The Temple of Theseus, Pitfour Lake, near Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire
The Temple of Theseus
Peterhead Info
Scottish government’s the 4 phases plan.
What are the four phases of the Scottish government’s plan?
Phase 1 – (yesterday) early learning and childcare and schools open for Primary 1-3 pupils and senior phase pupils for essential practical work. Limited increase in the provision for vulnerable children.
Care homes opening to facilitate meaningful contact between relatives/ friends and residents.
Phase 2 – (unlikely before 15 March) – More school reopening – Non-contact outdoor group sports for 12-17 year olds. Socialising rules eased, to allow outdoor meetings of 4 people from 2 households.
Phase 3 – (at least three weeks later – possibly 5 April) Stay-at-Home requirement removed.
Third and final phase of schools reopening if required. Places of worship can open on a restricted numbers basis.
Essential retailers list expanded slightly and click-and-collect resumes for non-essential retail.
Phase 4 – possibly 26 April) Limited other easing within Level 4, including permitting non-essential work in people’s homes. Return to variable Levels approach.
This will enable the graduated opening up of economic and social activity.
Numbers who can meet outdoors set to be increased next month
The first minister emphasises how she hopes more pupils will return to school in Scotland from 15 March.
This will involve getting the remainder of primary school pupils and more senior phase secondary pupils back into the classroom for at least part of their learning.
Ms Sturgeon adds that she also hopes to restart outdoors non contact group sports for 12-17 year olds in this phase.
And it is hoped the limit on outdoor mixing between households will be increased from four people from a maximum of two households.
SUMMARY:
The reopening of Scotland‘s economy – including shops, bars, restaurants, gyms and hairdressers – is expected to start in the last week of April, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
FM said there would be a “progressive easing” of restrictions before then, with four people from two households allowed to meet outdoors from 15 March.
All primary and more secondary school pupils could return from that date.
It is hoped to lift the stay at home restriction on 5 April.
Ms Sturgeon said it would be necessary to “rely very heavily” on restrictions to suppress the virus for “a bit longer”.
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Quarantine hotels and managed Isolation
Quarantine hotels to come in to force for international travellers arriving in Scotland from Monday 15 February
All arrivals to Scotland from outside the Common Travel Area must book and pay for managed isolation in quarantine hotels to help protect against the importation of Coronavirus (COVID-19) from 15 February.
Six hotels close to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports with a combined capacity of 1,300 rooms will be used to implement the quarantine at a cost of £1,750 per individual traveller. Final costs for those not travelling alone are currently being worked through, as well as the details for a Managed Isolation Welfare Fund which will be launched for those who cannot afford the charge.
All arrivals must quarantine for at least ten days and will be tested twice for the virus – once on day two and once on day eight after arrival.
Existing travel exemptions will be strengthened, including limiting overseas training for elite sportspeople to athletes and coaches preparing for the Olympics and Paralympics.
A small number of arrivals will not be required to isolate, such as those involved in essential supply chains for goods coming into Scotland.
The Scottish Government will continue to engage with airports and discussions to secure a four nations approach to contracting the security, transport and accommodation services required are already underway.
As regulations to support the introduction of managed isolation are developed a range of offences and penalties to help ensure compliance will be considered.
It is still the case that all non-essential international travel is not permitted.
In a statement to Parliament the Transport Secretary urged the UK Government to match the comprehensive approach being taken by the Scottish Government.
Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said
To manage the risk of importing new variants, and to give vaccine deployment the best chance of bringing us closer to normality here in Scotland, we have to place further limits on international travel.
The UK Government has only committed to adopting this for travellers returning from “red list” countries. However, we know that is not sufficient and we will go further.
The clinical advice is clear that a comprehensive system of managed quarantine is essential to minimise the impact of new COVID-19 variants.
Peterhead Roadworks.
Peterhead Roadworks on 15 Ugie street, Peterhead.
Temporary restriction of traffic on road.
Start Date/Time 10 Feb 2021
End Date/Time 10 Feb 2021
Location roadworks: Outside 15 Ugie street, Peterhead, either side of road. For 1 Days
Access will be provided for emergency and vehicles requiring access to properties but may be subject to delay until the road is cleared of construction plant to allow safe passage through the work.
Any queries please contact Sunbelt Rentals – 0370 050 0792
RNLI PETERHEAD INVOLVED IN RESCUE 5 LIVES
RNLI Peterhead Lifeboat involved in epic rescue saving five lives
The alarm was raised at 4.30pm when a fishing vessel was towing another fishing vessel into Peterhead Harbour and the tow broke numerous times due to the stormy weather conditions.
Tasked by HM Coastguard, the volunteer crew rushed to the Station, launched Peterhead’s Tamar-class lifeboat The Misses Robertson of Kintail and were on scene within minutes. The vessel was dangerously close to crashing into the rocks at Peterhead South Breakwater and due to an easterly gale and significant swell combined with a backwash the conditions were extremely challenging when the lifeboat arrived.
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However, the crew established a tow at the first attempt and brought the fishing vessel and its crew back to safety in tough and time critical conditions, saving the five lives onboard.
It was Patrick Davidson’s first shout as Coxswain.
He said:
“This was a really tremendous effort by the crew showing great teamwork and seamanship by all involved in really difficult conditions. If we had arrived seconds later the boat would have hit the rocks and it may have been a different outcome.
“As soon as I saw how close she was to the rocks I immediately requested the helicopter – due to the perilous situation I realised we only had one attempt to get this right.
“The crew and the skipper of the boat could not thank the lifeboat enough and said they’d be forever grateful which makes all the effort worthwhile.
“There has been weather and flood warnings in place across Aberdeenshire today – the conditions were very dangerous but everyone worked together to ensure the safest outcome.”
Jurgen Wahle, Lifeboat Operations Manager, commended the crew for their quick and crucial efforts to save lives at sea. He said: “This was really a phenomenal performance by all involved, showcasing great leadership from Pat on his first shout as Coxswain and excellent teamwork from the rest of the crew.
“This was a critical incident and the effort from everyone on shore and at sea has resulted in five lives being saved. It is a tremendous outcome, and I’d like to commend the bravery displayed by the crew.”
Peterhead Roadworks, begin work from 8/02/2021
Peterhead roadworks, Queen street Restriction to traffic, begin work from 8/02/2021.
𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗗𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞
Start Date/Time 08 Feb 2021
End Date/Time 21 Feb 2021
Location: Queen street, Peterhead (from 36-48)
For 14 Days
Access will be provided for emergency and vehicles requiring access to properties but may be subject to delay until the road is cleared of construction plant to allow safe passage through the work.
Prohibition of Waiting and Footpath Closure (Access will be maintained to shops)
For any queries please contact Seivwright Brothers Ltd – 01466 751316
Alternative route: St.Peter street, Prince street, Back street, Backgate, Windmill street
More information you can find: https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk
New Help for Seafood Sector
New package for hard-hit seafood sector businesses.
A new £7.75 million funding package will offer support to fishermen, seafood businesses and ports and harbours threatened by the ongoing effects of coronavirus (COVID-19) and EU Exit.
The package includes:
- £6.45 million for the Seafood Producers Resilience Fund which will provide support to eligible shellfish catchers and producers, in addition to trout farmers who have faced issues exporting to the EU and have lost access to domestic food markets as a result of COVID-19
- £1 million to be made available to support the investment plans of ports and harbours faced with a loss of income through landing fees
- up to £300,000 to assist the welfare and emergency support activities of the Fishermen’s Mission in recognition of the hardship facing people working in the sector at this time
Fisheries Secretary Fergus Ewing said:
“In the absence of any further clarity on resilience funding from the UK Government we are stepping in to support the industry and coastal communities across Scotland and ensuring we meet the emergency needs of crews by providing welfare support through the Fishermen’s Mission.
In addition to this funding, last week we also supported calls for a new dedicated task force, and announced funding for two new experts to help businesses navigate the new processes and requirements.
Seafood sector “Both shellfish and trout businesses who have faced losses due to COVID-19 hospitality closures across Europe are now losing products or facing additional costs due to border disruption and new non-tariff barriers. It’s not just exporting, we know this has serious knock-on effects that ripples right through the supply chain from boats struggling to land at ports to not being able to sell their catch.
“The fund for shellfish and trout businesses will help the sector survive the ongoing loss of domestic sales due to COVID-19 and the current immediate challenges of Brexit, giving them some breathing space and allowing businesses to make the changes they need to adapt to the new, tougher, trading realities.”
Full details of the Seafood Producers Resilience Fund will be available on the Marine Scotland section of the Scottish Government website from Friday 5th February.
Funding for new seafood experts to help businesses navigate paperwork was announced by the Rural Economy Secretary last week.
The Scottish Government’s Communities Recovery Fund for community groups, charities, social enterprises and voluntary organisations impacted by COVID-19 and suffering from hardship closes to applications on Friday 12th February.
The UK Government announced a compensation scheme on Tuesday 19th January but has still to set out eligibility detail.
The Scottish seafood industry is highly reliant on exports, particularly to the EU. In 2019, seafood accounted for 57% of Scotland’s overall food exports and had a value of approximately £1.02 billion.
The EU is Scotland’s most significant overseas export market for seafood products, accounting for around three-quarters (76%) of Scottish seafood sector exports in 2019, and worth £777m. Scotland is a net exporter of seafood to the EU, with a trade surplus of £615m in 2019.
Back to school, from 22 February
Back to school – Phased return for some pupils.
Children back to school in early learning and childcare and in primaries 1-3 are now scheduled to make a full return to nurseries and schools from 22 February.
In addition, very limited numbers of pupils in S4-6 will also be able to complete in-school practical work that is essential for completing national qualifications on a part-time basis from the same date
Some children and young people with significant additional support needs will also be prioritised for a return to in-person provision, for those most urgently in need of support.
All other pupils back to school, with the exception of vulnerable children and those of key workers, will continue with remote learning.
To complement the return to in-school teaching, there will be a significant expansion of testing. People who work in schools, early learning and childcare settings attached to schools, and senior phase pupils, will be offered at-home testing two times a week.
When back to school: two metre physical distancing for adults and pupils will be required in secondary schools in the period immediately after a return.
Where required, updated guidance (and associated mitigations) will be published for all relevant settings that allows for the current circumstances and latest scientific advice. All these measures will be kept under regular review.
These decisions will be confirmed on Tuesday 16 February – providing sufficient progress in tackling the virus has been made.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said:
“I appreciate only too well the burden being placed on many families as they navigate this COVID pandemic. I am also acutely aware of the need to maintain teaching and learning wherever possible. In doing so, the health and wellbeing of our children, young people and staff is paramount.
“My priority has been to ensure a safe return for children and young people to school and nursery as quickly as possible. That is why the steps that have been announced today are guided by the advice of the Chief Medical Officer and public health experts. Children and young people will begin a gradual, phased return to classrooms supported by a testing regime and enhanced guidance. A sense of caution underpins the plans unveiled today, but this is essential as we work to return to full time teaching in schools.”
The schedule, subject to confirmation on 16 February, is:
February 22 – Full time return for pre-school children in early learning and childcare settings and children in P1-3.
February 22 – Part time return for senior phase pupils – S4, S5 and S6 – on a limited basis, for essential in-school practical work only. It is intended that there will be no more than 5 – 8% of a secondary school roll physically present at any one time for these purposes.
February 22 – Small increase for additional support needs where there is a demonstrable and immediate need.
All other primary and secondary pupils will continue to use remote learning until at least the beginning of March except in the case of vulnerable children and those of key workers. We will review this position every two weeks.
School age childcare services will also remain open only to vulnerable children and those of key workers pending further scientific advice.
All children who are eligible for free school meals will continue to receive them during this period.
Scotland lockdown, remain until at least the 28th of February.
Scotland lockdown will be extended until at least the end of February, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
Scotland Lockdown: The First Minister says case numbers have “stabilised”, but relaxing the rules could “quickly send the situation into reverse”.
The first minister said that despite COVID-19 case numbers having “stabilised and even declined”, any relaxation of the rules while infection rates remain high could “quickly send the situation into reverse”.
A series of new measures aimed at driving down coronavirus (COVID-19) rates in Scotland have been announced.
Current restrictions, including the ‘stay-at-home’ requirement, are set to remain in place until at least the end of February and schools will continue to be closed to most children for the rest of this month.
Nurseries and Primaries 1 to 3 are, however, now scheduled to return full-time on 22 February, subject to final confirmation two weeks from now that sufficient progress in tackling the virus has been achieved.
In an update to Parliament the First Minister confirmed that a managed quarantine system for anyone who arrives directly into Scotland regardless of which country they have come from will be introduced as soon as practicably possible.
In addition to guarding against the increased importation of new cases, access to testing to find cases and interrupt transmission already taking place in Scotland will be stepped up:
- from the middle of February, routine testing of healthcare workers will be expanded to cover patient-facing primary care workers such as GPs, dentists, optometrists and pharmacists, as will testing for all patient-facing staff who work in hospices
- from later this month, regular testing will be offered to support the return to schools and nurseries. Senior phase secondary school students, and all staff in primary, secondary and special schools, including school-based ELC staff, will be able to benefit from routine at-home testing two times a week
- certain workplaces where the risk of transmission is greater and which provide essential or critical services, such as those within the food processing and distribution sectors and staff within emergency service control rooms, will also be supported to introduce routine workforce testing
- targeted community testing will continue to be expanded – so that testing is available to people locally, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms
- from mid-February tests will also be offered to all close contacts of people who have tested positive for COVID-enabling Test and Protect teams to identify their contacts and track, and break further, chains of transmission
In order to promote people’s ability to self-isolate when necessary, financial support will be significantly expanded to include all workers earning the Real Living Wage or less, as well as those in receipt of a council tax reduction because of low income. The £500 Self-Isolation Support Grant will also be extended to people who cannot work because someone they have caring responsibilities for is asked to self-isolate.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:
“As levels of the virus continue to fall in Scotland, it becomes ever more important that we stop the virus from being imported again. The threat of new variants is real and we must be ever-more vigilant.
“That is why we intend to introduce a managed quarantine requirement for anyone who arrives directly into Scotland, regardless of which country they have come from.
“We want to work with the UK Government to avoid travellers sidestepping restrictions and arriving in other parts of the UK before travelling to Scotland, however the most effective approach to prevent this and to stop new variants being imported is for the UK Government to introduce a compulsory quarantine for anyone travelling into the UK from overseas.
“Since we still have work to do these measures will not be introduced this week and more detail will follow shortly.
“We believe that targeted community testing can play a particularly valuable role in communities where prevalence is starting to rise rapidly which is why we have expanded our testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission.
“Lockdown is starting to slow down the virus. But we also need to pick up the pace in our vaccination programme. We are doing that and will accelerate the programme further over the next fortnight – providing that we have sufficient supplies of the vaccine – as we work towards being able to vaccinate 400,000 people a week by the end of the month. We are making rapid progress in protecting those who are most at risk from COVID-19.”
On schooling, the First Minister added:
“I am acutely aware of the pressure school closures is putting on working parents and on family life more generally.
“Our room for manoeuvre, given the current state of the pandemic, is limited. But the government is determined to use every inch of headroom we have to get children back to school.
“Based on the advice of our expert advisers, if we all agree to abide with the lockdown restrictions for a bit longer so that our progress in suppressing the virus continues, we can begin a phased, albeit gradual, return to school from 22 February.”