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Daily Record
Politics
Peter Davidson

Humza Yousaf 'concerned' about rise in covid cases in Scotland as he gives vaccine booster update

Humza Yousaf has admitted he is "concerned" about the rise in coronavirus cases in Scotland over the last few weeks.

The SNP Health Secretary said no restrictions would be re-imposed to deal with the increase in infection levels across the country.

According to the latest data released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on Friday it estimated that around one in 40 people had covid.

That's a rise from one in 50 Scots in the previous week.

Scotland currently has the highest covid rate in the UK with one in 70 in England, one in 65 in Northern Ireland and one in 75 in Wales with the virus.

Yousaf was asked about the rise in cases on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme earlier today.

He said: "We are not panicked by any stretch of the imagination but clearly concerned.

"Any rise in cases or rising infection levels does concern us.

"There has been that rise and the latest ONS figures.

"We've got a highly vaccinated population and high levels of natural immunity and both those things should keep us in good stead, but of course it's concerning."

Yousaf said there wasn't a large rise in hospital cases as a result of the increase in cases.

While he added that no restrictions would be brought in to combat the spread of infection across the country.

It comes after Professor Linda Bauld, a public health expert from the University of Edinburgh, said a large rise could lead to "much stronger advice about wearing face coverings" on buses and trains and other public settings.

Yousaf also gave an update on the roll-out of the coronavirus booster campaign which is set to take place later this year.

He said: "So there almost will be an autumn/winter booster campaign.

"We're waiting for final advice and we expect that next month in July from the JCVI.

"We'll wait to see what they have to say in relation to who should be covered by that additional booster."

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