Further update – for Tuesday 7th July – from Councillor Fraser Macpherson (West End) and Councillor Craig Duncan (Broughty Ferry)
PHASE 3 AND 2 METRE GUIDANCE
At the end of this week, we may enter phase three of the routemap. In general, the 2-metre guidance will remain in place, but hospitality, retail and public transport may be allowed to operate on 1-metre if they agree to the implementation of measures such as improved ventilation; perspex screens; customer flow and seating plans.
It would also include the collection of names and addresses of customers, to help with contact tracing. However, until then the 2-metre remains in place and even if the change is made everyone else should keep to the 2-metre guidance.
NEW GUIDANCE
Children aged 11 and under are now able to play outdoors, without physical distancing, in groups of up to eight and of no more than two other households. This means they can now hug their grandparents and play with friends.
Children aged 12 to 17 should continue to physically distance but can meet in groups of up to eight outdoors and no more than two other households at a time.
There is no limit placed on the total number of households children can meet in one day, enabling siblings to meet separate groups or friends, or to meet groups in addition to those their parents or carers may take part in.
The five-mile limit for leisure travel has been lifted.
Restrictions have been lifted on self-catering which includes caravan and campervan parks, lodges and second homes. You can still travel to areas in the Dumfries area for a booked holiday but please note that the 5-mile travel limit still applies within that area.
Outdoor hospitality including beer gardens and pavement cafes were to start trading from yesterday – Monday 6th July.
Face coverings will be mandatory in retail settings from Friday 10th July.
SCHOOLS
A national decision has been taken for schools to reopen for staff from 10th August 2020 and pupils from 11th August 2020.
Dundee City Council’s agreed start date for session 2020/21 was one week later. Agreement has been reached by the Dundee Negotiating Committee for Teachers in relation to school terms, holidays and in-service days that have arisen following the decision by the Scottish Government for all Scottish Schools to re-open on 11 August 2020.
Impact for previously agreed Calendar for 2020/2021
• The week of Monday 10th to Sunday 16th August 2020 will be added to the 2020/2021 calendar.
• Monday 10th and Tuesday 11th August 2020 will both become in-service days for staff.
• Return of pupils will be Wednesday 12th August 2020.
• The in-service day on Thursday 12th November will be moved to accommodate the extra in-service day to Tuesday 11th August 2020.
• The seven week holiday has been realigned from 2019/2020 to 2020/2021 giving an end of term date as Friday 25th June 2021, a move from Friday 2nd July 2021.
This will ensure that all schools in Dundee, Angus and Perth and Kinross start back on the same date, August 12th. This also provides schools with one additional days preparation before schools restart which will be supportive to schools in light of the recent Scottish Government announcement on the planning now being around all pupils starting back together from the beginning of the new school session.
CHILDCARE
Willie Rennie MSP, Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader, has asked repeatedly about childcare, especially over the summer, for thousands of parents returning to work. If parents are being asked by the government to return to work, the government has a duty to ensure there is enough childcare for them.
Willie takes a cautious approach on easing the lockdown because he wants people to be safe but the new plan to ease the lockdown remains disjointed. Parents are being asked to go back to work by the government when childminders and nurseries are limited in capacity until the middle of July.
Outdoor children’s summer clubs and activities are also not allowed to open yet.
He will continue to press the government for a joined-up plan.
CARE HOME VISITING
Care home residents are now able to receive visitors outside.
A single nominated visitor wearing a face covering face covering can meet a care home resident out of doors.
Controlled indoor visits and wider use of communal areas by residents might be introduced later but only if the home has been COVID-free throughout the pandemic or if all affected residents have fully recovered and no residents have had symptoms for 28 days.
SHIELDING CHILDREN
New evidence indicates most children with conditions including asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and kidney disease do not need to continue to shield and can, for example, return to school as it reopens.
No child or young person will be removed from the shielding list until a discussion has been held with their clinical team which will take place throughout July.
UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE
There’s new guidance for universities and colleges on how to manage returning students in the autumn. This includes physical layout, teaching, hygiene and communication.
WORSHIP
This week places of worship may be able to re-open for communal prayer.
SCREENING
Some NHS Scotland national screening programmes are set to resume safely, carefully and in a series of stages. Anyone who was invited for cervical screening before the pause and was yet to make an appointment or had their appointment cancelled will be able to contact their GP practice to make an appointment.
Appointment invitations and reminders will be posted from mid-July, with invitations sent first to those who receive more frequent (non-routine) cervical screening appointments. Routine screening will recommence once NHS Scotland has caught up with non-routine appointments affected by the pause.
PAVEMENT CAFES
There’s new planning advice for cafes and pubs wishing to use pavements and outdoor areas.
SOCIAL CARE WORKERS SUPPORT
There’s a new fund for care workers to help if they are ill or self-isolating due to coronavirus.
PLAYPARKS
Play parks are open again.
FUNERALS
The number of people permitted to attend a funeral service has increased from 6 to 20.
INFORMATION
UK Government news: www.gov.uk/search/news-and-communications
Scottish Government Updates: www.gov.scot/news
Dundee City Council updates: www.dundeecity.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19
Covid community helpline for food, shopping, prescriptions, finances, personal care: People in Dundee on the shielded list only – 0300 123 1403. People in Dundee who are vulnerable but not on the shielded list – 0800 111 4000
NHS Inform – https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19
NHS Tayside website: www.nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk
Helpline for those who do not have symptoms but are looking for general health advice Tel: 0800 028 2816.
Health Protection Scotland Guidance – www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/a-to-z-of-topics/covid-19
Federation of Small Businesses: www.fsb.org.uk/coronavirus
Helpline for small businesses, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm. Tel: 0300 303 0660.
Ready Scotland Information – www.readyscotland.org/coronavirus
Tayside Cares – www.taysidecares.co.uk
SUPPORT AND ADVICE
This is an anxious and uncertain time but we want you to know that we are here to try to help constituents in whatever way that we can.
CONTACT DETAILS
WEST END WARD – Bailie Fraser Macpherson
Phone – Dundee 459378 (home)
E-mail – fraser.macpherson@dundeecity.gov.uk
Facebook updates : www.facebook.com/dundeewestend
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