The sacrifices young people continue to make through this pandemic can’t be underestimated.
The vast majority are unlikely to suffer anything more than a mild version of Covid-19.
But they have put their lives on hold as part of a national effort to protect more vulnerable groups.
In the long term, it will be the impact this crisis has on jobs that will hurt them the most.
But in the short term, it’s their ability to socialise – something central to the lives of most in their late teens and 20s – that has been turned upside down.
It is completely understandable that, after six months, many are getting frustrated.
But throwing caution to the wind and booking a garden party rave is not the answer – it will put lives at risk and cancel months of good work.
The organisers of these events, such as David and Stuart Alexander, should take a long look at themselves for cashing in on the vacuum left by closed nightclubs.
It is true, however, that you can’t tell young people to stop partying, with no end in sight, and expect them not to find a way.
The Scottish Government needs to engage with the night-time industry to find a safe way for people to enjoy themselves.
If not, we risk creating a dangerous and unregulated black market for fun.
