SCOTLAND’S lockdown appears to be working with new figures showing a slowing down in the rate of the community transmission of coronavirus.
Nicola Sturgeon described the “stabilisation” in the number of people being admitted to hospital and intensive care as the “first signs of hope”.
However, she warned that easing the restrictions too soon could damage what progress had been made.
Speaking at the Scottish Government’s daily briefing, the First Minister revealed that 7409 people have now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, up by 307 from 7102 on Thursday.
There are 189 people in intensive care with coronavirus or coronavirus symptoms, a decrease of seven on Thursday, while there are 1799 people in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, a figure unchanged from Thursday.
She also said that another 58 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus had died.
Sturgeon said her advisers believe “the lockdown restrictions have resulted in a slowing down of the rate of community transmission of the virus”.
She said: “That is positive news and while we can’t be complacent and can never be complacent in dealing with this virus, that slowdown seems to be reflected in a stabilisation of the numbers being admitted to hospital and intensive care.”
The First Minister said the Scottish Government would set out measures to ease the lockdown over the next week.
Sturgeon continued: “We have a long way to go but we are beginning to see signs that the lockdown is working.
“The first signs of hope are already there so it’s vital that we continue to follow these rules so that we don’t go backwards and instead keep moving forward in the right direction.
“By all of us doing that we’re helping, as we are already seeing, slow down the spread of the virus.
“We are undoubtedly helping to protect our NHS, we see that in the stabilisation of numbers in hospital and intensive care.
“And while we are still sadly reporting many deaths every day, complying with these measures is undoubtedly helping to save lives.”
The First Minister also announced an economic recovery advisory group to assist ministers in preparing Scotland “for some of the challenges that lie ahead”.
There was also more support for the seafood sector which has been hammered by coronavirus, with the announcement of a £3.5 million package for fishing vessels more than 12 metres. Sturgeon also revealed £215m in coronavirus financial support has been paid out to businesses so far from £1.3 billion in grants and support available.
Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman also outlined further support for care homes during the outbreak.
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She said that from this weekend PPE from the national stockpile will be delivered directly to care homes.
Freeman also said the Scottish Government will ensure guidance against communal gathering in care homes is being followed in every facility, adding: “Where there are particular problems in doing that, perhaps in the case of residents who have severe dementia, that we can provide additional guidance and support.”
The Health Secretary’s comments came as the boss of a care home, where the deaths of nine residents have been attributed to Covid-19, criticised the Scottish Government over a lack of testing.
The Newark Care facility in Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire, said no staff or residents had been tested, despite repeated requests to the Government.
In a separate development yesterday, nine residents at a care home in West Dunbartonshire also died from suspected coronavirus.
A further 16 residents at Hill View in Clydebank are displaying symptoms.
National Record of Scotland figures indicate that nearly a quarter of all the country’s coronavirus deaths are in a care home.
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