Background
On 30th December 2019 a leaked message between a group of medical practitioners in China’s Wuhan City, alerted the public to what escalated into the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lockdown
Covid-19 was made into a notifiable disease on 22nd February 2020, just a few days before the first outbreak in Scotland (linked to a Nike conference in Edinburgh, although typical of government mentality this information was not made public until after a BBC documentary on 11th May). The first Scottish fatality was confirmed on 13th March.
The ensuing imposition on 23rd March 2020 of a UK-wide lockdown resulted in the banning of all social events, and the prohibition of public gatherings of two or more people – excluding households, or for essential work related purposes. As well as school closures, communal places such as libraries, playgrounds and places of worship were also closed. The government stipulated that the only permissible reasons for leaving home were:
- to shop for basic necessities – daily at most.
- to take exercise - daily at most (alone or with your household).
- for medical reasons.
- for essential work which could not be undertaken from home.
Hence, recreational events such as weekly Hashes (organised by a worldwide community of local chapters of the Hash House Harriers) were no longer feasible. Whilst web conferencing platforms have enabled the introduction of Virtual Hashes as a valuable substitute means of keeping Hashers connected, unfortunately this is bereft of the excercise aspect and the challenge of unravelling the trail of flour. It is unable to offer the satisfaction afforded through the collective achievement of a communal goal.
In the UK the first Covid-19 death was recorded on 5th March. Following an exponential trajectory the daily figure for 23rd March was 76, and continued to reach a peak in mid April at around 1,000 fatalities per day [see coronavirus.data.gov.uk/deaths]. Within Scotland (the coutry of concern to this website) the 7 day average of the daily fatalities at the time of this peak was about 55 according to Public Health Scotland (PHS), or about 94 according to The National Records of Scotland (NRS).
[PHS reported deaths (initially restricting the scope to those in hospitals) refers to the total number of individuals who died within 28 days of their first laboratory confirmed report of Covid-19 infection, but of course not all persons dying as a result of Covid-19 had prior testing. The National Records of Scotland (NRS) figures for Coronavirus deaths are those for which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate (but might not have been the major factor). The initially significantly higher NRS figures compare more closely with the excess deaths experienced during the pandemic (versus those calculated from a five-year average). However, after the first few months the PHS and NRS figures became relatively comparable]
In mid April occupancy of critical care beds in England peaked at around 58% of capacity (Scotland and Wales briefly exceed 40%).
Following a steady reduction from the aforementioned peak, the Scottish Government considered on 29th May that sufficient progress had been made in suppressing the virus to enable moving to the first phase (of 4) of its route map for moving out of Lockdown. At this time daily fatalities according to NRS were 19 (with 3,900 cumulative deaths) and according to PHS were 13 (with 2,350 cumulative deaths).
Phase 1
The public are asked to exercise their judgement and to follow the ‘rules’ contained within the 28th May Advice and Guidance publication ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19) Phase 1: staying at home and away from others (physical distancing)’]. Hopefully the request to exercise their judgement will provide individuals with the opportunity to consider whether in some instances a risk based decision might be more appropriate than a rules based decision.
The resumption of activities was permitted at most outdoor workplaces, and food outlets, restaurants and cafes were permitted to provide delivery, take-away and drive-through food options. Public outdoor spaces could now be used for recreational purposes. One significant relaxation for 'non-shielders' was that on any given day household members could now take part in outdoor recreation with members of one other consenting household (8 person max, and 2 metres physical distancing applies). The document affirmed the individual’s right to travel locally in order to participate in (unlimited) exercise or non-contact outdoor leisure activities. The reason inferred for the ‘stay local’ advice was ‘to avoid crowded places where physical distancing may be difficult’. A 5 miles radius was offered as a suggestion only, in effect becoming a minimum distance which would be undisputedly regarded as local (irrespective of whether in Glasgow or Sutherland). However, in many cases, availing themselves of their pre-existing arrangements for participating in permissible outdoor leisure activities (such as angling, archery, gliding, golf, horse riding, watersports) would necessitate journeying further than 5 miles, and sensibly no fixed upper limit was mandated, with individuals being advised to use their judgment. Note also that it was acceptable to travel outside one's local area to meet members of another household in an outdoor space.
Phase 2
19th June saw the commencement of a series of staged Phase 2 relaxations. Daily fatalities were by now reduced to 7 (NRS), or 3 (PHS).
From 19th June the ‘rules’ now permit that on each day any individual household may meet with up to two other households outdoors, either together or separately, and where the meeting is in someone’s garden it is now permissible to access the household toilet. It does not always have to be the same households that meet. A somewhat quirky ‘extended household’ relaxation, in that it only applies to anyone who lives on their own (or lives only with children under the age of 18), is that in addition such member may meet people from one (and only one) other household indoors, with no physical distancing, and can stay overnight. Those who are shielding are not party to the above relaxations, but are instead now given latitude to meet outdoors with one other household, and may henceforth exercise outdoors.
From 22nd June face coverings will be mandatory on public transport (includes, planes, taxis and private hire cabs, as well as enclosed areas on ferries). Dentists may tend patients with urgent care needs, and places of worship will reopen (for individual reflections).
From 29th June, some currently closed factories, labs and warehouses, can begin re-opening, and optometry practices may provide essential services. Outdoor markets will be able to re-open, along with all ‘non-essential’ shops provided they have outdoor entrances and exits. Other permitted re-openings include outdoor sports courts and playgrounds, zoos and garden attractions, and registration offices (for essential business). Some restrictions on outdoor marriage or civil partnership ceremonies, or on moving house, are also lifted.
From 3rd July the advisory five miles travel restriction applying to leisure activities is lifted. Children under the age of 12 are now exempted from social distancing while outdoors, and the daily quota of separate groups that under 18s may interact with (outdoors) becomes unrestricted. Self-contained holiday lodgings (such as cottages with no shared facilities) can now open.
From 6th July outdoor hospitality spaces are permitted to open.
