At today’s Scottish Government press conference, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that as a result of Moray’s concerning COVID-19 rate, Moray is likely to remain in Level 3 for a further period, with travel in and out of the area prohibited other than for permitted purposes.
A final decision on this will be made at the end of this week. (likely Friday 14th)
READ SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED (AS FAR AS POSSIBLE)
How long will Moray be in level three?
As of Tuesday 11th May, Scottish Government are advising that a final decision on whether Moray remains in level three or moves to level two will not be made until ‘the end of this week.’
We hope that this period will allow every one of us in the region to make doubly sure we are doing all we can to prevent the spread of the virus and bring down infection rates.
Will Moray go into level four or is Moray going into lockdown or local restrictions?
At present, there is no indication that any additional restrictions, i.e. a local lockdown, will be introduced, other than those which are implemented with level three. The hope from NHS Grampian is that we, as a region will be able to contain and reduce the level of infection.
I have guests here – do they have to leave?
Guests who arrived prior to Monday 17th can complete their booking as planned, returning home as soon as they can at the end of their stay.
I have a booking for guests to arrive on Monday
(or after), do I have to cancel them?
Assuming Moray remains in level three while the rest of the mainland moves into level two, the answer is regrettably, yes. If Moray’s status in level three is confirmed, non-essential travel in and out of Moray, and between levels will not be permitted.
Should people worry that visiting Moray Speyside is not safe?
No, whilst it is the case that our COVID-19 rates look alarming, we are a small region with a relatively small population – whilst concerning, we have to keep the number of infections in context.
Visitors can be sure that Moray Speyside is a safe place to visit, and when we move to level two along with the rest of the country, we look forward to welcoming them.
Will there be financial support available, what will it be and how long will it be there?
The Scottish Government committed to providing financial support for as long as is necessary. It is likely that the existing Strategic Framework Business Fund mechanism will be used to ensure timely payments to affected businesses.
We have engaged with Moray Council to make sure that they know of they serious impact the situation is having on our tourism businesses. As and when decisions are made regarding financial support we will make sure you are updated.
What Can I Do to Help?
The section below contains useful information about what you can do help minimise the COVID-19 infection rates in Moray Speyside.
ORDER COVID TESTS FOR WORK OR HOME USE
Home test kits are available to anyone in the wider population who does not have coronavirus symptoms.Test kits can be ordered online and are delivered through the post to either work or home within 3 days
USE A COVID-19 PATRON RECORDING SYSTEM
It is mandatory for all premises offering ‘sit-down hospitality’ to record details of all patrons visiting.
This applies to any hospitality establishment that provides an on-site service such as hotels, pubs, restaurants and cafes. Sit-down hospitality includes where a service is provided indoors, or outdoors in a designated service area such as a beer garden. If a business offers a mixture of a sit-in and takeaway service, contact information only needs to be collected for customers who are sitting in.
It does not apply where services are taken off-site immediately, for example, a food outlet which only provides takeaways. Please note that self-catering operators are not required to record patron details using a check-in system as there is a presumption that you will have obtain details at point of booking. You DO need to know the details of every guest in your booking and we would advise that you do use a check-in system. Apart from anything else, it will enable your guests to be ready to check-in at participating venues during their stay.
Check-In Scotland App
The Scottish Government’s Check-In Scotland App allows you to log your contact details with any business or venue that displays the Check In Scotland Test and Protect QR code poster.
The system operates Scotland-wide, but please be aware that it is not linked to the Government’s Test & Protect Scotland App. At present, the system also does not offer a facility to record details of everyone in the group, meaning you may have to resort to pen and paper. Find out more about the Check-in Scotland App on the Scottish Government website.
Moray Speyside Check & Protect
Visit Moray Speyside’s Check and Protect platform offers visitors and customers a safe, quick and easy way to check-in securely to any of around 100 participating venues using their mobile phone.
The system is web-based, complies with the Scottish Government regulations, does not take up space on the mobile phone, and has been used in Moray for almost a year. More than 100,000 check-ins have been recorded in the participating venues.
Data is held remotely and securely by Visit Moray Speyside, in line with GDPR laws, meaning you do not have to worry about it. Data is deleted after 21 days. Should you require to submit your patron data to NHS Scotland, you simply fill in a form and it’s done.
Businesses sign-up, access their unique QR codes and posters, then use an easy business dashboard to manage the system, which also allows you to manually add the details of any guests who do not wish to sign-up, or who do not have a mobile phone.
More information on Visit Moray Speyside’s Check and Protect system is available here .