New Scottish body will help give advice on how to fight pandemic

The Scottish Government is setting up its own expert advisory group to help in the Covid-19 battle, Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed.

Scotland’s first minister announced the move as she revealed the number of deaths in the country has risen to 22.

That is up by six from Tuesday’s total of 16, the first minister said, adding a further 51 people are in intensive care suffering from Covid-19 or with symptoms of the virus.

A total of 719 positive coronavirus cases have now been recorded in Scotland, a rise of 135 from 584 on Tuesday.

Ms Sturgeon said: “It is clear that we are now seeing a rapid rise in coronavirus cases in Scotland and we have sustained evidence of community transmission.”

For this reason, she told Scots it is

“vital” restrictions imposed during the period of lockdown are complied with.

“It will be sometime before life returns to normal,” she said.

To help fight the coronavirus, Ms Sturgeon said the new advisory body is being set up to give “the fullest possible understanding of exactly how the virus is spreading in Scotland”.

At a media briefing yesterday, Ms Sturgeon said the advisory body will be chaired by Professor Andrew Morris from Edinburgh University, who is also chief scientist at the Scottish Government’s health directorate.

Professor David Crossman, the dean of medicine at St Andrews University, will serve as vice-chairman.

The new Scottish Government Covid-19 advisory group will supplement the work of Sage – the UK Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies – which advises ministers north and south of the border.

It will be some time before life returns to normal.

NICOLA STURGEON