CORONAVIRUS UPDATE 22ND JANUARY 2022

Covid Update- what changes on Monday 24th January?

Scotland's Covid-19 restrictions are to be eased, with nightclubs reopening, large indoor events resuming and social distancing rules dropped.

The changes will take effect from Monday 24 January after a “significant fall” in new case numbers.

However, people are still being asked to work from home and to take lateral flow tests before meeting with others.

Guidance advising adults against meeting up with more than three households at a time will also be scrapped, along with curbs on indoor contact sports.

And ministers have decided against extending the vaccine passport scheme to more hospitality settings “at this stage”.

Restrictions introduced over the festive period are being phased out, with limits on crowds at outdoor events such as football matches having been lifted on Monday of this week.

From next Monday, the limits on attendance at indoor public events, the requirement for 1m physical distancing and table service in hospitality venues, and the requirement for nightclubs to close will also be removed. (From 05:00 Mon 24 January, restrictions including one metre physical distancing in hospitality and leisure settings will not be required).

However longer-running measures such as the use of face coverings on public transport and indoor public places including shops will continue.

Please see the information from the Scottish Government website below.

Retail, shops and shopping centres Up to and beyond 24 January 2022 Mandatory reasonable measures to reduce the risk of transmission apply
Retailers should follow and implement the Scottish Government's regulations and guidance to ensure the safety of customers and staff. Enhanced mitigations should be put in place, such as:
• information and communication, such as signs, verbal prompts and markings, to promote protection measures and support customers and staff to behave safely in store;
• measures to help control the flow of customers and help people keep a safe distance from others particularly at potential pinch-points of congregation like tills, such as through the use of tannoy systems, signs, floor markings, queue management systems and separate entrance and exits;
• promote, provide and maintain hygiene stations and enhanced cleaning measures throughout stores;
• promoting the use of face coverings;
• using screens to create a physical barrier between people, for example at till points and self-service checkouts;
• maximising fresh air coming into the premises.
A checklist of measures is provided to support retailers consider appropriate measures for their setting.

While some members have asked us if it is ok to start removing some measures, such as screens and restricting the numbers of customers in the premises, it is still the case that any measure you change must be backed up and justified on your covid risk assessment document.
It is also prudent to bear in mind that many customers have chosen to shop with local food shops due to the safety measures in place which do not appear to be elsewhere. Keeping the safety measures for a bit longer could send out a strong message that your business views customer safety as paramount.

The definition of “fully vaccinated” for the purpose of vaccine passports has changed and now includes having a booster if the second dose was more than four months ago.
While the UK government has announced that covid self-isolation period will be cut from 7 days to 5, this is for England only.
There are no indications that the Scottish Government will replicate this change north of the border anytime soon.

Lindsays Guidance-Staff absences due to positive lateral flow test result

When an employee reports that they have a positive lateral flow test, the employer should ask how they are and whether they have any symptoms. They can also ask for evidence of the positive test however if they don't get that, they still have to pay SSP due to the self-cert rules.
Come the end of the isolation period the employee is able to return to work. That period ends if the employee returns negative tests on two consecutive days after day 5 (for example days 6 and 7 or 7 and 8). However, it also automatically ends after day 10. The employee will no longer be contagious after that date and if they continue to return positive tests they can still go out and about.

That issue is separate from whether they are fit to come to work. An employee who has had no or only very mild symptoms will be able to return to work but some people will continue to suffer from the consequence of the virus for some time after the 10th day. Those employees will remain off work due to ill health for such time as it takes them to get better and will receive SSP.

Wages Survey Reminder

All members were sent a survey form to measure wages across the country. Please can you consider completing the survey and returning the results to Bruce. You can do this by post or e-mail. All information provided will be treated with strict confidentiality and only an average will be issued to members. Only members will be given access to the results of this survey. A copy of the form is attached to this e-mail.

Festive trading conditions feedback
As always at this time of year, we invite members to send us some feedback on trading trends and issues.
We will use this information to feedback to members in the next newsletter and use this as a basis for around the table discussion at our next online members meeting at the end of January (details to be confirmed).
If you could spare some time to gather your thoughts and send us your experiences, then please e-mail [email protected] or give us a call on the contact details below.

Butchery Careers- Advertise positions available

If you have a vacancy in your business and you would like to advertise on the new website https://butcherycareers.co.uk/
Please send the following details to either Bruce or Gordon and we will pass the details on to the website hosts for inclusion.
Name of company:
Address of company:
Contact Number:
Person to Contact:
Region vacancy is advertised in:
Role advertised:
Closing Date:

It is very important that you let us know when you fill the position so we can remove the advert.

Gordon King: [email protected] 07917524313
Bruce McCall: [email protected] 07834490922
The Scottish Craft Butchers office in Perth is staffed every weekday.
We will be available to our members to answer any queries via email or by mobile phone
and will be available out of office hours for any members wanting to contact us.