First Minister Nicola Sturgeon promises to give "serious consideration" to pleas of shielding Eastriggs family

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has promised that “serious consideration” will be given to the pleas of a shielding Eastriggs family.

Teenager Hannah Jack was born with potentially fatal biliary atresia and had a liver transplant at Leeds General Infirmary in October 2017.

It means the 15-year-old Annan Academy pupil is immune suppressed and restrictions for the Covid-19 pandemic mean she and mum Karen have both been stuck in the house since lockdown began.

All shielded people are advised not to go out at all – even for exercise.

However, 42-year-old Karen wondered if there was a way that some public outdoor spaces can be reserved safely – at least for a limited time each day – for those who are most at risk of serious complications from coronavirus, especially as longer access to outdoor spaces for everyone else has been increased this week.

(South Scotland MSP Joan McAlpine.)

They contacted MSP Joan McAlpine who raised the issue for them at First Minister’s Questions in the Scottish Parliament.

Ms McAlpine, who has also written to the health secretary to see if official medical guidance can be tweaked, said: “The First Minister has assured me that the health secretary, Jeane Freeman, will give this proposal serious consideration and get back to me in due course.

“If there’s a possibility that the official advice can be adjusted to say that it’s safe for shielded people to go outside to exercise at specially reserved spaces during specific times, we can then approach the owners of green spaces for help.”

Karen said: “Every virus is a risk to those who have had organ transplants and we take precautions all the time, with or without the Covid-19 threat.

“And it is right that measures are being taken to protect everyone in the pandemic and especially those at risk.

“However, it has been a long time now and Hannah is a teenager and longs to be able to go outside.

“She has been keeping busy keeping in touch with friends through social media and technology but she really needs some fresh air, even for a little bit.

“I hope the Scottish Government have a look at this issue and see if something can be done to make public open spaces safely available for a reserved brief time each day for people like Hannah.

“We are grateful to Joan McAlpine for raising this for us at Holyrood.”