Covid-19: The numbers

NUMBERS OF cases of Covid-19 rose after the summer holidays when schools returned and have largely remained steady each day. The Health Secretary, Humza Yousaf, has admitted that there is “absolutely a risk” of Covid cases rising after the COP26 summit which may involve around 30,000 people coming to Glasgow.

Meantime letters are going out to Scots in their sixties inviting them for a flu vaccine and Covid-19 booster with appointments all the way through November.

The number of deaths is not just as high as it was last year going into winter, but as we went to press around 140,000 people in the UK had died of Covid-19 and more than 9,000 people have died in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has decided to continue mask wearing requirements at schools and the number of cases in Scotland remains around 2,000 a day.

There are more than 4.3 million Scots who have received their first dose of the vaccine and almost 4 million who have had their second dose. While vaccination is key, the winter brings with it some other factors.

The vaccine certification programme is criticised by hospitality groups, and the app did not work well on its introduction.

Professor Devi Sridhar writing in The Guardian set out the stall for following Germany’s lead where cloth masks are not allowed, only surgical or medical grade masks being permitted.

The case numbers in Germany appear to be under control while in the UK the government is still debating if Plan B will really be necessary. Health leaders have encouraged The UK Government to reinstate social distancing regulations.