Covid in Scotland: 'Good chance' of Borders losing level 1 status
- Published
Routine surgery has been suspended in an effort to help the hospital deal with the Covid outbreak
A rise in Covid cases means infection rates in the region are "no longer consistent" with level one restrictions, NHS Borders has warned.
An outbreak at Borders General Hospital has seen routine surgery suspended to the end of the year.
However, the health board said numbers were "far larger" than the 22 cases involved in that cluster.
Scottish Borders Council leader Shona Haslam said there was a "good chance" of tighter restrictions being needed.
The region moved to level one last week but the number of cases has risen by more than 100 in the past seven days.
NHS Borders chief executive Ralph Roberts said the increase meant all routine operations at the Borders General would need to be cancelled until 2021.
'Limited freedom'
Urgent and cancer procedures will still go ahead.
"After living with restrictions for months I fully understand that people want to take advantage of limited additional freedom that being in level one has given us," he said.
"However the reality is that cases of Covid are rising and if this continues then it is inevitable that further controls will need to be put back in place.
"I would urge people to think really carefully before mixing with other households in the coming weeks including over the festive period."
'Tighter restrictions'
Ms Haslam said the increase was a "real cause for concern".
"If it continues there is a good chance we will move away from level one and face tighter restrictions," she said.
"We were only able to get into level one in the first place by following all the guidance and being vigilant.
"We need to keep doing these things, now more than ever, or we will find ourselves in a really difficult position."
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