Public urged not to 'be alarmed' over Brazilian variant of Covid entering Scotland
Public Health experts say while the arrival of the variant highlights reason for caution, they believe it's under control - it's understood no community transmission of the variant has been identified.
Public Health experts have urged the Scottish public not to 'be alarmed' after news of the Brazilian variant of Covid being identified in Scotland.
Three cases of a COVID-19 Variant of Concern first identified in Manaus, Brazil, were found in Scotland.
The tests were completed in early February and passed to the UK’s advanced sequencing capabilities programme which detected this new variant.
The Scottish Government and NHS Grampian - where all three cases arrived to- say all precautions have been taken to find close contacts and administer tests.
Professor Linda Bauld told us there is no reason for the public to panic.
She said:
"I really don't think people should be alarmed by this news, we have fantastic genomic sequencing capacity in the UK and that's why these variants have been picked up."
"We are in the best position in the world to be able to identify these variants when these cases come into our borders, I think we can get on top of it - it doesn't mean the risk is nothing, there is still a risk, but I think we all just need to keep alert."
She continued: "If there is a concern, we will know about it in the coming days."
The Scottish Government's National Clinical Director Jason Leitch also told us it's not news we should see as a disaster.
"Variants are a concern, we have talked about this risk, and it is a risk, and it is real, however, this is an indication our systems are working." said Professor Leitch.
"We should be vigilant, but the way to avoid infection remains the same."
Professor Leitch continued, by likening the way we've dealt with the South African variant to this situation:
"There's no suggestion that the South African got out of those chains of transmission, and there's no suggestion that this Brazilian variant has either."
Leitch commented that these cases have been isolating very well, but that the Scottish Government and NHS Grampian are checking any potential contacts - or contacts of contacts - while they were travelling or after to make sure sure transmission has not occurred.
Professor Bauld believe that this shows the importance of travel restrictions, and that the rest of the four nations should follow the lead of Scotland with it's stricter guidelines.
Professor Bauld said: "I think this will really shine a light on why we need comprehensive quarantine at this time."
"If we were to allow this to run through the community it would be more transmissible, there would be more infections particularly at the time where we are gradually trying to open up."
"So what we need is border controls that identify people when they come into the country and they have supported quarantine."
"We are going to have to live with that for quite a few months to come" She continued "It's particularly important when the virus is changing around the world, so the red list countries that the UK has included, they are not sufficient - we need that for people coming in from most countries with the exception of the common travel area."
And Professor Leitch added:
"Global travel causes very fast global spread potentially."
"It is a warning, and it should keep us vigilant."