COVID-19

This page gives a rolling update on COVID-19 coronavirus. It will be kept up to date as much as possible.

Please note that my office remains available to members of the public. Although we are no longer basing ourselves out of the main constituency offices, we are all still working from home and we can take incoming calls and emails. Please see the bottom of the page or use the contact tab for my contact details.

Coronavirus in Scotland

There are now a number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) across Scotland.

Health services are prepared to deal with an increasing outbreak, and we must play our own part to help prevent further spread by following the latest medical advice. 
People have been advised to follow the public health advice for coronavirus, which is continuously updated and can be found on the NHS Inform website.

Health advice

If you've developed a new continuous cough and/or a fever/high temperature in the last 7 days, stay at home for 7 days from the start of your symptoms even if you think your symptoms are mild.

Phone your GP if your symptoms:

• are severe or you have shortness of breath
• worsen during home isolation
• have not improved after 7 days

You should also phone your GP if you develop breathlessness or it worsens, especially if you:

• are 60 years old or over
• have underlying poor health
• have heart or lung problems
• have a weakened immune system, including cancer
• have diabetes

If your GP is closed, phone NHS 24 (111).
If you have a medical emergency, phone 999 and tell them you have COVID-19 symptoms.

If you have symptoms and live with others:

• You should stay at home for 7 days from the start of your symptoms
• They should stay at home for 14 days from the start of your symptoms even if they don’t have symptoms themselves

If they develop symptoms within the 14 days, they need to stay at home for 7 days from the day their symptoms began. They should do this even if it takes them over the 14-day isolation period.
Free information for people who do not have symptoms but are looking for general advice is available at NHSinform.scot or call the helpline on 0800 028 2816

STAY AT HOME

Government's across the UK are now advising everyone to stay at home in order to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).

If you break the lockdown measures then you risk being fined. Do not do leave your home except for:

1. shopping for food
2. medical or care needs
3. if you are a key worker
4. exercise (once a day)

Everyone should be trying to follow these measures as much as is pragmatic.

If you need to go out, the Scottish Government has advised you wear a face covering in enclosed areas.

There is full guidance on the stay at home measures available on Gov.uk

Governments are also advising those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures. Please follow the social distancing guidance.

This group includes those who are:

• aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)
• under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds)
• those who are pregnant

Some groups of people are considered to be at extremely high risk of severe illness with COVID-19. These people should should strictly follow shielding measures.

People falling into this group are those who may be at particular risk due to complex health problems such as:

• have had solid organ transplants
• have lung cancer and are receiving active chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• have cancers of the blood or bone marrow, such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
• have severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma and severe COPD
• have rare diseases that significantly increase the risk of infections such as SCID and homozygous sickle cell
• have severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis)
• are receiving immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
• are receiving other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors
• are receiving immunosuppression therapies that significantly increase risk of infection
• are pregnant with significant heart disease (congenital or acquired)

These measures are likely to be in place for a number of weeks. Please check the guidance on shielding for more information.

The Foreign Office has issue an Exceptional Travel Advisory Notice advising British nationals against all but essential travel as a result of COVID-19. If you are currently abroad and are facing difficulty in arranging travel back to the UK, you should get in touch with your nearest UK consulate or embassy.

The Scottish Government has also set up a helpline providing businesses across Scotland with advice and guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19). Callers should select option one to speak to the COVID-19 team. It is available on 0300 303 0660.

Self-employed workers and business owners with tax concerns, should contact the HMRC helpline on 0800 0159 559

For those worried about facing unemployment or uncertainty over wages, Perth and Kinross Council have developed this webpage which may help answer some of your questions - https://www.pkc.gov.uk/bensandcovid19 

For council tenants worried about what impacts COVID-19 may have on your tenancy, repairs or home visits, please see this site - https://www.pkc.gov.uk/coronavirus/tenants

Further updates should be provided as the situation develops.