IS it simplistic or naïve to ask why a two-metre physical space (not social distancing, which is a different but related concept) is generally accepted by politicians of every hue, government and opposition, as the given, the immutable “new normal”, in face of not only the direct costs to industry and business associated with creating these spaces but in face also of the obvious economic disruption to all customer-facing commercial activity?

We are in hyperdrive with floor markers, high-vis tape, all sorts of mixed-quality health and safety two-metre signage and all the while we seem to be entirely accepting of the plain fact that businesses across the economy large or small cannot come close to operating profitably or practically at the “old normal” levels needed across the board for the economy to recover. Think small retail spaces and self-employed businesses, think hairdressers, think cafés, restaurants, pubs, think retail generally, think theatres, concert halls, transport, worship spaces, and all that is before you think schools and further education

Rigid physical two-metre spacing cannot be the long term, the new normal, and we are remiss if we do not plan now to replace this economically absurd, impractical concept born out of the social distancing advice which we can retain and continue to promote. Those who govern have to plan for another way, hopefully at a lower cost and more economically and scientifically robust,

What would our scientists say if every business entry point had a sanitising point and in large spaces these would be repeated across the business? Masks would be compulsory in enclosed public spaces. A Test Trace Isolate system would at last be delivered, not just for Covid but for other such viruses we are likely to see in future years. No more retail queuing, no more one-way systems, no confused shoppers misreading or failing to see inadequate signage, no need for short-term capital expenditure on Heath Robinson physical barriers, but a return to simple but robust multi-point personal hygiene in public spaces supported by a Test Trace Isolate system which can hunt down the virus and which after four long months should now be available nationwide.

Anthony Ireland, Giffnock.

THE First Minister has expressed optimism over the reduction in deaths over the past few days and this is to be welcomed. Her personal standing has benefited greatly from her handling of the epidemic, but we must be clear that she is a skilled politician and has done what she does best. Her supporters have compared her favourably to the Prime Minister and his apparent handling of the crisis but this a a low bar to clear. Boris Johnson at least had the excuse that he had only been running the country for a few months at the outbreak of this pandemic. The First Minister has had 13 years running a devolved healthcare system in Scotland.

She has been frequently heard to describe the situation as unprecedented, which it undoubtedly is. Unprecedented is not, however, unpredictable. A pandemic was entirely predictable and Scotland was not prepared. Exercise Silver Swan in 2015 highlighted gaps in Scotland’s pandemic planning and little effective action seems to have been taken. Testing was woefully inadequate and PPE supplies deficient. Government recommendations on both testing and PPE in the early part of the pandemic were based on what was possible, not on what was best practice. The decision to clear hospital beds by moving untested patient to care homes led to the tragic consequences which we have witnessed. The First Minister stated that if she had known that asymptomatic individuals could transmit the virus she may have made different decisions. If she did not know this, why not? What were her advisors telling her?

Although the First Minister seem to have come out of this well I fear that the country has not. We may have a per capita death rate better than England but only just and it is significantly worse than both Wales and Northern Ireland and worse than most of Europe. One of her own MPs tweeted in the early stages of the pandemic that the death rate in England was higher than in Scotland suggesting that superior A&E performance in Scotland was responsible. That difference has almost been lost and perhaps if the Scottish Government had concentrated some of its resources on pandemic planning and on funding public health rather than on chasing arbitrary waiting time targets which have little impact on the heath of the nation the outcome might have been better.

The First Minister has said that she wants a grown-up conversation with the country. It is certainly time for the First Minister and her government to have a proper grown up conversation with the country which involves a clear acceptance of their responsibilities and not the all-too-familiar obfuscation and misdirection. It is not acceptable to avoid responsibility and to blame someone else. Unfortunately, politicians seem unable to respond in any other way. Perhaps they don’t know how to.

Paul Teenan, Consultant surgeon, Glasgow G41.