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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Coronavirus: Sturgeon recommends mass events ban but not school closures | Coronavirus: Sturgeon recommends mass events ban but not school closures |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Gatherings of more than 500 people should be cancelled from next week, the Scottish government is advising. | |
| First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said this was to free up emergency services, including police and ambulance crews, to deal with coronavirus. | First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said this was to free up emergency services, including police and ambulance crews, to deal with coronavirus. |
| She said it was not necessary to close schools and universities yet, but added that would remain under review. | |
| MSPs have also been told that they should expect a big spike in positive cases of Covid-19. | |
| An update on the latest number of confirmed cases is due at 14:00. | |
| During First Minister's Questions on Thursday, Ms Sturgeon said the scientific advice suggested that cancelling mass gatherings "will not in itself have a significant impact on reducing the spread of the virus". | |
| However, she explained the primary reason for the move was to reduce pressure on frontline workers. | |
| Ms Sturgeon said: "The view that the health secretary and I have come to is that there are wider issues to take account of here. | |
| "Mass gatherings require to be policed, they require to have emergency ambulance cover, they require the services of voluntary health services. | |
| "At a time when we need to be reducing the pressures on these frontline workers - in order to free them up to focus on the significant challenge that lies ahead - I do think it's inappropriate that we continue as normal." | |
| 'Not right thing to close schools' | |
| On the issue of whether schools should remain open, the first minister said: "The advice at the moment is that it would not be the right thing to close schools and universities at this stage. That is something that has to be kept under constant review and I undertake that we will do that." | |
| Ms Sturgeon's update to the Scottish Parliament came after Scottish Secretary Alister Jack admitted that it would not be possible to contain the virus "very much longer". | |
| In an interview on BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme he urged the nation to prepare for major changes to their lives. | |
| The first case of coronavirus transmitted within the community was detected in Scotland on Wednesday. | |
| There are 36 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Scotland, according to Scottish government figures. | |
| There are now 460 confirmed cases in the UK and eight people have died. |