Planning a Burns night? Use 'Stay Well' advice and let in fresh air to keep bugs at bay

Are you celebrating Burns Night, or arranging an event in honour of Scotland’s national poet - perhaps for the first time since the pandemic?

Take advice from ‘Rabbie’ Robert Burns himself, who wrote of his first love: “How she caught the contagion I can’t say; you medical folks talk much of infection by breathing the same air, the touch … but I never expressly told her that I loved her’.

With so many illnesses doing the rounds just now, using the principles of the Scottish Government’s ‘Stay Well Signage Scheme’ can help reduce the risks for everyone of ‘catching the contagion’ at a Burns Night supper or any other event this winter.

For venues, the scheme gives suggestions of possible measures, none of which are compulsory. You simply tick off the suggestions you choose online, and can then print out a poster to show the measures you are taking. With more than a third of adults in Scotland still anxious about resuming activities, the signage can support more people feel reassured to attend your event. It’s worth noting 45% of people report they would feel more comfortable going in to a shop, café or restaurant using the signage scheme.

So - how can we enjoy a warm and welcoming gathering on a January night in Orkney, when nobody wants to open a window while ‘The wind blew as 'twad blawn its last, The rattling showers rose on the blast’?

OIC’s COVID Recovery Adviser Ceri Dare has some simple advice for steps you can take to prevent the spread of winter bugs: “The biggest gains are made from adding a small amount of ventilation to an otherwise unventilated space - you don’t need to let a howling gale indoors.

“Check if your windows have trickle vents to allow a little air in even when closed, or try just cracking a high-level window open a little, so you don’t feel a draft.

“If you are meeting in a venue used by other groups such as a community hall, try to air out the venue between groups, by opening doors and windows wide for just a few minutes.”

To find out more about the Stay Well Signage Scheme, visit www.staywellsignage.co.uk/