First Minister Nicola Sturgeon spoke at the Scottish Parliament today (February 8) to update the public on the latest covid news.
She touched on the latest covid statistics, stating there there will be a new way of reporting cases as well as vaccination and hospitalisation rates.
In addition, she mentioned that the number of cases of omicron's sub-variant, BA.2, has increased from 26 last week to over one hundred cases.
Her speech comes as the travel sector updated their restrictions in France, Spain and Portugal which saw rules on vaccination being tightened whilst the latter destination saw it being relaxed for those who were fully vaccinated.
So what else did Nicola Sturgeon say in her covid speech today?
Scotland Covid statistics - February 8 2022
- 6,630 positive cases were reported yesterday through PCR and lateral flow tests
- 950 people are in hospital with Covid – eight fewer than yesterday
- 31 people are in intensive care - five fewer than yesterday and includes 13 patients who have been in ICU for more than 28 days
Sadly, a further 14 deaths have been reported, taking the total number of deaths under the daily definition to 10,447.
Covid situation improving in Scotland
Nicola Sturgeon has said that over the last two weeks, "case numbers have remained broadly stable" compared to the previous week where cases had risen by two per cent.
Now the number is declining again with reported cases going from around 7,400 cases a day to just over 7,000 - a fall of five per cent.
In addition to the daily statistics, the Scottish Government have said that data from the Office for National Statics (ONS) offers "reliable information" which shows that around one in 30 people in Scotland had covid.
The FM said: "While this is an improvement on the earlier part of January - and the lowest level of infection of all four UK nations - it also represents something of a plateau compared to the week before and is broadly in line with what the more recent daily data is indicating."
She added: "We are also now, thankfully, starting to see a decline in the number of deaths of people with covid."
New way of reporting covid cases
An "imminent change to the rhythm of reporting" will now mean that the Scottish Government will reduce the number of report data they release for new cases, vaccinations and hospitalisations on Saturdays and Sundays.
The FM explained: "In future, figures for Saturday and Sunday will be published on Monday.
"This reflects the move – we hope – into a calmer phase of the pandemic, and so less of a requirement for immediate data over weekends. However, we will be able to move back to weekend reporting should that become necessary at any stage."
Scotland behind the 'worst wave' of omicron
The FM said that it is "reasonable" that based on the data to "conclude that we are now through the worst of this wave of omicron" adding the situation is now "much more positive than it was at the turn of the year" thanks to a combination of vaccinations, targeted protective measures and the responsible reaction of the public.
Hybrid approach - working from home and the office
The Scottish Government announced that people, where possible, would be able to now start "hybrid working" and moving away from the working from home phase.
This has seen employees work both from home and at the office rather than just from their home as they have been these past two years.
Nicola Sturgeon said that "employers have a particular responsibility to consider the needs of people on the High Risk List in plans for hybrid working" and as a result have added specific workplace guidance for people at higher risk.
Information and support can be found here.
Distance Aware scheme - lanyards available in ASDA and libraries
The Scottish Government have said that free badges and lanyards will be available to people who wish to show others they want additional space and extra care whilst out in public.
The Distance Aware scheme is a voluntary initiative to help those on the Highest Risk List or anyone who feels worried about mixing with others amid the covid pandemic.
The Scottish Government has joined the scheme set up by the Bevan Commission and adapted it following research which showed that almost three quarters (73%) of people on the Highest Risk List said they would like to signal to others to give them extra space.
The badges and lanyards with the easily-recognisable shield symbol will be available free from all community and mobile libraries in Scotland. Badges will also be free from Asda stores.
The FM confirmed that there has been a "good uptake" on the scheme which launched two weeks ago.
They can be ordered from the Scottish Government website for a small postal fee here.
Face masks in the classroom
The FM confirmed that the Advisory Sub-group on Education is meeting this afternoon where they will consider whether secondary school children should continue to wear face coverings in the classroom.
She added: "The Scottish Government will consider carefully any further advice that the sub-group provides, and confirm any decisions as quickly as possible and in advance of the return to school after the February break."
Omicron sub-variant - known as the 'stealth variant'
Last week Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that there were 26 cases of this sub-type in Scotland which was detected through genomic sequencing.
This number has since risen to 103 however, as with the last, it's expected that these figures are a "significant underestimate of actual prevalence" as not all tests are or can be genomically sequenced.
She explained: "In the past week there has been a further increase in the number of PCR test results showing positive for the S gene and a corresponding fall in the number which don’t have the S Gene.
"This is likely to reflect an increase in BA.2 cases which, like delta, are S Gene positive. In cases of the main omicron variant, the S Gene is absent.
"Encouragingly, there remains no evidence at this stage that the disease caused by the BA.2 sub-type is any more severe than that caused by the main omicron variant. Nor does it appear to be any more capable of evading the immunity conferred by vaccination or prior infection.
"However there is evidence, from more than one country now, of a growth advantage for BA.2 compared to the main omicron variant, which may mean it is more transmissible.
"All in all, however, there are no grounds at this stage for any significant concern about BA.2 - and no reason to change our approach in response to it. We will, though, continue to monitor it carefully."
