Covid-19: the numbers

WHILE OTHER countries on the continent experience an increase in positive cases and some have entered another lockdown mainly as a result of people choosing not to be vaccinated - our numbers remain relatively static.

The number of people who have had their booster dose is now heading towards two million.

Cases in Edinburgh have been much the same in recent weeks with around 400 cases per day reported, and the number of people in hospital is just under 1,000 and has been for some weeks.

The number of people who have died since the beginning of the pandemic is now approximately 10,000 a figure which hides a great deal of heartbreak.

The First Minister briefed MSPs and rather than announcing an extension of the Covid certification scheme to pubs and cinemas, the

Cabinet had agreed (by a thin margin it appears) to introduce another option instead. As an alternative to the Covid Passport a recent negative lateral flow test can be produced instead.

Ms Sturgeon said: “This change makes it possible for people who cannot be vaccinated, or who are not yet fully protected, to make use of the scheme. The new rule will also, we hope, encourage the greater use of regular lateral flow testing and it will still meet our aim of reducing the risk of transmission, within higher risk venues.

“We encourage everyone to continue to test themselves regularly and particularly before you meet up with people from outside your household, whether you are meeting in your home or public place. If you test positive stay home, isolate and take a

PCR test.”