ZDNet: Contact tracing: Scotland will launch its own app this autumn. “Scotland is working on its own contact-tracing app, which is expected to be available to download in the Apple and Google app stores in the autumn. The announcement follows the release of the StopCOVID NI app last week in Northern Ireland.”
Scotland
British Baker: Ashers Bakery launches Covid-19 Scottish face mask biscuits
British Baker: Ashers Bakery launches Covid-19 Scottish face mask biscuits. “Nairn-based Ashers Bakery has rolled out masked shortbread biscuits that highlight life during the coronavirus pandemic. The Law Abiding Scots biscuits are shortbread people with pink and blue sugar paste masks and kilts. Available at an rsp of £1.29 from Ashers stores and retailers including Scotmid and Spar, they are a ‘coronavirus twist’ on Ashers’ MacGinger biscuits, with gingerbread people wearing kilts.”
The Scotsman: Influencer accused of £200m plot to defraud Edinburgh firm
The Scotsman: Influencer accused of £200m plot to defraud Edinburgh firm. “Ramon Abbas, who has attracted millions of followers on the social media network by sharing images of his lavish lifestyle, is alleged to have conspired to launder hundreds of millions of pounds from frauds known as Business Email Compromise (BEC) and other scams.”
New York Times: In Tackling Coronavirus, Scotland Asserts Its Separateness From England
New York Times: In Tackling Coronavirus, Scotland Asserts Its Separateness From England. “There was nothing particularly festive about Nicola Sturgeon’s recent visit to the Cold Town House, a newly reopened Edinburgh pub, but maybe that was the point. Sipping coffee and surveying plexiglass dividers, Ms. Sturgeon, the leader of Scotland’s government, warned customers not to expect the jolly, sweaty intimacy of nightlife before the coronavirus pandemic.”
The Herald: Glasgow history project unveils digital maps to city’s past
The Herald: Glasgow history project unveils digital maps to city’s past. “Ghost Signs of Glasgow is a volunteer-based project started by the Glasgow Heritage Trust which provides guided tours around the city to discover its past. While lockdown has halted all in-person tours, the group have released digital maps for people to explore Glasgow’s history through fast-disappearing signs across the city.”
Devi Sridhar and Adriel Chen: Why Scotland’s slow and steady approach to covid-19 is working (The BMJ Opinion)
The BMJ Opinion: Devi Sridhar and Adriel Chen: Why Scotland’s slow and steady approach to covid-19 is working. “In April 2020, the Scottish government issued a framework for decision-making on covid-19 which notably included that there would be no acceptable number of covid-19 cases, and that no one would be intentionally exposed to this virus. This framework set the objective clearly: to drive the number of cases as close to zero as possible, and from that, a strategy and game plan could be worked out to arrive at the outcome.”
The Scotsman: Face coverings to be made compulsory on Scottish public transport
The Scotsman: Face coverings to be made compulsory on Scottish public transport. “Industry sources said the move is expected to be announced as part of the next phase of lockdown easing. Demand for public transport is expected to increase, such as more shops are allowed to re-open.”
Scotsman: Scots economy shrinks by 19% as COVID lockdown bites
Scotsman: Scots economy shrinks by 19% as COVID lockdown bites. “The official GDP statistics which indicated a 2.5% contraction between January and March are worse than the 2% contraction recorded across the UK as a whole, But the figures only take in the first week of full lockdown at the end of March and the true scale of the recession will be made clear when the figures for the second quarter emerge.”
The Scotsman: Nicola Sturgeon ‘hugely anxious’ about Covid-19 impact on poorest young people as attainment gap analysis suspended
The Scotsman: Nicola Sturgeon ‘hugely anxious’ about Covid-19 impact on poorest young people as attainment gap analysis suspended. “The first minister said she was aware that children and young adults in vulnerable or impoverished settings were being forced to bear a ‘disproportionate impact’ during the pandemic, but stressed to leave “no stone unturned” in ensuring they did not suffer more than those young Scots from more prosperous backgrounds.”
The Scotsman: Smaller care homes faring ‘better’ during Covid-19 pandemic
The Scotsman: Smaller care homes faring ‘better’ during Covid-19 pandemic. “There have been a total of 1,818 deaths linked to the virus in care homes, compared to 1,815 Covid-19 deaths recorded in hospitals. While the number of care home deaths has been declining, down from 124 a fortnight ago to 68 last week, the Scottish Government remains under growing pressure over how it has responded to the crisis.”
Edinburgh News: World War veterans and relatives invited to share stories for Military Museum Scotland project
Edinburgh News: World War veterans and relatives invited to share stories for Military Museum Scotland project . “Veterans of both world wars and their families are invited to share their stories with the Military Museum Scotland for a new project. ‘Boots on the Ground’ will record video interviews for a DVD to teach children about first-hand accounts of the wars in schools around the UK.”
BBC: Schools will be part-time ‘only for as long as required’
BBC: Schools will be part-time ‘only for as long as required’. “Children will be at school part-time ‘as long as required but not a moment longer’ according to the Education Secretary John Swinney. Pupils across Scotland are expected to return to school from 11 August. Initially they will only be in the class part-time so they will also be working from home in a ‘blended learning’ model. Mr Swinney said he took the view that the date of 11 August was set in stone as long as it was safe.”
The Scotsman: Unlocking the treasures that tell the story of the Highlands
The Scotsman: Unlocking the treasures that tell the story of the Highlands. “Highland Objects has been launched to open up the collections of the small independent museums in the Highlands, which are now facing a very uncertain future given the impact of the pandemic and the loss of vistitors from around the world this year. Running online, museums in the Highlands have been asked to put forward their favourite objects with the public to vote on their most loved out of a group of six.
EXCLUSIVE: 30,000 coronavirus test results in Scotland unaccounted for (The Courier)
The Courier: EXCLUSIVE: 30,000 coronavirus test results in Scotland unaccounted for. “A fifth of Scotland’s coronavirus test results are unaccounted for, raising fears the country has thousands more confirmed cases than is being reported. The 30,000 swabs, taken since mid-April, are still being processed in a ‘data exchange’ between the UK Government and Scottish Government. It means Scotland’s confirmed figure of 13,929 is likely to be significantly higher and also casts doubt on recent regional figures.”
The List: Best Scottish online events this week
The List: Best Scottish online events this week. “Aside from stepping outside for some exercise or to purchase essential items, we’re all stuck at home for the foreseeable future. The boredom is setting in for some, but thankfully there are plenty of Scottish online events to keep you and your family busy this week. Read on for some of the best Scotland-based events streaming on various social media platforms this week including live music performances, art classes, quizzes and more.”
