Sacrifices have protected the NHS and will help beat virus

I would like to express my thanks to members of the community who have done so much in recent weeks to comply with the COVID restrictions to reduce the prevalence of the virus.

After the introduction of very significant restrictions in early January, we have made sustained progress in reducing the level of the virus.

In about three weeks, a situation that was galloping away from us has been dramatically slowed down, with the numbers of cases falling by over 50 per cent in that period.

That only happened because members of the public are following the rules put in place and I am profoundly grateful to everyone who has played their part.

In saying that, I also appreciate how hard it is for everyone.

We are all worried about people who are suffering from COVID.

We are all missing family contact.

We are all worried about the wellbeing of our children and their loss of social contact.

We are all worried about the economic damage and the problems it raises for people and businesses.

And we are all wanting to make progress through all of this.

I think there are grounds for cautious optimism.

Cases numbers are falling. Our NHS services, especially our hospitals, are under enormous pressure but they are managing to cope with the demand.

The number of hospital admissions is, although still high, slowing up.

So there are grounds for believing that the sacrifices that everyone is making are beginning to have an effect.

The other significant ground for optimism is the roll out of the vaccine.

Due to the tremendous focus and research of our scientific community, we have two vaccines available to us within a relatively short timescale, with more on the way.

As a result of a huge amount of logistical planning involving the health service, government, local authorities, the military, a range of community volunteers and a whole host of other organisations, the vaccination programme has started in earnest.

In Scotland we have followed faithfully the guidance of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation that we should first vaccinate those at greatest risk from the virus.

That has meant early priority being given to care home residents, an exercise which has been completed except where there are good reasons for exceptions.

The next group recommended were health and care staff and that work is now largely completed.

We have completed, on time, the vaccinations for all over 80s and the vaccination for over 70s and the clinically extremely vulnerable is expected to conclude this weekend.

I would like to thank everyone who has played a part in organising and delivering the vaccination programme.

It is a hope for us all and the scale of the effort to put this into practice is colossal.

To members of the public I would encourage two things.

Firstly, please get the vaccine and attend whenever invited to do so by the health service.

It will make the exercise more efficient if we all attend and attend on time.

The second point is to ask people to remember that even when vaccinated, we all have to still follow the rules and take the greatest care.

That is how we will all be safe and how we will get through this difficult period.