National Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown announcement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon sparks plea by Age Scotland for Highland communities to pull together once again
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A CHARITY for the elderly has urged Highlanders to once again pull together to support one another following news that the country is heading back into a full Covid-19 lockdown.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that lockdown restrictions similar to those introduced in the spring – when people were forbidden from leaving home for anything other than shopping and exercise – will take effect at midnight tonight.
The action comes amid a surge in coronavirus cases across the UK. And, while Scotland's rate of infection is currently lower than other parts of the UK, the First Minister warned that a lack of action now risked catapulting the country into similar hardships experienced elsewhere.
Responding to the news of the new national lockdown, which will run until at least the end of January, Age Scotland's head of policy and communications, Adam Stachura, said: “At the beginning of the pandemic, we saw an incredible outpouring of support, with people volunteering across the country to help with food delivery, collecting prescriptions – or simply a friendly phone call or doorstep chat.
"With shielding guidance expected soon, many older people may once again need help getting food and other essentials. We hope to see a continuation of this community support and would urge people to look out for older friends, neighbours and relatives they know will be affected by this guidance."
He added: “These [lockdown] measures are no doubt necessary to get to grips with the rapid spread of the virus. However, this return to a national lockdown similar to March of last year will be a bitter pill to swallow, particularly for the hundreds of thousands of older people living alone.
“The thought of enduring another lockdown without face-to-face contact with family or friends will be extremely difficult but this is clearly not a decision that has been taken lightly.
“We have seen the toll this virus has already taken on Scotland’s older population and, while the continuation of the vaccine roll-out offers some peace of mind, the new faster spreading variant is cause for concern and makes these new measures essential.
“The past year has proven that periods of prolonged isolation can have a profound impact on mental and physical health but, by reaching out and offering support where possible, we can all play our part in alleviating the impact of lockdown loneliness."
He also called for winter action plans to be made available.
“Back in October, we asked the Scottish Government to develop a winter action plan to support older people, particularly if we had another lockdown," he continued. "It is vital that they make available and ensure a full range of support to those who need help with accessing food, and medical attention and prescriptions. These were considerable challenges for older people last spring and they mustn’t have the same difficulty this time around.
“We want older people to know that we are there for them. Our free Helpline is available to offer advice, information and friendship to anyone who needs it. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 0800 12 44 222. As we re-enter a state of national lockdown, older people need to know they are not facing this difficult period alone.”
Related news: Full lockdown starts at midnight
Related news: Ross MSP calls on people to 'stay at home and save lives'
