Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Disease expert’s warning
‘There may have to be a change in the attitudes towards pubs’
A TOP disease expert has believes the Scottish Government may have to close pubs and bars once more if the Covid-19 cluster in Aberdeen is mirrored elsewhere.
Yesterday the Granite City was forced back into lockdown after 54 new cases were confirmed following a surge in cases linked to a pub.
The news has increased fears that similar restrictions could be reinstated in Dundee and the rest of Scotland.
But Hugh Pennington, professor of bacteriology at University of Aberdeen, said that although another spike in confirmed cases may lead to pubs being closed, further lockdowns in scotland are not yet inevitable.
“There may have to be a change in the attitudes towards pubs if something like this happens again. They’ll have to review pubs and bars,” he said.
“We’ve known for several months that pubs and bars are risky places when it comes to the virus.
“There was clearly too much of it about in Aberdeen.
“It was obviously under the radar, got into one pub or something like that and, well, away you go.”
The professor also believes that, despite what is happening in his home city, other areas can still avoid another outbreak and a return to lockdown..
He said: “I don’t think people should expect their local areas to go into lockdown.
“They should keep it at the back of their minds as something which may happen, but it’s not inevitable. I’d say I’m moderately optimistic.
“I think that it’s pessimistic just to assume that these things are definitely going to happen.
“It really depends on the virus and how people behave, along with the circumstances in certain areas.
“I hope we don’t see any more but I wouldn’t be surprised if we do see some here and there.”