COVID-19
Latest information and key updates:
3 April
Housing Minister says Scottish Government unlikely to meet 50,000 affordable homes target due to coronavirus outbreak.
SFHA response to minister's comments.
SFHA releases briefing note on combating isolation.
2 April
SFHA updates service delivery briefing.
1 April
MSPs support Emergency Coronavirus Bill.
31 March 2020
Coronavirus (Scotland) Bill introduced to the Scottish Parliament.
SFHA response to the bill.
Scottish Housing Regulator gives landlords more information on changes in response to coronavirus.
SFHA updates health and safety briefing.
30 March 2020
SFHA releases briefing note on social security and Universal Credit.
SFHA updates health and safety briefing.
29 March
Scottish Government issues update on Protection for health and social care staff.
27 March 2020
SFHA releases briefing for social landlords on care and support.
Social distancing enforcement measures in place. Businesses and the public in Scotland are now required by law to follow necessary social distancing measures to slow the spread of coronavirus.
26 March 2020
SFHA releases briefing for social landlords on practical governance advice.
SFHA updates service delivery briefing.
25 March 2020
SFHA releases briefing for social landlords on health and safety
24 March 2020
SFHA convenes Social Housing Resilience Group in response to COVID-19.
UK Coronavirus Bill supported by MSPs.
23 March 2020
SFHA releases briefing for social landlords on service delivery.
20 March 2020
Legislation to bolster COVID-19 response.
Effective ‘lockdown’ introduced
19 March 2020
SFHA releases update message from CEO Sally Thomas.
18 March 2020
- Regulator makes immediate changes to its regulatory approach in response to coronavirus.
- Scottish Government produces guidance for social landlords.
17 March 2020
The PM has said everyone in the UK should avoid "non-essential" travel and contact with others to curb coronavirus.
The key new government measures are:
- Everyone should avoid gatherings and crowded places, such as pubs, clubs and theatres
- Everyone should work from home if they can
- All "unnecessary" visits to friends and relatives in care homes should cease
- People should only use the NHS "where we really need to" - and can reduce the burden on workers by getting advice on the NHS website where possible
- By next weekend, those with the most serious health conditions must be "largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks"
- The UK is now "three weeks" behind Italy - the worst-hit country in Europe
- If one person in any household has a persistent cough or fever, everyone living there must stay at home for 14 days
- Those people should, if possible, avoid leaving the house "even to buy food or essentials" - but they may leave the house "for exercise and, in that case, at a safe distance from others"
- Schools will not be closed for the moment
12 March 2020
Latest advice from Scottish Government says people with symptoms should stay at home.
11 March 2020
No new updates.
10 March 2020
New guidance has been issued aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus in Scotland's workplaces.
The Scottish government's check list for the workplace includes:
- routine cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched objects and surfaces such as telephones, keyboards, door handles, desks and tables
- basic hand washing highlighted as the most effective way of preventing the spread of infection. Hand hygiene promoted by ensuring staff, contractors, service users and visitors have access to hand washing facilities and alcohol-based hand rub, where available
- crockery and cutlery in shared kitchen areas should be cleaned with warm water and detergent and dried thoroughly
- ensuring food such as crisps and sandwiches should not be left open for communal sharing unless individually wrapped.
Key resources
The Scottish Government’s advice can be found here: www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Public health advice can be found at: Coronavirus (COVID-19) on NHS Inform.
For the latest advice and information from the UK Government go to gov.uk/coronavirus.
Health Protection Scotland provides general advice on protecting people from the virus at: www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/a-to-z-of-topics/wuhan-novel-coronavirus/
The latest travel advice is available here: gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus.
What information should I be providing to staff at this stage?
- Immediate action should include circulating Government Guidance to staff. NHS Scotland have developed a communication toolkit containing a poster, video and social media posts for organisations to print and share: Download the coronavirus (COVID-19) communication toolkit (ZIP, 18 MB)
- Consider how you might be able to support staff with their health and well-being, particularly in a period where a prolonged shutdown of the office may be necessary. This might include testing options for virtual 1:1s and team meetings.
What practical steps can I take now to support our business continuity efforts?
- Ensure your Business Continuity/resilience plan is up to date and accessible to all who may need it.
- Audit the ability of your staff to be able to adopt agile or remote working. For SFHA this has involved a survey across our staffing team to understand access they have at home to the internet, adequate IT equipment and business critical systems.
- Consider simulating your continuity plan in advance of having to action it to ensure all staff fully understand what is required of them
What will happen if my organisation cannot carry out a service as a direct result of COVID-19?
- The regulator has advised that you prepare and maintain a record of any instances where service cannot be delivered.
- This includes if you cannot access a property because a tenant is self-isolating.
- You should notify the SHR of any significant service disruption or financial impact on your organisation as a consequence of COVID-19
Will my organisation be negatively impacted by a deterioration in service levels if we cannot operate a business as usual service?
- The Scottish Housing Regulator is monitoring the impact of COVD-19 on social landlords and will take account of the impact it might have when assessing the landlords’ performance in the annual risk assessment
