YOU HAVE GOT TO GO
First Minister and tourist chiefs tell those flocking to Highlands and islands to leave as pressure mounts on key health services
SCOTLAND delivered a blunt message to tourists flocking to rural areas looking for coronavirus isolation yesterday: “Go home.”
The First Minister ordered major restrictions on ferries and holiday accommodation.
Nicola Sturgeon’s crackdown followed an backlash over irresponsible travellers “flocking” to remote communities.
Rural residents fear an influx of people seeking wide open spaces puts a strain on fragile health services now dealing with the deadly coronavirus.
The extra pressure was made clear as the military were called in to help take a patient from Shetland for treatment in Aberdeen.
The transfer by RAF Hercules is understood to be linked to Covid-19.
Sturgeon said ferries are now only for islanders and told B&Bs, hotels and self-catering owners to suspend bookings to tourists. It was another major change to normal life on a day of developments: ●Three more people died in Scotland, taking the total to 10 by 2pm yesterday. ●18-year-old in England with underlying health conditions becomes youngest victim. ●Secondary pupils with coursework to finish are now being told not to go to school at all. ●More than 300 former health workers responded in just 24 hours to a call to come and help the NHS. Sturgeon announced the updates in a briefing at the Scottish Government headquarters in Edinburgh.
She said: “I want to turn to reports of people flocking to Scotland’s remote communities.
“It may well be an understandable human instinct to think we can outrun a virus. But the fact is we can’t.
“What we do, is risk taking it to the places we go, and in our remote and rural communities that means extra pressure on essential services and on health services that are already more distant from people.
“I can confirm that, as of now, we have advised our ferry companies, who’ve already suspending bookings, to no longer take non-essential travellers. Those who do not
normally live on the islands and have travelled there in the last few days will be able to leave to reduce pressure.
“But from now on, ferries will be for those who live on our islands, who have an essential need to travel to and from the mainland and for essential supplies for business. Nothing else.”
She said hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation “should not be accepting visitors”.
Instead, they are encouraged to look after staff and help essential workers if possible.
Sturgeon said: “Scotland is a warm and welcoming country and I fervently hope it’s not too long before we are opening our arms and out countryside to visitors again.
“Right now, our priority must be to protect people from this virus, protect our NHS and protect Scotland.”
Earlier, tourism leaders and politicians demanded people stay at home. The chief of Loch
Lomond and The Trossachs National Park said a “huge volume of visitors” were overwhelming local infrastructure.
Scottish tourism secretary Fiona Hyslop added: “My advice to everybody is stay where you are. Do not travel to the Highlands and islands.”
Professor Jason Leitch, Scotland’s clinical director, said: “We’re not ready for people to arrive in the Highlands and islands to use the health service for the next three months.”
Judy Murray, mum of tennis stars Andy and Jamie, had a short, sharp message for people “relocating to the countryside” – a picture of a car and trailer with “go home idiots” and “Covid-19” painted on the side.
And Stirlingshire MP Alyn Smith took to social media, posting an image of a Daily Mail headline on the best places to “revel in splendid isolation”.
Smith said: “Representing a big part of rural Scotland and part of a national park, I say this in all sincerity, the Daily Mail can f*** off. Please stay at home, our community is not your bolthole.”
Sturgeon was at the briefing yesterday with Scotland’s chief medical officer, Dr Catherine Calderwood strongly urged people to follow advice.
Calderwood said: “All of the measures we’ve put in over the last few days are hard, they change people’s lives completely. But they have a scientific basis to them.”
She said the “best estimate” for death rate is one per cent and higher for people in “at risk” groups.
By yesterday afternoon, 8679 tests had been taken with 416 returning positive for the potentially lethal Covid-19 strain.
German chancellor Angela Merkel went into self-isolation yesterday after learning a doctor who had vaccinated her against pneumonia on Friday has Covid-19.
Beaches and parks should not be busy
NICOLA STURGEON ON GUIDANCE BEING IGNORED
NICOLA Sturgeon yesterday said pubs were putting lives at risk if they didn’t follow closure advice.
And it emerged that reckless boozers refusing to shut during the coronavirus crisis will be closed down by police using emergency powers.
Sturgeon said the “vast majority” of licensed premises followed advice and closed on Friday night.
But she warned: “A tiny minority of pubs, however, stayed open.
“Let me be blunt – in doing so, they put lives at risk. My message to them is close now.”
The closure of pubs, gyms, cinemas and cafes is the most dramatic curb on social life in living memory, with many people struggling to adapt.
Sturgeon said the advice should not be considered optional and behaviour will have to change.
She added: “To protect Scotland we must all do the right thing.
“Life shouldn’t feel normal right now. So if your life still feels entirely normal, ask yourself if you are doing the right things or if instead, you might be putting yourself and others at unnecessary risk.”
Deputy chief constable Malcolm Graham said a small number seemed “intent on defying” a Government order to close on Friday night.
Officers closed the Cheers bar in Greenock yesterday where drinkers were brazenly ignoring advice.
Videos shared on social media showed a riot van and several officers outside the pub in the Inverclyde town’s West Stewart Street, after they were called to reports of an assault at the venue.
Footage also showed a member of the public remonstrating with pub-goers, calling for them to stop, before he was attacked a by a group near the venue.
Police confirmed an arrest had been made.
DCC Graham said: “This is absolutely reckless and endangers not only the lives of customers, but wider communities, in an extremely fast moving and unprecedented situation where both the health and safety of the nation is at stake.”
Compulsory closure under the Licensing Scotland Act remains in place for 24 hours but can be repeated as necessary.
Sturgeon also repeated advice about staying two metres from other people.
Shops should only be visited for essentials.
She added: “Don’t gather for parties at people’s houses or in groups for – I’m sorry to say – wedding receptions and other celebrations.
“When you do go outside, and of course it’s OK to be outside, don’t crowd together in the park or on the beach because that can be almost as dangerous as going to the pub.
“If you go out in the sunshine, follow the social distancing guidance on your own or with one or two others in a small family group – don’t gather together in bigger crowds.
“Beaches should not be busy. parks should not be full.” The
First Minister issued her message after a weekend in which warnings were ignored across the country by people heading in their droves to beaches and beauty spots.
A restaurant owner in Largs, Ayrshire, slammed people for ramming the seaside town’s promenade instead of following advice to keep a safe distance from others.
Claudio Nardini had shut his Nardini’s on the Moorings restaurant but opened his takeaway on Saturday for what he thought would be “a few people grabbing the opportunity” for a walk along Largs prom.
But he said he “couldn’t believe the crowds of people walking hand-in-hand, hugging, grandmothers holding babies, teenagers sharing drinks, elderly people galore mingling with others of all ages”.
Claudio, who has family in crisis-hit Italy and Spain, wrote: “This nonchalant attitude was rife in both those countries only a couple of weeks ago.” He added: “Please, please, please stay at home if you can. I couldn’t bear seeing what is happening to my relatives happen here too.” Local woman Amanda Brett said it was “like a bank holiday in Largs”. Another said she was “totally disgusted” at the number of people on the prom.