Coronavirus (COVID-19): Constituency support – updated 18 February 2022 – SPICe Spotlight

About the blog

Please note: This blog is updated every Friday morning.

The title on the post will be amended to show when updates have been made and newly added entries will be prefixed with ‘NEW!’.  Please note that the URL in the address bar remains the same (i.e. including 19 March) – this is to ensure that links are not broken and anyone who has bookmarked the page can return easily.

Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) are receiving a large number of enquiries relating to Coronavirus (COVID-19).  SPICe is still responding to enquiries through the usual enquiry process.

However, to aid MSPs in responding to their constituents, and for the use of anyone else who is interested, we are providing this blogpost.

The post contains links to trusted and official external sources of information relating to issues that constituents may be needing advice on.

Please see our COVID-19 hub for a full list of subject specific SPICe blogs 

Blog layout

The blog includes an introductory section on ‘where are we now?’, followed by sources broken down into broad subjects, each section split into ‘guidance’ and ‘funding and support’:

SPICe will also keep our other publications in relation to Coronavirus (COVID-19) under review. Please sign-up to Spotlight and follow us on Twitter to keep up to date.

The Scottish Government published an update to Scotland’s Strategic Framework on 16 November 2021.

New guidance was introduced on 14 December 2021 following the spread of the new Omicron strain of COVID-19. People were encouraged to reduce social interaction at home or in indoor public places to a maximum of three households at any time, and to take a lateral flow test before meeting. From 17 December 2021, businesses are legally required to take reasonable measures to minimise transmission of COVID-19. Additional restrictions were introduced on 27 December 2021, including one metre physical distancing in indoor hospitality and leisure settings, attendance limits at events and the closure of nightclubs. These restrictions were lifted on Monday 24 January. Non-professional indoor contact sports has now resumed and the guidance asking people to stick to a 3 household limit on indoor gatherings has also been removed.

General guidance on staying safe is available on the Scottish Government website.

• NEW! UK Government – JCVI updates advice on vaccinations for 5 to 11 age group. The committee recommends a non-urgent offer to all 5 to 11 year olds of 2 (10mcg) doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech paediatric vaccine. The 2 doses should be given with an interval of at least 12 weeks between doses. (16 February 2022)
• NEW! Scottish Government – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Learning and Evaluation Oversight Group: grant funding – call for proposals (16 February 2022)
• Scottish Government – high school pupils and staff will not be required to wear face coverings in classrooms from 28 February 2022. Mitigations relating to assemblies and transition visits for learners who will start primary or secondary in August 2022 will also be eased. (10 February 2022)
• Scottish Government – extension of the expiry date for statutory coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions and requirements to 24 September 2022. The restrictions will remain subject to review every three weeks. (9 February 2022)
• Scottish Government – Six month extension to some temporary provisions made under UK legislation. (3 February 2022)
• UK Government – Novavax COVID-19 vaccine Nuvaxovid approved by MHRA. (3 February 2022)
• UK Government – The UK’s second ground-breaking antiviral (PF-07321332+ritonavir) will be made available to those with weakened immune systems from Thursday 10 February. (28 January 2022)
• Scottish Government – from Monday 31 January businesses can resume hybrid working arrangements. (25 January 2022)
• Scottish Government – fully vaccinated arrivals into Scotland will no longer be required to possess a negative test result from 4am on 11 February. Non-vaccinated arrivals will still be required to take pre-departure tests and a PCR test on or before day two – but the requirement for isolation will end – and they will no longer have to take a day eight test. (24 January 2022)
• Scottish Government announce restrictions including one metre physical distancing in hospitality and leisure settings, table service in hospitality venues and attendance limits at indoor events will be removed from Monday 24 January. Non-professional indoor contact sports will also resume. (18 January 2022)
• Scottish Government announce children aged five to 11 years old with specific medical conditions will start receiving invitations for their first Covid-19 vaccination. (18 January 2022)
• Scottish Government – large outdoor events can resume without physical distancing or capacity limits from 00:01 on Monday 17 January (11 January 2022)
• Scottish Government – from 6 January, people travelling to Scotland from abroad who are fully vaccinated or under the age of 18 will no longer need to take pre-departure Covid tests, and will also no longer be required to self-isolate on arrival until they’ve received a negative result. (6 January 2022)
• Scottish Government announce changes to self-isolation and testing. From 6 January, new cases can end self-isolation if they don’t have a fever and test negative on a LFD on Day 6 and again at least 24 hours later. Anyone who tests positive on a LFD will no longer be asked to take a PCR test to confirm the result. (5 January 2022)
• Scottish Government announce that priority for PCR test site slots will be given to essential workers, those at highest risk and anyone eligible for new Covid treatments. A self-isolation exemption scheme is also available for essential workers. (29 December 2021)

• Scottish Government brings forward second doses for young people. Following JCVI advice, 12-15 year olds can get their second vaccination from 12 weeks after their first dose. (2 January 2022)

• Scottish Government – December update of the autumn/winter vaccination strategy 2021, which includes a progress report and accelerated delivery plans in response to the Omicron Variant. (17 December 2021)
• First UK patients given take-at-home pill. Molnupiravir will be tested on 10,000 people at risk of serious illness in research led by University of Oxford. (16 December 2021)
• Scottish Government publish updated guidance on reducing social interaction at home or in indoor public places to a maximum of three households at any time, with everyone encouraged to take a lateral flow test before meeting. (14 December 2021)
• UK Government announce the Rt Hon Baroness Heather Hallett DBE has been appointed as Chair of the forthcoming UK-wide public inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic. (15 December 2021)
• Scottish Government announce the chair and terms of reference for the public inquiry into the handling of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Scotland. The Hon. Lady Poole QC, Senator of the College of Justice of Scotland, will chair the inquiry. (14 December 2021)
• Scottish Government announce all 30-39 year olds will be able to book their appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine booster from Monday 13 December. (12 December 2021)
• UK Government announce the UK coronavirus (COVID-19) alert level will be increased from Level 3 to Level 4. (12 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – from Monday 6 December, the domestic Covid certification scheme includes provision for a negative test for Covid-19, as an alternative to proof of vaccination. (6 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – First cases of the COVID-19 omicron variant are identified in Scotland. (29 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – Scotland’s Strategic Framework update (16 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – Covid Recovery Strategy: for a fairer future (5 October 2021)
• Scottish Government – The Scottish Government’s vaccine certification scheme comes into effect from 1 October. The NHS Scotland Covid Status App is available for download from NHS Inform. (1 October 2021)
• Scottish Government – consultation on Scotland’s recovery launched, which sets out a range of proposals, including whether some temporary provisions made under Scottish and UK coronavirus legislation and due to expire in March 2022 should be maintained. (17 August 2021)
• First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announces Scotland to move beyond level 0 on 9 August, when the legal requirement for physical distancing and limits on gatherings will be removed. Some protective measures will stay in place such as the use of face coverings indoors and the collection of contact details as part of Test and Protect. (03 August 2021)
• MHRA – Modified COVID-19 vaccines for variants to be fast-tracked (4 March 2021)
• Scottish Government – expansion of testing to include anyone who is identified as a close contact of somebody who has tested positive for COVID-19, from 18 February. (17 February 2021)
• Scottish Parliament – daily list of COVID-19 related parliamentary questions and answers. Parliamentary questions can be asked by an MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to obtain factual and statistical information.
• gov.uk – Key pieces of coronavirus legislation (regularly updated)
• Office for National Statistics (ONS) – latest data and analysis on Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK and its effect on the economy and society (regularly updated)
• Public Health Scotland – COVID-19 statistics (updated daily)

Information and Guidance

• Scottish Government – from Monday 31 January businesses can resume hybrid working arrangements. (25 January 2022)
• Scottish Government  – guidance on safer businesses and workplaces (updated). (23 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – compliance self-assessment tool to help businesses assess the effectiveness of COVID-19 control measures within the workplace. (23 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – guidance on physical distancing and capacity limits in relevant premises and events. (23 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – guidance for call centres and customer contact centre environments. (20 December 2021)
• Scottish Government publish new guidance for businesses. From Friday 17 December 2021, businesses will be legally required to take reasonable measures to minimise transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19). (16 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – from Monday 6 December, the domestic Covid certification scheme includes provision for a negative test for Covid-19, as an alternative to proof of vaccination. (6 December 2021)
• Competition and Markets Authority – concerns raised and changes made to the terms and conditions for PCR tests issued by Randox (one of the UK’s largest test providers). (3 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – from 6 December, people attending venues covered by Scotland’s COVID certification scheme are to be given the option of providing a recent negative lateral flow test for the virus, as an alternative to proof of vaccination. (23 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – Update to vaccine certification Apps. Businesses should now update the customer COVID Check (verifier) App to ensure the QR code shows a green tick when scanned. Customers seeking to access venues affected should download the updated NHS Covid Status app. (19 October 2021)
• Scottish Government – The Coronavirus vaccine certification scheme becomes subject to enforcement. People attending a range of late night venues and larger indoor and outdoor live events, such as music festivals or large sporting events, will be required to show staff proof they are fully vaccinated or are otherwise exempt. (18 October 2021)
• Scottish Government – Vaccine certification scheme: guidance for customers. (30 September 2021)
• Scottish Government – Vaccine certification scheme: guidance for businesses and event organisers (28 September 2021)
• Scottish Government – Vaccine certification to come into effect on 1 October. However, legal enforcement of the scheme will not come into effect until Monday 18 October. (28 September 2021)
• Scottish Government – Organisations with ten or more employees can now sign up to a voluntary asymptomatic workplace testing programme. The workplace testing offer will initially run until the end of September 2021, in line with the universal testing offer. (11 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – Changes to self-isolation rules for close contacts of COVID-19 cases – essential staff in critical roles will be allowed to return to work to maintain lifeline services and critical national infrastructure. (23 July 2021)
• Scottish Government – Guidance on returning to offices (2 July 2021)
• Scottish Government – Launch of Check in Scotland, a new digital service to support businesses in collecting contact details for contact tracing purposes (26 April 2021)
• Scottish Government – Guidance for calculating physical distancing capacity in public settings (26 April 2021) 
• Scottish Government – Workplace testing expanded to high-risk workplaces. Food production and processing businesses are being urged to sign up for routine staff testing to help identify cases of COVID-19. (5 March 2021)
• HMRC – Self Assessment customers who cannot file their tax return by the 31 January 2021 deadline will not receive a late filing penalty if they file online by 28 February. (25 January 2021)
• Scottish Government – changes to the definition of essential retailers, with homeware stores and garden centres now being classed as non-essential. (22 December 2020)
• Scottish Government – recovery plan for the manufacturing sector, focussing on four priority areas: collaboration and networks, supply chains and competitiveness, adaptation and transformation, and skills and workforce. (4 December 2020)
• Scottish Government – guidance for call centres and customer contact centre environments (26 November 2020)
• Scottish Government – Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment on Scotland’s Strategic Framework: Business Closures. (12 November 2020)
• Scottish Government – Guidance for the retail sector, including close contact services such as hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons. (9 November 2020)
• Scottish Government – Mandatory wearing of face coverings in workplace canteens from 16 October, and in corridors and social spaces from 19 October (15 October 2020)
• Scottish Government – guidance for retail, tourism and hospitality customers. (9 October 2020)
• Scottish Government – guidance on creating and maintaining safer workplaces. (31 August 2020)
• Competition and Markets Authority – further detail on its views on the law in relation to cancellations and refunds during the COVID-19 pandemic (28 August 2020)
• Scottish Government – manufacturing sector guidance (20 August 2020)
• Scottish Government – general guidance for safer workplaces (17 August 2020)
• Scottish Government, STUC, SCVO, COSLA, IoD and SCDI – revised fair work statement, underlining the collaborative approach needed between employers, unions and workers to ensure workplaces can operate safely during COVID-19 (19 July 2020)
• Scottish Government – construction sector guidance (15 July 2020)
• Scottish Government – guidance for small and micro businesses (13 July 2020)
• Scottish Government – guidance on alcohol and civic licensing. (7 April 2020)
• UK Government – Guidance for Employees(updated regularly)
• UK Government – Guidance for Employers and businesses(updated regularly)
• Money Advice Service – provides free and impartial advice on Coronavirus and looks at rights to sick pay, what benefits you can claim if you’re self-employed or not entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) (updated regularly)

Funding and Support

• Scottish Government – Business support funds
• Scottish Government – £9 million financial package for the tourism industry to mitigate impacts of Omicron, including support for coach and tour operators, hostels, outdoor/marine businesses and visitor attractions. (12 January 2022)
• Scottish Government announce the breakdown of £107 million support package for businesses impacted by the spread of the Omicron variant. (29 December 2021)

• Scottish Government – December and January Business Support Top Up – Hospitality – information for businesses. (21 December 2021)

• Scottish Government announce the breakdown of a £100 million financial package to support businesses experiencing cancellations due to the spread of the new Omicron variant. (17 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – Coronavirus (COVID-19): Business Ventilation Fund (guidance on who is eligible, what can be claimed and how to apply) (17 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – £25m funding package for businesses to improve ventilation and reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. (28 September 2021)
• Scottish Government – funding announced for fishing businesses and marine organisations, to help the sector recover from effects of COVID-19. (1 September 2021)
• Scottish Government – Pig Producers Hardship Support Scheme opens. (30 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – £14 million North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund. The funding will provide opportunities for more than 3,000 individuals in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire through training and enterprise projects across a number of sectors, including entrepreneurship, tourism and energy transition. (25 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – £70 million investment in the Young Person’s Guarantee scheme. (28 July 2021)
• Scottish Government – £20 million for the second phase of the National Transition Training Fund (16 June 2021)
• Scottish Government – £12 million of funding for businesses in Level 2 areas – including those in the hospitality, events, weddings and soft play sectors, additional funding for taxi drivers and operators and  £25 million to support the culture sector (2 June 2021)
• Scottish Government– Local Restrictions Grant: guidance for local councils (18 May 2021)
• Scottish Government – Local Restrictions Grant: information for businesses (17 May 2021)
• Scottish Government – £30 million Third Sector Growth Fund announced for small businesses. (21 March 2021)
• UK Government – Furlough scheme and Universal Credit uplift will be extended until the end of September. (3 March 2021)
• Scottish Government – The Scotland Food & Drink Partnership’s Regional Food Fund reopens for applications. (24 February 2021)
• Scottish Government – Non-domestic rates relief extended for the 2021-22 period. (16 February 2021)
• Scottish Government – additional £17.5 million of emergency coronavirus (COVID-19) funding allocated to support creative freelancers and the events sector. (11 February 2021)
• Scottish Government – £7.75 million funding package for the seafood sector (3 February 2021)
• Scottish Government – £7.3 million in funding for travel agents, brewers and indoor football centres. Grant values of £10,000 or £25,000 for eligible businesses, with a higher payment of £30,000 available to the largest brewers. Local authorities will contact eligible businesses from 27 January. (27 January 2021)
• Scottish Government – £25 million fund to support the wedding sector and its supply chain, launched on 28 January. The fund will provide one-off grants of up to £25,000 for eligible businesses in the sector impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including wedding venues, photographers, caterers and suppliers. (25 January 2021)
• Scottish Government – Funding to help vulnerable young people across Scotland into work (16 January 2021)
• Scottish Government – top-up, one off grants for hospitality, retail and leisure businesses across Scotland closed by level 4 restrictions. These grants are in addition to payments from the Strategic Framework Business Fund. (11 January 2021)
• Scottish Government – Strategic Framework Business Fund (31 December 2020)
• Scottish Government – Additional £48 million funding for level 4 changes (27 December 2020)
• Scottish Government – £104.3 million package of support for the tourism and hospitality sector in the new year (21 December 2020)
• UK Government – The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended until 30 April 2021 (17 December 2020)
• UK Government – The Bounce Back Loan Scheme, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme have been extended until 31 March 2021 (17 December 2020)
• Scottish Government – £185 million package of coronavirus (COVID-19) support for businesses, including specific support for close contact services, taxi drivers, travel agents, coach and tour operators, visitor attractions and the wedding sector. (9 December 2020)
• Scottish Government – Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund to help wholesale food and drink businesses affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19). Applications must be submitted by 23:59 on Sunday 13 December 2020.(5 December 2020)
• Scottish Government – £15 million Apprenticeship Employer Grant to provide funding for employers taking or upskilling an apprentice. (1 December 2020)
• Scottish Government – Pathway Apprenticeships – part of the Youth Guarantee – to offer 26 weeks of training with a £100 weekly allowance. (1 December 2020)
• Scottish Government – £11.8 million in funding towards helping businesses to adopt digital technologies and improve their digital capability. (30 November 2020)
• Scottish Government – the second phase of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund is open to applications from 16 November 2020. The fund helps businesses invest in their workforce and is available for all of Scotland’s employers who are subject to the UK Government’s Apprenticeship Levy. (13 November 2020)
• UK Government – extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until the end of March 2021, and an increase in value of Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grants. (5 November 2020)
• Scottish Government – Phase 1 of the COVID-19 Contingency Fund – nightclubs and soft play centres that have been closed by law since March will be eligible for one-off grants of up to £50,000. (27 October 2020)
• Scottish Government – new system of grants for businesses as part of the strategic framework. Based on rateable values, awards will be for either £2,000 or £3,000 for businesses required to close (23 October 2020)
• UK Government – increased financial support through the Job Support and self-employed schemes (22 October 2020)
• Scottish Government –  the National Transition Training Fund is open to anyone aged 25 or over who is unemployed, economically inactive or at risk of unemployment due to the impact of Covid-19. (8 October 2020)
• Scottish Government – the £10m Clyde Mission Fund, provides capital funding available for projects in the Clyde Mission area that support economic and infrastructure developments, and improvements to buildings, facilities and the environment (27 September. 2020)
• UK Government – the Winter Economy Plan outlines additional government support to businesses and workers across the UK, including a 15% VAT cut for the hospitality and tourism sectors, and help for businesses in repaying government-backed loans. (25 September 2020)
• Scottish Government – Fair Start Scotland extended to March 2023 as part of a package of support designed to help young people get into work. (16 July 2020)
• Find Business Support (FBS) – a one-stop-shop for business advice relating to COVID-19
• Business Gateway – provides regularly updated help for business owners and their to employees find information on how to deal with concerns about Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the workplace
• Federation of Small Businesses – for regularly updated advice for small businesses
• Scottish Government COVID-19 Strategic Framework Business Support Funding Statistics:18 Dec 2020
• Scottish Government Strategic Framework: business support funding statistics
• Scottish Government COVID-19 Business Support Funding Statistics (circuit breaker):18 Dec 2020
• Scottish Government Coronavirus (COVID-19): business support fund grant statistics (updated regularly)

Information and Guidance

Funding and Support

• Scottish Government – recipients of the £2m Festivals Expo Fund announced. (8 February 2022)
• Scottish Government – Professional sports (football, rugby, ice hockey, basketball and horse racing) affected by the recent COVID-19 crowd limits allocated £2.55 million in financial support. (13 January 2022)
• Scottish Government announce details a financial package worth £65 million for culture and major events. (3 January 2022)
• Scottish Government – £21 million support package to support cultural and events organisations. Creative freelancers can apply for between £500 and £2,000 from the cancellation fund which opens at 2pm on Thursday, 6 January 2022. (22 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – £430,000 funding for Scotland’s winter festivals (St Andrew’s Day, Hogmanay and Burns Night). (25 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – additional £450,000 for the Scotland’s Events Recovery Fund. (8 October 2021)
• Scottish Government – Public Libraries COVID Recovery Fund. The £1.25 million fund will help libraries to re-open. (10 September 2021)
• Scottish Government launch £750,000 touring fund for live music. (23 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – £1 million funding to support the return of live events at the Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Fringe (29 June 2021)
• Scottish Government – £4.1 million funding for Covid Community Memorial projects, administered by Greenspace Scotland. (23 March 2021)
• Scottish Government – additional £17.5 million of emergency coronavirus (COVID-19) funding allocated to support creative freelancers and the events sector. (11 February 2021)
• Scottish Government – applications open for the Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare Fund, with up to £2.5 million available to support animal care and key conservation work. (6 Feb 2021)
• Scottish Government – £3 million additional funding for Aberdeen Performing Arts, Eden Court Highlands and Capital Theatres (17 January 2021)
• Scottish Government – additional £7.1 million in funding for grassroots music venues and independent museums. (20 December 2020)
• Scottish Government – Emergency grants worth £11.35 million to support football clubs below Premiership level. The grants will be administered by the Scottish FA. (19 December 2020)
• Creative Scotland – Touring Fund for Theatre and Dance
• Scottish Government – £55 million emergency sports funding package to tackle lost ticket revenue during the pandemic. (10 December 2020)
• Scottish Government – Scottish Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare Fund (10 September 2020)
• Scottish Government – emergency funding for the culture and heritage sectors (28 August 2020)
• Scottish Government – support package for the National Trust for Scotland (16 August 2020)
• Scottish Government – £10 million funding package to support the recovery of the events sector from COVID-19. (26 July 2020)
• Scottish Government – £4 million Museums Resilience and Recovery Fund administered by Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS). (25 July 2020)
• UK Government – £1.57 billion investment for cultural, arts and heritage institutions(5 July 2020)
• Scottish Government – £10 million fund to support Scotland’s performing arts venues(3 July 2020)
• Scottish Government – funding package agreed for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society (12 June 2020)
• Creative Scotland – A-Z of funding and resources for the creative sector, including guidance on applying for all open funds. (regularly updated)

Early learning and Childcare

Schools

Higher and Further Education

Funding announcements

News and guidance

Information and Guidance for patients

• NEW! UK Government – JCVI updates advice on vaccinations for 5 to 11 age group. The committee recommends a non-urgent offer to all 5 to 11 year olds of 2 (10mcg) doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech paediatric vaccine. The 2 doses should be given with an interval of at least 12 weeks between doses. (16 February 2022)
• Scottish Government – Flu vaccinations are on offer again until the end of March for those in high risk groups (the programme was paused in December so that health boards could prioritise the delivery of COVID-19 booster jabs). (4 February 2022)
• UK Government – Novavax COVID-19 vaccine Nuvaxovid approved by MHRA. (3 February 2022)
• Scottish Government – Adults aged 18-59 who have not yet had their booster jab will start to receive blue envelopes from 1 February with scheduled appointments. (31 January 2022)
• UK Government – The UK’s second ground-breaking antiviral (PF-07321332+ritonavir) will be made available to those with weakened immune systems from Thursday 10 February. (28 January 2022)
• UK Government – report from UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on COVID-19 vaccines provides data on the effectiveness of booster vaccines in protecting against the Omicron variant. (27 January 2022)
• UK Government – over 5,000 people in the UK are enrolled in a study for COVID-19 antivirals. (26 January 2022)
• Scottish Government announce children aged five to 11 years old with specific medical conditions will start receiving invitations for their first Covid-19 vaccination. (18 January 2022)
• UK Government – New report from the Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on the effectiveness of 3 doses of COVID-19 vaccines against symptomatic COVID-19 and hospitalisation in adults aged 65 years and older. (7 January 2022)
• Scottish Government announce changes to self-isolation and testing. From 6 January, new cases can end self-isolation if they don’t have a fever and test negative on a LFD on Day 6 and again at least 24 hours later. Anyone who tests positive on a LFD will no longer be asked to take a PCR test to confirm the result. (5 January 2022)
• Scottish Government announce that priority for PCR test site slots will be given to essential workers, those at highest risk and anyone eligible for new Covid treatments. A self-isolation exemption scheme is also available for essential workers. (29 December 2021)

• Scottish Government brings forward second doses for young people. Following JCVI advice, 12-15 year olds can get their second vaccination from 12 weeks after their first dose. (2 January 2022)

• Scottish Government – additional, one-off COVID-19 dataset published, which includes information on the Omicron variant and provisional flu vaccinations. (23 December 2021)
• Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) – issues updated guidance on vaccinations for 5 to 11 year olds, recommending that those who are in a clinical risk group or are a household contact of someone who is immunosuppressed, should be offered a primary course of vaccination. In addition, booster vaccinations are recommended for 16-17 year olds and 12-15 year olds that are in a clinical risk group or severely immunocompromised and have had a third primary dose. (22 December 2021)
• UK Government – Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approves a new formulation of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty) for use in children aged 5 to 11 years. (22 December 2021)
• Scottish Government publish updated guidance on visiting care homes and hospitals. Adult care homes and hospitals should continue to support visits for residents and patients, however new recommendations set out that visits should be in line with the rules for the general public brought in to control the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. (17 December 2021)
• Scottish Government publish updated guidance on reducing social interaction at home or in indoor public places to a maximum of three households at any time, with everyone encouraged to take a lateral flow test before meeting. (14 December 2021)
• Scottish Government announce steps to accelerate booster programme. The online booking portal will be open to everyone aged 18-29 from 15 December and the waiting period following vaccination will be reduced from 15 minutes to five minutes. (14 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – Asymptomatic Testing Programme Evaluation (14 December 2021)
• Scottish Government announce all 30-39 year olds will be able to book their appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine booster from Monday 13 December. (12 December 2021)
• Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith encourages people to come forward for a COVID-19 antiviral trial undertaken by the University of Oxford. (8 December 2021)
• UK Government signs contracts to buy a total of 114 million additional Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna doses for 2022 and 2023. (2 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – Transparent face masks introduced to NHS Scotland (1 December 2021)
• JCVI issue new advice on COVID-19 booster vaccines for those aged 18 to 39 and a second dose for ages 12 to 15. In response to the changing risk posed by the Omicron variant, the booster will now be given no sooner than 3 months after the primary course. In addition, a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for young people aged 12 to 15 years is advised no sooner than 12 weeks after the first dose. (29 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – The online portal for booking COVID-19 booster appointments opens for people aged 40-49 years old. (27 November 2021)
• UK Government – data on a study by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is published, which looks at the effectiveness and safety record of COVID-19 vaccines on pregnant women. (25 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – Online portal for Autumn/Winter vaccination programme. The portal allows people aged 50 to 59, unpaid carers who are 16 and over, and those aged 16 and over who are household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals to book their booster and flu jabs. (15 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – people who took part in trials for COVID-19 vaccines which have not yet been authorised for use in the UK will be able to request an additional primary course of approved vaccinations. (12 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – Invitations for the flu and COVID-19 Booster vaccination programmes begin for the next eligible groups. Invitation letters for people aged 60 to 69 and adults aged 16 and over with underlying health conditions are to be sent out from 25 October. (25 October 2021)
• Scottish Government – Update to vaccine certification Apps. Businesses should now update the customer COVID Check (verifier) App to ensure the QR code shows a green tick when scanned. Customers seeking to access venues affected should download the updated NHS Covid Status app. (19 October 2021)
• Scottish Government – Invitations for coronavirus (COVID-19) booster injections are issued to people aged 70 and over and those aged 16 and over who are at highest risk, with appointments scheduled from the week beginning 4 October. (30 September 2021)
• Scottish Government – Strategy paper setting out the Scottish Government’s approach to care and support for people with long Covid. (30 September 2021)
• Scottish Government – updated 2021 vaccination strategy, including plans for COVID-19 and seasonal influenza (flu) vaccinations in autumn and winter 2021 to 2022 in Scotland. (30 September 2021)
• Scottish Government – All 12-15 year olds who haven’t yet received their COVID-19 vaccination will receive letters of offer from Monday 27 September. (27 September 2021)
• Scottish Government – A five-week consultation is to be held on introducing Anne’s Law – to ensure people who live in adult care homes have rights to be able to have direct contact with people who are important to them in order to support their health and wellbeing. (24 September 2021)
• Scottish Government – Covid-19 booster vaccinations underway. Residents in care homes for older people are the first to be offered Covid-19 booster vaccinations. Injections will be given alongside flu jab where appropriate. (20 September 2021)
• Scottish Government – new guidance for care homes, which allows care home residents to choose a friend or relative as a ‘named visitor’ who will be able to visit them, even during a managed Covid-19 outbreak. (15 September 2021)
• Scottish Government – Hospital PFI car parks in Glasgow and Dundee bought out. Negotiations are also progressing to take over the last remaining PFI car park in Scotland at Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Parking charges have been suspended at the three hospital PFI facilities since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The agreements to take the car parks into public hands will mean this becomes permanent. (24 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – People who test positive for COVID-19 are being encouraged to securely list details of their close contacts online when asked by Test and Protect. (24 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – Professor Amanda Croft, Scotland’s Chief Nursing Officer, is standing down from her role. Cover will be provided by the Deputy Chief Nursing officers team until 4 October when Professor Alex McMahon, currently Executive Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals for NHS Lothian, will take over on an interim basis. (23 August 2021)
• UK Government launches UK-wide antibody surveillance programme for the general public for the first time. Home antibody tests available for up to 8,000 people a day across the UK who opt in to the service through NHS Test and Trace. (22 August 2021)

Information and Guidance for health and social care professionals

• Scottish Government – progress report: an overview of the inclusive approach adopted during the first stage of the COVID-19 vaccinations programme, from December 2020 to September 2021 (7 February 2022)
• Scottish Government – Care homes guidance
• Scottish Government issue new guidance for care home operators, reducing and removing isolation periods for care home residents. (20 January 2022)
• Scottish Government – Chief Medical Officer writes to health boards on the temporary deferral of fertility treatment for patients not fully vaccinated against COVID-19. (7 January 2022)
• Scottish Government – New staff joining the social care workforce are to have entry costs (PVG checks and SSC registration fees) paid by the Scottish Government until the end of March. (14 January 2022)
• Scottish Government – Joint statement with COSLA on service disruptions due to the prioritisation of social care during the COVID-19 pandemic. (11 January 2022)
• Scottish Government – measures to support the NHS and to free up more hospital beds. This includes £500,000 to fund 25,000 remote monitoring kits and the expansion of the Hospital at Home, Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) services for managing infections and Community Respiratory pathways. (11 January 2022)
• Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advise there is no immediate need to introduce a second booster dose, or fourth jab, to the most vulnerable. JCVI advise that priority should continue to be given to rolling out first booster doses to all age groups. (7 January 2022)
• Scottish Government – Requests for military assistance for NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Grampian and NHS Lanarkshire are approved, in order to help manage growing pressures. (23 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – guidance for NHS staff working in maternity, community and Health and Social Care Partnerships during the COVID-19 outbreak. (21 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – National clinical guidance for community child health services, including health visiting, family nurse partnership, school nursing and infant feeding through the coronavirus pandemic. (17 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – Asymptomatic Testing Programme Evaluation (14 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – appeal for more vaccinators to help accelerate the booster programme. (9 December 2021)
• UK Government signs contracts to buy a total of 114 million additional Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna doses for 2022 and 2023. (2 December 2021)
• MHRA approves Xevudy (sotrovimab), a COVID-19 treatment found to cut hospitalisation and death by 79%. This monoclonal antibody – the second to be authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency – is for people with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of developing severe disease. (2 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – Transparent face masks introduced to NHS Scotland (1 December 2021)
• Scottish Government publish the Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Recovery and Renewal Plan, backed by £70 million funding, to support faster diagnosis of cancers and other illnesses of the digestive system, bladder and prostate. (30 November 2021)
• JCVI issue new advice on COVID-19 booster vaccines for those aged 18 to 39 and a second dose for ages 12 to 15. In response to the changing risk posed by the Omicron variant, the booster will now be given no sooner than 3 months after the primary course. In addition, a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for young people aged 12 to 15 years is advised no sooner than 12 weeks after the first dose. (29 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – Scotland’s contact tracing workforce to remain in place until September 2022. (25 November 2021)
• UK Government – updated infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance for health and care settings during the COVID-19 pandemic to cover other seasonal respiratory infections. (22 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – Coronavirus (COVID-19): vaccine protocols (updated 16 November 2021)
• JCVI – Advice on COVID-19 booster vaccines for those aged 40 to 49 and second doses for 16 to 17 year olds – All adults aged 40 to 49 years should be offered an mRNA booster, 6 months after their second dose, irrespective of the vaccines given for the first and second doses. All 16 to 17 year olds who are not in an at-risk group should be offered a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The second vaccine dose should be given 12 weeks or more following the first vaccine dose. (15 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – Hospitals in Scotland will be rolling out new three-in-one winter virus tests to identify whether patients are infected with Covid-19, flu or RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). (14 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – New guidance for A&E departments, supporting hospitals to refer people to the most appropriate place for treatment, if they do not need emergency care. (3 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – Military will support the national Autumn/Winter vaccination programme. (1 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – adult social care Winter Preparedness Plan 2021-22 published. (22 October 2021)
• Scottish Government launch NHS Scotland Academy, a collaboration between NHS Golden Jubilee and NHS Education for Scotland, backed by £9 million of investment. (20 October 2021)
• Scottish Government – NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Borders to receive military assistance from 19 October (15 October 2021)
• UK Government – open letter signed by individuals who have provided science advice to various governments, calling for leaders to recognise vaccine trial participants as having legitimate certification for international travel and other purposes. (15 October 2021)
• Scottish Government – £500 payment for health and social care staff: guidance for former employees of social care providers who have ceased trading. (24 September 2021)
• UK Government – Ronapreve becomes the first neutralising antibody medicine specifically designed to treat COVID-19 to be authorised by the MHRA for use in the UK. (17 September 2021)
• Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) – regulatory update on the COVID-19 booster vaccine programme for winter 2021-22. (14 September 2021)
• Scottish Government – Children and young people aged 12 -15 years old will be offered a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine from Monday 20 September. (14 September 2021)
• Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) – guidance advising that booster vaccines be offered to those more at risk from serious disease, and who were vaccinated during Phase 1 of the vaccine programme. (14 September 2021)
• Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) issue updated advice on COVID-19 vaccination of children aged 12 to 15. Health benefits from vaccination are marginally greater than the potential known harms. However, the margin of benefit is considered too small to support universal vaccination of healthy 12 to 15 year olds at this time. (3 September 2021)
• Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) publishes guidance advising that people who were severely immunosuppressed at the time of their first or second dose of the vaccine should be offered a third dose. (1 September 2021)
• Scottish Government published its NHS Recovery Plan, setting out key actions for the next five years to help address backlogs in healthcare and increase capacity by at least 10%. (25 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – Hospital PFI car parks in Glasgow and Dundee bought out. Negotiations are also progressing to take over the last remaining PFI car park in Scotland at Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Parking charges have been suspended at the three hospital PFI facilities since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The agreements to take the car parks into public hands will mean this becomes permanent. (24 August 2021)

Funding and Support

Information and Guidance

Funding and Support

Information and Guidance

Funding and Support

Legislation

Primary Legislation

Secondary Legislation

Scottish Government Action

• NEW! Scottish Government – Coronavirus Acts: eleventh report to Scottish Parliament (11 February 2022)
• Scottish Government – £1.5m funding to UNICEF to support COVID-19 vaccination programmes in Rwanda, Zambia and Malawi. (10 February 2022)
• Scottish Government – extension of the expiry date for statutory coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions and requirements to 24 September 2022. The restrictions will remain subject to review every three weeks. (9 February 2022)
• Scottish Government – Six month extension to some temporary provisions made under UK legislation. (3 February 2022)
• Scottish Government – Joint statement from the finance Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, calling on the Treasury to guarantee that money allocated to support COVID-19 responses will be provided in full. (12 January 2022)
• Scottish Government – December update of the autumn/winter vaccination strategy 2021, which includes a progress report and accelerated delivery plans in response to the Omicron Variant. (17 December 2021)
• Scottish Government announce the chair and terms of reference for the public inquiry into the handling of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Scotland. The Hon. Lady Poole QC, Senator of the College of Justice of Scotland, will chair the inquiry. (14 December 2021)
• Scottish Government publish the 2022-2023 Scottish Budget, aiming to restore public services and to respond to the pressures created by the pandemic. (9 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – Coronavirus Acts: Tenth report to Scottish Parliament (13 December 2021)
• First Minister Nicola Sturgeon writes to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson regarding international vaccine inequity. The letter asks the UK Government to support a temporary waiver of obligations to protect Intellectual Property for COVID-19 vaccines. (9 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – Coronavirus Acts: ninth report to Scottish Parliament (13 October 2021)

• Scottish Government – A five-week consultation is to be held on introducing Anne’s Law – to ensure people who live in adult care homes have rights to be able to have direct contact with people who are important to them in order to support their health and wellbeing. (24 September 2021)

• Scottish Government – Programme for Government 2021-22. The core priorities of the programme are ‘leading Scotland safely out of the pandemic, urgently confronting climate change, driving a green, fair economic recovery, and boosting opportunities for children and young people’. (7 September 2021)
• Scottish Government invites views on the draft aims and principles of an independent public inquiry into the handling of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. (24 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – The Standing Committee on Pandemics, which is tasked with preparing Scotland for the threat of future pandemics, is established. (19 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – consultation on Scotland’s recovery launched, which sets out a range of proposals, including whether some temporary provisions made under Scottish and UK coronavirus legislation and due to expire in March 2022 should be maintained. (17 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – Coronavirus Acts: eighth report To Scottish Parliament (13 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – Coronavirus Acts: seventh report to Scottish Parliament (9 June 2021)
• Scottish Government – John Swinney is appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery. (18 May 2021)
• Scottish Government – Coronavirus Acts: Sixth Report to Scottish Parliament (14 April 2021)
• Scottish Government – response to the Social Renewal Advisory Board’s Report “If not now, when?” published. The Report sets out a number of actions the Scottish Government will take forward to ensure that tackling poverty and inequality are central to the recovery from COVID-19. (23 March 2021)
• Scottish Government – Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 and the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Act 2020 – proposed extension: statement of reasons (24 February 2021)
• Scottish Government – Coronavirus Acts: fifth report to Scottish Parliament (11 February 2021)
• Scottish Government Coronavirus Acts: Fourth Report to Scottish Parliament (9 December 2020)
• Scottish Government Coronavirus Acts: third report to Scottish Parliament (6 October 2020)
• Scottish Government Coronavirus Acts: second report to Scottish Parliament (11 August 2020)
• Scottish Government Coronavirus Acts: first report to Scottish Parliament (9 June 2020)
• Scottish Government Programme for Government 2020-21 (1 September 2020)
• First Minister’s updates and statements
• Scottish Government Coronavirus (COVID-19) advisory groups

Scottish Parliament Action

Information and Guidance

• UK Government Covid fraud hotline – enables people to report suspected fraudulent use of coronavirus support schemes anonymously and free of charge

Funding and Support

Information and Guidance

Funding and Support

Information and Guidance

Funding and Support

Information and Guidance

• Scottish Government – fully vaccinated arrivals into Scotland will no longer be required to possess a negative test result from 4am on 11 February. Non-vaccinated arrivals will still be required to take pre-departure tests and a PCR test on or before day two – but the requirement for isolation will end – and they will no longer have to take a day eight test. (24 January 2022)
• UK Government – the airport slots rules alleviation is extended to cover Summer 2022. Airlines will need to use their slots 70% of the time to retain their rights to them. (24 January 2022)
• Scottish Government – from 6 January, people travelling to Scotland from abroad who are fully vaccinated or under the age of 18 will no longer need to take pre-departure Covid tests, and will also no longer be required to self-isolate on arrival until they’ve received a negative result. (6 January 2022)
• Scottish Government announce 11 countries are to be removed from the international travel red list as Omicron cases increase globally. Pre-departure tests and PCR testing measures on or before day 2 on arrival in Scotland will remain in place. (14 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – From Tuesday 7 December, people arriving in Scotland from outside the Common Travel Area are required to provide a negative pre-departure test. Nigeria is added to the red list from Monday 6 December. (4 December 2021)
• Scottish Government – New travel restrictions as a result of the omicron variant – fully vaccinated arrivals will need to take a PCR test within two days of arrival and to self-isolate until a negative result is received. Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia are added to the travel red list. (27 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – travel restrictions for arrivals from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Botswana. All travellers returning to Scotland from these countries are now required to self-isolate and take two PCR tests, regardless of their vaccination status. (26 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – all under-18s arriving from non-red list countries will be treated as eligible vaccinated travellers, meaning they will require a Day 2 test after arrival but no isolation or Day 8 test. (9 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – from Monday 22 November, vaccines from the World Health Organisation emergency use list (Sinopharm, Sinovac, Covaxin) will be recognised as eligible vaccines for the purposes of international travel. Travellers vaccinated with these products will be eligible for quarantine-free travel into Scotland if they have a certificate of vaccination status from a country listed in the regulations. (9 November 2021)
• Scottish Government – Scottish (and other UK) Covid status certificates are adopted into the European Union’s Digital Covid Certificate (EU DCC) scheme. From 1 November, Covid status certificates will be recognised by more than 40 countries. All EU DCC member countries will have their full certificates recognised and verifiable in Scotland. (29 October 2021)
• Scottish Government – The final seven countries are removed from the international travel red list from 1 November, meaning travellers to the UK from those destinations will no longer have to stay in hotel quarantine for 10 days on arrival. (28 October 2021)
• Scottish Government – from 4am on Sunday 31 October, people travelling to Scotland can take a lateral flow test – rather than a PCR test – on day two of their arrival. Travellers can book lateral flow tests from the list of providers on the gov.uk site from around 5pm on Friday 29 October. (26 October 2021)

• Scottish Government – 47 countries will be taken off the international travel red list from 11 October. In addition, vaccine certificates from a further 37 countries will be recognised to allow quarantine-free travel to Scotland. (7 October 2021)

• Scottish Government – Travellers from non-red list countries who have been fully vaccinated in a country that meets recognised standards of certifications will no longer be required to provide evidence of a negative test result before they can travel to Scotland, from 4 October. (24 September 2021)

• Scottish Government – International travel restrictions to be relaxed and simplified. Green and amber classifications will merge, but the red list will be retained for those countries deemed to have high COVID19 case rates or variants of concern. The current traffic light system will end on 4 October. (17 September 2021)

• Scottish Government – QR Code digital vaccination certificates for international travel available from 3 September 2021. (1 September 2021)

• Scottish Government – International travellers to Scotland will be permitted to use private sector COVID tests when returning, or visiting, from green or amber list countries. The changes are expected to come into effect in early September (27 August 2021)

• Scottish Government – Canada and the Azores are added to travel green list. The expanded list includes Denmark and Switzerland while Thailand goes red. (26 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – research published on experiences of and compliance with self-isolation during the COVID19 pandemic. The main report can be found here. (19 August 2021)
• UK Government – cost of NHS Test and Trace tests for international arrivals reduced from £88 to £68 for one test and from £170 to £136 for 2. (14 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – Arrivals from France to Scotland will no longer need to quarantine if they are fully vaccinated from 8 August. Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Romania and Norway move from amber to green. (05 August 2021)
• Scottish Government – Fully vaccinated people from the EU and US will be able to travel to Scotland without quarantining from Monday 2 August. (28 July 2021)
• Scottish Government – Fully vaccinated travellers returning to Scotland from France will still be required to self-isolate from Monday 19 July. (17 July 2021)
• Scottish Government – Balearic Islands and the British Virgin Islands move to the amber travel list of countries. Bulgaria, Croatia, Hong Kong and Taiwan are added to the green list. Cuba, Indonesia, Myanmar and Sierra Leone are added to the red list. (14 July 2021)
• Scottish Government – Blackburn travel restrictions lifted (7 July 2021)
• Scottish Government – Manchester, Salford and Bolton travel restrictions to be lifted on 30 June (29 June 2021)
• Scottish Government – Malta, Madeira, the Balearic islands and a number of Caribbean nations added to the green list for travel from 30 June. The Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Haiti, Mongolia, Tunisia and Uganda have been added to the red list. (24 June 2021)
• Scottish Government  – new restrictions on travel between Scotland and Manchester and Salford, coming into effect at midnight on 21 June. Restrictions that were in place on Bedford and the Republic of Ireland have been removed. (18 June 2021)
• Scottish Government – Portugal placed on amber travel list (3 June 2021)
• UK Government – Passenger COVID-19 Charter published, outlining passengers’ rights and responsibilities when travelling this summer. (17 May 2021)
• Scottish Government – Launch of the COVID-19 vaccination status scheme. The service will provide confirmation of vaccination when required for foreign travel. (19 May 2021)
• Scottish Government – From 17 May, anyone entering Scotland from countries on a new international travel ‘Green List’ will not be required to quarantine on arrival, but will have to take a PCR test for COVID-19. Countries on the green list are: Australia, Brunei, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Iceland, Israel, New Zealand, Portugal, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Singapore, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. (11 May 2021)
• Scottish Government – India placed on the red list of travel countries from 04.00 on Friday 23 April. (19 April 2021)
• Scottish Government – additional restrictions placed on travellers arriving in Scotland from Ethiopia, Oman, Qatar and Somalia. (19 March 2021)
• Scottish Government – All arrivals to Scotland from outside the Common Travel Area must book and pay for managed isolation in quarantine hotels from 15 February 2021. All arrivals must quarantine for at least ten days and will be tested twice for the virus – once on day two and once on day eight after arrival. (9 February 2021)
• UK Government – Mandatory hotel quarantine to be introduced from 15 February for anyone travelling to the UK from a country on the UK’s travel ban list (5 February 2021)
• Scottish Government – additional restrictions on travellers arriving in Scotland from the United Arab Emirates, Rwanda and Burundi. The limited exemptions to isolation will not apply for these countries, and everyone else in the household of arriving passengers must also isolate. Aircraft from the UAE into Scotland is banned from 1300 on 29 January. (28 January 2021)
• Scottish Government – Scottish Tourism Taskforce recommendations: Scottish Government response (20 January 2021)
• Scottish Government – Travel corridors suspended (15 January 2021)
• Scottish Government – additional restrictions imposed on all arrivals from South America, Portugal, Panama, Cabo Verde and the Falkland Islands. Travellers who have been in any of these countries or territories in the 10 days prior to their arrival in Scotland must isolate, along with all members of their household. No exemptions from isolation will apply. (14 January 2021)
• Scottish Government – From 0400 on Friday 15 January 2021, passengers travelling to Scotland from outside the Common Travel Area must have a valid negative COVID-19 test result, taken no more than three days before the scheduled time of departure. (12 January 2021)
• Scottish Government guidance on travel and transport, including information on essential travel (updated regularly)
• Scottish Government guidance on international travel and quarantine (updated regularly)
• UK Government Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office foreign travel advice (updated regularly)
• Transport Scotland guidance on travelling safely (updated regularly)
• Scottish Government Mandatory wearing of face coverings on public transport (22 June)
• Scottish Government tourism and hospitality sector guidance (updated regularly)
• Scottish Government guidance for campsites, holiday parks, caravan sites, motorhome hire businesses and their users (22 July 2020)
• Competition and Markets Authority open letter to all businesses involved in organising package holidays for UK consumers(10 July 2020)
• Scottish Tourism Recovery Taskforce recommendations for supporting the tourism sector’s recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. (23 October 2020)
• Scottish Government guidance on driving and motorcycle lessons (updated regularly)
• Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency guidance for driving instructors and motorcycle trainers (updated regularly)
• Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency guidance for driving theory tests (updated regularly)
• Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency guidance for driving tests (updated regularly)

Funding and Support