One of the Scottish Government’s leading advisors has said lockdowns are not the best way to tackle Covid-19 outbreaks.
Professor Devi Sridhar, chairwoman of Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh, has stated that research shows strict lockdown policies have not been proven to be the most effective across the world.
It comes as pubs, restaurants and cafes were forced to close in central belt at 6pm last night in a bid to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
The measures have been criticised by those in the hospitality sector.
Writing in The Guardian, she said: "For the government, the purpose of lockdown seemed to be simply that: lock the country down and hope the problem would go away.
"But lockdown itself doesn’t fundamentally change the virus or its trajectory. It just buys us time. And as time went on, fatigue and anger set in.
"People started to equate suppressing the virus with staying at home and shutting businesses.
"The alarm bells began to ring: could the cost of these measures be higher than the toll of the virus itself?
"Should the lives of millions be constrained just to prevent the deaths of thousands?
"Unfortunately, there are no such easy solutions.
"This plan may sound good on the surface, but it encounters deep problems in practice.
"It wouldn’t just be vulnerable people who had to shield, but their household members and those with whom they’re in regular contact.
"And how do you distinguish the vulnerable from the healthy?
"This isn’t just about age – Covid is proven to have worse outcomes in people who are overweight, of particular ethnicities, or have preexisting conditions they may not even be aware of."
She added: "We’re only just beginning to understand the effects of the virus on people with even mild cases.
"Covid-19 doesn’t just attack the lungs; it also affects the kidneys, liver and blood vessels, and may attack the brain.
"It can cause long-term problems for young and previously healthy people, such that “long Covid” is now recognised as a condition by the NHS."
