Area has highest number of cases in Forth Valley
Council leader Scott Farmer is pleading with locals to protect one another after the Stirling area became Forth Valley’s Covid hotspot.
Mobile testing centres for Covid-19 are in Plean and Cowie over the next few days following an increase in positive cases.
NHS Forth Valley said there was evidence of spread in the community and local care homes and the virus had also affected local schools.
The decision to move a mobile testing centre into the area was taken after NHS Forth Valley and Stirling Council joined forces to urge the people of Stirling to do their part.
The council area currently has the highest rates of Covid-19 per 100,000 people in the Forth Valley area with 165 compared to 79 for Clackmannanshire Council and 71 for Falkirk Council.
Stirling Council Leader Scott Farmer said:“stirling has unfortunately gone from Forth Valley’s area of lowest concern to its highest in a matter of a weeks. The virus is entering our schools, care homes and communities. People are still losing their lives, their loved ones and their jobs.
“Our fear is that a lack of compliance with the national guidance is allowing the virus to take hold again, so we owe it to each other to take a step back and ask ourselves – are we really doing all we can as individuals, families and communities to stop the spread?
“We’re at a crucial point in our battle to contain this lethal virus and I’m pleading with the people of Stirling – prove our community spirit to the rest of Scotland and let’s take responsibility for protecting each other.”
NHS Forth Valley’s Director of Public Health Dr Graham Foster said the number of Covid-19 cases in the Stirling area has not fallen as expected, despite level 3 restrictions being in place.
“We know that the level three measures set out in the National Framework have been very effective in some areas and are disappointed that rates in Stirling have been slow to come down and in fact have risen sharply.this is partly due to an increase in cases in care homes however we need everyone to pull together and carefully follow the guidance if we are to limit the spread of this virus.”
The mobile testing centre will be at Balfour Community Centre, Plean today (Wednesday), tomorrow and Friday, and at Cowie Primary School car park on Saturday and Sunday (November 21-22).
Anyone who lives or works in the Bannockburn, Plean and Cowie areas can arrange to get tested, whether they have symptoms or not, via the Covid-19 testing section of the GOV.UK website https:// self-referral.test-forcoronavirus.service.gov.uk/ antigen/condition or by calling 0300 303 2713 or 0800 028 2816.
Anyone booking online who does not have any symptoms should select the option‘my local council or health protection team has asked me (or someone I live with) to get a test, even though I do not have symptoms’when asked why they are requesting a test.
Appointments will only be released at 6pm each evening for the following morning and in the morning for appointments that afternoon.
People are asked not to turn up at the test centre without booking an appointment in advance to help avoid overcrowding and keep people safe. Anyone attending should also wear a face mask or covering and observe the rules on physical distancing by staying at least two metres apart (6ft).