FIVE weeks ago, the Scottish Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman, announced plans to increase ICU capacity in Scotland to 700 to cope with the expected surge in demand. Yesterday’s daily report from the Scottish Government shows the number of confirmed Covid-19 patients in intensive care units is down to 121. I do not quibble with the decision to increase capacity, but I think it is safe to say that – at least at this stage – the predicted “tsunami” of ICU cases has not materialised. This is great news.

Looking beyond ICU, the report tells us that there are another 1,650 Covid-19 patients in Scottish hospitals, but it also confirms that over 1,000 beds have been freed up by removing “delayed discharge” patients this month.

Overall, then, it looks like the Scottish NHS is doing a brilliant job and, while the daily reports only cover Covid-19 cases, it is reasonable to assume it is not running close to capacity.

Why, then, is the Scottish Government continuing with its decision to “pause” all cancer screening programmes? It is well known that rapid identification and treatment of cancers greatly increases survival prospects.

The cancellation of these programmes is but one aspect of an ill-designed and unnecessarily severe lockdown programme which (NRS data tells us) has coincided with more than 700 additional, unexplained, Scottish deaths not attributed to Covid-9 this month alone ("‘My father had cancer and died but was fobbed off by doctors during crisis’", The Herald, April 28).

The Scottish Government now needs to find a way forward that is best for Scotland, making the optimum use of our national resources. Addressing the cancer screening issue would be a good place to start.

Jack Meredith, Bridge of Allan.

IT is heartening to see (Letters, April 28) such a spirited and positive response to Marianne Taylor's fine piece “Let the over-70s decide what’s best for their health”, The Herald, April 27) criticising the outrageous proposal, surfacing in some quarters, that there should be a prolonged lockdown for people aged 70 and over.

There might be some slight health advantage in the implementation of such a draconian step, but this is for the medical and scientific experts to expedite by other means. Penalising older members of society, many of whom are unlikely to be seeking the financial benefits proposed by the UK Government, are reasonably fit, and are well able to think responsibly, by imposing a type of potentially infinite imprisonment, would be morally reprehensible and hypocritical. Those aged 70-plus need a light at the end of the tunnel also, and my wife and I, both in our 80s, are looking forward when the time is right to church attendance and a weekly lunch (under carefully monitored conditions) in our favourite café, meeting not only friends but also people of all ages. We are currently observing all the rules scrupulously, and are surely entitled to the fulfilment of these hopes.

In particular, supporters of the SNP and other separatist bodies must beware. Their avowed dream (albeit in my view hyper-inflated) of a "fair, just and inclusive society" in an independent Scotland would be totally compromised. I call upon the First Minister, and leaders of other similarly-minded bodies, totally to disavow this ridiculous notion and to distance themselves from a realisation of it at any time.

James McIntyre, Bearsden.

THE Scottish Government has just published guidance about the use of face coverings and has recommended their use in some limited situations, emphasising that this use is not (yet) mandatory. When this recommendation becomes common knowledge , there will no doubt be a toilet-roll-like rush to buy these coverings if you can find them, and I guess fraudsters will be licking their lips at the prospect of offering to sell us online non-existing ones. Particularly in view of its decision to publish this guidance and the possibility that their wear could become mandatory, is it too much to expect the Government to publish a list of genuine and even approved suppliers, or should we all just rely on using our scarves?

Alan Fitzpatrick, Dunlop.

HAVING been neutral on the issue of usefulness of face masks, an experience a few days ago made me think again.

A "gentleman" three queue places ahead of me outside Sainsbury's in Kirkintilloch was vaping, much to the disgust of all those behind him over whom the recent content of his lungs was drifting to a distance of several yards.

Possibly evidence of some value of masks?

Ken Roberts, Lenzie.