CLARITY OVER MASKS

UNIONS were celebrating yesterday after a Scottish Government U-turn on the wearing of masks.

Both Unison and the GMB had complained that advice issued by chief nursing officer Fiona McQueen was at odds with the rest of the UK and put workers at risk.

The advice said that care workers needed only to wear aprons and gloves unless there was a suspicion or diagnosis of Covid-19. It caused a storm of protest by workers and yesterday the Scottish Government confirmed social and home care workers can wear a fluid-resistant face mask even where coronavirus is not suspected.

The Scottish Government gave assurances that it will take all possible steps to ensure appropriate supplies will be made available to the workforce.

GMB Scotland secretary, Gary Smith, said: “We will rigorously monitor receipt of these vital and potentially life-saving resources.”

Mark Ferguson, chairman of Unison Scotland’s local government committee, said: “We should never have got to this position but we are pleased we have now secured this resolution.”