Thread by @ChrisMusson

Today, Health Sec @HumzaYousaf said 10 children age 0-9 were in hospital last week "because of Covid". A serious claim. We asked Scot Gov for
- The basis of the figures
- If any are seriously ill
- If Mr Yousaf was definitely correct

They came back with this, 7 hours later:

https://twitter.com/ChrisMusson/status/1400031008712450055

The Health Sec also claimed if parents from a Level 2 area took kids to a soft play in a Level 1 area (where soft plays can open) it "could lead to hospitalisation of children".

Here's what Scot Gov said when asked about the lawfulness of such a scenario. (In short, it's legal)

The Scot Gov statement about 10 child Covid patients does *not* say Humza Yousaf was incorrect in any way when he said on @BBCRadioScot that "hospital figures for last week" showed "there was 10 young children - 0-9 years old - who were hospitalised because of Covid"

If Humza Yousaf was wrong in any way (eg, perhaps it wasn't correct to "because of"), Scot Gov would have a duty to clear this up.

The alternative is that the civil servants/special advisers are covering for him, at the expense of public understanding of the pandemic

But if Humza Yousaf was correct in what he said - 10 children age 0-9 in Scotland's hospitals *because of* Covid (based on unpublished data), coupled with his warning that children mixing at soft plays could lead to hospitalisations - then surely that merits further explanation?

Maybe @DrGregorSmith or @jasonleitch as public health officials will shed some more light on this. Were 10 children age 0-9 being treated in hospital last week because of Covid? Is this an unusually high number? Should parents be worried about soft plays causing hospitalisations?

Last week's data (new today) shows 14 "admissions" age 0-14. "Admission" does not necessarily mean admitted due to Covid. It can mean people in hosp already who caught Covid, or asymptomatics in for other treatment who test +ve when screened on admission

https://twitter.com/TravellingTabby/status/1400108253015691271?s=19

John Swinney asked by @BBCGaryR re Humza Yousaf comments that 10 kids age 0-9 are in hospital because of Covid. Swinney does not confirm/deny figs but says gov needs to determine if new strains are "making it more acutely challenging for children, with a greater health impact"

Update: At media briefing with FM's spokespeople this afternoon, journalists asked if Humza Yousaf was accurate in saying 10 children were in hospital "because of Covid"(as direct result, rather than testing positive on screening). They did not give clear answers. Quotes follow:

FM spokesman: "I don't have the individual patient data to hand... but that type of analysis and monitoring is the kind of work that (we) are talking about , it;s to try and make sure the public health officials are across all the relevant data."

FM spokesman: "In terms of what you specifically say about whether children who may have been in hospital because of Covid, or if they were admitted for something else but also happen to test positive, all that work is I'm sure under way by public health colleagues."

Asked why Humza Yousaf said 10 kids age 0-9 were in hospital "because of Covid", when government spokespeople are now suggesting they don't know for sure, FM's spokeswoman said the figures stated by Mr Yousaf were "correct" and promised a further update via Scot Gov press office

FM's spokesman was also asked if parents should be concerned following John Swinney and Humza Yousaf's comments. He said: "I don't think there's any undue cause for concern over that aspect but it's something that has to be kept an eye on."