SCOTLAND’S Health Secretary has said reports that tighter Covid restrictions could last six months are “more realistic” than curbs lasting weeks.

I suspect even that assumes a degree of optimism that is perhaps unjustified given the spread of the virus to millions of people throughout the world. That time frame would take us to the end of March 2021.

WATCH: Keir Starmer: Indyref2 will have a mandate if the SNP win Holyrood in 2021

I wonder what impact this will have on the Scottish Parliament elections due just over a month later. What effect will it have on any election campaign? Might we be looking at a postal-only ballot and a postal-only election campaign? Will a campaign that involves knocking on the doors of a large number of people be a safe endeavour? How do you organise a safe, socially distant polling day or election count? Should millions of people be encouraged to visit their local school to cast their vote?

Even assuming that the virus can hopefully be brought under control with a relatively small number of cases by May 2021, I suspect that talk of referendums, employment, education and the like may be a wee bit lost in the political aftermath of the pandemic.

More importantly, how best do you govern the country, manage the Scottish NHS and make sure a lot fewer people die with the Scottish Parliament dissolved and the current Health Secretary retiring?

I’m just beginning to wonder if there will be an election in May 2021.

Brian Lawson
Paisley

I DON’T understand the SNP and fear I never will, but from the outskirts of social media it seems they are engaged in some internecine struggle to distribute parliamentary expenses.

In the middle of an epidemic with our opponents contriving to promote independence they are rearranging the deck chairs on the Queen Mary.

Can I just say to them that the only policy that gets them reelected is independence. Stop being so precious!

Ian Richmond
Dumfries and Galloway