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This briefing paper looks at the findings of two studies into the impact of COVID-19 and related restrictions on alcohol sales and consumption in Scotland.

This report investigates the impact of the COVID-19 and related restrictions (to July 2020) on alcohol retail sales in Scotland.

This paper looks at how transport use changed in Scotland between 23 March 2020 (the start of lockdown) and 6 September 2020 (phase 3 of eased restrictions). It looks at how these changes could affect health and health inequalities and makes recommendations for future action.

First of a planned series of papers that will consider the possible positive and adverse consequences on children’s and young people’s development and wellbeing at different ages and stages of their lives.

This report looks at the health and social impacts and learning from past infectious disease outbreaks which may be relevant to COVID-19.

This study assessed the impact of MUP on the price distribution of alcohol products sold in the Scottish off-trade. Data from May 2016 to April 2019 (two years prior to MUP implementation and up to one year after) were obtained from market research company Nielsen. We compared data from Scotland to England and Wales, where MUP had not been introduced.

The data presented in this report has been collected as part of the community surveillance programme in primary care, from a sample of 13,832 individuals so far since April 2020, provide insights into the characteristics of people with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms. Those without symptoms are excluded from the sample. The findings are from data collected in phases 1 and 2 of the programme which took place over twenty-six weeks, up until October 2020. Participants in the surveillance programme were recruited across all 14 Health Boards in Scotland and were those with mild to moderate symptoms, presenting to NHS24, who received a telephone consultation or were seen at a COVID-19 Community Assessment Centre (CAC) for a face-to-face consultation. A key finding is that the symptoms of cough and altered sense of taste/smell were associated with an increased odd of a positive test, followed by headache, diarrhoea and fatigue. There were no symptoms which were more likely to be associated with a positive test result in children and adolescents.

As part of a programme of COVID-19 surveillance in education, Public Health Scotland (PHS) has implemented approaches to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on the health of the education workforce. This report provides the results of this analysis for four periods: before school closure, after school closure and during ‘lockdown’, after ‘lockdown’ but before school return, and after school return (up to 26 November 2020). Data tables relating to the report of record linkage study of COVID-19 among teachers, healthcare workers and other working-age adults are also provided.

This report outlines how a human rights-based approach will support recovery from COVID-19 and the resulting control measures. This is necessary to prevent negative impacts on health for the most marginalised people in our communities, and to reduce health inequalities.