IT is wrong for Neil Bryce (Letters, September 29) to imply that Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government’s main priority for the last six months has not been on tackling the Covid pandemic. The latest figures show we are currently performing better than in Labour-run Wales and much better than Boris Johnson's shambolic England when it comes to the number of cases or number of fatalities per head of population.

UK ONS figures show that over the past six months the infection level in England is 35 per cent higher than in Scotland and the death level 45% higher in England. Scotland also has a far superior Test and Protect system with much better contact detection results than in England or Wales. Stirling University research shows that at the height of the pandemic care homes in England recorded a 79% increase in excess deaths, compared to 66% in Wales and 62% in Scotland.

Just as in Wales, the Scottish Government has virtually no borrowing powers and no control over our borders so we had no choice but to follow the early flawed UK-wide approach with its dreadful consequences to our economy and health.

Fraser Grant, Edinburgh EH9.

WITH regard to the 10pm pub closures and crowds congregating outside, maybe some or all pubs could consider closing the bar at 9pm and pub doors at 10pm; or 10pm and 11pm. This would allow a staggered exit (no pun intended) and fewer crowds outside. Some would leave when the bar shut and the keen drinkers would perhaps have a round to drink up before they leave.

Niall McTeague, Giffnock.

THERE have been a number of reports in recent days on Covid rules for students and whether adherence to them has been observed.

Surely they have all been acting with absolute integrity in the same way as Dominic Cummings did back in May as described and defended by Boris Johnson, our prime minister. Perhaps they were all testing their eyesight.

As Mr Johnson said at the time, it’s time to move on. To what, I ask?

Willie Towers, Alford.

I NOTE there is talk of a coronavirus third wave. With the UK`s lack of testing, I don’t think that we ever passed the first wave. As testing has been increasing, so have the number of positive cases been identified. Earlier on in the outbreak those were missed and large numbers of the population got off with very mild and un-noted symptoms, yet still acting as carriers and infecting others. Once restrictions on contact with others were relaxed, then the floodgates opened for all of the untested, yet positive, to mingle amongst us.

George Dale, Beith.

YOU report today that the Institute for Fiscal Studies suggests that the UK Government will need to increase personal taxation drastically to recover/ repay the £60 billion likely to be spent on the Covid-19 pandemic ("IFS think-tank warns of years of punishing tax rises to pay for Covid pandemic", The Herald, September 29). I have two simple questions; the first if the same Government could create hundreds of billions of pounds overnight through quantitative easing to save the banks why can’t the same process be used to save the country at a fraction of the cost? Secondly, if the banks never paid it back, why should we?

David J Crawford, Glasgow G12.