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The COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland is part of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
of coronavirus disease-2019, caused by the virus
SARS-CoV-2 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) is a strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), the respiratory illness responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The virus previously had a ...
. The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
on 1 March 2020. Community transmission was first reported on 11 March 2020, and the first confirmed death was on 13 March 2020.
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
became a
notifiable disease A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities. The collation of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease, and provides early warning of possible outbreaks. In the case of live ...
in Scotland on 22 February 2020. The first cases were detected in Scotland in the following weeks. By 16 March and following the outbreak in Italy, and based on forecasting by epidemiologists at
Imperial College London Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cu ...
—the Scottish Government advised the public to avoid all "non-essential" travel and contact with others, and to
remote work Remote work, also called work from home (WFH), work from anywhere, telework, remote job, mobile work, and distance work is an employment arrangement in which employees do not commute to a central place of work, such as an office building, ware ...
if possible. Those with symptoms, and their household, were asked to
self-isolate In health care facilities, isolation represents one of several measures that can be taken to implement in infection control: the prevention of communicable diseases from being transmitted from a patient to other patients, health care workers, ...
. Pregnant women, the over 70s, and those with certain illnesses were asked to self-isolate for longer. On 20 March 2020, schools were told to close, along with pubs, cafes and cinemas. On 23 March 2020, a 'Stay at Home' order was announced; this would come to be referred to as the UK lockdown. COVID-19 policies in Scotland began to diverge with those elsewhere in the UK as the first lockdown was lifted starting in April 2020. The Scottish government pursued a
zero-COVID Zero-COVID, also known as COVID-Zero and "Find, Test, Trace, Isolate, and Support" (FTTIS), is a public health policy that has been implemented by some countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.Anna Llupià, Rodríguez-Giralt, Anna Fité, Lola Ála ...
strategy aiming to eliminate the virus entirely in 2020, lifted lockdown rules more gradually than the rest of the country, and expanded
testing An examination (exam or evaluation) or test is an educational assessment intended to measure a test-taker's knowledge, skill, aptitude, physical fitness, or classification in many other topics (e.g., beliefs). A test may be administered verba ...
capacity.
Personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, elec ...
supplies and guidance were major issues early in the outbreak. A four-tier restriction system that applied to different regions of Scotland came into force later in 2020, and a lockdown applying to the whole country applied from early 2021 as the
Alpha variant The Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) was a SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern. It was estimated to be 40–80% more transmissible than the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 (with most estimates occupying the middle to higher end of this range). It was first detecte ...
spread from elsewhere in the UK. A vaccination programme began in December 2020. As many restrictions were lifted later in 2021, the
Delta variant The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It was first detected in India in late 2020. The Delta variant was named on 31 May 2021 and had spread to over 179 countries by 22 November 2021. The ...
and
Omicron variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) is a variant of SARS-CoV-2 first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Network for Genomics Surveillance in South Africa on 24 November 2021. It was first detected in Botswana and has spread to become the ...
have since posed further challenges and prompted responses in Scotland. Scottish healthcare service capacity was substantially reorganised in response to the outbreak and clinical studies into COVID-19 have also taken place in the country. The pandemic has had major impact across Scottish society. Care homes and
healthcare Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health profe ...
were directly affected by the spread of the disease. Beyond that, it has caused major disruptions to
education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
, law enforcement, and
economic activities Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...
.


Background

On 12 January, the
World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...
(WHO) confirmed that a
novel coronavirus Novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a provisional name given to coronaviruses of medical significance before a permanent name is decided upon. Although coronaviruses are endemic in humans and infections normally mild, such as the common cold (caused by ...
was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, who had initially come to the attention of the WHO on 31 December 2019. On 11 March 2020, the outbreak was declared a
pandemic A pandemic () is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has spread across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. A widespread endemic (epidemiology), endemic disease wi ...
. Unlike the
SARS Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory disease of zoonotic origin caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-1), the first identified strain of the SARS coronavirus species, ''sever ...
outbreak of 2003, the
case fatality ratio In epidemiology, case fatality rate (CFR) – or sometimes more accurately case-fatality risk – is the proportion of people diagnosed with a certain disease, who end up dying of it. Unlike a disease's mortality rate, the CFR does not take int ...
for COVID-19 has been much lower, but the
transmission Transmission may refer to: Medicine, science and technology * Power transmission ** Electric power transmission ** Propulsion transmission, technology allowing controlled application of power *** Automatic transmission *** Manual transmission *** ...
has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll. On 24 January, the first tests for COVID-19 came back negative, with the then Chief Medical Officer Dr. Catherine Calderwood saying that the risk was low for the Scottish public, although acknowledged that cases would arrive at some point. The first case was detected on 1 March and by 23 March, the country went into lockdown.


Timeline


January–March 2020

*24 January: Five people were tested for COVID-19 in Scotland, all returning negative as an incident team was established for the disease. *10 February: 57 tests had been conducted (all negatives), a figure which rose to 412 by 25 February. *22 February: COVID-19 was made into a "
notifiable disease A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities. The collation of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease, and provides early warning of possible outbreaks. In the case of live ...
", and a surveillance network involving 41 GP locations was established to submit samples of suspected patients, even if they had no travel history. *26–27 February: Nike holds a conference in Edinburgh, which 70 people attend. Although Scottish residents at the conference contracted the virus a study by Glasgow University concluded it did not cause further spread across the country. *1 March: The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Scotland was detected in
Tayside Tayside ( gd, Taobh Tatha) was one of the nine regions used for local government in Scotland from 15 May 1975 to 31 March 1996. The region was named for the River Tay. It was created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, following recom ...
. The person had then recently travelled to Italy. At that time, since the outbreak began in
Wuhan Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei, Hubei Province in the China, People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the List of cities in China ...
, there had been 698 tests resulting negative for the disease. *4 March: Two further cases were confirmed, one having travelled from Italy and the other having had contact with a known carrier. *5 March: Three further cases were confirmed, totalling to 5 cases *6 March: The number of confirmed cases double to 11. *9 March: Cases had more than doubled again to 23 cases out of 2,101 tests conducted. *11 March: First case of community transmission which wasn't linked to travel or confirmed cases. *13 March: The first death from COVID-19 in Scotland was confirmed, of an elderly patient with underlying health conditions. At the time, 85 cases of the disease had been confirmed out of 3,314 tests conducted. *16 March: 171 cases had been confirmed from 4,895 tests, with positive cases being reported by all health boards of
NHS Scotland NHS Scotland, sometimes styled NHSScotland, is the publicly funded healthcare system in Scotland and one of the four systems that make up the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. It operates 14 territorial NHS boards across Scotland, ...
except in
NHS Orkney The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...
and
NHS Western Isles NHS Western Isles is an NHS board serving the Outer Hebrides (Western Isles) of Scotland. It is one of the fourteen regions of NHS Scotland. NHS Western Isles is responsible for providing primary and secondary healthcare to the 26,000 people in t ...
. *20 March: The Scottish Government told cafes, pubs, and restaurants to close.Beyond these 3 types of establishments, also told to close were: * Nightclubs and other drinking establishments * Cinemas, theatres and bingo halls and concert halls * Spas, wellness centres and massage parlours * Casinos and betting shops * Indoor leisure facilities such as gyms and swimming pools *23 March: With the UK death toll hitting 335 deaths and 14 in Scotland,
Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...
announced a nationwide 'Stay at Home' order would come into effect as of midnight and it would be reviewed every 3 weeks. Former CMO Catherine Calderwood said, "This is no longer a rehearsal for something that might happen." This would become known as the UK lockdown. *24 March: 16 patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19 had died. *25 March: The First Minister confirmed that the Scottish Government was establishing a COVID-19 Advisory group to supplement the advice it was receiving from the UK-wide Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies. It was to be chaired by Professor Andrew Morris of Edinburgh University, the Director of Health Research UK, with support from vice chair David Crossman, who is the Dean of Medicine at the University of St Andrews and Chief Scientific Advisor for Health at the Scottish Government *26 March: It was announced that 25 deaths had been reported, with 896 confirmed cases in Scotland. *28 March: 3 Scottish woman set up Run For Heroes, a fundraising campaign that asked you to run 5k, donate £5 and nominate 5 others. The campaign went onto raise £7 million for NHS Charities COVID-19 Appeal and was the biggest viral fundraiser in the UK. *31 March: two cases in
NHS Western Isles NHS Western Isles is an NHS board serving the Outer Hebrides (Western Isles) of Scotland. It is one of the fourteen regions of NHS Scotland. NHS Western Isles is responsible for providing primary and secondary healthcare to the 26,000 people in t ...
and one in
NHS Orkney The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...
mean that COVID-19 cases have now been recorded in all of Scotland's health board areas.


April to June 2020

*1 April: Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 passed 2000 across the country, with 76 deaths in hospitals. The Scottish Government announced 3,500 tests a day by the end of the month and construction started on the SEC in Glasgow to become
NHS Louisa Jordan The NHS Louisa Jordan was a temporary emergency critical care hospital created to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland. It was located within the SEC Centre in Glasgow. __TOC__ History Operated by NHS Scotland, it was planned to hav ...
Hospital which would hold 300 beds, expandable to 1,000. *5 April: Despite initially saying she would stay in office, Scotland's chief medical officer, Dr
Catherine Calderwood Catherine Jane Calderwood FRCOG FRCPE (born 26 December 1968) is Northern-Irish born Scottish consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, who has served as the National Clinical Director for Sustainable Delivery at the Golden Jubilee University ...
, resigned after making two trips to her second home, breaking the COVID-19 lockdown she and First Minister Sturgeon had encouraged. *6 April: The
Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament to make provisions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Act complements and regulates the use of emergency powers given to Scottish Ministers under the UK Parliament's Coronav ...
which was introduced as an Emergency Bill in the Scottish Parliament on 31 March 2020 gained Royal Assent, becoming law. *7 April: The Scottish Government announced that 12,000 nursing and midwifery students from across the country and returning workers who had worked in the Health and Social Care sector had signed up to join the NHS workforce to help fight COVID-19, Chief Nursing Officer Fiona McQueen said, "I want to thank each and every student who has volunteered their support so far." In addition, 2,000 final year students had already joined the workforce since the call for help was sent out. *16 April: After reviewing the lockdown with all nations in the UK, the decision was made to extend it for another 3 weeks until the 7 May. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in her daily briefing said, ". . . I want to stress that the news is positive . . . Early indications are that the lockdown restrictions have resulted in a slowing down in the rate of community transmission of the virus." *20 April: NHS Louisa Jordan in Glasgow opened as confirmed cases passed 8,400 with 915 fatalities in hospitals. *22 April: The National Records of Scotland (NRS) released data up to 19 April. The number of deaths in Scotland was up 80% above the 5-year average. 537 deaths had been recorded in care homes, double the number of the previous week, 910 deaths had been recorded in hospitals, and 168 deaths in homes or other settings. Public Health Scotland's daily figures were under-counting deaths by up to 40%.Deaths in Scotland with COVID-19 mentioned as a cause: *910 in hospitals (57%) *537 in care homes (33%) *168 in homes and other settings (10%) as it was reporting deaths in hospitals only. *25 April: Confirmed cases surpassed 10,000. *27 April 2020: more than 22,000 former staff and students had volunteered to join or rejoin the healthcare and social care services in Scotland since the epidemic began, *28 April: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon advised the voluntary use of (non-medical grade)
cloth face mask A cloth face mask is a mask made of common textiles, usually cotton, worn over the mouth and nose. When more effective masks are not available, and when physical distancing is impossible, cloth face masks are recommended by public health agenci ...
s to be used in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport, but not generally in public, excluding those who are under two years old or who have respiratory illnesses such as
asthma Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, cou ...
. However, Sturgeon noted their limitation and said that co-operation with the face mask guidance was voluntary. *1 May: Confirmed cases of COVID-19 passed 11,500 across the country, with 1515 deaths in hospitals. The Scottish Government announced that it had reached its testing goal of 3,500 tests a day in NHS labs laid out in April with 4,661 tests carried out on 30 April. They also announced that their next target was 8,000 tests a day in NHS labs across Scotland by Mid-May. *8 May: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon reported that there was some recognition that each of the four nations of the UK might move at different speeds with regard to loosening the lockdown and that she would not be pressured into lifting restrictions prematurely. *9 May: The
Scottish Ambulance Service The Scottish Ambulance Service ( gd, Seirbheis Ambaileans na h-Alba) is part of NHS Scotland, which serves all of Scotland's population. The Scottish Ambulance Service is governed by a special health board and is funded directly by the Health ...
(SAS) made 242 attendances for suspected COVID-19, and took 157 people to hospital with suspected COVID-19. By 9 May 2020 there had been 4,503 cumulative cases of suspected COVID-19 in care homes and up to 3,672 staff had reported as absent in adult care homes due to COVID-19, representing 8.5% of all adult care home staff (43,403) for whom figures had been provided. *10 May: Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled an exit strategy and an easing of the lockdown rules in England. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in her daily briefing criticised the government for their new slogan, 'Stay Alert, Control the Virus, Save Lives' saying it wasn't clear and she asked the UK Government not to promote their 'Stay Alert' advertising campaign in Scotland. Sturgeon eased exercising outside to more than once a day but the public would still have to maintain social distancing at all times. She also stressed leisure activities such as sunbathing, picnics and barbecues were still prohibited. *11 May: In a national address to
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
on the beginning of the seventh week of lockdown, Nicola Sturgeon asked the nation "to stick with lockdown for a bit longer - so that we can consolidate our progress, not jeopardise it hellip;I won't risk unnecessary deaths by acting rashly or prematurely." This marked the moment when the four nations of the UK took different strategies on handling lockdown and lifting it eventually, with Wales and Northern Ireland also continuing the 'Stay at Home' slogan. England adopted the slogan 'Stay Alert' and began to lift restrictions. By 11 May 2020 a total of 101,122 COVID-19 tests had been carried out by
NHS Scotland NHS Scotland, sometimes styled NHSScotland, is the publicly funded healthcare system in Scotland and one of the four systems that make up the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. It operates 14 territorial NHS boards across Scotland, ...
labs in hospitals, care homes or the community. In addition there were a total of 27,647 drive through and mobile tests carried out by Regional Testing Centres in Scotland. *18 May: Anyone aged 5 or over, presenting symptoms of COVID-19 became eligible to get tested and
Anosmia Anosmia, also known as smell blindness, is the loss of the ability to detect one or more smells. Anosmia may be temporary or permanent. It differs from hyposmia, which is a decreased sensitivity to some or all smells. Anosmia can be due to a num ...
was added to the COVID-19 symptom list. Nicola Sturgeon announced her plans to begin easing lockdown from 28 May and a roadmap will be published on 21 May. *21 May: First Minister
Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician serving as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2014. She is the first woman to hold either position. She has been a member of ...
outlined a four-phase "route map" for easing lockdown restrictions in Scotland that included allowing people to meet up outside with people from one other household in the first phase. The lockdown would be eased from 28 May subject to the number of new cases of COVID-19 continuing to fall. Schools in Scotland would reopen on 11 August, when students would receive a "blended model" of part-time study at school combined with some learning at home. *28 May: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced an easing of the lockdown in Scotland from the following day, with people able to meet friends and family outside in groups of no more than eight but keeping two metres apart. *8 June: A route map for easing restrictions was published by the Scottish Government. *19 June: Some easing of lockdown restrictions with meeting outdoors of up to 8 people from two other households whilst maintaining social distancing, for single people or singles with children they may meet with another household indoors without social distancing. Face coverings mandatory on public transport. Exercise within 5 miles of home. *29 June: Further easing of lockdown with indoor workplaces allowed to open, street access retail and outdoor markets opening, outdoor sports playgrounds, zoos and parks open, outdoor marriages allowed and people can move house. All with social distancing.


July to September 2020

*3 July: The 5 mile travel ban is lifted, self contained holiday accommodation may re-open for business, visits to care homes by one "key visitor" are permitted but meetings must be outdoors and a 2m distance maintained, young people under 12 do not need to social distance and 12-17 year olds may meet in groups of up to 8 people provided social distancing is maintained. Beer gardens and outdoor cafes can open from 6 July. It will be compulsory to wear face coverings in shops from 10 July. *10 July: Air Bridge system starts which will not require self isolation for people returning from any of 57 countries, similar to, but less than the list of Air Bridges from England and Wales. Up to 15 people from five different households may meet outdoors whilst maintaining 2m social distancing, up to 8 people from three households may meet indoors and people from outside a household may stay overnight. *10 July: Scottish Government ministers call for the British Government to sign up to the EU's vaccine programme. Following reports that Britain would procure its own vaccines independently of Brussels, Mike Russell, Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs, said: "This idiotic refusal is all about
Brexit Brexit (; a portmanteau of "British exit") was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 CET).The UK also left the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or ...
and nothing to do with the pandemic. It will cost lives." Housing Minister Kevin Stewart and Children's Minister
Maree Todd Maree Todd is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross since May 2021. She was previously an MSP for the Highlands and Islands from the election in ...
also strongly expressed their concerns. * 11 August: Pupils return to schools. They do not need to socially distance but teachers have to wear masks if they are in close proximity with others and socially distance from each other. Initially no pupils had to wear face masks. *31 August: Pupils at high schools are obliged to wear face masks in corridors, canteens and other communal areas. * 11 September: NHS Protect Scotland app released to the public for use on iOS and Android devices, using the
Exposure Notification The (Google/Apple) Exposure Notification (GAEN) system, originally known as the Privacy-Preserving Contact Tracing Project, is a framework and protocol specification developed by Apple Inc. and Google to facilitate digital contact tracing during ...
s System developed by Apple and Google. This app provides anonymous, Bluetooth-enabled contact tracing for all users in Scotland who opt-in to the service. * 22 September: First Minister
Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician serving as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2014. She is the first woman to hold either position. She has been a member of ...
announces nationwide restrictions which go into effect on Friday 25 September, these restrictions affect the pub closing times to meetings within households. * 23 September: 486 new confirmed cases were recorded in the previous 24 hours - the highest daily total since the start of the outbreak. * 24 September: 124 students at
Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...
tested positive for the virus, causing 600 students to go into self-isolation.


October to December 2020

* 1 October:
Margaret Ferrier Margaret Ferrier (born 10 September 1960) is a Scottish politician serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for Rutherglen and Hamilton West since 2019, and previously from 2015 to 2017. As the candidate for the Scottish National Party (SNP), Ferrie ...
, MP for the Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, was suspended by her party (SNP) and referred herself to the police and the Parliamentary standards authorities after it became known that she had travelled from Scotland to Westminster the previous weekend despite awaiting the outcome of a COVID-19 test having experienced symptoms, and when notified that the test result was positive for the virus, still chose to travel home again by train, in clear breach of guidelines. * 5 October: As a further 697 cases of the COVID-19 are reported, with 218 people as inpatients and 22 in intensive care, the First Minister of Scotland is set to meet advisers to discuss new measures, including the possibility of a two-week "circuit breaker" to stem the escalation of cases. * 2 November: A new, 5 level, or "tier" system is introduced into Scotland - bringing new, targeted restrictions to different regions of the country. * 2 November: Pupils in the senior phase of Scottish education (S4-S6) must wear face masks in classrooms in addition to communal areas if the school is in level 3 or 4. *3 November: A poll by Survation and Scotland in Union shows that 56% of Scots think the Scottish Government and UK Government should work more closely on tackling COVID-19. *16 November: Bill introduced to the Scottish Parliament which, if passed, would extend the amount of time people can send postal ballots, dissolve the Scottish Parliament 1 day before the election, allow Scottish Ministers to make the election fully postal and hold polling over a few days, make the date for the first meeting of the new Scottish Parliament and election of the Presiding Officer flexible and postpone the date of the election by 6 months. Election matters are a reserved power, which only the UK Parliament holds, so this Bill would give this power to the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament. *19 November: Health Secretary Jeane Freeman gives a statement to the Scottish Parliament on vaccines. She announces that Scotland is ready to administer the first vaccine for COVID-19 in the first week in February, if the vaccine is given safety clearance. Freeman also announced the priorities list for the first wave of vaccinations, which will run from December to February 2021. The priorities are: "frontline health and social care staff, older residents in care homes, care home staff, all those aged 80 and over, unpaid carers and personal assistants & those delivering the vaccination." *20 November: 11 council areas move to level 4 and cross-border (Scotland-England) non-essential travel is made illegal. *24 November: The 4 UK nations announce a coordinated plan for Christmas. Three households would be allowed to meet indoors, at a place of worship and outdoors for a space of 5 days (23–27 December) and travel restrictions would be eased. The so-called 'Christmas Bubbles' would not be able to visit bars or restaurants. * 19 December: Following an outbreak of a mutant strain of COVID-19 in Wales, South East England, and along with seventeen cases of the new strain in Scotland, the coordinated plan for Christmas was cancelled across Britain. Shortly after Boris Johnson announced similar new restrictions in England, Nicola Sturgeon announced a travel ban to other parts of the United Kingdom. A sole exception is provided for Christmas Day, scrapping the previously planned 5 day relief from travel restrictions. Three weeks of level four restrictions are planned, and return of schools is postponed to 11 January. * 19 December: Nicola Sturgeon apologises to the Scottish Parliament and people after a photo of her not wearing a mask inside, while chatting to a group of women, appears on the front page of ''The Scottish Sun''. Sturgeon said there were "no excuses" and that she was "kicking myself very hard" for breaking the law.


January to June 2021

* 12 January: Scotland's government has ordered people not to leave their home for any non-essential purpose. Only those living in tier 3 areas, including the Scottish islands, can go outside home. Also, travellers entering Scotland have to stay in self-isolation for 10 days after arrival. * 10 February:
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadca ...
reports that one million Scots had received at least the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The government estimated that over the subsequent five days, all of the individuals in top priority groups (including those over the age of 70) would be inoculated. * 17 February: Audit Scotland publishes a report that concludes the Scottish Government had not prepared adequately for a pandemic. While it commends the authorities for preventing hospitals from becoming overwhelmed during the crisis, the watchdog also notes that recommendations from pandemic planning exercises in 2015, 2016 and 2018 had not been fully implemented. One particular problem it highlights is that not enough had been done to ensure Scottish hospitals and care homes had enough personal protective equipment . Overall, it concludes that ministers "could have been better prepared to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic". Nicola Sturgeon says there are "lots of lessons to learn". * 23 February: The Scottish Government published the Strategic Framework of proposals to gradually lift lockdown restrictions. * 21 April: The Scottish Government changes its position on the EU vaccine programme, after Nicola Sturgeon says her preference is for Scotland to be part of the UK programme, even if the country becomes independent. Speaking at election husting, Sturgeon accuses Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross of "talking down our vaccination programme" when he said its success was partly due to the British Government's vaccine procurement. Ross ripostes: "You cannot ignore the fact that in Scotland over 60% of people, from yesterday's figures, have received the first dose of the vaccine and I was just looking at the European figures where the average is 20.5%." * 19 June: The Scottish Government announces a ban on travel to Great Manchester. Mayor
Andy Burnham Andrew Murray Burnham (born 7 January 1970) is a British politician who has served as Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017. He served in Gordon Brown's Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2007 to 2008, Culture Secretary from 2008 ...
queries why travel to his city has been banned when it has a case rate of 323 per 100,000 people, while travel is still permitted to Dundee - which has a case rate of 317 per 100,000. He demands compensation for affected residents, claims that no one in the Scottish Government called him prior to the announcement and accuses Nicola Sturgeon of "treating the north of England with... contempt in bringing that in without any consultation with us."


July 2021 to Present

* 4 July: The World Health Organisation finds that six out of Europe's ten virus hotspots are in Scotland. Tayside tops the list with 1,002 cases per 100,000 head of population over the previous fortnight. Labour's Health spokeswoman
Jackie Baillie Jacqueline Marie Baillie (' Barnes; born 15 January 1964) is a Scottish politician who has served as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party since 2020 Scottish Labour deputy leadership election, 2020. She has been Member of the Scottish Parl ...
accuses the Scottish Government of being in "disarray". Former BBC journalist Brian Taylor comments: "I long to see a particular Dundonian team at the top of the league but not when that team is NHS Tayside and the table records the rapid spread of this malevolent disease." * 8 July: As cases surge, the Scottish Government is accused of being 'missing in action' as it emerges First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Health Minister Humza Yousaf are all on holiday. The SNP say Sturgeon has not had a break since the pandemic began and "remains fully in charge". Yousaf says he promised to take his stepdaughter to Harry Potter World, tweeting that: "Most important job I have is being a good father, step-father & husband to my wife and kids. In the last seven months they've had virtually no time from me." * 9 August: Scotland moves beyond level 0, with most legal restrictions becoming gone or advisory, face mask rules and rules on hand hygiene and ventilation remain, * 18 August: The annual Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) report reveals that Scotland's budget deficit has more than doubled during the course of the pandemic. While public spending rose, tax revenue in Scotland fell to £62.8 billion, resulting in a record budget deficit of 22.4% of GDP in 2020–21, with the UK as a whole recording a deficit of 14.2%. The state spent £18,144 on average per Scot - £1,828 higher than the UK average. Finance Secretary
Kate Forbes Kate Elizabeth Forbes is a Scottish politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy since 2020. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Skye, Loch ...
says the figures are "not an obstacle" to independence and adds that: "It was inevitable given the scale of the policy response that all countries would emerge from the pandemic with high fiscal deficits." Scottish Labour's Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie says: "The additional £1,828 spent per person in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK is what goes to maintaining the schools, transport and NHS on which we all rely... No credible politician can look at these figures and believe Scotland would be anything but weaker outside the Union." The
Institute for Fiscal Studies The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) is an economic research institute based in London, United Kingdom, which specialises in UK taxation and public policy. It produces both academic and policy-related findings. The institute's aim is to "a ...
concludes that, while the deficit is likely to drop as the pandemic ends, an independent Scotland would start life with a large structural deficit and would likely need to raise taxes and cut spending. * September 2021
SAGE Sage or SAGE may refer to: Plants * ''Salvia officinalis'', common sage, a small evergreen subshrub used as a culinary herb ** Lamiaceae, a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint or deadnettle or sage family ** ''Salvia'', a large ...
was reporting that it was considered uncertain as more people went back to work and schools were returning and other changes were being made. * 5 October: Nicola Sturgeon apologies to the Scottish people after the launch of Scotland's COVID-19 vaccine passport app does not go as planned. The app does not work for many people and Sturgeon said the situation was "deeply regrettable". Opposition politicians label the launch "shambolic". * 9 October: Emails released under a Freedom of Information request reveal that the Scottish Government decided to keep Scots in the dark about an outbreak of COVID-19 at a Nike conference during the early stages of the pandemic. Nicola Sturgeon's Chief of Staff, Liz Lloyd, sent an email on 5 March 2020 urging full public disclosure; however, the following day Dr Catherine Calderwood, then the chief medical officer, said that to do so would represent a breach of patient confidentiality. Labour MP Ian Murray said the decision not to warn the public about the outbreak put lives at risk: "Had the Scottish Government taken urgent containment action after the first outbreak in Edinburgh, thousands of lives could have been saved from COVID-19. Instead, Nicola Sturgeon tried to cover up the outbreak, refusing to inform the public that more than two dozen people had been infected at a Nike conference in the capital." The Scottish Government said: "All appropriate steps were taken to ensure public health was protected following the Nike conference, with more than 60 contacts traced in Scotland, and around 50 others traced in England." * 14 December: Scotland announces additional social mixing guidelines, urging residents to limit social mixing to no more than three households, although clarifying that this would not apply on Christmas Day. * 18 December: Journalist Michael Blackley asks Sturgeon at a press briefing whether she has considered cutting the self isolation period to help with staff shortages and if more money could be made available to businesses affected by the new restrictions. Sturgeon replies: "Yeah that'd really help – that would spread infection even further and that would be not doing any favours for businesses. I don't know if you've listened to a single word I've said, Michael. I don't think it's enough. But we've found £100m out of a fixed Budget, having to take that from elsewhere… every penny we now take, I don't know where you think I should take it from. The health service? The education budget? The justice budget?" Conservative MP Andrew Bowie says Sturgeon's response to Blackley is "arrogant, disrespectful and downright dismissive". * 18 December: ''The Herald'' reports that the Scottish Parliament is likely to be recalled before the New Year to allow Sturgeon to update MSPs on Covid restrictions. Sturgeon denies the story and tweets that she has, "No idea what basis of this headline is, and it's not helpful to add to anxiety people already feel." * 21 December: It is announced that the Scottish Parliament will be recalled on 29 December to allow Sturgeon to update MSPs on Covid restrictions. * 26/27 December: Various new restrictions are introduced in relation to the spread Omicron variant, these consist of the limits on the number of people that can meet in certain settings and the reintroduction of social settings in certain public spaces. * 30 December: Sturgeon announces that an additional £107 million has been found to support business affected by Covid restrictions. * 5 January: Sturgeon announces that the time Scots must self-isolate for will be cut from 10 days to seven to help ease staff shortages. Sturgeon says she had taken into account the "burden of self-isolation on the economy". * 18 January: Sturgeon announces that the restrictions introduced over Christmas in relation to the Omicron wave of the virus will be rolled back on 24 January. * January 2022 SAGE reported that hospital admissions including ICU rates were reducing. * 16 February: The Scottish government confirmed that all children aged five to eleven will receive COVID-19 vaccinations. The Scottish decision comes after the Welsh devolved government said on 15 February that it would follow unpublished advice from the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) and vaccinate all children in that age range. * 22 February: Nicola Sturgeon announces that Scotland's vaccine passport scheme would end on 28 February and all legal restrictions would be removed on 21 March.


Government response plan

The main coordinating bodies responsible for Scotland's COVID-19 response is the Scottish Government Resilience Division and the COVID Health Response Directorate of the
Health and Social Care Directorates The Health and Social Care Directorates are a group of directorates of the Scottish Government. They are responsible for NHS Scotland, as well as policies on the development and implementation of health and social care. The Chief Executive of NH ...
. On 25 March 2020, the Scottish Government set up an expert advisory group to help develop and improve its COVID-19 response plan. Dr
Catherine Calderwood Catherine Jane Calderwood FRCOG FRCPE (born 26 December 1968) is Northern-Irish born Scottish consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, who has served as the National Clinical Director for Sustainable Delivery at the Golden Jubilee University ...
was Chief Medical Officer until her resignation from the post on 5 April 2020.
Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician serving as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2014. She is the first woman to hold either position. She has been a member of ...
accepted her resignation and replaced Calderwood on an acting basis with the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Gregor Smith.
Jeane Freeman Jeane Tennent Freeman (born 28 September 1953) is a Scottish former politician who served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport from 2018 to 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she was the Member of the Scottish Parliame ...
served as Health Secretary until she stepped down in May 2021. As of 26 May, the Key Scottish Government officials in Scotland leading the response to the outbreak are: *
First Minister of Scotland The first minister of Scotland ( sco, heid meinister o Scotland; gd, prìomh mhinistear na h-Alba ) is the head of the Scottish Government and keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland. The first minister chairs ...
:
Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician serving as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2014. She is the first woman to hold either position. She has been a member of ...
*
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, commonly referred to as the Health Secretary, is a cabinet position in the Scottish Government. The Cabinet Secretary is responsible for the Health and Social Care Directorates and NHS Scotland. ...
:
Humza Yousaf Humza Haroon Yousaf (born 7 April 1985) is a Scottish politician serving as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care since 2021. He is the first non-white and first Muslim cabinet minister in the Scottish Government. A member of the Sco ...
*
Minister for Public Health, Women's Health and Sport The Minister for Public Health, Women's Health and Sport is a Junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. The post was first created as Minister for Public Health in May 2007 after the appointment of the Scottish National Party minority ad ...
:
Maree Todd Maree Todd is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross since May 2021. She was previously an MSP for the Highlands and Islands from the election in ...
*
Chief Medical Officer for Scotland In the United Kingdom, a Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is the most senior government advisor on matter relating to health. There are four CMOs in the United Kingdom who are appointed to advise their respective governments: * Government of the Uni ...
: Dr. Gregor Smith *
Chief Scientist Office The Chief Scientist Office is part of the Health and Wellbeing Directorate of the Scottish Government. The Chief Scientist is currently Professor David Crossman. Professional issues relating to Healthcare science in the NHS in Scotland are the ...
: Professor
David Crossman David Christopher Crossman (born 20 July 1957) is a physician who has been the Dean of the University of St Andrews School of Medicine since 2014 and was the Chief Scientist (Health) within the Health and Social Care Directorates of the Scott ...
*
Chief Nursing Officer Nursing management consists of the performance of the leadership functions of governance and decision-making within organizations employing nurses. It includes processes common to all management like planning, organizing, staffing, directing and ...
: Professor
Amanda Croft Amanda Croft is a British nurse, who has served as the Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland since January 2021. Nursing career Croft trained at the Sheffield and North Trent School of Nursing (now part of the University of Sheffield), and qualifie ...
*National Clinical Director: Professor
Jason Leitch Jason Andrew Leitch (born 25 October 1968) is the National Clinical Director of the Scottish Government. He is a Senior Clinical Advisor to the Scottish Government and a member of the Health and Social Care Management Board. Leitch provided ke ...
*Chief Economist: Gary Gillespie


Containment measures

Workplace hygiene advice was published on 9 March 2020 which included routine deep cleaning in regularly used touch points such as phones, card machines or door handles. Later, the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced a ban on mass gatherings (500 or more) on 12 March, with the ban starting on 16 March. A number of schools were closed due to reported symptoms, and underwent deep cleaning. On 18 March, it was announced that schools in Scotland would be closed starting on 20 March. Unlike the rest of the UK, Scotland pursued a
Zero-COVID Zero-COVID, also known as COVID-Zero and "Find, Test, Trace, Isolate, and Support" (FTTIS), is a public health policy that has been implemented by some countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.Anna Llupià, Rodríguez-Giralt, Anna Fité, Lola Ála ...
strategy after the first nationwide lockdown was lifted.


Public Health Scotland

On 1 April 2020, the Scottish Government launched the new
Public Health Scotland Public Health Scotland (PHS) is the national public health body for Scotland. It is a Special NHS Health Board, and it is jointly accountable to the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Scottish Government. Fully exercising ...
(PHS) agency, as a result of a three-way merger between
NHS Health Scotland NHS Health Scotland was the Scottish national health education and promotion agency. A Special Health Board of NHS Scotland, its goal was to improve the health of the nation, via research, planning, programme implementation and evaluation. NHS He ...
and the
Information Services Division The Information Services Division (ISD) is the part of NHS Scotland that provides health information, health intelligence, statistical information and analysis. ISD is part of the Public Health and Intelligence Strategic Business Unit of Public He ...
(ISD) and
Health Protection Scotland Health Protection Scotland (HPS) is the organisation that co-ordinates health protection in Scotland. It is part of Public Health Scotland. HPS took over the functions of the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) in Nove ...
(HPS) sections of Public Health and Intelligence (PHI) (which was in itself a
strategic business unit A strategic business unit (SBU) in business strategic management, is a profit center which focuses on product offering and market segment. SBUs typically have a discrete marketing plan, analysis of competition, and marketing campaign, even though t ...
of
NHS National Services Scotland NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) is a Non Departmental Public Body which provides advice and services to the rest of NHS Scotland. Accountable to the Scottish Government, NSS works at the heart of the health service, providing national str ...
(NSS)). According to a 6 May 2020 report by the '' Press and Journal'', PHS employs 1,100 staff and has a budget this year of £71 million, and it is jointly accountable to the Scottish Government and the
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) is the national association of Scottish councils and acts as an employers' association for its 32 member authorities. History Formed in 1975, COSLA exists to promote and protect the intere ...
(Cosla).


'Scotland Cares' campaign

A new 'Scotland Cares' campaign was launched on 30 March 2020 to encourage people to volunteer during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 21,000 people signed up on the first day. By 4 April, the number of registrations to volunteer stood at 50,330. Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People
Shirley-Anne Somerville Shirley-Anne Somerville (born 2 September 1974) is a Scottish politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills since 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament ...
said, "The response to the Scotland Cares campaign has been outstanding and I want to thank each and every person who has signed up to volunteer during the COVID-19 outbreak. Your support at this critical time is invaluable and will make a huge difference over the coming weeks and months." In addition, people who are healthy and not at risk can volunteer via the Ready Scotland website.


Vulnerable groups

Those in vulnerable groups were able from 3 April 2020 to register for deliveries of food and medicine. This included around 120,000 people in Scotland who had been advised to
shield A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of a ...
at home (12 weeks of
self-isolation In health care facilities, isolation represents one of several measures that can be taken to implement in infection control: the prevention of communicable diseases from being transmitted from a patient to other patients, health care workers ...
), those with suppressed or compromised immune systems, and those with underlying health conditions. The Scottish Government mailed out information about self-isolating if symptoms developed in a household member and about protective measures during the pandemic.


Levels System


October 2020

From 23 October, the Scottish Government introduced a new 5-level System, similar to that in England. Levels ranged from 0 to 4 (inclusive). Social distancing measures applied in all levels, and some measures such as encouraging active transport, were present in all levels. File:Scotland Tiers 10-29.png, Tiers as of 10 October File:Scotland Tiers 11-17.png, Tiers as of 17 November File:Scotland Tiers 12-15.png, Tiers as of 15 December File:Scotland Tiers 12-26.png, Tiers as of 26 December


February 2021

Revised Levels were published in February 2021.


Testing and contact tracing


Testing capacity

NHS Scotland's testing capacity for COVID-19 increased from around 750 a day in early March to about 1,900 a day in early April. By 15 March,
COVID-19 testing COVID-19 testing involves analyzing samples to assess the current or past presence of SARS-CoV-2. The two main types of tests detect either the presence of the virus or antibodies produced in response to infection. Molecular tests for viral ...
was extended into Scotland's communities but there would be no routine testing of people with minor symptoms. NHS Scotland plans to reach a testing capacity of around 3,500 a day by the end of April.
Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...
is to launch a major COVID-19 testing facility in mid-April, staffed 24/7 by more than 500 volunteers including molecular scientists, technicians and bioinformaticians.
Aberdeen University , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...
has provided three machines to
NHS Grampian NHS Grampian is an NHS board which forms one of the fourteen regional health boards of NHS Scotland. It is responsible for proving health and social care services to a population of over 500,000 people living in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray ...
to speed up COVID-19 testing. By 2 April 2020, around 3,500 tests have been conducted on NHS workers and family members in Scotland. It was also reported in that week that around 6pc of Scotland's frontline NHS staff are not currently working, either because they have COVID-19 symptoms or live with someone who has. A COVID-19 testing facility for NHS staff was opened at
Glasgow Airport gd, Port-adhair Eadar-nàiseanta Ghlaschu , image = Glasgow Airport logo.svg , image-width = 200 , image2 = GlasgowAirportFromAir.jpg , image2-width = 250 , IATA = GLA , ICAO = EGPF , type = Public , owner = AGS Airports , hub = *easy ...
car park on 5 April. Chief Medical Officer for Scotland
Catherine Calderwood Catherine Jane Calderwood FRCOG FRCPE (born 26 December 1968) is Northern-Irish born Scottish consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, who has served as the National Clinical Director for Sustainable Delivery at the Golden Jubilee University ...
described mass testing as a distraction that will not slow down the spread of the virus. She said: "I have been saying and advising the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for several weeks now about the distraction that I think the focus on testing may become. The testing is extremely useful but it is only going to be positive within a short window of perhaps 48 to 72 hours while somebody has symptoms, because there needs to be an amount of virus in that person to be able for that to be detected. But the thought that the testing in some way slows the virus or is a part of our strategy to prevent transmission is a fallacy, I'm afraid. The testing gives us more information but the social distancing and all of these stringent measures are what we actually need to prevent spread and prevent serious illnesses and death."
Cam Donaldson Cameron Richard Donaldson (born 30 November 1960) is a Scottish economist who is Muhammad Yunus, Yunus Professor, Chair and distinguished Professor of Health Economics at Glasgow Caledonian University, the University for the Common Good. F ...
, a health economist and Pro Vice Chancellor Research, Glasgow Caledonian University has written of his scepticism of a "mass testing" strategy. Derek Gatherer a leading Scottish virologist has warned plans to test, trace and isolate everyone infected with the COVID-19 after lockdown will not slow its spread. Experts who have advocated a mass or large scale testing approach include Harry Burns former Scotland Chief Medical Officer and Allan Wilson President of the
Institute of Biomedical Science The Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) is the professional body for biomedical scientists in the United Kingdom. The IBMS was founded in 1912 and represents approximately 20,000 members employed mainly in the National Health Service and Unite ...
Professor Hugh Pennington, a leading bacteriologist, said laboratory testing could have been easily scaled up ten-fold and criticised former chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood for dismissing testing as a 'distraction' that would not help to contain the virus. Pennington believed a failure to increase testing to adequate levels will prove to be an enormous embarrassment to the UK and Scottish governments. He said: "You test, so you can trace then take appropriate action, it's basic shoe leather epidemiology," adding he would not be surprised if the lack of testing had cost lives, particularly in care homes. "We know are homesare hotbeds of infection, vulnerable in annual flu outbreaks and that you have to look after them by stopping the virus getting in. Much of that comes back to testing, tracing and isolating." Former Scottish health secretary Alex Neil agreed, "the countries that have done this since day one are those with the lowest death and infection rates and mass testing allows you to identify a second wave of infection if it appears." Professor of Immunology Denis Kinane said Scotland would need to conduct at least 15,000 tests a day to get on top of the disease. Research carried out by scientific online publication Our World In Data on COVID-19 test rates across EU member states ranked Scotland at 19 out of 25 countries that publish such data. As of 11 May 2020, a total of 74,063 people in Scotland had been tested for COVID-19 in NHS labs. Of these, 13,627 tests were confirmed positive, 60,436 tests were confirmed negative and 1,862 patients who tested positive have died. A total of 101,122 COVID-19 tests had been carried out by
NHS Scotland NHS Scotland, sometimes styled NHSScotland, is the publicly funded healthcare system in Scotland and one of the four systems that make up the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. It operates 14 territorial NHS boards across Scotland, ...
labs in hospitals, care homes or the community. In addition there were a total of 27,647 drive through and mobile tests carried out by Regional Testing Centres in Scotland. In November two further 'mega labs' were announced as due to open early in 2021, one of which was to be at 'an unconfirmed site in Scotland'. The Scottish 'mega lab' has been subject to delays and in January its construction was halted. The UK government was reported to be assessing "the long-term demand" for the laboratory. Meanwhile, new regional COVID-19 laboratories were opened in Glasgow and Aberdeen during December 2020, but another planned for Edinburgh has not yet opened.


Contact tracing system

Ciaran Jenkins Ciaran Jenkins (born 1984, in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales) is a Welsh journalist and reporter who works for ''Channel 4 News'', the flagship news programme of British broadcaster Channel 4. He is the channel's Scotland correspondant. Personal life ...
of ''
Channel 4 News ''Channel 4 News'' is the main news programme on British television broadcaster Channel 4. It is produced by ITN, and has been in operation since Channel 4's launch in November 1982. Current productions ''Channel 4 News'' ''Channel 4 News'' ...
'' contrasted the differing approaches on
contact-tracing In public health, contact tracing is the process of identifying persons who may have been exposed to an infected person ("contacts") and subsequent collection of further data to assess transmission. By tracing the contacts of infected individua ...
strategy between the
Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...
and the health authorities in the UK including Scotland's. Public health expert Prof
Allyson Pollock Allyson Pollock is a consultant in public health medicine and was the Director of the Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University. She is an academic who is known for her research into, and opposition to, part privatisation of the UK ...
has argued that a bespoke test-trace-isolate approach could work well in Scottish island communities.


Public healthcare infrastructure


Primary care network

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said in a statement in the Scottish Parliament a network of COVID-19 local assessment centres was to be set up across Scotland with 50 planned in the first wave. A network of "humanitarian assistance centres" is also to be set up, working with GPs and other local partners to arrange delivery of medicine, care services and grocery delivery.


Hospital capacity

Scotland has an estimated 3,000
hospital bed A hospital bed or hospital cot is a bed specially designed for hospitalized patients or others in need of some form of health care. These beds have special features both for the comfort and well-being of the patient and for the convenience of he ...
s expected to be available for COVID-19 patients in hospitals across Scotland. ICU capacity across Scotland has doubled to 360 beds since the emergency began, 250 of which will be for the exclusive use of COVID-19 patients, with that number expected to increase to more than 500 in the first week of April as preparations continue towards eventually quadrupling the number to more than 700 ICU beds. The
NHS Louisa Jordan The NHS Louisa Jordan was a temporary emergency critical care hospital created to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland. It was located within the SEC Centre in Glasgow. __TOC__ History Operated by NHS Scotland, it was planned to hav ...
emergency COVID-19 hospital facility at the
SEC Centre The SEC Centre (originally known as the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre until 2017) is Scotland's largest exhibition centre, located ...
will initially have capacity for 300 patients, which could be expanded in the future to more than 1,000. Scottish hospitals plan to have around 1,000
ventilator A ventilator is a piece of medical technology that provides mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs, to deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insufficiently. Ventilators ...
s by the summer for COVID-19 patients. By 1 April 2020, NHS clinical and technical staff have converted over 200 anaesthetic machines into ventilators to increase ICU bed availability to more than 500, tripling the usual capacity. By 24 March more than 3,000 retired Scottish nurses, doctors and other medical workers have volunteered to return to work as part of efforts to help the NHS cope. As well as using retired workers, all final year nursing and midwifery students will also be given paid work placements on wards during the final six months of their degree programmes. On 30 March, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the suspension of several non-COVID-19 screens (such as diabetic eye screening) to help free up NHS staff and reduce the risk of virus exposure to patients. All elective and non-urgent surgeries had already been cancelled across Scotland to free up hospital beds. On 27 April 121 junior doctors have started their careers early to support
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is an NHS board in West Central Scotland, created from the amalgamation of NHS Greater Glasgow and part of NHS Argyll and Clyde on 1 April 2006. It is the largest health board in both Scotland, and the UK, which c ...
Scotland's largest health board in its COVID-19 response. A new post, foundation intermediate year, was created to allow them to start earlier instead of August and they would be placed at Glasgow Royal Infirmary; Queen Elizabeth University Hospital; Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley; and Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Greenock. As of 11 May 2020, 3,114 inpatients have been discharged from Scottish hospitals since 5 March 2020, who had been tested positive for COVID-19. 632 people are in delayed discharge in Scottish hospitals. This is 980 less than the baseline period (04/03 weekly return). A total of 6,227 staff (or around 3.8%) of the NHS Scotland workforce, are reporting as absent due to a range of COVID-19 related reasons.


Hospital-acquired infection

On the issue of
hospital-acquired infection A hospital-acquired infection, also known as a nosocomial infection (from the Greek , meaning "hospital"), is an infection that is acquired in a hospital or other health care facility. To emphasize both hospital and nonhospital settings, it is so ...
s, Michael Griffin, president of the
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) is a professional organisation of surgeons. The College has seven active faculties, covering a broad spectrum of surgical, dental, and other medical practices. Its main campus is located on ...
warned COVID-19 may be spreading in hospitals at twice the rate of its transmission in communities. He said "we have to make our hospital environment as safe as possible. In the general population, the rate of reproduction of COVID-19 is less than one but in hospitals it is estimated at something like two."


A&E departments

The number of people attending
Accident and Emergency An emergency department (ED), also known as an accident and emergency department (A&E), emergency room (ER), emergency ward (EW) or casualty department, is a medical treatment facility specializing in emergency medicine, the Acute (medicine), ...
departments in Scotland has fallen by more than 55% compared with 2019. NHS Scotland statistics reveal 11,881 people attended A&E in the second week of April 2020, down from 26,674 patients in 2019 and 25,067 in 2018.


NHS staffing levels

As of 2 April, more than 14% of NHS Scotland staff were off work, according to Scottish government data and about 41% of those absences (equating to 9,719 people) were related to COVID-19. NHS Scotland's total workforce is about 166,000 people. As of 11 May 2020, a total of 6,227 staff (or around 3.8%) of the NHS Scotland workforce, are reporting as absent due to a range of COVID-19 related reasons.


Personal protective equipment

On 2 April, new guidance on appropriate
personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, elec ...
(PPE) for healthcare hospital, general practice, ambulance and social care workers responding to COVID-19 has been issued by officials. On 26 April 2020, in response to a Sunday Times story that claimed the Scottish government failed to accept offers from six Scottish firms offering to supply PPE, a spokeswoman for the Scottish government said it had received 1,600 offers of help from Scottish businesses and individuals to supply or manufacture PPE and that a dedicated team and mailbox had been set up to focus on offers from local and global suppliers. The spokeswoman added: "We understand that potential suppliers will desire prompt decisions but our priority focus is to quickly identify those offers that can supply the largest volumes at the correct quality specifications and timescales necessary to meet the requirements of frontline services". Health secretary Jeane Freeman announced that PPE would be available to social care providers through a national network of hubs from 27 April 2020. Also in April 2020 whistle-blowers in the NHS came forward to reveal that staff were being made to reuse dirty personal protective equipment (PPE) while at work. One nurse told STV, " hen we hear the government say supplies are fineit's not frustrating, it's crushing. It is absolutely crushing. We feel we are being lied to." Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament in July, "At no point within this crisis has Scotland run out of any aspect of PPE. We have worked hard to make sure that supplies are there, we've worked hard overcoming challenges that we have faced along the way." Dundee University Professor of vascular medicine Jill Belch has spearheaded a
Masks for Scotland A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment and often they have been employed for rituals and rights. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practic ...
six-figure fundraising drive to buy PPE for frontline workers.


Clinical research

Organisations in Scotland involved in COVID-19 related
clinical research Clinical research is a branch of healthcare science that determines the safety and effectiveness ( efficacy) of medications, devices, diagnostic products and treatment regimens intended for human use. These may be used for prevention, treatm ...
studies include the
Chief Scientist Office The Chief Scientist Office is part of the Health and Wellbeing Directorate of the Scottish Government. The Chief Scientist is currently Professor David Crossman. Professional issues relating to Healthcare science in the NHS in Scotland are the ...
's Rapid Research in COVID-19 programme (RARC-19 programme),
Health Science Scotland NHS Research Scotland (NRS, formerly Health Science Scotland and Scottish Academic Health Science Collaboration), is a government agency that supports clinical and translational research in Scotland. NRS is a partnership between 4 of Scotland's ...
, NHS Research Scotland, Glasgow University, Dundee University, and Edinburgh University. Chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith said nearly 800 patients have so far taken part in at least 10 clinical studies to develop COVID-19 treatments, with another four being set up in hospitals, intensive care units and primary care facilities. One study is looking at whether existing HIV drugs including
Lopinavir Lopinavir is an antiretroviral of the protease inhibitor class. It is used against HIV infections as a fixed-dose combination with another protease inhibitor, ritonavir (lopinavir/ritonavir). It was patented in 1995 and approved for medical ...
and
Ritonavir Ritonavir, sold under the brand name Norvir, is an antiretroviral drug used along with other medications to treat HIV/AIDS. This combination treatment is known as highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Ritonavir is a protease inhibitor a ...
could be used with results available in three months. Another study led by Dr Kenneth Baillie of Edinburgh University looks at the genetics of patients susceptible to severe illness by comparing patients' DNA with that of healthy people who show no or mild symptoms.
Dundee University , mottoeng = "My soul doth magnify the Lord" , established = 1967 – gained independent university status by Royal Charter1897 – Constituent college of the University of St Andrews1881 – University College , t ...
is to lead a trial into brensocatib (formerly known as INS1007) a drug for lung inflammation (
acute respiratory distress syndrome Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a type of respiratory failure characterized by rapid onset of widespread inflammation in the lungs. Symptoms include shortness of breath (dyspnea), rapid breathing (tachypnea), and bluish skin colo ...
) to treat the worst symptoms of COVID-19 and prevent the need for ventilation. Up to 20% of COVID-19 patients develop lung inflammation which can require them to be ventilated. The inflammatory response to the virus causes lung damage that can lead to respiratory failure and death in severe cases. It is hoped the treatment will also lead to patients spending fewer days dependent on oxygen and shorter periods of time in hospital, reducing the burden on healthcare systems. Funding and drug supply for the (Superiority Trial of Protease Inhibition in COVID-19) trial is being provided by biopharmaceutical company Insmed Incorporated. The trial is to start in May and researchers plan to recruit 300 volunteers from 10 hospitals. The project is led by James Chalmers, professor of respiratory research at Dundee University and consultant respiratory physician at
Ninewells Hospital Ninewells Hospital is a large teaching hospital, based on the western edge of Dundee, Scotland. It is internationally renowned for introducing laparoscopic surgery to the UK as well as being a leading centre in developing fields such as the manag ...
, one of the trial sites.
NHS Tayside NHS Tayside is an NHS board which forms one of the fourteen regions of NHS Scotland. It provides healthcare services in Angus, the City of Dundee and Perth and Kinross. NHS Tayside is headquartered at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee; one of the lar ...
research and development director Professor Jacob George is the study investigator.


Impacts


Health


Care homes

''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' reported that extra supplies of
personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, elec ...
(PPE) would be delivered directly to more than 1,000 care homes in Scotland. Before the pandemic the care sector usually sourced its own PPE, but as extreme pressure was put on supply chains concerns grew that PPE manufacturers did not have capacity to deliver to Scotland in adequate quantities. The Scottish government announced on 17/18 April that the
NHS National Services Scotland NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) is a Non Departmental Public Body which provides advice and services to the rest of NHS Scotland. Accountable to the Scottish Government, NSS works at the heart of the health service, providing national str ...
would prioritise the delivery of stock directly to care homes where the virus is known to be present, although stock would still be provided to local hubs which supply PPE to other social care workers. During the early stages of the pandemic 1,300 elderly hospital patients were transferred into care homes without receiving a negative COVID-19 test result. Many had been infected with the virus and ended up passing it on to other care home residents. Over three thousand care home residents died from COVID-19 and Gary Smith, Scotland Secretary of the GMB, said the policy had turned "care homes into morgues". When asked by the BBC if the policy had been a mistake, Sturgeon said: "Looking back on that now, with the knowledge we have now and with the benefit of hindsight, yes." Two of the worst suspected outbreaks in care homes occurred at Elderslie care home in Paisley, Renfrewshire and at Berelands House Care in Prestwick, Ayrshire. Thirteen residents at the Glasgow-based Burlington Care Home died in one week following a suspected outbreak of COVID-19. The Care Inspectorate has been made aware of the deaths and are in contact with the care service, as well as the local health and social care partnership. As of 10 May 2020, 474 (44% of all) adult care homes had a current suspected COVID-19 case. This is a care home where at least one care home resident has exhibited symptoms during the last 14 days. 609 (or 56% of all) adult care homes in Scotland had reported at least one notification for suspected COVID-19 to the Care Inspectorate. 434 of these care homes have reported more than one case of suspected COVID-19. There have been 4,503 cumulative cases of suspected COVID-19 in care homes. This is an increase of 58 suspected cases on the previous day. 3,672 staff were reported as absent in adult care homes due to COVID-19, based on returns received from 822 (76%) adult care homes as of 5 May. This represents 8.5% of all adult care home staff (43,403) for whom a return was provided.


Effect of Lockdown on NHS services

An assessment of the immediate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on motor neuron disease services and mortality in Scotland has shown that there has been no early increase in mortality but that there is a need for vigilance as key services were shown to be impacted upon.


Medicolegal impact of COVID-19 on healthcare professionals

The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on pre-existing issues in the legal framework in the UK that surround healthcare professionals and patients, encouraging action to be taken now. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many doctors and other healthcare professionals have worked in unfamiliar surroundings and been assigned to new clinical areas, while balancing an unprecedented workload and addressing an overall lack of knowledge about the virus itself. This has led to concerns that there may be an increase in complaints about treatment provided in these circumstances, and competing arguments on how these should be handled within the criminal, civil and regulatory system.


Education

As of 19 March 2020, the
Robert Gordon University Robert Gordon University, commonly called RGU, is a public university in the city of Aberdeen, Scotland. It became a university in 1992, and originated from an educational institution founded in the 18th century by Robert Gordon (philanthropist), ...
,
Edinburgh Napier University , mottoeng = Without knowledge, everything is in vain , established = 1992 – granted University status 1964 – Napier Technical College , type = Public , academic_staff = 802 , administrative_staff = 562 , chancellor = Will Whitehorn , ...
, the
University of Dundee The University of Dundee; . Abbreviated as ''Dund.'' for post-nominals. is a public university, public research university based in Dundee, Scotland. It was founded as a University college#United Kingdom, university college in 1881 with a donation ...
, the
University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...
,
University of the West of Scotland The University of the West of Scotland ( gd, Oilthigh na h-Alba an Iar), formerly the University of Paisley, is a public university with four campuses in south-western Scotland, in the towns of Paisley, Renfrewshire, Paisley, Blantyre, South Lanar ...
,
Glasgow Caledonian University Glasgow Caledonian University ( gd, Oilthigh Chailleannach Ghlaschu, ), informally GCU, Caledonian or Caley, is a public university in Glasgow, Scotland. It was formed in 1993 by the merger of The Queen's College, Glasgow (founded in 1875) and G ...
, the
University of Aberdeen The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...
,
Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1582 ...
,
Heriot-Watt University Heriot-Watt University ( gd, Oilthigh Heriot-Watt) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was established in 1821 as the School of Arts of Edinburgh, the world's first mechanics' institute, and subsequently granted univ ...
,
University of Stirling The University of Stirling (, gd, Oilthigh Shruighlea (abbreviated as Stir or Shruiglea, in post-nominals) is a public university in Stirling, Scotland, founded by royal charter in 1967. It is located in the Central Belt of Scotland, built w ...
and
University of Strathclyde The University of Strathclyde ( gd, Oilthigh Shrath Chluaidh) is a public research university located in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1796 as the Andersonian Institute, it is Glasgow's second-oldest university, having received its royal chart ...
had cancelled or suspended face-to-face classes. Scottish political parties (
Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 Nanometre, nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by ...
,
Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
, SNP) also cancelled their spring conferences.


Events

In early March, with Rangers vs Leverkusen being the last game played in Scotland on 12 March, football matches in the
Scottish Professional Football League The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) is the national men's association football league in Scotland. The league was formed in June 2013 following a merger between the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish Football League. As ...
were cancelled until further notice, alongside a Six Nations game between
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
and Scotland.
Radio 1's Big Weekend BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend (R1BW) (previously known as One Big Weekend, for 2012 as Radio 1's Hackney Weekend, and for 2018 as BBC Music's Biggest Weekend) is a British music festival run by the BBC's radio station. It is held once a year, in a ...
, which was due to take place in
Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
in May 2020 was cancelled in response to the outbreak. On 7 May, The
Royal National Mòd The Royal National Mòd ( gd, Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail) is an Eisteddfod-inspired international Celtic festival focusing upon Scottish Gaelic literature, traditional music, and culture which is held annually in Scotland. It is the largest ...
Inverness, scheduled for October was postponed to 2021. The next three Mods were also to the subsequent year.


Police, court and prison systems

Scottish Police Federation The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) is an organisation representing Scottish police officers. It has approximately 18,500 members across the Police Service of Scotland. It campaigns on issues that affect pay and conditions though police officer ...
(SPF) said new PPE for officers would not provide any "meaningful protection", after
Police Scotland Police Scotland ( gd, Poileas Alba), officially the Police Service of Scotland (), is the national police force of Scotland. It was formed in 2013, through the merging of eight regional police forces in Scotland, as well as the specialist service ...
announced staff would be given surgical face masks to wear when adhering to
social distancing In public health, social distancing, also called physical distancing, (NB. Regula Venske is president of the PEN Centre Germany.) is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious disea ...
measures was not possible. But the SPF said that its new expert pandemic response panel refused to endorse the type two masks. From 27 March to 24 April 2020, police officers have made 78 arrests and issued 1,637
fixed penalty notice In the United Kingdom, a fixed penalty notice (FPN) is a notice giving an individual the opportunity to be made immune from prosecution for an alleged criminal offence in exchange for a fee. Fixed penalty notices were introduced in Britain in the ...
s in Scotland related to lockdown violations. On 2 April 2020, BBC Scotland said it found almost a quarter of
Scottish Prison Service The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is an executive agency of the Scottish Government tasked with managing prisons and Young Offender Institutions. The Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, currently Teresa Medhurst, is responsible fo ...
staff are absent from work amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The SPS said 110 prisoners over 11 sites were
self-isolating In health care facilities, isolation represents one of several measures that can be taken to implement in infection control: the prevention of communicable diseases from being transmitted from a patient to other patients, health care workers, ...
. At that time, two had tested positive for COVID-19. The first recorded COVID-19-related death of a Scottish prison officer was announced on 22 April. SPS spokesman Tom Fox confirmed where appropriate all prison officers are provided with PPE. It is not believed that the officer caught the virus while at work. As of 23 April 2020, 94 people in custody across nine sites were self-isolating, 12 people had tested positive and staff absences were at 19.7% of the workforce. The
Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service , type = , seal = , logo = 250px , logo_caption = , formed = , jurisdiction = Scotland , headquarters = Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh EH11 3XD , employees = 1,374 , budget = £129.3 million (2015-2016) , chief1_name = Lord ...
consolidated its work into 10 hub sheriff courts with as much work as possible done remotely. It is estimated 300 to 450 prisoners will be released in phases starting at the end of April, and around 1,600 trials could be delayed if lockdown restrictions continue into the summer. Deputy chief constable Will Kerr said the number of people in police custody has been significantly down during the pandemic and said changes during the lockdown such as virtual courts and digital evidence have helped minimise contact and time spent in custody and could be retained once the pandemic is over.


Economy


GDP

The Scottish Government's Chief Economist Gary Gillespie said Scotland's GDP could fall by as much as 33% from the lockdown crisis.


Social Security

During March and early April 2020, there were around 110,000
Universal Credit Universal Credit is a United Kingdom social security payment. It is means-tested and is replacing and combining six benefits for working-age households with a low income: income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker's ...
claims in Scotland, up from an average of 20,000 a month in 2019.
Citizens Advice Scotland Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS), formally the Scottish Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (SACAB), is a registered charity. Based in Edinburgh it comprises 61 member bureaux, including a national helplineadvice.scot. Together these free local ...
provides help to those who experience difficulties navigating the complex welfare system.


Transport Industry

Glasgow Taxi Owners' Association urged taxi drivers to be careful during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, after hearing reports of drivers falling ill. Chief Nursing Officer Fiona McQueen said good
hand hygiene Hand washing (or handwashing), also known as hand hygiene, is the act of cleaning one's hands with soap or handwash and water to remove viruses/bacteria/microorganisms, dirt, grease, or other harmful and unwanted substances stuck to the hands ...
is vital along with
physical distancing In public health, social distancing, also called physical distancing, (NB. Regula Venske is president of the PEN Centre Germany.) is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious disea ...
and wearing face coverings when in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport.


Retail Industry

Retail sales in Scotland for March 2020 declined 13% in comparison to March 2019
Scottish Retail Consortium Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English * Scottish national identity, the Scottish id ...
-
KPMG KPMG International Limited (or simply KPMG) is a multinational professional services network, and one of the Big Four accounting organizations. Headquartered in Amstelveen, Netherlands, although incorporated in London, England, KPMG is a net ...
Scottish Retail Monitor. Pre-lockdown the monitor recorded a 9% growth in the first three weeks of March but this was followed by a 44% decline in the last two weeks of that period. Total food sales were up 12.1% against the previous year while total non-food sales were down 33.6%. Adjusted for the estimated effect of online sales, total non-food sales decreased by 27.9%.


Construction Industry

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is a global professional body for surveyors, founded in London in 1868. It works at a cross-governmental level, and aims to promote and enforce the highest international standards in the val ...
(RICS) said its headline statistic for workloads in Scotland fell into negative territory for the first time in four years, dropping by 4% in the first three months of 2020. Its quarterly survey of members found confidence fell sharply when the lockdown measures were introduced. In Scotland, work was ordered to be suspended on all non-essential construction projects from 6 April. By 17 April 79% of all housebuilding schemes had been suspended (according to a Glenigan survey of projects with a construction value of more than £250,000).


Statistics


Total cases and deaths

Total number of laboratory confirmed cases and deaths recorded 28 days after a positive lab test result.


New cases

Number of people who have had a lab-confirmed positive test result.


New cases per week


New cases per day

;2020
;2021


Number of deaths

Number of people who die within 28 days of a positive lab test result.


New deaths per week


New deaths per day

;2020
;2021
>


See also

*
COVID-19 pandemic by country This is a general overview and status of places affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The first human ...
*
COVID-19 pandemic in Europe The global COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Europe with its first confirmed case in Bordeaux, France, on 24 January 2020, and subsequently spread widely across the continent. By 17 March 2020, every country in Europe had confirmed a case, and all ...
*
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom The COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the United Kingdom, it has resulted in confir ...
*
COVID-19 pandemic in England The COVID-19 pandemic was first confirmed to have spread to England with two cases among Chinese nationals staying in a hotel in York on 31 January 2020. The two main public bodies responsible for health in England are NHS England and Public ...
*
COVID-19 pandemic in London The first case relating to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in London, England, was confirmed on 12 February 2020 in a woman who had recently arrived from China. By mid-March, there had been almost 500 confirmed cases in the city, and 23 deaths; a ...
*
COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland The COVID-19 pandemic reached Northern Ireland in February 2020. The Department of Health reports 3,445 deaths overall among people who had recently tested positive. The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency reports 5,029 where the ...
*
COVID-19 pandemic in Wales The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have spread to Wales on 28 February 2020, with a case being reported in the Swansea area; this first known case was a person who had recently returned from Italy. The first known case of community transm ...


Notes


References

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External links

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Latest coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance from NHS Scotland
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