WHILE I entirely agree with Paul Teenan (Letters, June 11) on poor planning, lack of preparation for a pandemic and more, it is surely incumbent on him to place the blame and responsibility where it properly lies for the enormity of the death toll in Scotland and the UK.

First, the timing of the lockdown. It was not until the Coronavirus Act was passed at Westminster that Scotland (and Northern Ireland) gained the Statutory Framework to impose a lockdown. This did not commence until March 25, much too late to contain a wide establishment of the infection. Why so late?

The second was the failure by Westminster (no other Government has that power) to impose an early quarantine on travellers to the UK. Why did this not happen? These were the main contributors to the death toll.

We must wait until a public inquiry to see if care homes followed proper procedures on isolating new entrants, and limiting staff to one home. Why have some care homes managed this virus so much better than others?

GR Weir, Ochiltree.

FOR far too long Nicola Sturgeon's Government has been giving out coronavirus guidance in a very casual manner. Instead of "must", we are constantly given "urged, should, may, it might help, and consider" in her briefings. It is no wonder that Chief Constable Iain Livingstone and various union leaders are concerned about a backlash and possible violence against their members with such a vague ruling on behaviour.

Unless the guidance is enshrined in law, with appropriate penalties defined, then the lack of emphasis will only lead to a near-total disregard by many.

George Dale, Beith.

IT has been obvious for at least two months that our no-mask lockdown has failed, resulting in thousands of avoidable deaths. The coronavirus death rate of countries that have compulsory mask wearing has been a small fraction of those that don't. The new edict compelling vulnerable some people to self-isolate for a further seven weeks is a truly appalling measure. Instead, the Scottish Government should be compelling everyone to wear masks out of doors, using the Czech slogan "My mask protects you, your mask protects me".

Michael Gallagher, Coupar Angus.

AS only 0.1 per cent are currently infected by coronavirus, of 1,000 people you might pass in the street just one of them might be ill. If you happen to be within two metres of that person for 15 minutes you have a 0.65% chance of contracting it; if you’re one metre away it's 1.3% – which is still pretty minimal.

Medical experience shows healthy under-70s will have mild symptoms, so only the truly neurotic will refuse the World Health Organisation's advice of a one metre "social distance" rather than the arbitrary two metres insisted on by the First Minister and her sociologist Health Secretary Jeane Freeman.

Had Nicola Sturgeon followed WHO advice on Covid-19 testing vast numbers of care home residents would still be alive. Now she can return our economy and society to normal by using a WHO sterile safety zone of 3sq m (one metre radius) rather than her discredited 12.5sq m (two metre radius).

Rev Dr John Cameron, St Andrews.