By Nick Morrison

Many infectious viruses spread via droplets from coughing and sneezing.  If you are within six foot of an infectious person you are at risk.

Transmission can also occur if these droplets have been deposited on surfaces like bus seats.

To protect yourself and others wash your hands with clean running water using soap, rinse and dry carefully. If you need to cough or sneeze use a tissue and discard it then wash your hands. If you don’t have a tissue sneeze/cough into your elbow and then wash your hands.

Face masks offer some protection but not to the eyes which are another source of entry for viruses.

Seek early medical help if you have a fever,cough , difficulty in breathing especially if you have been abroad .

If you have returned recently from China in the last two weeks stay-at-home for 14 days i.e. no work or school or other public activities .

• The number of deaths from this Corona virus has risen to 908 at time of writing..
• There are 40,000 confirmed cases, mostly in China.
• Vaccines are probably a year or so away.
• There is some evidence that people may be infectious before showing symptoms.
• All 57 people tested so far in Scotland have proved negative.
• There are now 8 confirmed cases in the British Isles.

If the Chinese authorities had any form of respect for freedom of speech there would not be a Global ( 23 countries and counting) crisis. They spent a month trying to cover it up. Dr Li emailed his alumni about some unusual cases. and was swiftly visited by the Police and accused of spreading ” false rumours”.  This 34 yrs old courageous Doctor is now dead. They made exactly the same mistake with SARS in 2003.

Advice taken from a wide range of sources including the World Health Organisation.

Related article: Testing Facilities Established in Scotland in Response to Coronavirus