The First Minister announced the Scottish Government’s plans for moving forwards “living with” covid rather than trying to eliminate it.

The following changes will, or may, apply to our parishes:

• The Covid Certification scheme – the app or document that proves you have been vaccinated or tested – will end on Monday 28^th February. This will not generally affect parishes as it hasn’t been a requirement of worship or most social activities, but might affect some halls if you have been having late night discos, etc.
• Assuming all goes well, the legal obligation to wear face coverings in church – and everywhere else – will end on 21^st March. The Government will still recommend their use, but there will be no legal requirement to do so.
• Assuming all goes well, the legal obligation on us to have regard to Government guidance on covid will end on 21^st March.
• Assuming all goes well, the legal obligation to do “track & trace” will end on 21^st March. Remember that it is already no longer compulsory for worship, but is still compulsory for many hospitality activities in church halls, etc.
• As regards testing, if anyone experiences symptoms they should go for PCR tests, which will remain free. For the general population, the Government advises that from Monday lateral flow tests should been done twice a week rather than every time you leave the house.      

Until these changes come into effect please continue to follow the current requirements.

The Bishops in due course will provide practical advice about how we implement these steps, and we do need to balance the desire to get back to full normality with the need to keep people feeling safe and comfortable coming to church. There is no change yet to internal Church guidance on things like not shaking hands and not receiving from the Chalice. We should continue to observe these practices until the Bishops make other provisions.

Hopefully we are now arriving at the end of this difficult time.