1/ Today’s reported Covid figures show a further increase - however, the vaccination impact is still clear. Vaccines are now doing much of the work we needed heavy restrictions to do in the last wave. And thankfully, we continue to see a much lower burden of serious illness…
2/ We must care at this stage though, as we still have a significant % of the population not yet fully vaccinated. So, please:
😷Abide by rules - especially on indoor meetings - & follow all health advice.
👩⚕️Test regularly with LFDs, particularly if you plan to visit someone…
3/ Also:
💉 Please get vaccinated as soon as you can - and make sure you attend for both doses. We are vaccinating just as quickly as supplies, and the clinical advice on timing of 2nd doses, allow.
Go to nhsinform.scot to check/rearrange appointments if necessary.
4/ We continue to monitor cases - and, crucially, hospital/ICU numbers - carefully. However, by following all the advice, we all play a part in keeping country safe.
Tomorrow’s figures will be published by @scotgov at 2pm as usual. My next media update is scheduled for Friday.
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2/ Vaccines are breaking link between cases/illness/deaths - that’s 👍 and lets us target 19/7 & 9/8 as dates for lifting all restrictions.
BUT…period between now & then, with a sizeable (though reducing daily) % of population not yet fully vaccinated demands caution.
Why?/
3/ Most cases are now in younger, yet to be vaccinated groups, so fewer are becoming v ill. Around 5% of cases are admitted to hospital now cf 10% in Jan - again 👍
BUT…5% of a large number of cases will still put huge pressure on NHS and cause suffering and loss…/
1/ I’m understandably inundated with messages about y’day’s disgraceful scenes in Glasgow. Police still have a job to do, which restrains my comments to some extent - but to say I’m utterly disgusted by the Rangers fans who rampaged through the city would be an understatement...
2/ I’m also angry on behalf of every law abiding citizen. In normal times, the violence & vandalism, & the vile anti Catholic prejudice that was on display, would have been utterly unacceptable. But mid-pandemic, in a city with cases on the rise, it was also selfish beyond belief
3/ People across the country still living under the most difficult restrictions - not able to see family or attend weddings and funerals - are rightly furious at the irresponsible actions of a thuggish minority who seem to care little for the risks they pose to other people
1/ If you live in - or have recently spent time in - the Southside of Glasgow, PLEASE help get this outbreak under control by taking a test. I’ve just done so myself - thankfully negative! In this thread, I’ll post some useful links about where to access tests and what to do.
2/ Home lateral flow testing kits can be collected from the following Southside locations:
⚫ Govanhill - Calder St Health Centre car park
⚫ Glasgow Central Mosque
⚫ Tramway (Overflow Car Park), Pollokshields
1/ Today’s events were entirely down to @ukhomeoffice actions. @policescotland were in an invidious position - they do not assist in the removal of asylum seekers but do have a duty to protect public safety. They act independently of ministers, but I support this decision
2/ I disagree fundamentally with @ukhomeoffice immigration policy but even putting that aside, this action was unacceptable. To act in this way, in the heart of a Muslim community as they celebrated Eid, and in an area experiencing a Covid outbreak was a health & safety risk
3/ Both as MSP and as FM, I will be demanding assurances from the UK government that they will never again create, through their actions, such a dangerous situation. No assurances were given - and frankly no empathy shown - when I managed to speak to a junior minister earlier
1/5 The rapid increase in Covid cases, driven by the new variant, is of v serious concern. The steep increases & severe NHS pressure being experienced in other parts of the UK is a sign of what may lie ahead. So we must take all steps to slow spread while vaccination progresses
2/5 We, like other countries, are in a race between this faster spreading strain of Covid and the vaccination programme. As we work to vaccinate as quickly as possible, we must also do more to slow down the virus - to save lives & help the NHS care for all those who need it
3/5 Following a meeting of @scotgov resilience committee y’day to assess latest situation, the Cabinet will meet tomorrow am to consider further action to limit spread & I’ve asked for @ScotParl to be recalled tomorrow afternoon so that I can set out our decisions in a statement
1/ Spent much of today in meetings about the impact of closure of France-UK border to accompanied freight, and @scotgov is actively engaged in supporting resolution of these issues. A few points worth highlighting... bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla…
2/ The most urgent priority is for UK to reach agreement with France on a protocol that will get freight moving again. There is not a moment to lose on this and while the UK government has lead responsibility here, we will do all we can to support.
3/ Our most immediate concern is for our exporting seafood sector. This is the peak time of year for business and the impact on them is significant. I raised the issue of compensation at the COBR meeting earlier and @scotgov will also liaise with sector about support we can offer