Coronavirus / Two more Covid cases confirmed
ANOTHER two Covid cases have been confirmed in Shetland, according to today’s (Friday) Scottish Government figures.
They are linked to the new case announced yesterday (Thursday).
A number of public buildings in Whalsay, meanwhile, have temporarily closed as a precaution due to cases linked to the island. Mass testing is also taking place.
NHS Shetland interim director of public health Dr Susan Laidlaw said there may well be more cases because around 100 contacts had already been identified.
The current cluster is linked to travel and other cases on mainland Scotland.
“Although the majority of cases and contacts are on Whalsay, the situation has spread beyond there and the whole Shetland community is urged to once again be careful and to keep following the FACTS that we all know so well,” Dr Laidlaw said.
She added even though Shetland will soon be in level zero, the FACTS guidance has not changed.
“Wearing a mask where required and distancing is effective, along with washing your hands with soap and water. When you go out and come home, wash your hands immediately and don’t touch your face.
“And, if you are visiting a shop or restaurant and it is crowded, avoid it and go back at a quieter time.
“Whilst we are allowed meet with small groups of family and friends at home, that does not mean that you should be meeting with lots of different households and different people without any precautions: that is a sure fire way of spreading the virus around if any one individual is infected and infectious.
“And at the current time there may well be other people who are infectious who don’t know it.”
Dr Laidlaw also encouraged people to cooperate with the contact tracing team.
“Most of the community is really supportive of our efforts and wants to help,” she said.
“That means if you are contacted by the team then giving as complete a picture as you can about your movements and contacts. The team is already busy trying to contact trace and it is more work for them, and delays the response, if people are not as co-operative as they could be.”
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