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| How Outer Hebrides were perfectly primed to tackle coronavirus | How Outer Hebrides were perfectly primed to tackle coronavirus |
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| Residents of Western Isles, which have yet to record a Covid-19 death, have plenty experience of isolation | Residents of Western Isles, which have yet to record a Covid-19 death, have plenty experience of isolation |
| Residents of the Outer Hebrides are experts at surviving through harsh weather, cancelled ferries and social isolation. And it seems to have paid off, after it emerged that the islands may be the only area of the UK where no one has yet died from Covid-19. | Residents of the Outer Hebrides are experts at surviving through harsh weather, cancelled ferries and social isolation. And it seems to have paid off, after it emerged that the islands may be the only area of the UK where no one has yet died from Covid-19. |
| Unlike Scotland’s other island groups, such as Orkney and Shetland, the Western Isles have had remarkably few confirmed cases: so far, only six people out of a population of nearly 27,000 are known to have contracted coronavirus. | Unlike Scotland’s other island groups, such as Orkney and Shetland, the Western Isles have had remarkably few confirmed cases: so far, only six people out of a population of nearly 27,000 are known to have contracted coronavirus. |
| Official data confirmed this week that for 13 days there had been no new cases in the Western Isles, an archipelago that stretches from Lewis and Harris through the Uists and Benbecula down to Barra and Mingulay at its southern tip. | Official data confirmed this week that for 13 days there had been no new cases in the Western Isles, an archipelago that stretches from Lewis and Harris through the Uists and Benbecula down to Barra and Mingulay at its southern tip. |
| The remarkable figures suggest an early decision by Scottish ministers to begin restricting all non-essential ferry travel, alongside issuing urgent appeals for city dwellers to stay away from the highlands and islands, may have paid off. | The remarkable figures suggest an early decision by Scottish ministers to begin restricting all non-essential ferry travel, alongside issuing urgent appeals for city dwellers to stay away from the highlands and islands, may have paid off. |
| CalMac and NorthLink, the country’s main ferry operators, started preventing holidaymakers and non-residents from using their ferries from 19 March, the day before the UK and Scottish governments ordered the nationwide lockdown, and on 27 March they introduced an emergency timetable. | CalMac and NorthLink, the country’s main ferry operators, started preventing holidaymakers and non-residents from using their ferries from 19 March, the day before the UK and Scottish governments ordered the nationwide lockdown, and on 27 March they introduced an emergency timetable. |
| Only essential workers and lorry drivers have been allowed to travel since then. On Easter Sunday this year, only 146 people used Hebridean ferries, compared with 12,000 people on Easter Sunday last year. CalMac’s traffic has fallen by 95%. | Only essential workers and lorry drivers have been allowed to travel since then. On Easter Sunday this year, only 146 people used Hebridean ferries, compared with 12,000 people on Easter Sunday last year. CalMac’s traffic has fallen by 95%. |
| Dr Alasdair Allan, the Scottish National party MSP for the Western Isles, Na h-Eileanan an Iar in Scottish Gaelic, cautioned that many more cases on the islands might have gone undetected, but said islanders were quick to embrace the lockdown. | Dr Alasdair Allan, the Scottish National party MSP for the Western Isles, Na h-Eileanan an Iar in Scottish Gaelic, cautioned that many more cases on the islands might have gone undetected, but said islanders were quick to embrace the lockdown. |
| “People on the islands were instantly aware of how dangerous that was because they knew their health services couldn’t cope with that situation,” he said. “There was a high degree of compliance despite the fact that the effects economically are very precarious, for areas with a seasonal economy.” | “People on the islands were instantly aware of how dangerous that was because they knew their health services couldn’t cope with that situation,” he said. “There was a high degree of compliance despite the fact that the effects economically are very precarious, for areas with a seasonal economy.” |
| Orkney and Shetland have had a tougher experience: official data from National Records of Scotland (NRS) shows that Shetland has had six deaths since the outbreak began, a rate of 2.6 people per 10,000 population, and 52 confirmed infections. Orkney has recorded two deaths, a rate of 0.9 per 10,000, yet has only had six confirmed infections. Alongside the Western Isles, it was the last place in Scotland to record a new infection, on 8 April. | Orkney and Shetland have had a tougher experience: official data from National Records of Scotland (NRS) shows that Shetland has had six deaths since the outbreak began, a rate of 2.6 people per 10,000 population, and 52 confirmed infections. Orkney has recorded two deaths, a rate of 0.9 per 10,000, yet has only had six confirmed infections. Alongside the Western Isles, it was the last place in Scotland to record a new infection, on 8 April. |
| NRS data suggests the lockdown has protected other parts of rural Scotland too. The Highland region has had 50 deaths, but at 1.6 per 10,000, and the death rate in Grampian, which includes the Cairngorms, Speyside and Aberdeen, is 1.5 per 10,000. | NRS data suggests the lockdown has protected other parts of rural Scotland too. The Highland region has had 50 deaths, but at 1.6 per 10,000, and the death rate in Grampian, which includes the Cairngorms, Speyside and Aberdeen, is 1.5 per 10,000. |
| By contrast, the rate in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which has the country’s most deprived and closely packed populations, is at 4.4 per 10,000 and at 3.5 per 10,000 in Lanarkshire. | By contrast, the rate in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which has the country’s most deprived and closely packed populations, is at 4.4 per 10,000 and at 3.5 per 10,000 in Lanarkshire. |
| The Western Isles figures were highlighted because of a mistake that briefly caused alarm on the islands. After a patient died in Stornoway’s hospital from suspected Covid-19, that was put on his death certificate. But a test sample came back negative from Glasgow and the NHS board has asked for the NRS to change its records to record zero coronavirus deaths in the Western Isles. | The Western Isles figures were highlighted because of a mistake that briefly caused alarm on the islands. After a patient died in Stornoway’s hospital from suspected Covid-19, that was put on his death certificate. But a test sample came back negative from Glasgow and the NHS board has asked for the NRS to change its records to record zero coronavirus deaths in the Western Isles. |
| Gordon Jamieson, chief executive of NHS Western Isles, said it planned to greatly increase testing with a new machine that is expected to become operational on Monday, allowing it to test for the virus more widely among key workers and in the community. “I can fight it much better that way,” he said. | Gordon Jamieson, chief executive of NHS Western Isles, said it planned to greatly increase testing with a new machine that is expected to become operational on Monday, allowing it to test for the virus more widely among key workers and in the community. “I can fight it much better that way,” he said. |
| It has allocated 60 “surge” beds for Covid-19 cases and capacity for eight intensive care patients in Stornoway – capacity that has not yet been needed, according to Jamieson. Their testing in the community suggested that, so far, the virus had not yet established itself. | It has allocated 60 “surge” beds for Covid-19 cases and capacity for eight intensive care patients in Stornoway – capacity that has not yet been needed, according to Jamieson. Their testing in the community suggested that, so far, the virus had not yet established itself. |
| “When you’re living in fairly remote island communities, you find that people come to terms and adjust very rapidly to anything that happens up here,” he said. “At the very beginning there was an immediate and very high level of compliance with social distancing and with staying at home. It has been clear and it has been consistent; people have been very disciplined, and supportive and cooperative.” | “When you’re living in fairly remote island communities, you find that people come to terms and adjust very rapidly to anything that happens up here,” he said. “At the very beginning there was an immediate and very high level of compliance with social distancing and with staying at home. It has been clear and it has been consistent; people have been very disciplined, and supportive and cooperative.” |
| Allan remained cautious, however. He hoped greater testing would confirm that the lockdown has worked. But he added: “I don’t think anybody here is complacent about the possibility that we may just be at an early stage here. We might just be one of the last places in Europe to be affected. I’m hoping with more testing in the few days, we will get a complete picture of that.” | Allan remained cautious, however. He hoped greater testing would confirm that the lockdown has worked. But he added: “I don’t think anybody here is complacent about the possibility that we may just be at an early stage here. We might just be one of the last places in Europe to be affected. I’m hoping with more testing in the few days, we will get a complete picture of that.” |
| Shetland has had a similar response from its residents. Past experience with infectious diseases, such as the recent swine flu outbreak and tuberculosis many decades ago, meant many islanders had voluntarily locked down early on. | Shetland has had a similar response from its residents. Past experience with infectious diseases, such as the recent swine flu outbreak and tuberculosis many decades ago, meant many islanders had voluntarily locked down early on. |
| Dr Susan Bowie, a GP In Hillswick, a village in the far north-west of mainland Shetland, said her community self-isolated as soon as they heard the virus had arrived, earlier than in other parts of Scotland. Hillswick is 43 miles (69km) along difficult roads from the islands’ only hospital, in Lerwick, increasing the sense of vulnerability. | Dr Susan Bowie, a GP In Hillswick, a village in the far north-west of mainland Shetland, said her community self-isolated as soon as they heard the virus had arrived, earlier than in other parts of Scotland. Hillswick is 43 miles (69km) along difficult roads from the islands’ only hospital, in Lerwick, increasing the sense of vulnerability. |
| Preparing for bad weather is instinctive. “People have been amazing at self-isolating, and they went into self-isolation at least two weeks before the rest of the UK,” she said. Her neighbours “keep a lot of full freezers. We always have quite a lot in the larder.” | Preparing for bad weather is instinctive. “People have been amazing at self-isolating, and they went into self-isolation at least two weeks before the rest of the UK,” she said. Her neighbours “keep a lot of full freezers. We always have quite a lot in the larder.” |
| • This article was amended on 24 April 2020 because an earlier version mistakenly gave the fatality rates in percentages for Greater Glasgow and Clyde (4.4%), and Lanarkshire (3.5%). This has been corrected to 4.4 per 10,000 and 3.5 per 10,000 respectively. |