Covid in Scotland: Why nagging fear of renewed autumn lockdown remains – John McLellan

To Level Zero and beyond… Never mind Buzz Lightyear, the return to normality in the city centre must feel like years away with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon delaying the return to workplace advice to an indeterminate time in the future.
The Scottish government needs to accelerate the vaccination programme (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/PA)The Scottish government needs to accelerate the vaccination programme (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/PA)
The Scottish government needs to accelerate the vaccination programme (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/PA)

My rush-hour bus-passenger test still indicates that office life as we knew it is as far off as it was 15 months ago, so the knife-edge on which so many businesses are standing will remain as sharp as ever for some weeks if not months to come.

So much is still unclear and, masks apart, who knows the rules? And this is from a Scottish government which has pulled off the deft trick of appearing to be in masterful control when it is anything but.

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Forget the pointless exercise of vaccinating and isolating children who don’t get ill and aren’t spreading the virus, what are the plans for accelerating the double vaccination of the remaining adult population?

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What about the third top-up dose for those already double-jabbed? How will the boosters work with the flu jab? All these questions need to be answered if the nagging fear of a further autumn lockdown is to be dispelled. And, of course, for fewer people to get seriously sick.

The ratio of serious illness to cases is far lower than the first wave, but the lull we experienced last summer has not materialised and with it has gone the optimism of two months ago.

Sure, we can carry on wearing masks if Ms Sturgeon tells us, but the sluggish vaccine programme needs a booster too.

John McLellan is a Conservative councillor for Craigentinny/Duddingston

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