Coronavirus: What the experts are saying as outbreak continues to spread

Brian Sloan, Age Scotland chief executive

Some older people are choosing to stay at home to avoid the risk of infection, despite having no symptoms.

This is understandable,
but the loss of social contact can lead to loneliness and isolation, which is not good for wellbeing.

We are encouraging people to look out for their relatives.

Perhaps you could arrange an online shop for an older person or just share a cup of tea in their house.

The current Scottish Government guidance is that only people experiencing the symptoms of coronavirus need to self-isolate.

For older people it is important to stay connected, so a visit or phone call could make a huge difference. We would also urge older people to call our free helpline for a chat on 0800 124 4222.

Stephen Montgomery, Scottish LTA

There is a nervousness throughout the trade. We don’t how long this is going to go on or how many businesses will survive it.

The business rates relief announced in the Budget must apply to Scottish businesses.  The Chancellor also announced a cash grant of £3,000 for companies eligible for small business rates relief. This must also be matched.

We have been calling for a VAT reduction in the hospitality trade for years, and that would certainly help at this moment.

I would also like to see SKY and BT cease taking payments from businesses until the football season returns.

Lewis Morrison, British Medical Association

From primary care to secondary care, doctors will find themselves dealing with the effects of coronavirus on a daily basis: whether that is looking after patients who have the virus, covering additional shifts because colleagues are unwell, or even moving to a different department to help deal with demand.

There are steps you can take to minimise the impact it will have on the NHS: wash your hands, more than normal, with good old soap and water, cough or sneeze into a tissue and dispose of it as quickly as possible. If you don’t have a tissue, aim into your elbow.

Andrew McRae, Federation of Small Businesses policy chair

Decision-makers must do everything possible to ensure independent firms and the self-employed, who account for a million Scottish jobs, also make it through.

In recent weeks, we’ve urged our members to develop business continuity plans and to investigate their insurance policies. We’ve also asked smaller businesses to have discussions with employees, customers, creditors and suppliers about what they plan to do if business conditions have to change.

However, it is fair to acknowledge that a share of those in business now fear for their livelihoods. That’s why the package of measures outlined last week was so welcome.

Marc Crothall, Scottish Tourism Alliance chief executive

Tourism businesses have experienced a mass of cancellations – and those dependent on the international market are seeing virtually all bookings for the next few months being cancelled.

You only have to look at the projection of the airports to get a sense of the severity of the impact on the many thousands of hospitality businesses and the supply chain that feeds the industry.

If swift action is not taken – businesses need zero-cost finance and immediate relief afforded on VAT payments and business rates – we are likely to see business casualties across Scotland and many of the 260,000 strong workforce becoming unemployed.

Iain Gordon, Manager of Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow

The manager of one of Scotland’s oldest theatres says he expects temporary closures throughout the industry.

While it is currently business as usual for theatres throughout Scotland, Iain Gordon says “closures are probably around the corner” and believes it could be the summer before business resumes.

He said: “It’s inevitable. People have stopped booking for shows in the near future.

“I think it will be June or July before we can get things back on again.

“We’ll survive – we have money for a rainy day – but there will be smaller businesses that don’t have that luxury.”

Kenny Macleod, tour manager

“The main problem I’m seeing from talking to a friends in the industry is that nobody’s insurance looks like it’s going to cover force majeure,” explained Kenny, who works with the likes of Honeyblood, Belle and Sebastian, Mogwai and Metronomy.

“Everything’s getting postponed. I’ve got a year’s worth of work, which is potentially now all going to happen in the autumn.

“So, I’m going to have to choose which of the tours I can do, rather than having work spread throughout the year.

“My worry at the moment is how people are going to get through this financially, especially as freelancers.”