Three quarters of local NHS staff clear of virus
FRASER WILSON
Three quarters of NHS Lanarkshire staff have tested not positive for coronavirus.
And it is estimated the testing had “saved” 8357 work days by ensuring staff did not self-isolate unnecessarily.
However, the figures reiterated the true price being paid by hundreds of frontline health workers in the fight against COVID-19.
Official figures from the health board showed 506 of the near 2000 (1951) medical staff tested had the disease.
The figures were accurate as of April 30.
Meanwhile, with testing for the virus already been ramped up across the UK, the Scottish Government have laid out plans for a ‘testing and tracing system’ to help suppress coronavirus.
Ministers have published a new paper outlining the strategy, which they say could be in place by the end of May.
The approach includes the development of an app and jobs for thousands of contact tracing staff.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the testing and tracing strategy would work alongside other virus suppression measures, including physical distancing, hand washing and the use of face coverings.
However, she said moving to this phase “depends on suppressing the virus to as low a level as possible”, warning that there will be “no quick fixes”.
Ms Sturgeon made it clear at her Monday coronavirus briefing that the people of Scotland should expect a “likely” extension of lockdown rules.
She urged people to “stick with” the current restrictions, saying easing up too early could “extinguish the light at the end of the tunnel”.
Whilst plans to gradually ease the restrictions on everyday life are being discussed, Ms Sturgeon warned lockdown will not be lifted in a “flick of the switch” moment, and that a “new normal” will have to be established until a vaccine has been developed.
The latest review of the lockdown is due this week, but the First Minister said the infection rate “remains too high right now to make any meaningful change without risking the virus running quickly out of control”.