LARGE gatherings over the Easter weekend could reverse progress in suppressing coronavirus, Scotland’s chief medical officer has warned. Dr Gregor Smith said rising case numbers elsewhere in Europe show the situation remains “fragile” and could change quickly.
His warning came as Scotland recorded another eight coronavirus deaths and 400 positive tests in the previous 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon has said an inquiry into the Scottish Government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic should get under way before the end of the year.
National clinical director Professor Jason Leitch and Smith spoke to journalists yesterday ahead of a number of changes to lockdown rules taking place in April.
From today, the stay-at-home rule is being dropped, with people instead told to “stay local”. Travel outwith council areas remains prohibited.
Outdoor meetings between adults are limited to four people from two households. Smith said: “Let me speak directly about the Easter weekend, which is coinciding directly with some easing of restrictions.
“There will be a huge temptation to make the most of it, particularly if we’re blessed with some nice weather. However, with that comes a real risk to all the good progress we’ve made over the last few months. We can see by looking at Europe and other parts of the world how fragile our own position is. It remains imperative that we abide by the rules, we stay local and we look after each other.”
In an interview with Channel 4 News last night, Sturgeon said a public inquiry will be a priority if she is re-elected as First Minister in May’s Holyrood election.
She has previously acknowledged her Government has not got everything right in its response to the pandemic, and hassaid it is vital lessons are learned.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he is committed to holding an inquiry into the UK’s response to Covid-19 but a timescale has not been set.
Sturgeon told Channel 4: “I had met just a number of days ago with the organisation that represents bereaved families.
“And what I said to them, and this has been reported publicly, is that it will be a priority if I am re-elected to set in train the steps necessary to establish a public inquiry. I think we’re the only government in the UK that has actually said that.
“Public inquiries do take time to properly establish if they’re to do a proper job but I want to see a public inquiry get under way later this year.”
The UK Government’s Welsh Secretary Simon Hart has previously said any UK coronavirus inquiry should also look at the role of the devolved administrations.
He told journalists last week: “The PM has been at pains to say this, there have been some moments when regional variations - where it’s been necessary perhaps to do something different in one part of the UK from the other - can be very sensible, where the evidence points.
“So I think it will be very interesting for an inquiry to reveal which are the ones where localised decision-making is a really good and helpful benefit, and which maybe have caused confusion.”
The eight newly-confirmed deaths mean Scotland’s death toll of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – is now at 7610. Leitch said the daily test positivity rate was 1.8%, down from 2.1% on Wednesday.
There were 215 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, down 22 in 24 hours, and 21 patients were in intensive care – which is no change on the previous day.
Figures released by the Scottish Government following the briefing indicated 2,493,327 people had received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccination by yesterday and 399,062 had received their second dose.
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