Thread by @theSNP

📺 Watch First Minister @NicolaSturgeon's statement on the latest COVID updates in Scotland.

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@NicolaSturgeon FM @NicolaSturgeon: "Although significant uncertainties remain in both the data and the immediate period ahead, there are nevertheless some grounds for cautious optimism..."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "...that a combination of the protective measures introduced before Christmas, responsible action on the part of the general public, and the rapid delivery of booster vaccines have had a positive impact."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "As a result, I will indicate that from next week we will begin to lift the measures introduced before Christmas - but that we will do so in a phased and careful way, starting with the removal of attendance limits on live outdoor events from Monday."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "First, though, I will outline today’s statistics.

10,392 positive cases were reported yesterday as a result of PCR tests – that is 27.7% of all tests carried out."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "1,479 people are in hospital with Covid - that is 47 more than yesterday.

65 people are in intensive care - 11 of whom have been in intensive care for more than 28 days."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Sadly, a further 16 deaths have been reported, taking the total number of deaths under the daily definition to 9,950.

Once again, I send my condolences to everyone mourning a loved one."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "The increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant is still causing very high levels of infection here in Scotland, across the UK and in many countries around the world."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "However, while the situation - not least for the NHS - remains very challenging, there are some early indications in the data that offer some encouragement."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "There is reason to be optimistic that protective measures, the behavioural response of the general public and the vaccine programme have helped mitigate to some extent the impact of the Omicron wave."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Our central projection last month was that new infections could reach 50,000 a day by early January. This has not so far materialised."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Instead we estimate that the total number of new infections a day in early January - not just those recorded through positive PCR tests - may have been around 30,000."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "In other words, it is very likely that the situation we face now, though serious, would have been even more challenging without the renewed sacrifices made by people across the country over these last few weeks."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Further, while we need to be cautious in our interpretation of the daily case numbers at this stage - for reasons I will set out - we can see from those and also from hospital data, some early indications that the situation might be starting to improve."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Over the past week, an average of just over 12,700 new cases a day were confirmed through PCR tests.

However, this is down by 17% compared to the daily average in the preceding seven days."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Indeed, on this measure, cases have fallen in the past week across all age groups, except the over 85s.

So this is encouraging and gives us some hope that cases may be at or close to the peak."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "The changes to the guidance on testing set out last week - to the effect that those without symptoms testing positive with a lateral flow device no longer need to get a confirmatory PCR - mean that the current daily numbers are capturing fewer positive cases than before."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "From Thursday, Public Health Scotland will, in addition to reporting the number of people testing positive for Covid through a PCR test, will also report a combined figure for the number of people who have recorded a first positive PCR or lateral flow test."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Given the increased complexity - not least the need to avoid duplication - there will initially be a time lag in this reporting.

The data released on Thursday will cover the period up to today. However, Public Health Scotland will be working to reduce the time lag."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "This additional data will allow us to assess the trend in cases more accurately than now."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "This is dependent on all of us actually recording our lateral flow results - whether positive or negative - so let me take this opportunity to remind everyone that this should be done.

You can find the page easily by searching for how to report a lateral flow test."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "There is one further piece of data that gives us some grounds for optimism."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "While the number of people in hospital with Covid has continued to increase over the past week - putting significant additional pressure on the NHS - there are signs that the rate of increase may be starting to slow down."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "It is important to note that number of people with Covid in intensive care has increased more rapidly in the last week than in previous weeks.

However this is likely to reflect the time lag between people becoming hospitalised, and then requiring intensive care."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "So in summary, the situation in Scotland just now is undoubtedly serious but perhaps less so than it might have been, and there are also some signs that we may be starting to turn a corner."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "That said, the position is still fragile and significant uncertainties remain.

I have already explained the uncertainties in the data which mean that the picture is not yet as clear as we would like it to be."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "And of course, we do not yet know what impact the post Christmas return to work and school will have on the level of infection."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "What we do know is that staff absences resulting from high levels of infection are causing disruption in the economy and in critical services and that the NHS remains under very severe pressure.

Continuing to limit transmission therefore remains a vital imperative."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "The conclusion of all of this, in my view, is as follows.

It is reasonable to be hopeful on the strength of the latest data. However, for the period immediately ahead, it is prudent to remain careful and cautious."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "As I indicated earlier, we will begin to lift the protective measures announced before Christmas from Monday - but in a phased way that will allow us to form in the days ahead a clearer picture of the trends in infections and associated impacts."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "The measures I am specifically referring to here are limits on attendances at live public events, the requirement for distancing between groups in public indoor places, and the requirement for table service in hospitality venues serving alcohol on the premises."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "I can confirm today that the attendance limit of 500 at large-scale outdoor events will be lifted from Monday, 17 January."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "That means, for example, that spectators will be permitted again at major outdoor sporting events, including football fixtures scheduled for early next week, and the forthcoming Six Nations rugby matches."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "The Covid certification scheme will remain in place for those and other events and venues previously covered, but with two changes."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Firstly, our guidance will now stipulate that the organisers of large events of 1000 or more people should check the certification status of at least 50% of attendees, rather than the current 20%, or at least 1,000 people - whichever figure is higher."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Secondly, from Monday the requirement to be ‘fully vaccinated’ for the purposes of Covid certification will include having a booster if the second dose was more than four months ago."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "The NHS Scotland Covid status app for domestic use will be updated from Thursday, so that its QR code includes evidence of booster vaccination.

It will also be possible to order updated paper and PDF copies of vaccination status, which are now valid for three months."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "It will still be possible to gain admission to events and venues covered by the certification scheme by providing proof of a recent negative lateral flow test."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Cabinet will next review the data at our meeting a week today.

I hope this will allow us to lift the other protective measures - limits on indoor live events, table service in hospitality and distancing in indoor public places - from 24 January."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "As we do lift these other protective measures, it will be necessary to consider again if extending the scope of Covid certification to other venues might be a necessary protection."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "To be clear, we have not yet taken any decisions on this and it will require careful judgment.

But I want to be clear to Parliament today that it is something we feel bound to give appropriate consideration to."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "What I have just set out gives our direction of travel in relation to the additional measures set out before Christmas in response to Omicron."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "The baseline measures that were in place before the emergence of Omicron – such as the requirement to wear face coverings in indoor public places and to work from home when possible – will remain in place for now."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "For at least the immediate period ahead, the advice to the general public to try to limit contact with people in other households, and in particular to limit the number of households in any indoor gathering to a maximum of three, will remain."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "We are not advising people to cut all social interaction - that simply isn’t practical, and has a serious impact on mental health and wellbeing.

But trying to limit social interactions remains a sensible step at this stage."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "It helps stem to some extent increases in transmission - and so has a collective benefit. But it also helps protect us as individuals.

At a time when 1 in 20 of us could have the virus, the risk of becoming infected when we mix with others is a significant one."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Cutting back on contacts and prioritising those that are most important to us helps reduce that risk.

And if we make sure there are no more than three households in any indoor gathering we do have and take lateral flow tests before we go, we further reduce the risks."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "There are four further issues I want to touch on before I finish."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "The first is to underline again that staff absences caused by virus are having a significant impact, not just on the NHS and the economy, but also on other vital public services, most notably social care."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "We are working closely with local partners to maximise the resources available for social care so that vulnerable people get the care they need."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "In order to give priority to social care, some local authorities and partners may require to make difficult choices that involve temporarily pausing or reducing other services."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "These decisions – which will be taken by frontline partners - will only be made when absolutely necessary, and the recent changes to self-isolation rules will help alleviate some of the pressure."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "However, where such decisions do prove necessary, I hope members and the wider public will understand that they are driven by the needs of those who depend on social care services."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "My second point is about ventilation in schools and early years settings."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Before Christmas, we published revised guidance for these settings which included updated material on ventilation which – among other things - made clear the circumstances in which use of air cleaning devices may be appropriate."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "I can confirm today that we will allocate an additional £5m of capital funding to local authorities and funded early learning and childcare providers.

This is in addition to the money previously provided for CO2 monitors."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "The third issue I want to cover is the continued importance of vaccination."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Scotland continues to be the most vaccinated part of the UK in terms of first, second, third and booster doses.

But there are still too many eligible people not yet fully vaccinated."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "If you are one of those not yet vaccinated - and have no good reason not to be vaccinated - you are putting yourself and others at unnecessary risk."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "The latest available data, adjusted for age, suggests that someone not fully vaccinated is at least four times more likely to require hospital treatment than someone who has had a booster or third dose."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Whatever age you are, getting boosted is the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself from the worst impacts of Covid, and to reduce pressure on the NHS."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "And even though being fully vaccinated doesn’t completely eradicate our risk of getting Covid, it does reduce it.

That also reduces the risk of you passing it on to others - including those who may be more vulnerable to serious illness."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "Being fully vaccinated could save your life or the life of someone you love.

But the inescapable flipside is this: if you are choosing without good reason not to be fully vaccinated, you are putting your own and other people’s lives at unnecessary risk."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "So if you haven’t been able to get your booster or third jag yet because you’ve been self-isolating, or because you tested positive in the last 28 days, or because you haven’t got round to it, please come forward now as soon as possible."