CORONAVIRUS UPDATE 29th April 2020

Key Worker testing in Scotland

The Scottish Government have now implemented testing for Key workers.
This includes testing for Key food workers.

The test is for key workers and household members who are symptomatic and only for current infection.
This test will not indicate if someone has had the virus and has recovered/immune. Those tests are not available yet.

Arranging a test if you are a key worker

Eligible key workers will be notified of where to go to get their test through the booking arrangements described below.
Testing under the UK programme in Scotland is currently conducted in drive-through sites operating at:

• Glasgow Airport
• Edinburgh Airport
• Aberdeen Airport
• University of the Highlands and Islands campus in Inverness
• University of the Highlands and Islands campus in Perth.

These facilities are run by private sector organisations on behalf of the UK Government. This guidance will be updated as additional testing capacity is deployed on Scotland.

A limited number of home test kits are also available.

Employer portal

A new website has been established to improve the process of booking tests. This website is experiencing high volumes of demand and access is being carefully regulated to ensure the systems can continue to function effectively.

Eligible employers can register and refer staff for appointments or eligible key workers will be able to book a test directly for themselves or members of their household.

After they have entered their details on the portal, individuals will receive a text or email the same day inviting them to either book an appointment, or offering a home self-testing kit.

Those using self-referral can indicate their preference prior to registering details.

The target for sending results is by text within 48 hours. A call centre is available by phone, to help people with the process and deal with test result queries.

Obtain a login for the employer referral portal

To get a login, employers of key workers should email: [email protected]

You must supply two email addresses that will primarily be used to load key worker contact details.

Once employer details have been verified, two login credentials will be issued for the employer referral portal.

Employers should then login at Employer login link to make referrals.

Self-referral portal

Go to the self-referral portal at: Self Test Link to sign up if you are a key worker and you, or a member of your family, is symptomatic.

Any questions from employers or key workers about accessing testing, the website, or results should be made by emailing: [email protected]

Home tests

Key workers who have completed a self-referral may have the option, depending on available capacity, to book a home-test kit.
Home test kits are an option where key workers are unable to attend a drive-through centre.
The home test option is covered in the booking process.

How home testing works

After you complete a self-referral and order a home-test kit, the test would then be delivered the next day.
You will self-administer the swab, packing it up as instructed.

A Royal Mail courier will arrive the day after to collect it and take it to the lab. The aim is that results will then be received via text within 48 hours.

Reliability of home testing

Evidence suggests that those with no clinical background or training should be completely able to secure an effective sample.
International peer-reviewed evidence suggests that self-swabbing is just as effective at securing a valid sample as clinician-administered testing.
Each kit comes with comprehensive instructions to guide you through how to administer the swab yourself. Test kits come with further instructions and a short video to take you through the process step by step.

Protection of personal data

Amazon and Royal Mail are the commercial partners who are delivering home testing nationwide. They do not have access to the results or any health data.

Full details here:-

Testing for Key Workers for Link

Face coverings

At lunchtime yesterday, advice altered to the general public in Scotland on face coverings.
The general public are now encouraged to wear a cloth, face covering (not a medical mask) if they are out and about in confined spaces, such as in shops or on public transport.
This is in addition to normal biosecurity precautions such as social distancing, hand hygiene and staying at home if unwell.

The evidence on the effectiveness of using face coverings is limited, but there may be some benefit in wearing a facial covering as an additional precaution. This will help prevent the spread of droplets, which could contain virus, from being dispersed so widely into the environment from breathing, coughing or sneezing.

The Scientific advice from SAGE is as follows:

“”¦on balance, there is enough evidence to support recommendation of community use of cloth face masks, for short periods in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not possible..”

The First Minister has been clear that this does not mean that everyone should wear a surgical or other medical grade mask but a covering of the mouth and nose that is made of cloth or other textiles. We need to ensure that we do not add to pressure on PPE by using it inappropriately.

The wearing of a cloth covering is not mandatory, it is not enforceable, it is a matter of personal choice.

Food standards Scotland Issued this statement today:-

“The new advice from Scottish Government on the use of textile face coverings is not intended as an infection prevention and control measure for workers and therefore does not apply to food businesses.”
The advice on the wearing of masks in the workplace has not changed therefore and the full Food Standards Scotland advice on action required to be taken in the workplace – specifically on the use of masks is below:-

Is the wearing of facemasks recommended to protect those working in the food industry from COVID-19?

To date (9 April 2020), advice from UK and Scottish Public Health Authorities has been that the use of additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including facemasks should not be a requirement in non-healthcare settings such as food businesses. There has been no change to this advice, and Government continues to advise against the use of facemasks outside of clinical and care settings, where they play a very important role.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has progressed, scientists are learning more about the virus, and new theories are emerging on how it is spread in the population. Recently, some health experts have argued that the wearing of facemasks in public places could provide an additional barrier against the spread of viral particles carried in respiratory droplets and aerosols of saliva from individuals who may be carrying the virus before they start showing any symptoms. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has undertaken to review the emerging scientific opinions and evidence in this area. However the evidence for the use of facemasks for the general population is not conclusive at this stage.

Therefore, UK Government and Health Protection Scotland continue to advise that facemasks should not be used for the purposes of controlling COVID-19 outwith healthcare settings, where there is a need for medical workers and carers to wear specific respirators and surgical masks to protect themselves and their patients from the virus.

There are a number of reasons why widespread use of facemasks is not recommended for the food industry at the present time:
• Health Protection Scotland and Public Health England advise that facemasks should not be used outside of clinical and care settings, as the evidence for their effectiveness against the spread of COVID-19 in non-healthcare workplaces is not proven.
• Facemasks carry their own training, usage and disposal requirements to minimise the risk of them becoming a source of contamination. Staff who are not accustomed to wearing facemasks may be less likely to:
o Ensure they are fitted and worn properly;
o Change them at regular intervals;
o Handle and dispose of them hygienically.
• Ill-fitting face masks and the build-up of condensation can cause the wearer discomfort, increasing the likelihood that they will touch their face and the potential for spreading infection.

Ensuring physical (social) distancing is applied wherever possible, in addition to requiring thorough and frequent handwashing by all staff continue to be the most important measures for food businesses to apply for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in their premises. We have published guidance for food business operators and their employees on the control of COVID-19.

Financial Support for Business.

A reminder that the new 'bounce-back' loans for SMEs (under 250 employees) open on Monday with the promise of a quick, two-page application and loans of up to £50,000 being delivered into bank accounts within 24 hours. Interest and repayment free for 12 months, the debt mechanism may be useful for some, but not all.
On grants, the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund from Scottish Government opens on Thursday. The £45 million fund will be managed by the enterprise agencies with a target to pay grants within 10 days of applications being submitted. The targets for support are businesses – across all sectors – that are viable, vital but vulnerable due to Covid-19 and have not been able to access other grant support. If you think you may fit this category, you should update your latest cashflow forecast now as it is likely to be one of the elements required to demonstrate the financial impact of the outbreak on your business.
Below is a link to the Government's business support finder which is applicable to any business in the UK.
tCoronavirus Support Link Finder Link

The Scottish Craft Butchers office in Perth is now closed following government guidelines.
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.
Our contact details are below
Gordon King: – [email protected] 07917524313
Bruce McCall: [email protected] 07834490922