A GP surgery in Argyll has closed in order to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus .
The Strachur Medical Practice, near Loch Fyne, took the decision to shut to all patients after there was rise in the number of people who tested positive for the deadly virus in Scotland yesterday.
Dr Robert Coull, a GP at the practice, took to social media to announce the closure.
He said appointments would now be telephone-only in a bid to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
Prescriptions will now be handed out via a window at the remote surgery.
In his tweet he also advised that medication should be left in the car for a number of hours before being opened.
He said: "To reduce risk of coronavirus spread SMP is now closed to all patients.
"Telephone consultations only.
"Medication can be collected from the dispensary window. Leave medication in boot of car for several hours before opening."
Explaining his decision to close the surgery, he added: " Strachur has very specific circumstances.
"We are the only HCPs in a remote area servicing a very elderly population so we are at the extreme end of the scale of risk to patients if we have a patient turn up in the practice with?
"Covid-19 as they would have nowhere else to go.
"By telephone triaging all patients before allowing them into the building we can minimise the risk to patients, we can keep the waiting room mostly empty, clean between patients etc.
"Clinical staff are at very high risk of being infected, and may have mild or no symptoms.
"As a dispensing practice there is a risk we will contaminate the medicine packages or patients collecting medications. It is unknown how long the virus survives on surfaces.
"There is a wide range of times for viruses. To reduce the risk of being infected via contaminated items (fomites in medical jargon) patients should consider leaving them for several hours before handling them."
So far in Scotland 11 people have tested positive for the coronavirus.
1525 tests have been conducted in Scotland with 1514 coming back negative.
There are currently three cases in Grampian, two in Forth Valley, two in Fife, one in Tayside, one in Ayrshire & Arran, one in Greater Glasgow and Clyde and one in Lothian.
Last night the second person to die from the virus in the UK was announced as an elderly man.
