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NHS Lanarkshire is further restricting neonatal visiting and suspending home births to protect families and staff from coronavirus.
The confirmation of the step was confirmed by the health board’s chief midwife Cheryl Clark that while one birthing partner is welcome during labour, visitations have been cancelled.
Ms Clark continued: “We understand this is an extremely difficult time for all pregnant women and their families but we need to ensure our maternity service is safe. Mums-to-be should discuss any concerns with their community midwife.
“We are asking pregnant women who are scheduled to attend for ultrasound scans, appointments in our maternity day bed unit, antenatal clinics and maternity triage to attend on their own.
“Mums-to-be planning to have a home birth have been urged to contact their community midwife to discuss further.
“We urge all pregnant women who are self-isolating to contact their community midwife to discuss their antenatal care and to contact maternity triage in emergency situations such as abdominal pain or concerns with your baby’s movement.”
Further details including contact details can be found on NHS Lanarkshire’s maternity services webpage.
Meanwhile, the health board are working closely with hospices in the area to expand acute hospital capacity ahead of COVID-19 cases increasing over the coming weeks and months.
Craig Cunningham, head of commissioning and performance for South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “In recognition of the need to plan ahead and expand the availability of acute care beds to cope with coronavirus demands, NHS Lanarkshire is very grateful to our colleagues in St Andrew’s and Kilbryde Hospices and the work they have undertaken.”
Fast food fans in Wishaw rushed to get their last fix of McDonald’s for the foreseeable future.
The long queues at the drive thru of the restaurant in Glasgow Road comes after the popular eatery, which has 135,000 employees in the UK and Ireland, said it has taken the “difficult decision”to close.
Fans flocked to get their hands on a Big Mac or McChicken Sandwich before the takeaway closed at 7pm last Monday.
McDonald’s said:“This is not a decision we are taking lightly, but one made with the well-being and safety of our employees in mind as well as in the best interests of our customers.
“We will work with local community groups to responsibly distribute food and drink from our restaurants in the coming days.”
McDonald’s was not the only major chain to decide to shut up shop to try and limit the spread of coronavirus.
Subway, which has a number of franchises across the Wishaw area, also opted to close while Arnold Clark, which has a dealership in Netherton, announced it was shutting down“until at least Monday, April 13, or until any potential government lockdown is lifted”.