Coronavirus - Islands are closed for business says Tweet

With reports of people leaving the cities because of Coronavirus and the ever impending threat of a total lock-down, to head for remote areas of the country, the Islands of Barra and Vatersay are urging people not to travel to their virus free corner of Scotland.
By Melinda Gillen
Published 21st Mar 2020, 10:56 BST

Late last night (Friday, March 20th) the ‘Isle of Barra’ Twitter feed stated: “Islands of Barra and Vatersay are closed”

The post went on to explain that visitors - especially if the virus was transported to the Islands - would put unnecessary strain on local medical facilities.

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The tweet continued that islanders would be delighted to see visitors again in the future, but in the meantime, they needed to be looking after their own community first.

The threat to the Islands from visitors - the Western Isles is one of the few places in the country which is believed to be still free of the virus - was also noted by MP for the region, Angus Brendan MacNeil, who yesterday also tweeted his concern about medical facilities.

He particularly highlighted make-shift medical facilities at Castlebay Community Hall on Barra, he noted “No ventilators, not much oxygen either, no testing.”

He declared that the Islands would be badly hit if they had to deal with the virus and pleaded for holidaymakers to stay away.

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At an NHS Western Isles press conference on Coronavirus held last Wednesday afternoon, the more limited medical facilities in areas such as the Uists and Barra were highlighted, however it was stressed by the health authority that patients could be transferred to Western Isles Hospital, if they needed more specialised care, or to other areas of the country if patients required treatment that could not be offered in their own area.

NHS Western Isles Chief Executive, Gordon Jamieson, highlighted: “Uist and Barra do have the ability to ventilate, patients there can be stabilised and supported and then transferred off, so we realise there needs to be contingencies in these areas and we have them.”

Although, it was noted that patients from Barra may have to be transferred over land rather than by air to Benbecula, where transfer by air would be possible if required.

“We have very robust plans in place for the transfer of patients from Uists and Barra,” added Western Isles Medical Director, Dr Frank McAulay.

Related topics:ScotlandWestern IslesBenbecula