CORONAVIRUS UPDATE 28th JANUARY 2022

Two changes will be made to Scotland's Covid restrictions from Friday, January 28.

• Social distancing measures will be reduced from two metres to one in indoor settings where people have a specific exemption from the need to wear a face covering – such as those leading religious services or carrying out receptionist duties.
• Adults taking part in organised activities for children will no longer be required to wear a face covering when they are directly interacting with kids under the age of five.

Covid Update- what changed 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.

Skills and Labour Shortages in Food and Drink – Industry Survey January 2022

As part of the Food and Drink Federation Scotland and Skills Development Scotland work on skills and education for Scotland Food & Drink, they are following up our previous Skills Survey from late summer last year.

We are keen to assess the current picture of skills and labour shortages across the whole of the sector to enable us to identify what support is required and provide solutions.

We would encourage you to take a few minutes to answer the questions in the survey.

Welcome to our New Corporate Member

PREPHOUSE
David Dougan
11 Kilmore Rd, Crossgar BT30 9HJ
[email protected]
www.prephouse.co.uk
T: 02844831837
F: 02844832914

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.