For Scotland to have the third-highest rate of excess fatalities during the coronavirus pandemic is simply unacceptable.
A study has shown that across the whole of Europe, Scotland lags behind only Spain in second place, while England sits top of this shameful league table.
The analysis shows exactly how many more people died in a given time than would normally be expected.
That way, we can see the true impact of the lethal coronavirus as it spread like wildfire.
Uncomfortable truths must be faced by our political leaders both in Westminster and Holyrood.
For anyone looking back at the early decisions made in the crisis, there are clear lessons to be learned.
Serious questions must be asked about the dithering in Downing Street right from the very start.
No one needed a crystal ball to see in real time what was happening as the virus spread from China.
Some countries found out too late what has happening in their midst.
The UK watched Italy and Spain suffer while assuming some British exceptionalism and a stiff upper lip might be enough to see off Covid-19.
A misguided reliance on a “herd immunity” that could not be achieved without a vaccine added to the delay.
A reluctance to move quickly to lockdown because of economic concerns compounded the desperate situation.
A Prime Minister who boasted about shaking people’s hands left international experts exasperated.
The Scottish Government’s decision to transfer hundreds of untested patients from hospitals into care homes had catastrophic consequences and saw the epicentre of the crisis play out in our care system.
Public inquiries will not flinch from a rigorous look back at access to protective clothing, the slow move to build up testing capacity and the horrendous spread of infection in care homes.
There can be no excuses for failing to learn from other countries at the start of this crisis.
The question now is, what have our Government leaders really learned from the height of the pandemic?
Since those early days, Nicola Sturgeon has made much of the cautious decisions she has taken.
And it is true Scotland has made significant progress thanks to her leadership.
But she must hang her head in shame at this tag of being the third worst in Europe.
It is nothing short of an embarrassment for a country with the wealth, aspirations and healthcare structure at our disposal.
