There is light at the end of the tunnel
After a grim couple of months, I was glad to hear the First Minister’s statement to parliament this week, setting out the broad timetable out of lockdown and what we should expect over future weeks and months.
If the progress we have all collectively made over recent weeks in driving down case numbers can be maintained, we will see some restrictions begin to be relaxed over the coming weeks.
The last thing we want to happen is see case numbers and hospitalisations increase again as more and more of our society is reopened.
But, if things go according to plan, we could see large areas of the economy and society starting that journey to normality – or something close to it – by April.
There was more room for optimism as two medical studies showed the massive impact the vaccination programme is now having, and will continue to have as more and more people get the jag.
The study from Public Health Scotland was a piece of genuinely good news with no catches, unfortunately a rarity when it comes to this pandemic.
Both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were shown to have reduced hospitalisations four weeks after the first jag by 85 per cent and 94 per cent respectively.
This is hugely encouraging and could potentially give a real break to our hard-pressed health and care sector.
Following on from this, early data from Israel pointed to nearly 90 per cent effectiveness in preventing onward transmission of the virus.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and, if we can get through these coming weeks and months with case numbers and transmission as low as possible, we may only be weeks away from a big unwinding of restrictions.
That vaccination programme is continuing to motor, despite the issues with supply out of the
Scottish Government’s control.
Notifications will start going out this week to Group 6 of the priority groups; people under 65 with underlying health conditions which might be particularly affected by covid, and unpaid carers.
This is the biggest group to begin vaccinations so far – totalling over 1 million people across the country, over a fifth of the entire adult population of Scotland.
As with any programme of this scale – the biggest in the history of our NHS – there have been hiccups along the way and no doubt there will be more, but overall the roll-out is a tribute to the professionalism and dedication of the thousands of health and care workers involved in the vaccination programme.
Because of the size of this group, appointments will be spread over a number of weeks as will the letters inviting you to get your jag.
But by the end of this group, Scotland will have given over 2.5 million people their first dose of the vaccine – and hopefully begun a return to normality after enduring this last year of restrictions.
Last month WWII veteran James Irvine sadly passed away, at the age of 97. He led a life that, from today’s perspective, is incredible.
After joining the Navy and serving during World War II, he was deployed as part of the D-Day landings in Normandy - as a Coxswain on a landing craft on Gold beach - one of nearly 200,000 naval personnel and nearly 400,000 armed forces who were able to secure the beaches and ultimately hasten the end of the war.
In recognition of his service, James was honoured by France in receiving the Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Legion d’Honneur - Knight of the Legion of Honour, the highest French military order.
James is survived by his three children, Alan, Sheila, and Alyson, and my thoughts are with them and all of his family and friends, here in Renfrewshire and beyond.
They, and we all, can be rightly proud of James - may he rest in peace.