Coronavirus lockdown’s cost to Scotland is a price worth paying – leader comment

The Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown is already hitting the economy but we must see it through.

Not a soul can be seen in this picture of Edinburgh's Princes Street (Picture: Lisa Ferguson)

The respected Fraser of Allander Institute’s estimate that a three-month lockdown could result in a reduction of between 20 to 25 per cent in Scotland’s gross domestic product is utterly staggering.

That there is near-universal agreement the lockdown must continue until it is no longer necessary shows how much we are prepared to sacrifice to win this battle. But, make no mistake, this is money well spent.

Not only will it save the lives of loved ones, and possibly our own, but it is almost certainly in our financial interest to see this through to the end – and when that end comes will partly depend on how well we stick to the lockdown’s rules.

If Covid-19 were allowed to spread throughout the country, the economic damage would surely be even greater as the health service was overwhelmed and the number of deaths and infections soared.

We must do what we can to keep the economy’s wheels turning during the lockdown, to keep people and businesses on their feet, so that we are in as good a state as possible to restore normality when this great threat recedes.