Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[Billy Jean King]

Personally it won't make much difference to me either way, avoiding a quick 30 euro test before flying home and a slightly cheaper test on day 2 after getting home. I can understand how it would mount up for families though, and I wish they'd just get rid of them altogether unless you feel ill, if you're double jagged.

It's been confirmed. Just on bbc news

[Dawson Park Boy]

2 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

Think it would be hard not to go the 4 nation route after saying this a few days ago..

Personally it won't make much difference to me either way, avoiding a quick 30 euro test before flying home and a slightly cheaper test on day 2 after getting home. I can understand how it would mount up for families though, and I wish they'd just get rid of them altogether unless you feel ill, if you're double jagged.

Well done though. Your prediction was correct.

[welshbairn]

Quote

Scotland to align with UK testing regime.

Testing for inbound international travel is to be eased and will align with the UK following consideration of the logistical, health and economic implications, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson has said.

Pre-departure tests for fully vaccinated travellers will be removed. 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. 

For practical purposes, Scotland will also align with the UK post-arrival testing regime. Details for the UK are still being finalised and we will continue to engage with the UK Government ahead of confirmation as soon as possible.

Separately, in consultation with Public Health Scotland, the Scottish Government will consider how additional safeguards and surveillance of inward travel can be implemented to guard against the importation of new variants. This will be at no cost to travellers. Details will be set out in due course.

Last week, the Scottish Government announced how restrictions put in place to protect public health have been substantially revised to make travel simpler, with green and amber classifications merged while the red list is retained for those countries deemed to have high COVID19 case rates or variants of concern. 

Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said:

“We have concerns that the UK Government’s proposals to remove the requirement for a pre-departure test for some travellers could weaken our ability to protect the public health of Scotland’s communities.

“However, we also recognise that not having UK wide alignment causes significant practical problems and creates disadvantages for Scottish businesses. Also, if non alignment led to travellers to Scotland choosing to route through airports elsewhere in the UK, the public health benefits of testing would be undermined in any event.

“We have urgently considered all these implications, weighing any possible impact on the public health and the logistical realities. After liaising at length with stakeholders from the aviation sector to understand the impact of adopting a different approach in Scotland, we have reluctantly concluded that, for practical reasons, alignment with the UK is the best option.

“The new proposals make clear pre-departure tests will no longer be a requirement. We also intend to align with the UK post-arrival testing regime. The detail of that is still being developed with lateral flow tests being considered and we will engage further with the UK Government on those plans. Details will be announced at the same time as the UK.

“Lastly, the importance of guarding against new variants entering the country can’t be ignored. We will therefore be considering, with Public Health Scotland, the implementation of additional public health surveillance around international travel. We would intend this to be at no cost to travellers.”

Background

The traffic light system of checks for international travel put in place to protect the public health comes to an end on 4 October.

Travellers from red list countries, and those that haven’t been fully vaccinated, will need to comply with existing restrictions.

 

 

[101]

6 minutes ago, Melanius Mullarkey said:

So you dont know or check the source of the stuff you post on here then?

Colour me surprised. 

I would think the volume of posts would have to drop if they checked sources

[BigDoddyKane]

4 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

 

Cheers WB, Your posts on this topic made it a lot easier for me to follow whats going on. Just need to hear the final details and when it will start

Edited September 24, 2021 by BigDoddyKane

[Billy Jean King]

Good to see acknowledgment that a decision has been taken on economic grounds ahead of public health. Another step in the right direction. Canaries in November feeling ever closer.

[welshbairn]

11 minutes ago, Dawson Park Boy said:

Well done though. Your prediction was correct.

You just need the Turks to get their arses in gear now. 

[ddfg]

But what about all the wee mutant viruses waiting in airports across the world to come over here and wreak havoc. I can see the country back in lockdown for Christmas if this lack of caring more continues. 

[Lyle Lanley]

Is that another u turn by the SG due to the backlash over this in the past week?

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

2 hours ago, Detournement said:

https://www.newsweek.com/wuhan-lab-wanted-genetically-enhance-bat-viruses-study-human-risks-documents-show-1631784

The fifth coronavirus in human history just happened to jump from bats to humans at the same time as this experiment.....

Ive never been sold on the wet market coincidence thing, is it possible that they did release a lab engineered virus in a cave to infect bats, yes, could it be that one of the bats in this cave ended up as bushmeat, yes, did the chinese government do everything they could to minimise any investigation, absofuckinlutely, yet we haven’t added any significant sanctions or anything. Should be seizing chinese assets and state owned companies bases and products in the UK to help pay for this. 

[welshbairn]

Just now, Lyle Lanley said:

Is that another u turn by the SG due to the backlash over this in the past week?

No, like NI and Wales they said they were going to take a few days to think it over after a rushed decision in London following a last minute cabinet meeting.

[welshbairn]

1 minute ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

Ive never been sold on the wet market coincidence thing, is it possible that they did release a lab engineered virus in a cave to infect bats, yes, could it be that one of the bats in this cave ended up as bushmeat, yes, did the chinese government do everything they could to minimise any investigation, absofuckinlutely, yet we haven’t added any significant sanctions or anything. Should be seizing chinese assets and state owned companies bases and products in the UK to help pay for this. 

If it does turn out to be a lab leak, thank f**k we didn't find out till after Trump was gone. 

[Melanius Mullarkey]

7 minutes ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

Should be seizing chinese assets and state owned companies bases and products in the UK to help pay for this. 

You first then. 

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Just now, Melanius Mullarkey said:

You first then. 

I mean if youre giving me the go ahead I bagsy HSBC.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

5 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

If it does turn out to be a lab leak, thank f**k we didn't find out till after Trump was gone. 

He wouldnt nuke them unless Putin said it was ok.

[Abdul_Latif]

43 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

Think it would be hard not to go the 4 nation route after saying this a few days ago..

Personally it won't make much difference to me either way, avoiding a quick 30 euro test before flying home and a slightly cheaper test on day 2 after getting home. I can understand how it would mount up for families though, and I wish they'd just get rid of them altogether unless you feel ill, if you're double jagged.

It’s a pain in the hole for quick city breaks as well tbh. 
 

Happy to see it announced this afternoon and credit to SG for letting sense prevail.

Edited September 24, 2021 by Abdul_Latif

[effeffsee_the2nd]

• 3,667 new cases of COVID-19 reported
• 46,217 new tests for COVID-19 that reported results
  • 8.5% of these were positive
• 50 new reported death(s) of people who have tested positive
• 79 people were in intensive care yesterday with recently confirmed COVID-19
• 1,011 people were in hospital yesterday with recently confirmed COVID-19
• 4,168,278 people have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccination and 3,820,182 have received their second dose

Dull yin for deaths today , otherwise not bad

[DeeTillEhDeh]

48 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

Scotland to align with the English travel testing rules from 4 October. Sensible decision.

It would have been more sensible if it had been done a week ago.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

1 minute ago, DeeTillEhDeh said:

It would have been more sensible if it had been done a week ago.

Absolutely, the damage done to Scottish Airports with the decreased confidence in travel regulation here will be massive. I know ive booked future holidays in and out of English airports because of the uncertaintity. 

[DeeTillEhDeh]

Just now, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

Absolutely, the damage done to Scottish Airports with the decreased confidence in travel regulation here will be massive. I know ive booked future holidays in and out of English airports because of the uncertainty. 

Absolutely - especially with the October school holidays coming up.

That's a week of bookings made where a lot of folk who would have flown from Scottish Airports will fly from England instead.