Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer is to write a further letter to those at the highest risk of covid saying that they can also return to a much greater degree of normality as the bulk of restrictions are lifted next week.

In an address to the Scottish parliament, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs that high levels of vaccination and testing mean that Scotland is now ready to move ‘beyond level zero’, ending physical distancing constraints and allowing any remaining venues to reopen.

“The decisions I am confirming today,” Ms Sturgeon said, “reflect the fact that principally due to vaccines we are now in a different stage of this pandemic.

“Vaccination has weakened the link between case numbers and serious health harms and that means that it is no longer appropriate or necessary, and therefore not necessarily lawful for us to rely as heavily as we did previously on blanket rules and regulations.”

Ms Sturgeon has previously promised that she would not risk a return to shielding by default, after disabled people, carers and charities penned an open letter urging a cautious approach to reopening.

Today the First Minister acknowledged that those who have previously been asked to shield – who are at the highest risk if they contract covid –  will not all welcome the removal of most restrictions:

“That is something that will be welcome for many but a source of anxiety for some. The chief medical officer will be writing to those who have been at the highest risk from covid who might previously have been asked to shield, to provide advice and information, and to give assurance that they too can return to a much greater degree of normality.

“The needs and concerns of this group will not be ignored now or in the future.”

Research looking at people in the west of Scotland who were shielding during the first wave of the pandemic found the approach had “not been as successful as hoped”.

Just four in ten of the people asked to shield across Scotland said they followed the rules “stringently”, the study noted, due to complications like attending medical appointments, caring for relatives and other essential activities. 

Last month Dr Gregor Smith, the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, wrote to the most vulnerable people saying they could begin to return to normality and there were “no plans” to ask them to shield again.

But Glasgow University’s Professor Jill Pell told healthandcare.scot it was “entirely appropriate” to make a personal decision to restart shielding.

Read more: Call to keep supporting people who want to shield; Shielding ‘not effective’ in preventing covid deaths; FM won’t risk “shielding by default” for at risk Scots 

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