NEWS SPECIAL
COVID-19 UPDATE FOR ALL THE LATEST CORONAVIRUS NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/
NE’ER DAY PRESSURE The Scottish Government is being urged by trade union
SCOTTISH VACCINATION PROGRAMME KICKS OFF
Usdaw to make progress on
THE FIRST COVID VACCINATIONS IN SCOTLAND WERE GIVEN THIS
a Ne’er Day shop closures
WEEK WITH A 90-YEAR-OLD FORMER CARER THE FIRST TO RECEIVE
consultation. The union
A DOSE.
welcomed calls from the Scottish Parliament’s Petitions Committee today to advance the consultation on large stores closing on New Year’s Day.
WEETABIX MEAL DEAL Weetabix has partnered with Food4Heroes to ensure that 1,000 people in need in Northamptonshire can tuck into a three-course meal on Christmas Day. The company
Scotland kicked-off its coronavirus vaccination programme this week, beginning in care homes. A 90-yearold former carer received the first dose of the new vaccine. Annie Innes worked as a carer for over 14 years and has been living at the Abercorn House care home in Hamilton for six months. Staff from NHS Lanarkshire administered vaccines to 52 residents as the roll-out of the vaccination programme continued. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “It
has been a challenge to get the Pfizer vaccine into care homes because of transport and storage requirements but I am delighted to see Mrs Innes become the first care home resident to receive her vaccine and I wish her many more years of good health. “Vaccines give us a vital additional layer of protection we haven’t had until now. As more vaccines become available over the coming months we will be able to continue to extend the roll-out, but initially we are focussing on residents in care homes.”
has donated the money to help Food4Heroes deliver meals to those in need this Christmas.
FOOTFALL GROWS New figures from retail specialist Springboard have shown that retail footfall across all UK retail destinations climbed by 19.5% last week from the previous seven day period. The data shows there were respective uplifts of 26.3%, 21.1% and 9% in shopping centres, high streets and retail parks.
BUSINESSES FACE COVID SPOT CHECKS A technology-driven field services company called Engage Services is working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to carry out Covidsecure spot check visits to business premises across England, Wales and Scotland. Agents will carry out the checks to establish that businesses have taken the necessary steps to make their premises Covid-secure and implemented measures to reduce
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the transmission of coronavirus to protect workers, visitors and customers. Engage Services spot check support officers will assist the HSE by speaking with the responsible person in each business to check the Covid-secure measures they have in place. Using HSE’s comprehensive guidelines they will also provide businesses with basic guidance and advice.