Coronavirus round-up: School's out, sobering funeral advice

Here’s what you need to know after another day of rapid developments.

School’s Out

Perhaps the biggest story on everyone’s mind – schools and nurseries closing to help battle the spread of Covid-19. The move puts an end to uncertainty for parents and carers and opens the floodgates on a whole new series of questions about how to keep children educated and entertained. I’m hoping my nine-year-old will have time to master the skills he needs to become a Fortnite world champion.

By the numbers

A third patient in Scotland diagnosed with Covid-19 has died. There are now 227 confirmed cases of coronavirus across Scotland, while the total figures for the UK are up to 2,626 from 1,950.

Funeral advice

A sobering bit of advice from the country’s top churches – only close family members should attend funerals until the coronavirus outbreak is contained. Services at the Church of Scotland and Catholic churches are being cancelled to avoid transmission, and they have also warned large gatherings such as weddings could be affected as well.

Financial lifeline

The Scottish government is rolling out a £2bn programme to help keep your pub and florist from going out of business. A combination of grants, tax breaks and loans will ensure small businesses are able to access the money they need to keep the doors open even when nobody is walking through them.

Wash your hands

Here’s a reminder of what counts as hand-washing (a quick rinse under cold water doesn’t count). When you’re fininshed, you can catch up on the other coronavirus-related stories of the day here (including a plea to adopt cats and a slew of new cancellations).