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Scottish Government has used the term at risk rather than vulnerable to reflect that a lot of people who do not consider themselves vulnerable may, due to a range of circumstances, which may or may not be medical, find themselves at greater risk from Covid-19 than the wider population.

This could mean they are at greater risk of contracting the disease or at risk because they are unable to afford and/or access food, essential supplies or services essential to their wellbeing, and do not have support networks in place to help them meet this need.

At risk groups are broadly aligned under two categories – Shielded and Non-Shielded at Risk. Definitions of these groups are outlined below.

Shielded

The Shielded Group are those who we are clinically at highest risk from COVID-19 and are being asked to stringently self-isolate until the end of July. There are currently in the region of 160,000 people in this group. These people include:

• Solid organ transplant recipients
• People with specific cancers:

-people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radical radiotherapy for lung cancer

-people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment

- people having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer

- people having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors

- people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs

• People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD.
• People with rare diseases, including all forms of Interstitial Lung Disease/Sarcoidosis, and inborn errors of metabolism that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as SCID, homozygous sickle cell).
• People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection.
• Women who are pregnant with significant heart disease, congenital or acquired.

The Non-Shielded at Risk (NSAR)

The Non-Shielded at Risk are, a group of people at an increased risk in terms of the impact of Covid 19 than the general population, who may be unable to afford and/or access food and/or essential supplies and/or access services essential to their wellbeing and do not have support networks in place which can meet this need.

This will include those:

• Likely to experience short term impacts, such as those who are:

- Symptomatic and self-isolating

- Asymptomatic and self-isolating due to a household member being ill.

• Undertaking enhanced distancing such as older people, people with underlying health conditions which means they receive an annual flu-jab (aside from those shielding) and pregnant women
• Disabled people, including blind people, and those who used to rely on online shopping for food and other essentials but can no longer obtain delivery slots, or who relied on formal or informal social care to provide food regularly.
• Experiencing a sudden and extreme loss in earnings or income which means they can no longer afford food and essentials.

Struggling to afford food and essentials before COVID and for whom the situation will not have improved. There are around 2.88 million people considered to be at an increased risk as a result of Coronavirus in Scotland. This is likely to include many blind and partially-sighted people.

I refer back to my answer of 2 June: at all times it has been permitted for people to go out to help anyone at risk who needs support, this includes providing guide support.

Scottish Government has used at risk , rather than vulnerable to reflect that a lot of people do not consider themselves vulnerable but may, due to a range of circumstances, which may or may not be medical, find themselves at greater risk than the wider population. This may include those who require a guide from another household as is set out in my response to question S5W-29704 on 17 June 2020.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

As this is a matter for Abellio ScotRail, I have asked my officials to organise that Abellio ScotRail respond to the member directly.

As this is a matter for Abellio ScotRail, I have asked my officials to organise that Abellio ScotRail respond to the member directly.

As this is a matter for Abellio ScotRail, I have asked my officials to organise that Abellio ScotRail respond to the member directly.

It is the responsibility of Abellio ScotRail to ensure the plans for the Travel Shop at the redeveloped Queen Street station take account of the recently published Transport Transition plan which contains comprehensive guidance relating to physical distancing for transport operators, staff and members of the public.

Abellio ScotRail has reviewed the design proposals for the new travel shop which will include, if necessary, the temporary installation of screens to support physical distancing for staff and customer welfare. Meantime, they have temporarily maintained the current travel shop location due to the impact Covid-19 has had on the project timescales.

To ensure Spaces for People infrastructure will be accessible to blind and partially-sighted people, support is provided to local authorities through our delivery partner Sustrans Scotland. If required by local authorities, they will facilitate specialist advice, such as from the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS).

Additionally, MACS has written a guidance note on Temporary Street Measures during the Coronavirus Crisis , to help ensure the mobility needs of disabled people are fully considered.

Sustrans are offering support to local authorities on a range of areas such as design, engagement, equality impact assessment, monitoring and evaluation.

The Transport Transition Plan was recently launched and guidance has been issued to public transport providers.

Further information can be found at: https://www.transport.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19
/transport-transition-plan/guidance-for-transport-operators/

This guidance confirms that those requiring assistance when travelling and would normally contact their transport operator ahead of time, should continue to do so, to enable the operator to prepare accordingly.

Passengers should also maintain a 2 metre distance from members of staff. If this is difficult to achieve, passengers should try to avoid physical contact, if possible, and keep the time they spend within 2 metres of staff as short as necessary.

We expect public bodies making temporary changes to road space in response to Covid-19 to comply with all relevant statutory duties including, where applicable, the public sector equality duty and requirements to carry out equality impact assessments.

Sustrans are offering support to applicants on a range of areas such as design, engagement, equality impact assessment, monitoring and evaluation. Additionally, the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland has written a guidance note on Temporary Street Measures during the Coronavirus Crisis , to help ensure the mobility needs of disabled people are fully considered.

The Scottish Government allocated up to £50.8 million for the Places for Everyone programme in 2020-21. To date £30 million has been repurposed to the Spaces for People fund, leaving £20.8 million of the original allocation for the Places for Everyone programme. The repurposing of funding recognises the expected demand for Places for Everyone project funding in 2020-21, however this will be kept under review.