Post by jonksy on Mar 20, 2023 7:27:25 GMT
Shutting schools during coronavirus pandemic may have been a mistake, admits Scotland's national clinical director and one of country's most high-profile advocates for lockdown.
Scotland's health chief suggested different decisions might have been made with hindsight
Yesterday, a parents’ group welcomed his apparent ‘acknowledgement’ that shutting schools was a ‘terrible’ choice.
Professor Leitch stressed that during the pandemic he was a spokesman for the SNP Government and not a decision-maker.
But he would advise ministers when he felt that it was necessary to ‘go hard on this’.
Professor Leitch added: ‘We needed public consent because we are a democracy.
Professor Leitch stressed that during the pandemic he was a spokesman for the SNP Government and not a decision-maker.
But he would advise ministers when he felt that it was necessary to ‘go hard on this’.
Professor Leitch added: ‘We needed public consent because we are a democracy.
The feeling was that a clinical leader would be better than a politician because only half [of the country] liked Nicola Sturgeon and the other half didn’t. But more than half trusted her.’
His comments came at a talk entitled Faith in the Covid era, at Christ Church in Morningside, Edinburgh, last week.
He went on: ‘I made some missteps. We did what we did because of the knowledge we had at the time. I don’t know if we’d do it the same way again because we have different knowledge now.
His comments came at a talk entitled Faith in the Covid era, at Christ Church in Morningside, Edinburgh, last week.
He went on: ‘I made some missteps. We did what we did because of the knowledge we had at the time. I don’t know if we’d do it the same way again because we have different knowledge now.
