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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Coronavirus: NHS field hospital plans for Scotland | Coronavirus: NHS field hospital plans for Scotland |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| NHS field hospital sites in Scotland will be identified this week ahead of a predicted rapid rise in Covid-19 cases, the chief medical officer has said. | NHS field hospital sites in Scotland will be identified this week ahead of a predicted rapid rise in Covid-19 cases, the chief medical officer has said. |
| Dr Catherine Calderwood said she agreed with a senior medic who expects a coronavirus "tsunami" in coming weeks. | Dr Catherine Calderwood said she agreed with a senior medic who expects a coronavirus "tsunami" in coming weeks. |
| The army has confirmed officers from the Royal Engineers have been assessing the SEC in Glasgow as a temporary hospital location. | The army has confirmed officers from the Royal Engineers have been assessing the SEC in Glasgow as a temporary hospital location. |
| It stressed that any facilities would be run by the NHS. | It stressed that any facilities would be run by the NHS. |
| Dr Calderwood said Scotland was looking to set up temporary hospitals similar to one planned for London. | Dr Calderwood said Scotland was looking to set up temporary hospitals similar to one planned for London. |
| She also revealed that new distribution systems for protective equipment were being set up. | She also revealed that new distribution systems for protective equipment were being set up. |
| The ExCel exhibition centre space in East London is being prepared as a 4,000-bed field hospital, to be staffed by NHS medics with the help of the military, and there are reports that the NEC in Birmingham could take on a similar role. | The ExCel exhibition centre space in East London is being prepared as a 4,000-bed field hospital, to be staffed by NHS medics with the help of the military, and there are reports that the NEC in Birmingham could take on a similar role. |
| Dr Calderwood said sites in Scotland for such facilities were "absolutely" being looked at. | Dr Calderwood said sites in Scotland for such facilities were "absolutely" being looked at. |
| She told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We have had quite detailed discussions very recently and I know that there are sites being considered in Scotland this week." | She told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We have had quite detailed discussions very recently and I know that there are sites being considered in Scotland this week." |
| The army in Scotland has said military liaison officers will be working with health boards. | The army in Scotland has said military liaison officers will be working with health boards. |
| Senior officers are now working at the Scottish government headquarters, St Andrew's House, coordinating their efforts with civil servants. | Senior officers are now working at the Scottish government headquarters, St Andrew's House, coordinating their efforts with civil servants. |
| The Scottish government said the assistance of the Royal Engineers at the SEC would inform their contingency planning. | |
| The chief medical officer was asked about comments by the vice-president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr David Chung, who has warned that the dramatic explosion in coronavirus case numbers in London could be replicated in Scotland. | The chief medical officer was asked about comments by the vice-president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr David Chung, who has warned that the dramatic explosion in coronavirus case numbers in London could be replicated in Scotland. |
| She said: "Unfortunately, the emergency medicine doctor is absolutely right. We have people with mild illness, as we know 80% of people - but up to 20% of people will have a much more significant illness." | She said: "Unfortunately, the emergency medicine doctor is absolutely right. We have people with mild illness, as we know 80% of people - but up to 20% of people will have a much more significant illness." |
| So far, there have been 25 deaths in Scotland, while across the UK 475 people with the virus have died. | So far, there have been 25 deaths in Scotland, while across the UK 475 people with the virus have died. |
| 'Just a time issue' | 'Just a time issue' |
| Dr Calderwood said the lower Scottish death figure may simply reflect the time it takes for infected people to develop symptoms and become seriously ill. | Dr Calderwood said the lower Scottish death figure may simply reflect the time it takes for infected people to develop symptoms and become seriously ill. |
| "You can be ill for two to three weeks before you're hospitalised," she said. | "You can be ill for two to three weeks before you're hospitalised," she said. |
| "I'm worried that these low deaths are actually just because we haven't had the virus in Scotland for as long as they have had it in England | "I'm worried that these low deaths are actually just because we haven't had the virus in Scotland for as long as they have had it in England |
| "In other words, there hasn't been enough time for people to get more unwell and hospitalised and onto that stage where they're needing intensive care. | "In other words, there hasn't been enough time for people to get more unwell and hospitalised and onto that stage where they're needing intensive care. |
| "This is probably just a time issue rather than a lower death rate per se." | "This is probably just a time issue rather than a lower death rate per se." |
| The chief medical officer said she was hearing from NHS colleagues that they were worried about their personal safety due to shortages of protective equipment. | The chief medical officer said she was hearing from NHS colleagues that they were worried about their personal safety due to shortages of protective equipment. |
| "This makes me very uncomfortable," she said. | "This makes me very uncomfortable," she said. |
| "To send people to work on the frontline when they are worried that the masks, in particular, will run low or run out. | "To send people to work on the frontline when they are worried that the masks, in particular, will run low or run out. |
| "We are also hearing of people using masks when actually they don't need to be using them - that is depriving them, somebody else who does need the mask." | "We are also hearing of people using masks when actually they don't need to be using them - that is depriving them, somebody else who does need the mask." |
| New equipment distribution system | New equipment distribution system |
| Dr Calderwood said the distribution model for protective equipment was being changed to ensure supplies were delivered to the right places in the right quantities. | Dr Calderwood said the distribution model for protective equipment was being changed to ensure supplies were delivered to the right places in the right quantities. |
| "It seems we had not enough that were coming in a timely fashion. People were ordering from GP surgeries or from hospitals ordering many, many more masks than they would ever have before," she said. | "It seems we had not enough that were coming in a timely fashion. People were ordering from GP surgeries or from hospitals ordering many, many more masks than they would ever have before," she said. |
| "That seems to have clogged up the system with huge orders for which there weren't enough supplies so the order didn't get processed at all." | "That seems to have clogged up the system with huge orders for which there weren't enough supplies so the order didn't get processed at all." |
| Separate distribution lines have now been set up for primary care, social care and hospitals to speed up the process. | Separate distribution lines have now been set up for primary care, social care and hospitals to speed up the process. |
| "Distribution should not be a problem after this week," she said. | "Distribution should not be a problem after this week," she said. |
| Dr Calderwood said testing was prioritised "quite rightly" for those requiring hospital treatment, as well as surveillance testing to provide information about the spread of the virus. | Dr Calderwood said testing was prioritised "quite rightly" for those requiring hospital treatment, as well as surveillance testing to provide information about the spread of the virus. |
| She was asked why Prince Charles and his wife Camilla were tested for Covid-19 in Aberdeenshire when the heir to the throne was only displaying "mild symptoms". | She was asked why Prince Charles and his wife Camilla were tested for Covid-19 in Aberdeenshire when the heir to the throne was only displaying "mild symptoms". |
| She said: "My understanding is there were very good clinical reasons for that person and his wife to be tested. Obviously I wouldn't be able to disclose anything else that I know because of patient confidentiality." | She said: "My understanding is there were very good clinical reasons for that person and his wife to be tested. Obviously I wouldn't be able to disclose anything else that I know because of patient confidentiality." |