After suggesting that Scotland’s Covid ban for large gatherings might be extended until April, Scotland’s leading disease expert faced backlash.
National Clinical Director Jason Leitch raised the spectre of restrictions lasting well into spring when asked about how hospitality firms could recoup £20million lost when Hogmanay was cancelled.
Speaking to The World This Weekend on BBC Radio 4, the national clinical director dismissed calls to reschedule Edinburgh’s Hogmanay street party to April as being too soon for mass events.
These comments are made as many hospitality companies continue to struggle. According to restrictions, pubs and restaurants have only table service and must be separated by one meter. On December 27, night clubs closed for three weeks.
He was also confronted with opposition MSPs and the business community. Jackson Carlaw, a former Scots Tory leader said that this could not be allowed. Fans and businesses were offered a three week breaker. ScotGov’s promise of a three-week breaker was not fulfilled when evidence supports the contrary.
National Clinical Director Jason Leitch raised the spectre of restrictions lasting well into spring when asked about how hospitality firms could recoup £20million lost when Hogmanay was cancelled.
Around 30,000 people were due to attend Hogmanay in Edinburgh (2020 event pictured) but it was cancelled on December 21 as Omicron spread.
Jackson Carlaw was a Scots Tory leader who said, “This can’t be allowed to occur.” A three-week break was promised to fans and businesses.
On the BBC yesterday, Nick Stewart, managing director of Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh, suggested Edinburgh’s party could be held later this year.
It was expected that around 30,000 people would attend, but Omicron forced it to be cancelled.
Mr Stewart said: ‘I would love to see Scotland choosing to reschedule the whole of Hogmanay.
‘Edinburgh [should have] a huge party around April when we know that everyone can come, pretty much all restrictions will no longer be in place, and the whole city decides this is what we are doing.’
However, Professor Leitch said a mass public event in April ‘might be slightly too early’.
He said: ‘I like an Edinburgh night out like any other person. The jury is out on whether we could bring it forward to April.
‘We are hopeful. Data from South Africa and from University College London as well as data from Denmark, Edinburgh, and Edinburgh suggest that serious diseases are less common with this variant. It could even be as low as three quarters.
‘But let’s put that in perspective – 2,500 Delta cases [per day]Allows you to have up to 50 persons in hospital
‘You need 10,000 Omicron cases for the same number of admissions and Scotland is at 15,000. Omicron is encouraging compared to Delta, but Delta was a very low bar.’
Gavin Stevenson, vice-chairman of the Night Time Industries Association in Scotland, claimed there had been an 80 per cent drop in footfall on Hogmanay, which may have cost the sector £20million.