Expert in favour of blanket national measures

One of Scotland’ s leading public health experts has said a blanket system of restrictions would be a simpler way of suppressing Covid-19 than local measures.

Professor Linda Bauld said introducing nationwide measures for up two or three weeks would be a “more straightforward” way of dealing with the crisis and having different rules for different areas risked division.

Her remarks came after Nicola Sturgeon announced that Scotland would be introducing a “tiered” system of restrictions similar to that in operation south of the border when she unveils a new strategic framework for dealing with the virus later this month.

In England, the tiered system has been designed to enable more severe measures to be imposed on the worst-affected areas.

Already Ms Sturgeon has announced tighter restrictions for the five worst-affected Scottish health board areas: Greater Glasgow and Clyde; Lothian; Lanarkshire; Ayrshire and Arran; and Forth Valley.

Earlier in the pandemic Aberdeen was put into local lockdown.

Prof Bauld, a public health expert at Edinburgh University, said the restrictions on places like Manchester imposed by the tiered system had produced local opposition.

“I think the problem is when you get this push back from somebody who is very well respected like Andy Burnham it does create division,” she said.

“So just from a public health perspective it is damaging – problematic.”

Prof Bauld claimed problems could be “ameliorated” with better communication.