Covid 19 Guidance – 12th March 2021
Covid 19 Guidance – 12th March 2021
12th March, 2021
We would like to start by thanking you all for your continued support to Scottish MR. We have been as eager as everyone else to get back out into the mountains. Please see below the latest guidelines that were released by the Scottish Government this week..
Can we still travel to the hills?
It depends how close you live to the hills, so please read on..
The key Scottish Government Guidance for outdoor activity can be found below which is from the Scottish Government website:
“Local outdoor informal socialising, recreation, sport or exercise. This can be in groups up to a maximum of 4 people from a maximum of 2 households, plus any children under 12. 12–17 year olds can meet up in groups of up to 4 at a time and are not subject to the 2 household limit. Outdoor socialising, recreation and exercise can start and finish at a place in your local authority area (or up to 5 miles from its boundary). For exercise, you should travel no further than you need to reach to a safe, non-crowded place..”
Who can I go out into the hills with?
– Adults 18 & over: Up to 4 people from 2 separate households can meet outdoors for sport, exercise or social interaction plus any children aged 11 and under
– Groups of 15: Providers/Leaders, following the guidance from their national body can run organised outdoor non-contact mountain-related activity in protection level 4 for a maximum of 15 (including leader/instructor) aged 12 years or over. Please refer to your national bodies guidance to ensure you operate in line with the guidance.
– The members of an individual or extended household can meet outdoors for sport, exercise or social interaction.
Are Mountain Rescue Teams still responding?
Yes Mountain Rescue Teams are responding, but Covid-19 has an impact..
– Rescues will take longer than they normally do
– PPE is designed for indoor environments, it does not work effectively in the mountains in winter
– Winter callouts are manpower intensive and hard work (lots of heavy breathing)
– It is unlikely that we can protect the MR team or the casualty effectively if either a team member or the casualty is already infected.
– We work very very hard to manage risk but COVID is not a risk we can effectively manage on winter rescues.
What can I do if I am able to still visit the hills?
– Be extra safe
– Don’t push your limits or the conditions
– Take extra emergency clothing and food
– It is still winter on the tops of the mountains in Scotland, follow the ThinkWINTER guidance and spend longer planning.
What do I do if I need help?
Call 999. Ask for Police, then ask for Mountain Rescue. We will respond, but it may take longer than you or we would like.