Guernsey Police have warned against creating social media posts "naming and shaming" people for allegedly spreading coronavirus without a "single shred of evidence".

Officers said they "cannot comment" on the veracity of the claims and asked anyone thinking about writing one to "stop immediately".

They also asked islanders to refrain from commenting or sharing these posts, which can lead to "perpetuating rumour" and "far reaching consequences".

"The repercussions of fake news on social media can be devastating for individuals, so please think about what you are doing and follow public health advice, external," police added.

The facility was used for the first time at the weekend, with three people testing positive.

The States is considering making "temporary" changes to its system of government, Guernsey's most senior politician has revealed.

President of the Policy and Resources Committee (P&R) Gavin St Pier said the Civil Contingencies Authority, which he chairs as a result of his position, was designed for "short term emergencies" and the crisis could extend for some time.

Deputy St Pier said: "With the States of Deliberation not currently sitting in its normal way, there may be an absence of appropriate scrutiny of decisions taken."

He added the crisis had thrown the "priorities and purpose" of States committees "into the air".

Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, a P&R committee member, has been asked to lead a "swift piece of work" examining whether Guernsey needs to "temporarily amend" the system of government through the rest of this crisis, Mr St Pier said.

He added any recommendations from P&R would be brought before the States "as soon as possible".

Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth Hospital is "well prepared" to care for an increased number of coronavirus patients, a senior doctor has said.

Medical Director of Health and Social Care Dr Peter Rabey outlined the changes made at the hospital to manage an potential influx of patients with respiratory symptoms.

However, he repeated the request that people with these symptoms avoid coming to the hospital "unannounced".

The changes include the setting up of a portacabin outside the hospital, where a nurse in protective equipment will triage patients and direct them where the need to be seen.

Dr Rabey added the emergency department was now separated into two units, one for suspected Covid-19 cases and another for people who need seen for normal procedures.

He also outlined the spillover facilities available to accommodate a growth in the number of hospitalised people.

These range from an initial five rooms to isolate patients in, to eventually dedicating "entire wards" to treat patients if needed.

"It's all set up and ready to go, we know exactly who needs to be in hospital and who can be managed at home.

"We're doing all we can to increase the number of people that can be managed at home."

Director of Public Health Dr Nicola Brink said it was "encouraging" that the number of outstanding Covid-19 tests had fallen to 27, thanks to the establishment of on-island testing.

Dr Brink said the new testing facility was a "real positive" for Guernsey, as it allows Public Health the to move towards a system of "real-time case management".

This increase in capacity means they are able more effectively locate people who have come into contact with an infected person, she added.

Dr Brink said: "We can identify a case and within 24 hours we know exactly where we are.

"This will be fundamental as we move forward to control this pandemic locally."

Public Health has announced on-island testing will allow them to commence a "broader community testing" strategy from Tuesday.

Director Dr Nicola Brink said they would be able to test people presenting with respiratory problems, particularly at the Longfrie Surgery where islanders with these symptoms are being directed.

Dr Brink added that now fewer people were arriving in the island, they wanted to "fundamentally focus" on what was "going on in the community".

Asked about removing restrictions on individuals and businesses in the island, Dr Brink said they were waiting on this data to start modelling their response.

"When we get a good idea of the level of infection going on in our community, we'll be able to make a more informed decision.

"We can't give you a precise number when we will stop a lockdown, but we need to look what our trajectory is," she added.

Guernsey now has 60 confirmed cases of the coronavirus after a rise of 15.

At 13:00 there were 504 negative results and 27 outstanding.

Director of Public Health Dr Nicola Brink said: "What also is encouraging about that number is five of those cases were identified through our contact tracing process.

"So the idea of identifying suspected cases, testing them, contract tracing them to detect any secondary case - try and interrupt that chain of transmission is so, so important."

She said besides those five cases a "family cluster" had also been identified, which explained the "jump".

Testing to see if a person has had coronavirus will be rolled out for healthcare workers in the initial phase, Director of Public Health Dr Nicola Brink said.

These "antibody tests" would give Public Health an additional "level of confidence" about the "rate of infection" of our healthcare staff.

Dr Brink said: "If someone has antibodies we're not sure they'll have long term immunity, but we think they'll have some short and intermediate term immunity.

"Of course those medical workers would still use [protective equipment] when looking after infected individuals."

Dr Brink said subsequent testing could be rolled out to work out the "infection rate" across the island.

She added there was hopes of technology to allow Public Health to analyse the presence of antibodies for 80 to 100 people on a single test.

However, Dr Brink this secondary programme was "some way off".

Guernsey has access to more ventilators per head of population than the UK, even after the mainland receives the new machines it has ordered, Dr Peter Rabey said.

The island's Medical Director of Health and Social Care added Guernsey was "in a very good position" to treat Covid-19 patients at the hospital if needed as a result.

"At the moment we have enough ventilators and enough monitoring for patients.

"We can still be overwhelmed, any health system can be overwhelmed by this disease, and that's why it's so important that you stay at home."

The setting up of a testing facility in Guernsey has put the island in a "great place" to fight the spread of coronavirus, President of the Committee for Health and Social Care Heidi Soulsby said.

Deputy Soulsby thanked staff who had worked to get the facility up and running, a process which would normally take months, in a "matter of weeks".

She said: "We're as ready as we possibly can be.

"But this will all be for nought if we don't follow public health advice about staying at home."

The capacity to test for coronavirus on Guernsey was used over the weekend, Public Health Services have announced.

A cluster of three cases were identified at a nursing home by the new testing system.

The patients were assessed by a GP after they displayed respiratory symptoms, Public health said.

Samples for testing were taken and one person was transferred to the hospital and subsequently all three tested positive for Covid-19.

Image source, States of Guernsey

Director of Public Health Dr Nicola Brink said she was "extremely impressed" by the swift identification of the cases.

Extra stocks of protective equipment have been delivered to the home and all staff and residents have been swabbed for testing, she announced.

Dr Brink added: "Having our own on-island testing capability enabled us to manage this situation in real time, rather than waiting two to three days for a test result from the UK.

"I am therefore so impressed how our Pathology Services have risen to the challenge and made this testing available locally to support the management of this situation."

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has offered assurances that UK laboratories will continue to test suspected coronavirus samples from Guernsey until on-island facilities can be set up.

In a letter to Guernsey's Chief Minister Gavin St Pier on Thursday, Mr Johnson said his government was "committed to working with the Crown Dependencies" during the epidemic and would continue to provide assistance.

The correspondence began when Deputy St Pier wrote to the PM last week seeking "immediate support" from the UK, after the original laboratory the island was using was unable to analysis samples from the island.

Image source, States of Guernsey

Deputy St Pier said they had been able to secure new testing, but the backlog and further delays to results posed a threat to Guernsey's ability to check the spread of the virus.

His letter requested the resumption of "swift processing" of tests for a "limited period", until testing can be carried out on Guernsey.

"The impact on the UK’s testing facility will be minimal, but the impact on our Bailiwick communities at this critical time will be huge."

In reply, Mr Johnson said he was "pleased to confirm" Colindale Public Health Laboratory would conduct testing for Guernsey.

"We will ensure that this relationship continues until your own testing capabilities are up and running," he added.

BBC Radio Guernsey

Nurses due to return to the UK are continuing to work at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital in Guernsey as it continues to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

The hospital has restructured some of its wards to create a new facility to deal with patients testing positive for the virus.

In the new unit, staff will wear protective equipment.

Elaine Burgess, head of acute nursing at the hospital, says they need every bit of help they can get.

She said they have decided to keep a lot of agency nurses who were due to go back to the UK and "we've also got lots of ex-nurses who have come back".

New guidance has been issued on which businesses can remain open in Guernsey after the island went into lockdown.

The updated guidance reflects the "evolving situation in relation to public health" and calls for clarity.

"You must follow it in order to operate your business lawfully," officials said in a statement.

Since Wednesday islanders, except essential workers, have been told to only leave their home for three reasons and for a maximum of two hours a day.

The States of Guernsey has released a video explaining the testing process for Covid-19.

For those who cannot drive to a screening the tests can be carried out in your home.

Testing for coronavirus has found 45 confirmed cases in Guernsey.

There are 32 tests awaiting results and 460 have returned negative.

The 'stay at home' restrictions that started on Wednesday remain in place.