FM: Stop putting our lives at risk

Death toll could be ‘much worse’ should people fail to heed government advice

The death toll from coronavirus in Scotland could be “much worse” than 2,000 if people fail to heed warnings to stay at home, a government expert has warned.

National clinical director Jason Leitch was speaking after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said pubs, clubs and restaurants that stayed open during the outbreak were putting lives at risk.

Ten people have died, the Scottish Government announced yesterday, up from seven the previous day, and 416 have tested positive for the virus, up from 373.

The latest government figures also showed the total number of confirmed cases in Tayside now stands at 38 and 16 in Fife, up from 34 and 13 on Saturday.

Ms Sturgeon said while the “vast majority” of bars, restaurants and cafés have complied with instructions to close, she had seen suggestions on social media that a “small minority might not be complying”.

She insisted: “If that’s true, make no mistake... lives are at risk as a result. Please do the right thing now.”

Ms Sturgeon also confirmed that, in line with the UK Government, around 200,000 people in Scotland with extreme health vulnerabilities will be written to in coming days with advice to isolate for 12 weeks and details of how they will be supported.

Professor Leitch aimed to leave people in no doubt about the severity of the current situation.

“We really aren’t messing around with this now,” he said.

“To protect individuals and society’s vulnerable, we need to make very drastic social distancing and isolation choices.

“The chief scientific adviser in England has said he thinks 20,000 deaths across the UK would be a good outcome.

“In Scotland, that would be about 2,000, but the worst-case scenario is much worse than that. People need to take the advice they’re being given very seriously.”

Heeding advice not to go out unless necessary and to stay away from others could be “the difference between tens of thousands of deaths and the number of around 2,000”, he added.

Prof Leitch stressed: “We’ve told the symptomatic and very vulnerable to stay at home.

“Then we told some other groups, those with diseases, those over 70 and those who are pregnant, to take very seriously the calls to reduce social contact.

“For everyone else, they must socially distance themselves as much as possible.

“It’s a horrible thing and none of us have done it lightly but it’s to protect the people that will get this virus .”

Police Scotland revealed last night that officers will now have the power to serve emergency closure orders on any licensed premises refusing to close during the coronavirus outbreak.

Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham criticised the “small number of public houses... intent on defying this instruction” who have reportedly said they will remain open until legally ordered to close.

Mr 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.

“I have obtained further legal advice today and Police Scotland will now instruct officers to serve emergency closure orders on any licensed premises which refuses to comply on the grounds of the threat posed to public safety.

“Officers are now visiting these premises today to have them closed.”

Police Scotland Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said: “I have a clear, positive duty to both protect life and improve the safety and wellbeing of people across Scotland, while supporting the government and health agencies in our fight against this pandemic.”