News / Politics

Scotland on course to be rid of coronavirus by ‘end of summer’

Sunday, 28 June 2020 6:07 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 28 June 2020 6:07 PM ]

Nicola Sturgeon has been praised for her strident leadership style during the coronavirus crisis

The Scottish government’s consistently cautious approach toward the management of the coronavirus pandemic appears to be paying off, with strong predictions Scotland could be entirely rid of Covid-19 by the end of the summer.

According to Devi Sridhar, who is a professor at Edinburgh University, on current trajectory Scotland “would effectively be Covid-free” within three months.

The public health expert’s prediction unfolds in the context of rapidly declining infection rates with no confirmed deaths from Covid-19 in the past three days.

The positive prediction – which is entirely in keeping with the downward trajectory of viral infections – is a shot in the arm for Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.

Sturgeon, who is also the leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP), has been widely praised for her cautious and measured response to the pandemic.

Sturgeon announces significant easing of lockdown measures beginning mid-July

Scotland

Only yesterday the SNP leader claimed that Scotland is “not far away” from eliminating the virus.

"Suppressing the virus, driving it as far as we can towards total elimination, has to be our overriding priority”, Scotland’s First Minister added.

Scotland’s success – and the concomitant consensus in the country around Sturgeon’s management of the crisis – stands in stark contrast to the disarray south of the border in England.

UK set to effectively end lockdown next month

The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has given strong indications that the government is seeking to end almost all lockdown restrictions by early next month.

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson’s apparent rush to exit the lockdown is causing widespread anxiety with growing fears of a second wave of infections in the autumn.