Coronavirus: Exams scrapped for the first time in 130 years

Camley's Cartoon: School exams cancelled due to coronavirus.

Two prisoners at HMP Kilmarnock and a homeless person who had used the Winter Night Shelter run by the Glasgow City Mission were among those to test positive as the number of known cases in Scotland climbed to 266.

It came as Education Minister John Swinney confirmed that Higher, Advanced Higher and National 4 and 5 exams would not take place as planned, with schools and nurseries preparing to close indefinitely from today.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Scientists warn young people to stay away from pubs and clubs

Addressing the Scottish Parliament, Mr Swinney said: “In all of our history, Scotland has never cancelled the exams.

“Since 1888 they have been held every May or June, without fail.

“In the midst of two world wars the exams went ahead. It is a measure of the gravity of the challenge we now face that I must today announce the exams will not go ahead this year.”

Teachers will be asked to give pupils estimated grades based on coursework and previous scores, with results still expected no later than August 4.

Mr Swinney said teaching would continue through online learning, and stressed that the wellbeing of vulnerable children or those whose parents are key workers – such NHS staff – would be prioritised.

Mr Swinney said local authorities would provide childcare for these youngsters through options such as keeping schools open with reduced staffing or using community facilities.

He added: “We will not cut adrift vulnerable young people who often rely on school life for hot meals or for a safe, nurturing and supportive environment.”

It came as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said plans are under way to increase laboratory testing capacity for coronavirus in Scotland to 3000 per day, up from 780 a day currently. There are three labs in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee.

READ MORE: Coronavirus in Scotland: Frontline staff tests stepped up to prevent exodus

The Scottish Government has pledged to start testing NHS workers for the virus to ensure they are not needlessly self-isolating over harmless coughs and fevers.

She said: “Broadly speaking, there are three objectives we are seeking to meet with testing right now.

“Firstly, to protect those who are most vulnerable and save lives, that is why those who are admitted to hospital with Covid-19 symptoms, or with upper respiratory infections, will be tested.

“Secondly, allowing critical workers to be at work unless they are actually ill, and there is work ongoing in all four nations to define that list of critical workers – but of course it includes those at the front-line of our NHS and social care services.

“And thirdly, the objective of surveillance, to make sure we are able to monitor the prevalence of the infection across the population.”

Meanwhile Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK Government is in negotiations to buy an antibody test “as simple as a pregnancy test” which can check whether a person has already had, and recovered from, Covid-19.

Mr Johnson said: “This would be a game-changer, because once you know you’ve had it you know you’re less vulnerable, less likely to pass it on and can go back to work.”

He also revealed that the first British coronavirus patient has been enrolled into a clinical drug trial in hope of finding a way to fight the killer infection

Asked whether he would consider tougher measures to combat the spread of the virus, such as ordering pubs to close, Mr Johnson said he was “guided by the science” and would not rule it out if he felt the public were not following advice to avoid crowded places.

He added that he was optimistic “we can turn the tide within the next 12 weeks”, adding: “I’m absolutely confident we can send the virus packing in this country.”

It came after the Government’s top scientific advisers warned young people to stop socialising in pubs and clubs.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, said everyone must now follow the advice for social distancing.

England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said the vast majority of people in all age groups would recover but it was a mistake for young people who are healthy to think they would all just “breeze through” the pandemic.

Professor Whitty: “It certainly is the case that the majority of those that end up dying sadly are people who tend to be either in the later part of their lives, usually quite elderly, or those with pre-existing health conditions.

“But there are also some young people who have ended up in intensive care or who have ended up with severe disease around the world.

“I think it’s important that we don’t give the impression that every single person who is young and healthy is just going to breeze through this.”

As the crisis continues to escalate, the Bank of England slashed interest rates to an unprecedented low of 0.1%, Ikea announced all stores would close from 6pm today, and in Italy the death toll from Covid-19 overtook China for the first time.

A total of 3,405 people in Italy have now died from the virus, compared to 3,242 in China which also reported no new domestic cases yesterday for the first time since the outbreak emerged in December.

In Spain, which is also in lockdown, the death toll reached 830. Some hotels are now being requisitioned as temporary hospitals.

In the US, President Donald Trump announced that the malaria and arthritis drug hydroxychloroquine , sold under the brand name Plaquenil, will be made available on prescription “almost immediately” as a coronavirus treatment after French researchers found it lowered virus levels in most patients.

“I think it is going to be very exciting,”said Mr Trump. “It could be a gamechanger, or maybe not. We want every American to know we are doing everything we can and these actions are important next steps.”

Meanwhile, the crisis deepened for airlines as Lufthansa warned the industry might not survive the pandemic without state aid.

Lufthansa boss Carsten Spohr said: “We had planned this year to receive a new plane every 10 days – now we don’t need any.”

In Australia, Qantas is cutting all international flights as a ban on non-citizens and non-residents entering the country takes effect from today.