Moray residents warned to self-isolate as Covid-19 cases surge
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Residents in Moray were today warned “self-isolate or become isolated”, amid surging cases across the region, as they were urged to play their part in keeping their loved ones, neighbours and businesses safe and unlocked.
Health experts said that while most people are following the rules, they were aware of a number of instances of people not self-isolating despite either having symptoms of Covid-19 or being asked to do so by contact tracers.
Last week NHS Grampian, Moray Council and Visit Moray Speyside warned the region risked being left behind as the rest of the country unlocked in the coming weeks, due to infection levels in the region. Since then Moray has firmly established itself as having the worst infection rate in Scotland.
The region now has 78.3 cases per 100,000 – East Dumbartonshire has the second highest with 42.8, while neighbouring Aberdeenshire and Highland are at 11.
Paul Southworth, consultant in public health at NHS Grampian, said: “The situation in Moray is continuing to worsen.
"Last week the rate was around 50 per 100,000 and that is rising rapidly.
"We have also seen an increase in hospital admissions from Moray this week.
“In the last seven days Moray has seen 55 per cent of Grampian’s cases – but has less than 17 per cent of the population.
"We’re continuing to see an upward trend and we are yet to see the impact of any mixing over the May Day weekend, so it is possible the situation could worsen in the coming days.
“There is no business, school or organisation behind the rise in cases.
"We are seeing community spread across the region, but particularly focused in Elgin and the surrounding area.
"That is across all age groups and demographics.
"We need to recognise that this is not about one or two incidents of poor behaviour but about an increased risk across the whole community.
“We continue with expanded testing in Moray and really encourage anyone, not just with Covid-19 symptoms, but any symptoms – general weakness, sore throat, diarrhoea – to book a test. Asymptomatic testing is also crucial to getting the outbreak under control – the sooner we can identify cases in their infection, the sooner they can self-isolate to avoid putting others at risk and furthering spread through the community.
"We continue to have asymptomatic testing available on Elgin High Street and would urge people to take up those tests.”
“It is imperative that people stick to the guidelines – distance, even if outside; wear masks; do not go inside other people’s house; ensure you wash your hands regularly; don’t gather in large groups – it is key to getting the virus under control in Moray.
"Even while following the rules, if you can do anything to reduce the risk of transmission, you should. Consider the distance you are from other people, the ventilation of a venue, the size of your social group and the length of time a social interaction lasts.
Health bosses at Dr Gray’s Hospital, in Elgin, said local knowledge had indicated that some people were choosing to break the rules by entering other people’s houses and organising gatherings.
Jamie Hogg, divisional clinical director at Dr Gray’s Hospital, said: “The local population has done exceptionally well to this point and Moray has escaped the worst of the pandemic – it’s had lower numbers of cases, lower infection rates, it’s often been in lower levels – but that could be about to change.
“Anecdotally we’re being made of aware of people either with symptoms or who have been asked to self-isolate by contract tracers not doing so – our message today is simple, self-isolate or Moray will become isolated. The area will see further increases potentially leading to hospitalisations and possibly deaths. It is vital to protect each other, protect business and the wider region that people self-isolate and get a test when they have symptoms or when they are asked to do so by Test and Protect.
“From what our contact tracers are being told, we are increasingly concerned that there are people in the area who have become complacent to the virus and aren’t following the guidelines – from small breaches to the more serious.
“Please stick with the rules, keeping the virus supressed is key to us being able to deliver other health services at Dr Gray’s Hospital and across Moray. By sticking with the guidelines you protect not just the NHS in Moray, but your friends and family members ability to get the healthcare they need to improve their quality of life.”
Moray Council chief executive, Roddy Burns, said: “Ultimately if the situation continues to escalate we may find ourselves living with restrictions which could severely impact on our daily lives – affecting education, businesses being able to operate or using sporting facilities if rates continue to increase.
"We could either be left behind in terms of unlocking or even see other, stronger, restrictions imposed on the region.
“It’s vital that everyone continues to play their part in protecting each other, protecting businesses and ultimately protecting Moray.
“As hard as it may feel, don’t meet people indoors, don’t hug each other, don’t meet in large groups. We’ve come so far, let’s keep protecting Moray.”
The region’s top tourism boss warned that the rising levels of Covid-19 and fears the region could be subject to tougher restrictions than the rest of the country is already having an impact on local businesses.
Laurie Piper, CEO of Visit Moray Speyside said: “We are already seeing cancellations coming through on account of people seeing online and social media speculation about a ‘local lockdown’. For our tourism industry this isn’t a hypothetical problem possibly a few weeks down the road, it is hitting their bookings and bottom line already.
“We are not talking about another lockdown, but that Moray may not be able to move to level two along with the rest of Scotland. To avoid this, people across the region have to play their part in supressing this virus and following the rules.
"It isn’t just the potentially serious health implications, there is already an impact on jobs and people’s livelihoods.
"Almost 3,000 people in Moray are directly employed in the tourism sector – we need to get the numbers down so as not to put those jobs at further risk.
“If you break the guidelines you might spread the virus, and that is bad enough, but ultimately you might cost someone their job or business. I’d beg everyone to please continue play their part or there is a real threat Moray will be behind when the rest of Scotland moves to level two in a couple of weeks.”
Those with any of the symptoms listed below should book a test, via nhsinform.scot or call 0800 028 2816 if you cannot get online, and must not attend sites asymptomatic testing sites.
Those with both classic and extended symptoms in Moray should immediately book a test via nhsinform.scot or call 0800 028 2816 if you cannot get online.
Extended symptoms include:
• General weakness
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath
• Diarrhoea
• Headache
• Chills
• Muscle pain
• Runny nose
• Dry or productive cough
When booking a test due to these symptoms, individuals should select the “My local council or health protection team has asked me to get a test” option.
While the individual experiencing the symptoms should self-isolate until the test result is returned there is no need for the rest of the individual’s household to self-isolate.
Classic symptoms include:
• Continuous cough
• Fever
• Loss of taste of smell
The individual and their whole household, including any extended or bubble members, should self-isolate immediately self-isolate until the test results are returned.
