Governments put economy before our health

The Pope’s decision not to attend COP26 in person should be applauded and set an example for others to stay away. It is illogical that on the one hand the Scottish Government are asking us to work from home if possible, but at the same time the UK Government is hosting and welcoming around 30,000 visitors from all over the world to mix in Glasgow next month.

Public health officials such as jason le itch have expressed concern that the conference and the recent continued “opening up” will add to pressure on the NHS. This when our hospitals are already at capacity weeks before the expected winter peak. With higher flu cases predicted this winter, a cost of living crisis looming and huge numbers of us faced with the choice of heating or eating, it all points to a perfect storm, with the vulnerable at a higher risk than in the 1978-79 “Winter of Discontent” .

It’s difficult to understand why the UK and Scottish Governments are continuing to put the economy before public health but it is clear that the travel industry has done an excellent job of lobbying to ensure that the red list of countries has shrunk from 54 to just 7 overnight from today, timed nicely for the October school holidays. It’s all down to the excellent vaccine rollout, we are told, but the Government’s own health adviser, SAGE, noted on 9 September that since June the majority of hospitalisations with Covid have been from the fully vaccinated. While vaccines continue to save thousands of lives, on their own they will not avoid an NHS meltdown this winter.

NEIL ANDERSON

Edinburgh