Daily Coronavirus Round-Up: 30/3/30

Tay News can exclusively reveal around a quarter of NHS Tayside staff tested for coronavirus have returned positive results.

For the last two weeks up to 150 have been tested through appointment only examinations. every day.

It's one of the first health boards in Scotland to check frontline workers' condition.

NHS Tayside Medical Director Professor Peter Stonebridge said: "We are now testing up to 150 members of staff per day.

"The covid positive rate is between 20 and 30%, which means we can get 70 to 80% of our staff back on the frontline, looking after people in the hospital and the community far quicker.

"We're now up to five bays of testing. It's through an appointment only system because we have to be able to prioritise where our staff shortfalls are.

"One day it might be in intensive care, another day it might be general practitioners or ambulance drivers."

Elsewhere in Tayside:

Researchers from Dundee University say they've identified a number of proteins created by Covid-19.

They're using it to help find a cure for the virus.

Professor Dario Alessi, Director of MRC-PPU, said, “I am delighted that we have been able to exploit the tremendous expertise available within our Unit to generate antibodies that recognise each of the 38 proteins encoded by the COVID-19 virus so rapidly.

"This represents a titanic effort, and I would like to acknowledge our dedicated staff who are working night and day on this project.

“These antibodies represent a unique set of tools to study the inner workings of COVID-19. They will help future research aimed at understanding fundamental COVID-19 biology and the quest to develop new drugs that prevent this virus from infecting humans.

"As soon as each of these antibodies is generated, we will place these on our reagent website so that researchers worldwide can easily order these tools.”

Perth and Kinross Council is expanding its provision of childcare for key workers.

The updated list includes burial staff and military personnel involved in Covid-19 work.

National:

A new temporary hospital could open at Glasgow’s SEC within a fortnight to help Scotland in the fight with coronavirus.

Work’s already underway on the emergency facility which could eventually have capacity for 1,000 patients.

Another six patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for Covid-19 while 108 are in intensive care.

There are now 108 cases of the disease in Tayside.

It comes as the First Minister announces several cancer screening programmes have been put on hold.

"You can imagine this is not a decision that we have taken lightly however it is important to in order to maximise the ability of the NHS over the coming weeks."

Nicola Sturgeon’s also confirmed 10-thousand people have registered in an interest in volunteering after the launch of the Scotland Cares campaign this morning.

Elsewhere a £75m support package from the UK has been unveiled to fly home tens of thousands of brits stranded abroad.

A number of airlines have signed up to the agreement, including British Airways, which will provide alternative flights at little or no cost to customers.

Hear all the latest news from across Tayside, Perthshire and Angus on Tay FM. Listen on FM, via our Rayo app, DAB, or smart speaker.