Scottish coronavirus strategy needs to be clarified, panel warns

The Scottish Government needs to clarify its Covid strategy to the public, MSPs have been told.

The Citizens’ Assembly panel, set up to examine the effects of the pandemic on the Scottish population, told the Scottish Parliament’s Covid-19 committee on Thursday that people had been on board in the first lockdown with the “protect the NHS” message, but that communications had become less clear as time has gone on.

The panel, made up of a representative group of 19 people, held four sessions to discuss the effects of regulations and strategies used to tackle the pandemic. They published a report on Thursday that favoured an elimination approach to Covid, such as that taken by New Zealand, with all 19 participants voting on that as the favoured strategy.

The panel said the Scottish Government needed to clarify its message to the public.

Panel member Jo Eismont said: "Initially, a year ago, we had talked about we were all on board with ‘protect the NHS’, but it feels like the Scottish Government might have evolved over the year to more of a saving lives strategy and getting case numbers as low as possible.

"There has been a bit of a disconnect and people don’t realise what is required of them. They think that we’ve protected the NHS, cases are lower now, cases have fallen, we can open up again.

“The new variant has had to change the strategy and I’m not sure that has been communicated as effectively.”

They said the Scottish Government should explain the science behind their decisions to ensure that people understand the reasoning behind their decisions.

Panelist Christine Watkins said: “[On the panel] we spent one day listening to the scientists and we found it so helpful and so enlightening. I feel the public should hear these people speaking.”

She said the panel favoured a return to a localised approach to lockdowns.

Ms Watkins said: “We perhaps need to lockdown faster if the numbers are going up. We can’t be too cautious and we should be coming at a regional approach again, so we’re not closing down economies in cases here there isn’t much Covid, but we can keep it within smaller areas as much as possible.”

MSP Anabelle Ewing told the committee: “The report being published today will be looked at very closely by the Scottish Government. It is a very good point that has been raised about the need for more scientific information in mainstream media.”

The panel also said priority should be given to supporting a green recovery, young people’s economic opportunities, town centres and support for businesses.

Covid-19 committee convener Donald Cameron said: “The committee is very grateful to the members of the public and experts who gave their time to participate in deliberations.

“The steps taken to counter this virus are so drastic they would have been unimaginable a year ago. It is therefore vital we gauge the public mood as we enter into the next phase of managing the pandemic."

He added: “The considered priorities of this broadly representative group, who have looked at the issue with fresh eyes, will help inform us as we begin to look at the likely extension of the emergency powers, and work to ensure the efforts of government are focused in the right place.

“We are looking forward to hearing more from panel members and testing their conclusions.”

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