Coronavirus: 'Your life should not be normal' says First Minister as death toll revealed as 14

Nicola Sturgeon has revealed the number of Scottish deaths from coronavirus is 14, as she said people's lives should not be "as normal"

A total of 499 people have now tested positive for coronavirus in Scotland – an increase of 83 from Sunday – and Nicola Sturgeon stressed the figures are still likely to be an under-estimate.

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood also said that the 14 deaths represented around 1000 people who have become infected.

She added: "We have 23 people currently in our intensive care units across Scotland who have coronavirus and each of them represents perhaps 400 to 500 other people that will have become infected in the course of their illness."

The new figures were revealed as the First Minister and Health Secretary Jeane Freeman announced the creation of community hubs to deal with those who believe they have coronavirus symptoms.

The NHS 24 phone number, 111, is now a national phoneline for those with coronavirus symptoms who will be put through to senior clinicians who will then decided whether they should be seen by a doctor. The urged the public to stop using the 111 number for requesting sick lines for their employers, and instead to use the NHS Scotland website.

They also revealed that community pharmacists will also perform an enhanced role to deal with the outbreak – supporting patients and reducing the pressure on other parts of the NHS through the extension of the Minor Ailment Service.

Again urging people not to leave their homes unless it was essential, such as for food, medicine, or to go to work if classed as a key worker, Nicola Sturgeon said the advice the government was giving out should not be “considered optional but rules we’re expecting people to comply with” to protect people and the NHS and reduce the number of deaths.

“For everyone, you must stay at home unless it’s essential to go out and that includes working from home where possible. Stay away from people, even out of doors, and when there are other people around stay two metres from them.

“Life should not be carrying on as normal right now, it should not be normal for you, so if it is then you are not doing the right things and I ask you to please put that right.

I’m grateful to everyone who is complying with the advice, it’s clear the vast majority of poeple are making very serious efforts to limit their contact.”

She also thanked the pubs, gyms, cafes and cinemas which had closed and to those not complying she said “within days we will have emergency powers and will use them, so do the right thing now”.

To shops still open, she said if they were not providing essential items like food and medicines, they should close.

“There are too many people being expected to, or expecting to go to work as normal. If you run a business and the nature of your business makes it difficult to work from home or to practise safe social distancing then you should close for the period of the effortst to combat this virus. If you’re an employee and your workplace is not abiding by this I would urge you to speak to your employer and ask that they take action.

“I’ve been specifically asked about building sites and hair salons and my advice would be to close.”

She said there would be additional guidance for businesses drawn up urgently that would make clear “exactly what we’re expecting from them and how they can make the right judgements about what is and is not essential.

“The UK government has put in place measures to pay wages and we’re pushing for and hope to see soon further measures to support freelance workers, the self-employed and contract workers. This should enable businesses to do the right thing for themselves and for their workers.

“These measures are necessary to slow down the rapid acceleration of this virus. If our NHS becomes overwhelmed then people will die needlessly. This is about saving lives.”

The First Minister added: “We are fundamentally changing how we live our lives. We are not asking this lightly. What we are asking you to do is vital to slow down this virus and reduce its impact and to save lives.

“If you, as all of us will in the days and weeks to come, get frustrated that the things we take for granted in normal life cannot be done, remember it’s being done to save as many lives as possible.”

Revealing the 111 helpline would now be used solely for those with coronavirus symptoms, Ms Sturgeon said: “They can call the same number day or night seven days a week, which will help GP practices to treat and care for all non-coronavirus related conditions.

“If you need a sick note please do not call the 111 number as it puts NHS 24 under unnecessary pressure.”

CMO Dr Catherine Calderwood addressed the issue of whether people were able to go outside at all.

She said: “The measures are hard and lifechanging. You risk infecting people you love, your friends, your family your elderly relatives. So when people are mixing outside their families they need to be sure those interactions are worth the risks they are taking.

“People who are not socially distancing are also risking the health of our NHS and social care staff, who need to be protected to keep as many people alive in this pandemic as possible.

“But we need to be realistic about people’s lives. Exercise, fresh air and keeping fit are important and good for mental wellbeing. People can go out once a day, in small family groups, do not mingle with other people in the outdoors.

“We encourage people to continue to use the outdoors, but we’re really in this for a marathon, not a sprint.”

On the new hubs, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said they are for patients experiencing coronavirus symptoms who require medical support. She said: “It’s important that people using the 111 number accessing sick notes, go instead to the website.

“When people call 111 they will be asked questions and then either provided with additional clinical advice or an appointment made to attend a local assessment centre. They will be seen there in person and provided with treatment at that point or admitted to hospital.

“This is national coverage from a single service through the 111 number.”

She said the Scottish Government has also accelerated plans to expand access to Emergency Care Summary data, which mainly contains medication information, to pharmacists. Health Boards have been asked to provide access to this information to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in communities.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “The vital work of community pharmacies up and down the country is key in ensuring that we continue to reduce the burden across the NHS, and patients continue to get the necessary medicines they need to stay healthy.

“Many people visit a community pharmacy every day, with these numbers increasing in the current COVID-19 outbreak.

“This makes them the most accessible healthcare professionals on the front line of community health services, and a valuable resource to NHS Scotland.

“Strengthening the role of pharmacists, and easing some of the pressure from frontline NHS services, is therefore an important step in our wide ranging response to the current crisis.”Call NHS 24 (on 111) if you think you have COVID-19 and need help or assistance.For any other health related concerns, make NHS Inform your first point of contact or call your GP during opening hours. If your GP practice is closed and your query can’t wait you can still call NHS 24 (on 111).