acquired SARS-CoV-2 infections in relation to changes in mask-wearing policies over time. Astonishingly, she also claimed Humza Yousaf is doing a very good job as health secretary. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. WHO continues to recommend the use of masks by the public in specific situations, and this update recommends their use irrespective of the local epidemiological situation, given the current spread of the COVID-19 globally. Although the Province's masking requirement for certain indoor settings has expired, the wearing of face masks will continue . Mask wearing has been part of a package of infection control measures employed to reduce COVID-19 in hospitals throughout the pandemic. First and foremost, it helps ensure that a conversation takes place between the clinician and patient about the importance of wearing a face mask. A rapid review report published by the UK Health Security . Anyone medically exempt from wearing a mask must present a Scottish Government Exemption Card other forms of exemption card will not be accepted. Nicola Sturgeon described the decision to extend mask rules as a "temporary" one, Staff at hospitals across Scotland are facing capacity issues, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. NHS Scotland has approved the transparent mask for use by both healthcare staff and patients. Revised guidance to reflect removal of guide for care home settings. compromises clinical care (e.g. "In general we're hoping that people will be more comfortable coming into the city centre, having a bit more of a wander, branching out a bit more," she said. It is recognised that it will be impractical for individuals to wear face mask at all times and these will have to be removed for reasons such as eating, drinking, sleeping or showering. Using this guidance The guidance supports, but does not replace: individual expert clinical judgment local response arrangements A party spokesman said: "Within a few seconds, she realised she hadn't put her mask back on and immediately put it on.". Is climate change killing Australian wine? phoning the free 24-hour Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Helpline on 0808 808 3000; emailing the team on [email protected]; The following helplines are also available and can provide information on visiting your loved ones in care homes. How well have Scotland and the UK coped with Covid? Despite the use of face coverings no longer being a legal requirement, she strongly recommended that people "continue wearing face coverings in indoor settings where possible, and particularly when significant numbers of people are present". SCOTS are no longer legally required to wear face masks on public transport and in most indoor public spaces as the rule moved into guidance on Monday. Individuals should be provided with a new replacement face mask to put on after such activities where removal is required. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Your feedback helps us to improve this website. People are no longer legally required to wear face masks on public transport and in most indoor public spaces in Scotland as the rule moved into guidance on Monday. They should be encouraged to put on a new face mask after a reasonable period of respite time. Updated link on 'individual's home' chapter to link to social care guide. We use cookies to optimise our website and our service. Guidance for staff within acute hospitals, community hospitals, primary care and wider community healthcare, together with advice for visitors, including those attending for an appointment. This is the first medical grade transparent face mask available for use in Scotland. A full paper has been submitted to a medical journal and is currently under review but not available at this stage and, as this is an early release from ECCMID, the poster is not yet available. In December 2022, the first generic producer of the drug was prequalified by WHO. Sturgeon said: I can confirm that we will be providing immediate extra funding to health and social care partnerships to support the booking of additional care home beds for patients to be discharged to while their care packages are being finalised. Clearing NHS backlog will take years, doctor warns, Russia launches pre-dawn missile attack on Ukraine, Chaos at port as thousands rush to leave Sudan, Air strikes pound Sudan capital as truce extended. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. "That's why we need to keep up a threshold of testing in Scotland and around the world - the PCR testing that we can genomically sequence to find those variants.". Staff can also remove the FRSM if the individual they are supporting/caring for is a person who lip-reads to communicate (if transparent mask is not available/suitable), or if the individual is showing signs of distress. We would remind everyone that facemasksare an additional measure in place anddo notreplace physical distancing, or hygiene measures. But it strongly advised people to continue wearing masks in crowded indoor places and on public transport. Masks are no longer required. Read about our approach to external linking. ", The First Minister said Covid-19 was "still out there", adding: "Wearing a face covering is a bit of protection you can give, not only to yourself but to the people you might be around - including people who might be more clinically vulnerable.". shooting on forest lane today,