Covid-19: £19 million financial support for close contact services in Scotland
By Chloe Randall | 06 January 2022 | Movers & Shakers, News
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced £19 million of financial support specifically for the close contact services sector in Scotland, including hair and beauty businesses.
The First Minister said local authorities are currently working to get money into bank accounts as quickly as possible and British Beauty Council and BABTAC will provide updates on this as soon as possible.
For employees, it was also announced that the £500 Self Isolation Support Grant will again be made available to those on low incomes if contacted by NHS Test and Protect and asked to self-isolate.
The First Minister also outlined changes to self-isolation requirements. Until now anyone who tested positive for Covid-19, regardless of vaccination status, had to still self-isolate for 10 days. However, from today (6 January), new cases will be advised that they can end self-isolation if they don’t have a fever and test negative on a Lateral Flow Device on Day 6 and again at least 24 hours later.
In addition, triple vaccinated close contacts of those who test positive, both household and non-household, or those under the age of 18 and four months, do not need to isolate as long as they return a negative LFD test result each day for seven consecutive days, and remain fever free.