PUBLIC health expert Professor Devi Sridhar has described the current Covid-19 situation in Scotland as “fragile” and suggested some restrictions could be “tightened” to help get the country through a difficult winter.
Professor Sridhar, who advises the Scottish Government on its pandemic response, told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland of her concerns over rising cases in Europe as Nicola Sturgeon prepares to give a Covid update tomorrow.
In recent days the Netherlands has brought in a “lockdown-lite” to limit social contacts as cases remain high, while Austria has brought in new restrictions for the unvaccinated.
While Professor Sridhar can’t envisage a full stay-at-home lockdown happening again in Scotland, she is concerned by case levels remaining over 3000 for several days.
“The virus is still here, it’s putting a lot of pressure on hospitals in Scotland,” she told the radio show. “And so it’s better we take a look at the problem as it really is, and try to get ahead of it to avoid harsher measures further down the line.
“The virus is finding people who are unvaccinated, and then it is transmitting at such a high level that it is also finding those who are doubly vaccinated but are much more frail. And what we need to do is limit that circulation.”
She went on: “I would think, by looking at other countries, more tightening of indoor setting where it’s riskier. Asking for certification when you enter an indoor setting. This could be again looking at other countries, things like for example vaccination passes, asking for a negative PCR test, even asking for recovery from Covid in the past 90 days if you’ve had Covid.”
Deputy first minister John Swinney recently announced that the Scottish Government is looking into extending the vaccine certificate scheme to more hospitality and leisure ven ues.
He stressed a decision has not yet been made but said Covid-19 is at a “concerningly high level” and Scotland is in a “precarious and unpredictable” situation in the fight against the virus.
The First Minister is expected to give an update to the Scottish Parliament tomorrow.
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