City of Edinburgh Council Depute Leader Cammy Day has welcomed the news that all of mainland Scotland will move to a modified Level Zero from next Monday (19 July).
In her announcement to a recalled Scottish Parliament earlier, the First Minister confirmed that all remaining authorities would move down to Level Zero next week, with a number of modifications taking account of the still-high case numbers nationally and the need to allow vaccine rates to catch up further.
Cllr Day said:
It’s very good news that case numbers appear to be falling now but there’s no getting away from the fact they remain uncomfortably high in the city and we have to take action to mitigate the spread. I think residents will share our view that it’s right to go for a more cautious reopening on 19 July so that we can enjoy greater freedoms - but not at a pace which puts our road to recovery at further risk.
Vaccination is the key way we’ll get through this and limit the virus’s impact on people’s health and the ability of hospitals to cope. That’s why I’d reiterate our call for everyone in Edinburgh who’s eligible for their 1st vaccination or is at least eight weeks past their first dose to come forward and get a jag. It’s easier than ever with drop-in vaccinations offered at centres right across the city, as well as the NHS Lothian vaccine bus that’s been touring about high footfall areas.
I know businesses are anxious to get back to normal as quickly as possible and I’m sure there will be disappointment in the hospitality sector about the mandatory midnight closing time. However, it’s crucial we don’t run unnecessary risks while cases are still so high locally. We’ve been working extremely closely with the business community to help advise and support them through and out of this crisis and to highlight all our city has to offer through the Forever Edinburgh promotional campaign. And I very much hope the Scottish Government will continue to support the hospitality industry, which has been on of the hardest hit during this crisis.
Our environmental health teams are supporting businesses to help them understand how they can adapt their premises and working arrangements in line with the latest public health guidance. Meanwhile we've distributed around £250m in funding to businesses, individuals and organisations hit hard by the pandemic. And together with our partners we’re working tirelessly to help deliver as strong, green and fair a recovery for Edinburgh’s economy as possible following the enormous challenges of the past 17 months.
As a Council we’re making good progress on reopening our services. More and more libraries are now open again and from yesterday we began reopening community centres on a phased basis so that youth work and community activities for adults can get up and running once more. The City Art Centre has three fantastic free exhibitions running throughout the summer and we’re progressing plans to reopen our museums as soon as we can.
Regular testing is a really good way for all of us to keep making sure we’re not unwittingly carrying the virus and putting others at risk, especially as one in three cases don’t show any symptoms. You can order testing kits onlinehttps://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests, pick them up in pharmacies or at one of our community testing centres and help us monitor the spread in our communities. And even when we’re able to start meeting up in larger groups, please take care and follow the guidance on ventilation, mask-wearing and hygiene. We can get through this if we all stick together and look after each other.