Council Leader Urges Glasgow to 'Stay The Course'

The fact Glasgow's infection rates have stayed high and caused the city to stay in level three is "hugely disappointing" according to the Leader of Glasgow City Council.

Councillor Susan Aitken met this morning with the Deputy First Minister and make representation on behalf of citizens and businesses in the city.

She made it clear that the financial support offered to Glasgow businesses has not been sufficient during this current outbreak and has also requested a meeting between the Deputy First Minister and city business representatives.

This comes after a Covid-19 surge testing team in the south of the city made contact with thousands of households handing out 15 323 PCR test kits in the worst affected postcode areas. This is in addition to over 50 000 Lateral Flow Tests (LFT) which have been ordered by individuals in the last week and 32 000 additional LFT kits which are being mailed to all households in the G41 and G42 areas.

Councillor Aitken said: "It's hugely disappointing that Glasgow is not yet be able to move into Level 2.

"Of course, we all want to be able to see more of our friends and family and get businesses back to work. However, the recent rise in cases within Glasgow - and, in particular, the cluster in the south of the city - demonstrate just what a difficult and dangerous situation we still face.

"The way to move the city to level two is to deal with this outbreak. Over the last week, the city has made a huge effort to fight back, by ramping up community testing and vaccination. I really appreciate the positive response we have had from Glaswegians - but these interventions won't work overnight.

"As a city, we have to stay the course and stick to the rules. By doing that, taking regular tests and getting vaccinated, we can get Glasgow back on track."

Thousands of homes in Pollokshields East and West have been visited by teams led by the city's Health & Social Care Partnership. The teams went door-to-door handing out free PCR testing kits to residents as part of a major operation to try to stem the surge in cases.

In the past two days, over 15,000 PCR test kits have been hand-delivered to addresses in the worst affected southside postcode areas by a team of around 130 Glasgow Home Care staff, NHS nurses, British Red Cross volunteers and contractors who also handed out test kits at Pollokshields East train station and to shoppers at a local cash and carry - encouraging everyone with or without symptoms to get tested.

Pollokshields residents were asked to self-administer the tests in their own homes (not on the doorstep) then drop the kit off for analysis at a network of collection points across the southside. Vulnerable residents are being assisted to carry out tests by nurses from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

In addition, three new mobile testing units have been set up on the southside offering Covid tests to residents and those who work in the area. The testing sites bolster existing testing centres in the area and are based at Langside Halls, Langside Avenue; Queens Park Bowls & Tennis Pavilion and in the car park of The Quay, Springfield Quay, G5.

Almost 32,000 Lateral Flow Tests are also dropping through southside letterboxes after being mailed out to all residents in the G41 and G42 postcode areas by the Covid response team. Everyone without symptoms is being asked to test themselves regularly, as you can have Covid without realising and spread it to other people unintentionally.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is also inviting people aged 18-39 who live in G41, G42, G5, G51 and G52 for Covid jabs at a new vaccination centre set up this week in Glasgow's Central Mosque. Appointment letters and text messages are being sent out by the health board. Please attend for vaccination if contacted. If  you have missed an appointment, please rearrange at the earliest opportunity, particularly if you are in one of the priority groups.

Anyone in vaccine priority groups 1-9 who missed their original appointment is being asked to come forward to arrange their vaccination. This includes everyone 50 or over, adults on the shielding list, anyone with underlying health conditions and unpaid carers.

Invitations have been issued to everyone aged 40 or over, with 30 to 39 year olds starting to be invited now. In the specific areas of Glasgow affected by the current outbreak, all 18 to 39 year olds are being invited with older age groups first. Please call the national COVID-19 vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013 to arrange your appointment. Further information on the vaccine and testing can be found at www.NHSinform.scot

Anyone who needs help while self-isolating can call the Glasgow Helps phoneline on 0141 276 1185 (Freephone 0800 111 4000). Please leave a message if you can't get through and someone will call you back.