Scottish Covid cases rise but restrictions remain static
Stuart Prestidge
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced a dramatic increase in Covid cases across Scotland but restrictions will remain as they are as the vaccine weakens the link between cases and serious illness.
Over the past 24 hours 4,323 cases have been recorded, a doubling of the number of cases recorded in the past week, marking the sharpest rise at any point during the pandemic.
Forty-three people remain in intensive care and there were 10 deaths recorded.
Ms Sturgeon said the increase was a “real concern” and “even with the vaccine we can not be totally relaxed”.
She added: “If we started to see an increase in serious illness then we can’t rule out further restrictions.”
The First Minister also announced the formation of a public inquiry has been initiated and will be established by the end of the year. The judge led inquiry will look at the government’s handling of the Covid crisis including the spread of the virus in care homes.
She also urged people to get the vaccine, test regularly, stick to the mask rules where applicable and be mindful of the basic steps such as hand washing and social distancing.
These measures, she said, would also protect from colds and flu as we head into winter which she described as a “challenging and fragile period ahead”.
