Coronavirus in Scotland - Stay home & two metre rule remains

It is "insane" to make MPs return to the House of Commons to vote, a public health expert claims.

There has been a "hybrid" virtual system since mid-April, but MPs today passed a motion to return to a physical parliament and develop a physical voting method that respects health and safety guidance from Public Health England.

Critics say the move would still be "discriminatory" against those unable to attend.

And Prof Linda Bauld, of Edinburgh University, says: "I thought that was a really insane idea to require people to go back into Westminster, in terms of infection controls."

She adds that the science is evolving but "it wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility that immediately occupying the same space as somebody who's been speaking could be a risk".

Commenting on some MPs touching the despatch box as they stepped forward to vote, she adds: "If it was a university environment, we'd be cleaning the podium before the next lecturer came to do their lecture."

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Fans of Scotland's biggest football clubs continue to snap up season tickets for next term despite continued uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

National clinical director Jason Leitch on Saturday urged caution on BBC Scotland after the Scottish Professional Football League said it was pencilling in a 1 August return for the Premiership after last season was cut short.

While four top-flight clubs have yet to start selling for next season, Aberdeen's sales have just passed the 6,000 mark, with the club aiming for 10,000 by July.

Motherwell's have "far surpassed" last season, with more than 2,000 fans renewing.

Hibernian's sales are up at 8,000, while city rivals Hearts have hit 5,000 sales despite relegation.

Read more here.

The Scottish government has responded to an accusation that it has not delivered on promises to improve pay and conditions of care home workers by saying it is "currently working with local government, social care providers and trades unions on the details".

GMB Scotland secretary Gary Smith earlier told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime that the government had been slow to produce the changes to full sick pay, a pay rise and death in service payments.

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In a statement, the government replies: “We are aware that there are social care workers who are anxious about being tested, as if they test positive and go off work, their weekly income will be reduced to the level of SSP (statutory sick pay). So we have intervened to ensure that social care workers do not face that situation but receive better levels of sick pay.

"We are establishing a sick pay fund to ensure that care workers who test positive for Covid-19 will receive sick pay above the current statutory level of £95.85 a week.

“No social care workers should avoid testing - and anyone who develops symptoms of Covid-19 must self-isolate and must be supported by their employer to do so, as per Health Protection Scotland guidance."

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Scotland's first minister today reminded people they should be wearing a face covering if they were in an enclosed space, such as in the shop or on public transport. But do they really work?

Dr Mike Lonergan, an epidemiologist, says: "There isn’t much evidence but it looks like, from the few studies have been done, maybe a third difference in the chances of you infecting someone nearby."

Hugh Pennington, a professor of bacteriology, says there is evidence of a "marginal benefit" by limiting the amount of virus being excreted when someone is asymptomatic.

And on whether the difference between one and two metres matters, Prof Pennington adds: "It’s reasonable common sense with a scientific tinge to it that the further away you are from somebody the less likely you are to breathe a virus they have pushed out of their nose or mouth.”

The daily round of figures show, while the picture is improving, the UK is still seeing a significant impact from coronavirus.

There were 1,600 new cases confirmed, over 400 admissions to hospital and over 300 deaths.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock says it is clear there is “still some way to go”.

Worryingly, these figures are higher than countries like Spain and Italy are reporting.

Both of those have been badly affected by the pandemic like the UK.

They are a week or two ahead of us in terms of the trajectory on their outbreaks.

But it still begs the question why our rates of infection are not lower.

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UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock is talking about today's report on coronavirus risk factors, which confirms that people from black, asian and minority ethnic communities have been hit harder.

He makes a reference to the current situation in the United States, saying: "Black Lives Matter" and pays tribute to health workers from ethnic minorities.

He says he "loves" that the UK is "one of the most welcoming" countries in the world.

Later the BBC's Rhianna Croxford.asks why the UKgovernment has not done more to "support and protect" BAME communities from the virus.

Mr Hancock says he understands the anger that people feel about racial injustice and the need to tackle it, adding that he is trying to do his bit within the NHS.

“Workers must be put to the fore in all our considerations,” Tory MSP Maurice Golden says, adding: “The task at hand is to keep business afloat and therefore protect and safeguard jobs.”

He claims the Scottish government has “steadfastly refused to utilise savings from the Scottish budget to support Scotland at this time”.

Mr Golden calls for the SNP to coordinate more with the rest of the UK, for example on manufacturing or construction, arguing Scotland benefits enormously when Scottish and UK governments work together.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard says: “Despite the measures introduced by both governments to help businesses keep afloat, many are already going under.”

He adds: “For them, this is not an opportunity – it is a very real threat.”

“It’s why Scotland needs both governments to work together to deliver the scale of investment that is needed. And it is why we must come together and defeat the arguments for austerity, because there can be no going back to austerity,” he argues.

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Scottish football "might just make its way through" the Covid-19 pandemic, but next season "will be one of survival", the man who oversaw administrations at Dundee, Hearts and Motherwell tells BBC Scotland.

Football has been suspended since March and tentative plans are in place for the Premiership to resume playing in August.

"The biggest problem is the unknown," Bryan Jackson says.

"The only thing you can really do is cut down your expenditure, so I do fear for players and even non-players that contracts won't be renewed and that clubs will have to slim down to survive. I think the next season is really one of survival.

"When it's football, we can never tell because we have this asset not on the balance sheet known as the hardcore fans that do everything they can to try and maintain the survival of their clubs."

Read more here.

During today's Scottish government coronavirus daily briefing Phil McDonald from Global highlighted Black Lives Matter protests expected across Scotland and asked how these would fit current pandemic guidelines.

The first minister said she was a “fervent supporter” of peaceful protests and the right for people to have their voice heard.

But she said “unfortunately and regrettably” large gatherings like protests pose a risk to health at the moment.

Ms Sturgeon said: "What I would say to those who want to protest, and I say this as an ally and supporter, is that we need to find ways of allowing people to make their voices heard - and to make the points that many of us want to be made and be heard right now - but to do so in a way that is safe and is not putting people and communities at risk."

A two-week quarantine period for anyone arriving in the UK will be enforced from 8 June.

George Morgan-Grenville, the CEO of tour operator Red Savannah, warns the move would be “devastating” for the travel industry.

He insists the argument is not over profits but the very survival of a sector which employs up to four million people.

A survey of CEOs found 71% believe they will have to make almost two-thirds of staff redundant, while a third fear they will cease trading, Mr Morgan-Grenville tells Drivetime.

"The industry is on the edge of an abyss," he says.

As an alternative to a blanket quarantine requirement, he calls for bilateral travel agreements to be put in place with countries where there is a low rate of infection.

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Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop warns the scale of the challenge is significant, highlighting estimates GDP could fall 33% for the duration of physical distancing and 10% of the workforce may require benefits.

Ms Hyslop says the circumstances are unprecedented and therefore it requires an unprecedented response.

She confirms £3m of the self-employed hardship fund will be repurposed to support B&B owners who are ineligible for other support because they do not have a business bank account.

The cabinet secretary acknowledges the burden of the economic impacts will not fall equally, adding: “Our recovery must ensure that we are closing the gender pay gap and the disability employment gap.”

She also insists any recovery must be a "green recovery".

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The Scottish government has failed to deliver on its promises of full sick pay, a pay rise and death in service payments for care home workers, according to the GMB union.

Union secretary Gary Smith tells BBC Radio Scotland that care home workers remain "terrified" to call off sick or be tested for Covid-19 because of the loss in earnings and being "unable to feed their families".

Asked if the issues were close to being resolved, he replies: "No. It has been like wading through treacle quite honestly.

"The Scottish government has been great at making announcements. But they've been very poor at actually delivering."

Mr Smith claims that, while a 3.3% increase in pay was announced at Easter, money to pay for it had not been given to private companies by the government.

He adds that one of the big care companies, HC-One, had agreed to increase sick pay, but he suggests that was only because of pressure from his union, which has began grievance procedures against other providers.

The Scottish government has been asked for a response.

The UK briefing is due to start in ten minutes. You can follow all the updates here.

In the meantime, here's a round-up of the latest news:

• A review has found that people from ethnic minority backgrounds are disproportionately affected by coronavirus, but it is not clear why
• The UK's statistics watchdog has criticised the government over its handling of coronavirus testing data. The UK Statistics Authority said the presentation of figures appeared to be aimed at showing "the largest possible number of tests, even at the expense of understanding"
• The government is looking at ways to relax the 14-day quarantine rule for people entering the UK. The rule comes into force on Monday
• The number of people dying each week linked to coronavirus has dropped to its lowest levels in the UK since March, figures show.
• UK MPs have voted against remote voting at Westminster