There was a beautiful sunset as Honey and I arrived at the boat this evening just before 5.30pm – a perfect welcome for our second sleep-over 🙂
The boat is feeling much more like home tonight compared to last week, although still very strange.
With my Digital Radio for some background music, my MiFi to give me WiFi and a digital Carbon Monoxide alarm for piece of mind – Honey and I now know we are not going to die! The Carbon Monoxide alarm has a digital reading of the actual level, rather than just bleeping when it gets too high. It also has a room temperature on it, indicating that the boat is currently at 23 degrees centigrade, earlier it was at 30!
Its a bit weird having my stuff split between my boat and my flat, but glad I have done it that way 🙂
For those of you in Scotland, you may know that today Nicola Sturgeon made her announcement of Scotland’s 5 Tier Lockdown restrictions, which will work similar to the English version either being enforced locally or nationally. But unlike England, there won’t be a debate between each council on whether to go ahead with it or not. Nicola will enforce it and that will be it.
I was all set for her going live at 12.15pm, with an electrician coming round to my flat about 12.45pm to have a look at work needed to be done on the flat to get onto the Landlord Register. However, the electrician arrived early and I missed the first 30 minutes of Nicola’s speech! Luckily, it was still available to watch from the beginning, which was better really as I could skip to the relevant parts.
I actually wrote notes this time and have subsequently looked it up on the Scottish Government website – https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-19-scotlands-strategic-framework/pages/2
Level 0 (baseline)
This is the closest to “normality” without a vaccine, still ‘Covid Alert’ but a lot less. It is how Scotland was in August.
- 3 households can meet indoors up to 8 people.
- Most business will be open.
Level 1
This is relatively normal and how Scotland was in September.
- 2 households can meet indoors up to 6 people.
- Some business will have to close.
The Scottish Government website describes these two levels as:
“Within these levels, we would expect to see low incidence of the virus with isolated clusters, and low community transmission. Broadly, these levels are the closest we can get to normality, without a vaccine or effective treatment in place, before conditions will allow us to move to Phase 4 of the Route Map. They would be similar to the measures in place during the summer, once we reached Phase 3. The Baseline and Level 1 are designed to be sustainable for longer periods.”.
Level 2
The level where Scotland is in, out with the Central Belt.
- No one can meet in each others households.
- 2 households can meet outdoors up to 6 people.
- Restaurants and pubs can open serving food indoors and alcohol outdoors.
Level 3
The level that the Central Belt is in.
- No one can meet in each others households.
- 2 households can meet outdoors up to 6 people.
- Most hospitality closed
- Restaurants allowed to open at least partially.
The aim of Levels 2 and 3 are to be short periods of time to bring the transmissions down and under control.
The Scottish Government website describes these two levels as:
Within Levels 2 and 3, we would expect to see increased incidence of the virus, with multiple clusters and increased community transmission. There would be a graduated series of protective measures to tackle the virus, focusing on key areas of risk – broadly, indoor settings where household mixing takes place with less, or less well-observed, physical distancing and mitigations. The measures would be intended to be in place for relatively short periods (2-4 weeks), and only for as long as required to get the virus down to a low, sustainable level.
Level 4
Not used unless necessary, with cases very high and there is a risk to the NHS.
This is like the full lockdown like we had in March and April.
- Non-essential shops closed.
- No one can meet in each others households.
- But 6 people from 2 households can still meet outdoors.
- No limit on exercise outdoors.
- Construction and manufacturing business to remain open.
The Scottish Government website describes this level as:
“Within this level we would expect to see very high or rapidly increasing incidence, and widespread community transmission which may pose a threat to the NHS to cope. It is likely that this level would see the introduction of measures close to a return to full lockdown. Measures would be designed to be in place for a short period, to provide a short, sharp response to quickly suppress the virus.”.
IN ALL LEVELS
Schools to remain open.
This new framework will be debated by the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday.
And so the confusion begins !!
Is it a Café or Is it a Restaurant?
For regular readers you will remember that yesterday (Day 213) I wrote about a Deli in Glasgow had won its fight with the council to remain open. I must admit, that I didn’t actually read the full article online, which I have now done. The reason it has won the fight is because it is run as a café, although it is called ‘Eusebi’s Deli’. Check out full article here – https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18812562.eusebis-glasgow-wins-court-fight-stay-open
Following that article two days ago in The Herald, yesterday there was another article describing how four more Glasgow businesses have won the right to remain open “centering on whether [their] establishments can be categorised as cafes or restaurants”.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18815914.coronavirus-restaurants-told-can-continue-operate
It seems that it is not just me who wonders what is a Café and what is a Restaurant!!
Readers Corner
Two comments today.
Brian
“Hello there. Just an early heads up that the First Minister will be announcing Scotland’s new five-tier system of coronavirus restrictions today. I hope she has taken on board everything that you have said in recent weeks and months. I’m also really looking forward to your explaining the new system to all your readers tonight!”.
Thanks for the heads up Brian! Your encouragement made me take this challenge seriously, writing notes, which have made it a lot easier to write this blog 🙂
Helen
Helen messaged me about the blog covers photos on Day 212, Day 210 & Day 209, saying:
“I like the camouflage photos of Honey at the top. They catch me out every time!!”.
Thanks Helen! I never realised how camouflage she was, until I started writing this blog and taking photos of her!
Here they are again – can you spot Honey?
As I come to the end of today’s blog, I continue to feel exhausted. Although, this evening I think it is due to the boat being very warm too! Tom Brace Magic’s Friday night quiz on Facebook Live was having some technical issues, so it was moved to Zoom. This was great as I was able to give everyone a wee tour of my boat 🙂
If you haven’t been along to the Quiz, I would highly recommended it. I just watch it, rather than take part 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/TomBraceMagic
The weather has been showers all day, Honey and I have got caught in a few. Despite that it has been a warm day, although this evening it is cooler with a clear (ish) sky.
Happy Friday 🙂
Jim x