It’s been a turbulent day with measures put in place to tackle the spread of coronavirus expected to “change life as we know it”.
Following a Cobra meeting on Monday, Boris Johnson urged everyone in the UK to avoid pubs, clubs and theatres, stop all non-essential contact and travel, and work from home if they could.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “What we are asking people now to do will significantly and substantially change life as we know it for a considerable period of time.
“We are all in this together. If we do the right things, if we all follow the advice that is being given we can get through this and we will get through this.”
With that in mind, here is a round-up of what you need to know:
Schools in, for now
The Scottish Government has doubled down on its plan to keep schools open as the coronavirus moves through communities.
While some countries have either closed primary and secondary schools altogether to help contain the spread, chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood said the children are better off in their schools because they aren’t like to be “severely affected”.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said closing schools would be ineffective because any plan would likely need to last for up to four months to be effective.
By the numbers
Fewer people are to be tested for coronavirus, so it makes sense that the number of positive tests would decline.
The official count is now at 171 cases, compared to 153 the day before.
The government will no longer test everyone it suspects of carrying the virus, instead using data from 200 GP practices and information from the hospitals which carry out their own testing.
Senior social distancing
With conflicting evidence sowing confusion around the country about how older people should conduct themselves through the outbreak, reporter Rachel Guy cut through the noise to figure out the guidance is actually pretty clear – anyone over 70 with underlying conditions should stay put but there’s no need to completely avoid the outside world.
Before you go (wash your hands)
Lewis Capaldi and his team are on the defensive after the singer managed to slip an Aberdeen performance through just ahead of Monday’s national moratorium on large gatherings.
Fans didn’t seem to mind, but if they all come down with symptoms Capaldi may turn into someone they loved but not now.
Throughout the day many large-scale events were cancelled – including the Paisley Food and Drink Festival and British Pipe Band Championships.
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement, Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) confirmed it was pulling the plug on shows at its venues, which includes Edinburgh Playhouse, the Theatre Royal Glasgow and at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow.
Even The Grand National, due to take place down south on April 4, was scrapped, Aintree Racecourse announced.
Weather worry
You can blame almost anything that happens in Glasgow on the weather – and scientists warn the mild, wet conditions expected in the coming weeks could make the city an incubator for the virus.
“A dramatic map showed spike of Covid-19 in Milan, Tehra and Seattle – which bear similar climates to Scotland in the coming weeks,” wrote the Glasgow Times.
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