Leading Scotland out of the covid crisis

Over the last year we have all learned a lot about Covid 19, its impact on our health and our society. As we begin to rebuild and renew our society and prepare for life after the pandemic, it is essential we continue to protect ourselves and each other from the spread of the virus. In government we have not got everything right, but we have learned from our mistakes, and we have taken all of our decisions in the interests of saving as many lives as possible.

The first task of the next Scottish Government will be to complete the re-opening of our economy and society whilst continuing to suppress the virus. That is a difficult balancing act, but the SNP has a clear plan and will provide the strong leadership Scotland needs to take the difficult decisions. If we all stick with it, keep following the guidance and keep looking out for each other, we can move through this critical phase of the pandemic, and back to a world that feels much more normal.

Our plan to suppress the virus has four key parts:

• test and protect, • the protective measures we all use every day to keep ourselves safe, • controlling importation of the virus and new strains, and • the vaccination programme which has given people so much hope.

Test and Protect

Our Test and Protect system is an essential part of the fight against Covid, which is why in Scotland, we have made sure it is run by the NHS, not by a private company. Covid tests are now widely available. We now have more than 100 testing locations across the country - walkthrough, drive-through, pick-up and mobile sites – providing tests for anyone with symptoms. And for those who do test positive, or who are identified as a contact of people who test positive, we have introduced a £500 self-isolation payment for those on low incomes.

Protective Measures

We have all learned to follow FACTS - to wear Face Coverings, Avoid crowded places, Clean our hands and surfaces, keep Two metres distance, and Self isolate and get tested if we have symptoms. While remembering and doing all of this tests our patience, taking these steps has a big impact on reducing the spread of the virus. These measures - and other proportionate restrictions - will continue to be part of our lives for a little while longer. And as more of our economy and society open up the basic protective measures in FACTS become even more important to stop the spread.

Importation

One of the main challenges in suppressing Covid is to make sure that, as we get it down to low levels again, it is not imported from other countries. This is even more important now that new variants are emerging. Of course, this is two way - we also have a duty not to spread the virus to other countries. Last summer, through our collective efforts we nearly eliminated Covid in Scotland - however it was reintroduced through travel. Parts of Europe are currently experiencing a resurgence of the virus so we must be careful. An SNP Government will keep robust travel restrictions and quarantine measures in place for as long as necessary and we will continue to press the UK Government to close the quarantine loopholes that are allowing new variants to enter the country. However, we know these measures cannot remain in place permanently. Travel is not just about holidays - for many people in Scotland it is about seeing family and friends. We recognise how important that is, and will take steps to open up and support international travel as soon as it is safe to do so.

Vaccination

The development of effective vaccines against Covid 19 in just a year, has been a huge achievement that has offered many of us renewed hope for the future. Scotland’s vaccination programme has targeted the most vulnerable people first. In line with expert advice we have prioritised those who are oldest, who work in care settings or who have health conditions, because we know that saves the most lives. We are on target to complete the first phase of the vaccination programme, offering a first dose to all those people in the most vulnerable groups by mid-April, before moving on to younger age groups. This is the largest mass vaccination programme in Scotland’s history and we owe a massive debt of gratitude to all those who have made it possible, from the scientists and manufacturers, to health care workers, security staff, the armed forces and every member of the public who has rolled up their sleeve. We are already preparing to deliver a programme of booster vaccinations later this year, and will continue to follow advice from scientists and clinicians on how to distribute the vaccine in future. We will also work to support vaccine manufacturers in Scotland, supporting the local supply chain.

Learning lessons

The Covid pandemic has been the most difficult time in many of our lives. As we start to look to the future it is vital that we learn from and reflect on our experience. To do this, we will commission a statutory, personcentred and human rights based public inquiry into the handling of the Coronavirus pandemic in Scotland. We will make sure the voices of families who have lost loved ones are heard as part of establishing the inquiry and that they have an active role in the process. We will begin to take the necessary steps to establish the public inquiry as soon as possible after the election. As part of learning lessons, we will also establish a Standing Committee on Pandemics, bringing together scientists and clinicians to advise us on the future risks and to ensure we are as prepared as it is possible to be.

Our journey back

In the coming weeks, if we continue to suppress the virus, our lives will all become a bit more normal with more of our economy and society opening up again. This will include travel across Scotland, so people can visit family and friends again - and take holidays in Scotland. We will continue to support those who have struggled financially during the pandemic. We will provide a £130 payment to everyone eligible for council tax reduction and two further £100 payments to low income families. This means, between December last year and the end of this year, low income families will receive between £400 and £500 to help meet the costs of living through the pandemic. Many businesses who have had to close during the pandemic, will receive restart grants of between £7,000 and £19,500 at the end of April, to help them prepare for re-opening. Retail, leisure and hospitality firms will also get 100% Business Rates relief this year to help them back on their feet. Our ambition is that in June life will become as normal as possible, though face coverings and some other interventions may be necessary for some time to come.