AN independent Scotland would have been more successful at dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Professor Devi Sridhar.
Sridhar, the chair of global public health at Edinburgh University and a pandemic adviser to the Scottish Government, argued in a Holyrood magazine podcast that being part of the Union has led to "constraints".
The UK currently has the worst virus death rate in the world and yesterday recorded its highest daily death count at more than 1600.
Asked whether Scotland could have seen a different outcome as an independent nation, the professor said: “Yes, definitely.”
READ MORE: Another 71 people die in Scotland after testing positive for Covid-19
Sridhar said Scotland could have been more like Norway or Denmark.
“Already, if you look at the charts and the devolved nations, Scotland does come out in terms of lowest case numbers,” she told the podcast. “At the start, in March, it did just as badly, but since then, in the summer, we got the numbers low.”
However, she said, there were “constraints”. The professor explained that if for example experts want to close hospitality to reduce Covid-19 transmission, there needs to be an economic package in place and that means a “negotiation”.
“So, yeah, I think it is really hard because we’re not getting the support that we require to be able to go the full way we want to go,” she added.
READ MORE: Devi Sridhar hits out at Lord Sumption's controversial Covid comments
Sridhar added that while Scotland focused on a zero-Covid strategy in the summer, “we never saw that clarity of vision from England and that’s really hard”.
During the podcast the professor also discussed the attacks she has been subject to online from Unionist trolls who accuse her of spouting pro-SNP views.
She insisted her opinions are not party political but praised First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s handling of the pandemic.
“I do feel much safer right now being in Scotland, knowing that there’s a leader in charge who takes the health of the public incredibly seriously and takes her job really seriously and is hard-working,” Sridhar told the podcast.
She praised the SNP leader for her daily briefings, being “serious”, “credible”, and “trying to do her best for the country”.
Meanwhile this morning Home Secretary Priti Patel denied it is the time to discuss the UK Government’s handling of the pandemic.
READ MORE: All UK should follow Scottish model in Covid variant fight, Devi Sridhar says
With the Oxford University research showing the UK has the worst coronavirus death rate in the world, Patel said: “I don’t think this is the time to talk about mismanagement.
“We have been with this virus, this pandemic, for about a year now and it is a global pandemic across the world.
“Governments respond very differently – we’ve seen that across the world, but based on the facts, the science, the evidence that has been presented to us as decision-makers. We have seen harrowing death tolls around the world.”
Yesterday in Scotland another 71 Covid-19 deaths were recorded, along with 1165 new cases.
There were 1989 people in hospital with confirmed Covid-19, up 30 in 24 hours. Of these patients, 150 were in intensive care, an increase of four.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel