High streets ‘need help’ as return to offices delayed
●Business leaders say postponement is ‘a bitter blow’ ●Decision ‘pushes back recovery of city centres’
Business leaders described a delay announced yesterday to workers returning to offices as a "bitter blow" for employers and employees amid calls for further support for Scotland's ailing high streets.
In an update to MSPS at a virtually recalled Holyrood, Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the mainland will move to the lowest level of coronavirus restrictions from Monday.
It will be the first time the whole of Scotland has been subject to the same level of restrictions since September 1, 2020, when Glasgow was subject to restrictions on indoor meetings.
The move to Level 0 includes changes to the Scottish Government’s plans, including the imposition of a midnight curfew on indoor hospitality, and a delay in the return to office work.
Dr Liz Cameron, the chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC), said: “The postponing of the phased return of offices will be a bitter blow for employees and employers alike, many of which had been getting ready to welcome employees back into offices from next week. This will also
sound alarm bells for those town and city centre businesses, reliant on office worker footfall and custom, who now need to wait another month until those workers start to return.”
Ewan Mcdonald-russell, the head of policy at the Scottish Retail Consortium, added: “Itislikelythiswillfurtherpush back the recovery for city centresandhighstreetswherefootfall remains almost a third lower than pre-pandemic levels.
“The Scottish Government needs to be prepared to consider how best to support strugglingretailersifthereturnback to normal trading continues to take longer than anticipated.”
The First Minister also announced that physical distancing of one metre will continue to apply outdoors instead of the planned removal of any restrictions around outdoor gatherings.
As part of the changes, Scots willbeallowedtomeetuptoten peoplefromfourhouseholdsin a public place, and eight people from four households at home.
The limit on the number of people at outdoor gatherings will rise to 15 people from 15 households.
All indoor contact sport is also permitted in Level 0 and capacity at stadiums will increase to 2,000 outdoors
and 400 indoors.
Thenumberofpeopleallowed toattendweddingsandfunerals will also jump to 200.
Ms Sturgeon said: “Lifting all restrictions and mitigations right now would put all of us at greater risk - but in particular it would make it much more difficult for the most clinically vulnerable to go about their normal lives.
"It would risk the imposition of shielding by default and that is not something we should do.
“The Scottish Government understands the temptation to lift more restrictions more quickly - of course we do.
“But in our view, and in line with clinical advice and modelling,agradualapproachstands the best chance of minimising further health harm and loss of life and because a gradual approach also stands the best chance of being sustainable, it will be better in the long term for the economy too. So we will continue to ease restrictions but
we will do so carefully.”
The First Minister also announced the Scottish Government’s intention to remove therequirementfordoublevaccinatedpeopletoisolateshould they be a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case.
A two week gap from the seconddoseandanegativepcrtest is required for double vaccinatedpeopletoavoidself-isolation.
Ms Sturgeon added that the government is also looking at whether it is possible to remove self-isolation from young people in schools, adding advice would be published “well in advance” of schools returning.
She added that double vaccinated people returning from amberlistcountrieswillalsobe allowed to avoid self-isolation provided they take a PCR test on the second day after arriving into Scotland.
The SNP leader also criticised Primeministerborisjohnson’s move to make the wearing face coverings a personal choice rather than law.
She said: "It is my view that if governmentbelievesmeasures like this matter - and we do - we should say so, do what is necessary to ensure compliance, and take any resulting flak from those who disagree.
“We shouldn’t lift important restrictions to make our lives easier and then expect the public to take responsibility for doing the right thing anyway.”
Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross raised questions around the failure of the Testandprotectsystemtomeet Worldhealthorganisationtargets.
He also highlighted the number of vaccine doses was the worst for three months and called on the First Minister to confirm that the planned lifting of restrictions on August 9 will go ahead, regardless of the vaccineprogramme’sprogress.
He said: “Now is time to move forward, we can’t continue asking the public to sacrifice so much of their lives when we promisedthemthatthevaccine would bring an end to restrictions.
"Thebalancehastotiltfurther infavourofmovingforward,we have to make progress back to normality.
"The public have done what is expected of them, now it is time for this SNP government to deliver and hold up their end of the bargain.”
Ms Sturgeon insisted Scotland was moving at a “responsible pace”.
Anas Sarwar also called on Ms Sturgeon to move faster with the vaccine rollout, calling on the Scottish Government to ignore JCVI advice and reduce the gap between vaccine doses from eight weeks to four, in line with WHO and manufacturer’s advice.
He said: “There is no doubt in the inconsistent decision making and the inconsistent communications over the past few weekshashadanegativeimpact on the pandemic response.
"I’m afraid what the First Minister’s presented today is not a clear strategy to cope with the new phase of the pandemic. This phase needs a new approach.
"She needs to listen to the WHO on vaccines. The vaccine is working, but it is not winning the race with the virus.
"Will the government now move to a four week gap between vaccines as recommendedbythewho,asrecommended by manufacturers and has been led by other countries around the world?”
Rejecting Mr Sarwar’s suggestion as “unthinkable” and labelling the Scottish Labour leader“irresponsible”,mssturgeon said it was right for the Scottish Government to follow JCVI guidance and claimed the advisory group was discussing whethertoreducethegapfrom eight weeks to four.
Need to isolate for people who are double vaccinated to be scrapped from August 9
The blanket self-isolation requirement for all close contacts of positive Covid cases in Scotland will be scrapped from August 9, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
Those who come into contact with a positive case will not need to isolate if they have had two vaccines, and return a negative PCR test.
Self-isolation will also be removed for arrivals from Amber list countries from July 19, if they have been double jabbed within a UK vaccine programme. They must also take a PCR test on the second day after arrival.
In both cases, at least two weeks must have passed since the second dose.
In a Covid update to MSPS on Tuesday, Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the country will move to level 0 on July 19.
The move to beyond level 0 on August 9, along with changes to self-isolation from that
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date, will be confirmed closer to the time.
The changes will not affect anyone testing positive, who will still need to self-isolate for ten days.
Self-isolation requirements around school children are still under review, and Ms Sturgeon said an update will be given on this before the start of a new term.
She said: “As part of our preparations for the new academic term, we have asked our education advisory group for advice on whether, to what extent and with what mitigations we can remove the self isolation requirement for young people in education settings who are close contacts of positive cases.
"We will set out our conclusions well in advance of the new term.”
It comes after the UK Government announced that from August 16, those who have
received both vaccine doses in England will no longer need to self-isolate.
Ms Sturgeon added that the removal of isolation requirements for health workers may be brought forward, and that the issue is under “active consideration”.
Doctors union the BMA has previously called for the relaxation of isolation requirements for healthcare staff in Scotland, most of whom have had two vaccine doses.
Health boards around the country have warned of high pressure on services caused by staff needing to self-isolate after contact with a positive test.
Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie urged the First Minister to bring the change forward.
“The situation is urgent now so my concern is that the First Minister is taking too long,” he said.
"If people test negative and have been double vaccinated, as most health and social care workers have, then it would be appropriate to consider a return to work for them. People are desperate for treatment and care so the damage of cancelled operations and services is considerable.”
But the GMB union warned the Scottish Government “not to go there”.
GMB Senior Organiser for Public Services Drew Duffy said: “This will only anger and concern staff who are already absolutely exhausted and undercut, while confirming that their safety is not and has never been a priority for this government during this Covid-19 pandemic.”
Travel agent association ABTA welcomed the change in guidance on arrivals from Amber list countries, which has also been announced in England.