Remember to wear a face mask
Last Friday wearing a face covering in shops or on public transport became the law in Scotland.
I was delighted to see the vast majority of people popping in and out of the shops at the weekend were using face coverings in line with the regulations.
Of course, face coverings by themselves can’t stop coronavirus. But they are an additional layer of protection, reducing the risk that we unknowingly pass the virus onto others.
As we move out of lockdown and more areas of society reopen, it becomes more important that in settings where we will come in contact with others – especially indoors – the risk of infection is minimised.
As always throughout this crisis, there are no easy choices here, and no magic wands that bring 100 per cent certainty.
I don’t think anyone wants to be getting their messages or jumping on a bus wearing a covering.
But if it can protect more people and help stop the spread of a virus that has killed around 600,000 people around the world so far, it has to be worth that slight inconvenience in the short-term.
Please remember that people with health conditions, underfives and others with a reasonable excuse not to wear a covering do not have to wear one if they choose.
Many illnesses and disabilities aren’t visible, and if you see someone not wearing a covering, they may well have very good reasons not to do so.
It’s also not fair on shop workers or security guards to ask them to enforce the law.
They aren’t there to question people on their health or reasons for not wearing a mask.
In bringing in these regulations, the hope is that the vast majority of people will understand that our collective actions can help save lives and stop the spread.
The bottom line must be public health and particularly protecting those with health conditions that make them especially at risk from serious complications due to coronavirus infection.
All of us, collectively, have made incredible progress in recent weeks in driving cases of coronavirus down to single figures across Scotland.
A look elsewhere around the world shows the deadly consequences of letting the virus run riot. Florida is now running at 20,000 per cent more cases per person per day than Scotland.
America as a whole has seen 140,000 people die, while the rate of transmission increases daily.
Anyone who thinks the virus is gone needs to think again and look at the grotesque spectacle of Trump and Company and the human disaster they are allowing to be unleashed on their own population.
As we continue through the process of gradually seeing shops and facilities reopen, I completely understand the frustrations that arise when some places are allowed to start up again while others have to wait a bit longer.
All of the decisions being taken right now are made on the basis of the best scientific advice available to the Scottish Government.
If it were possible to open everything back up, I know that is what would be happening.
But the simple fact is that there are particular venues – like gyms or soft play facilities – where the very nature of what they do means, at this stage, there is a higher risk of transmission and an outbreak of coronavirus in our community.
If we can be just a little more patient, and collectively make sure the numbers of cases stay as low as they have been, we should hopefully make further progress through the phases of the route map out of lockdown and see a sense of normality restored and see more of our friends and family.
Together we have an opportunity to continue the hard work of the last four months and make Scotland as covid-free as possible.
Let’s take that opportunity and work together to make that happen.
As always, keep on washing your hands, and stay safe.