Also in the news / Covid numbers remain high, vape investigation, new youth group, lottery funding, the end for St Clair
THE NUMBER of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Shetland continue to be higher than the average but has come down slightly in the last few days.
On Wednesday a further 67 positive cases were recorded out of a Scottish total of 6,756.
Outlining Scotland’s plan for living with Covid, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed on Tuesday that the legal requirement to wear face coverings on public transport and in some indoor setting would change to recommended guidance from 21 March.
She also said the certification scheme requiring some venues and events to check the vaccination or testing status of attendees will come to an end from Monday (28 February).
A RECENT review by Shetland Islands Council’s trading standards team has revealed that no vaping products sold locally meet the required legislation.
They were either not labelled correctly in accordance with the tobacco and related product regulations, did not contain sufficient classification, labelling, and packaging regulation information, or had not been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.
Across Scotland trading standards officers carried out investigations into the market between October and December.
SIC trading standards team leader David Marsh said: “Here in Shetland, just like our colleagues throughout Scotland, we treat the sale of nicotine vaping products as a high priority, especially where children are concerned.
“The rapid expansion of this market for disposable nicotine devices is worrying and presents real risks to the environment and health, especially the health of young people.”
A NEW group has been set up to give young people aged between 16 and 40 in Shetland a chance to have their “voices heard in the community and beyond”.
Shetland Youth Local Action Group has also been allocated more than £4,000 from the Scottish Government to distribute to people or groups needing resources for a project.
Examples given include a camera used to develop photography skills, transport costs to get to learning or training opportunities, or seeds and equipment to plant trees as part of an environmental project.
People aged between 16 and 40 have until 7 March to apply for a slice of the funding from this link.
Shetland Youth Local Action Group is also looking for new members. Anyone interested can contact shetlandylag@gmail.com
TWO Shetland projects have secured cash in the latest round of the National Lottery Community Fund.
Shetland Pride was allocated nearly £10,000 to deliver the isles’ first Pride LGBTQ+ festival.
Sand Gairdins received £7,000 to buy a new lawnmower.
THE FORMER St Clair ferry which served the Northern Isles is in Bangladesh to be scrapped.
The faithful ship was operated on the route by P&O in the 1990s before the service was taken on by NorthLink in 2002.
But the vessel – now called Noor – has reached the end of the line after reportedly suffering an accident last year.
She has taken her last trip and has arrived at the Chittagong ship breaking yard in Bangladesh.
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