MP praises action from locals in Turriff and wider Banff and Buchan constituency in response to Coronavirus
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Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid has vowed that he and his staff ‘stand ready’ to help any constituents that need assistance due to restrictions put in place to combat the spread of Coronavirus.
The MP has also praised the community response to the crisis, with many organisations and businesses in Banff and Buchan adopting special measures to lend a hand to those who may need it.
Citizens Advice Bureau Turriff are among several groups offering to help local residents with food shopping deliveries or prescription collections, while a range of companies such as Peterhead Fish Company are offering free deliveries to any customers who are self-isolating at home.
The response from Mr Duguid follows the latest guidance issued by the UK and Scottish governments.
In a statement broadcast live on the BBC on Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that people should now “avoid all unnecessary social contact” and “unnecessary travel”.
Mr Duguid commented: “The measures being outlined by the UK and Scottish governments today are based on the best scientific advice.
“Both governments are working round the clock to keep people safe and I would urge everyone to follow the guidance that has been issued.
“The next few months are going to be very challenging for the public, but it is very important to remain calm.
“I have been impressed with the community response here in Banff and Buchan, with several organisations and businesses stepping up to offer support.
“My team and I stand ready to help in any way we can.
“Anyone who is self-isolating at home and needs help collecting shopping or picking up prescriptions should contact my office by phone or email for assistance.
“We all need to pull together – particularly to help older people in our local communities.”
In a statement to Parliament on Monday, Secretary of State for Health and Social Security Matt Hancock said: "We have agreed a very significant step in the actions we’re taking, from within that plan, to control the spread of the disease.
"These actions will change the ordinary lives of everyone in this country.
"We appreciate that they are very significant and I understand that people will be concerned.
"But we have come to the view that they are necessary to save lives and to stop this disease.
"First, based on the updated scientific advice, we are today advising that if you or anyone in your home has a high temperature or a new and continuous cough, then you should stay at home for 14 days.
"If at all possible, you should not go out even to buy food and essentials.
"Instead you should ask others for assistance with your daily necessities.
"The exception to this is for exercise.
"Even then, you should keep at a safe distance from others.
"If it’s not possible to receive deliveries at home, then you should do what you can to limit your social contact when you leave the house to get supplies.
"Even if you or anyone in your household don’t have symptoms, there is more that we have to ask of you.
"We are advising people against all unnecessary social contact with others and all unnecessary travel.
"We need people to start working from home if they possibly can.
"We should steer clear of pubs, clubs, cinemas and restaurants.
"We should only use the NHS when we really need to.
"This advice is directed at everyone, but it’s especially important for the over 70s, for pregnant women and for those with some health conditions."
He continued: "By this coming weekend – we will need to go even further to ensure that those with the most serious health conditions are largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks.
"We want to ensure that this period of maximum shielding coincides with the peak of maximum transmission.
"Second, we are increasing our testing capabilities yet further.
"The UK has tested more people than almost any other major economy outside of China, South Korea and Italy.
"We have already increased the number of tests to 5000 a day and this is now on its way to 10,000 and then radically further.
He also added: "On Thursday we will introduce the Coronavirus Emergency Bill.
"This Bill will give us the powers to keep essential services running at a time when large parts of the workforce may be off sick.
"Some of these measures will be very significant and a departure from the way we do things in peacetime.
"These are strictly temporary and proportionate to the threat we face, and I hope that many will not have to be used at all.
"They will only be activated on the basis of scientific advice and will only be in place for as long as is clinically necessary."
"We will fight this virus with everything we’ve got.
"We are in a war against an invisible killer and we have got to do everything we can to stop it."
A full summary of information on social distancing is available online
