Over 5,000 grocery parcels have been requested by vulnerable people in Edinburgh who are ‘shielding’ at home during the coronavirus crisis.
The government figures show that five per cent of requests across Scotland have been made in the capital.
Labour MP for Edinburgh South, Ian Murray, warned that many at-risk residents who are self-isolating at home do not meet the official ‘shielding’ category and are still struggling to get food deliveries. He has written to the Health Secretary Jeane Freeman on the issue.
With supermarket delivery slots hard to come by, his constituency staff have been helping vulnerable people by connecting them with volunteers in Edinburgh.
Ian Murray, Labour MP for Edinburgh South, said: “These figures show the scale of the coronavirus crisis, with thousands of vulnerable people in Edinburgh requesting food boxes.
“But while this lifeline for those in the shielding category is very welcome, it falls far short of what is needed.
“There are many residents in Edinburgh who don’t meet the shielding criteria, yet they are self-isolating at home because they fall into an at-risk category.
“They are still struggling to get food deliveries because of the pressure on supermarkets.
“If it wasn’t for the generosity of volunteers in Edinburgh, many would be forced to risk their health by leaving their homes.
“The capital’s army of volunteers deserve our thanks, but the Scottish Government must also work harder to help all those who are struggling to access food deliveries.”
