OVER the last year it has been difficult not to become cynical about the UK Government’s declared “transparency” with regard to figures relating to the coronavirus pandemic. And its claims that the increasingly more tragic statistics of the UK could not be broadly and reasonably compared on a population basis with those of other states, with consideration of applicable demographic influences where necessary.

It was therefore not a complete surprise when after many delays, bad decisions and U-turns, the UK Government jumped at the opportunity of initial relative success on the overall speed of the roll-out to make comparisons with our European neighbours, as well as between England and Scotland (comparisons with Israel and other countries ahead of the UK were of course avoided amid more “world-leading” claims).

Also unsurprisingly, both new infection and current death rates were ignored in such comparisons, as was the fact that vaccinations in England are unlikely to reach the extremely high take-up rates achieved by the Scottish Government among the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) priority groups for several weeks to come, if at all.

READ MORE: Some 99 per cent of older care home residents in Scotland now vaccinated

On Monday the vaccination rate in Scotland was considerably higher than that in England, which fact combined with Scotland’s significantly lower infection rates and death rates, would seem to suggest to most politically neutral observers that the UK Government should seek the advice of the Scottish Government on better managing the pandemic response overall – and perhaps it could start by listening to the call from the First Minister to establish more comprehensive quarantine systems at our “international borders”.

Stan Grodynski

Longniddry, East Lothian

NO matter how many millions of vaccination jags Johnson’s government acquire it will never be enough in order to secure the right to call itself the best in the world in whatever post-Brexit objectives it manages to achieve.

The latest achievement is securing enough vaccine to put in the arms of all the patients in care homes in England. That is, falling shy of how many have actually been vaccinated. It obviously sticks in Michael Gove’s craw that Scotland has achieved almost 100%, has given a tidy percentage of the over-80s their jag, and has now started on the next age group.

Alister “Union” Jack has even offered to send in more troops to help Scotland move along faster after his government accused Scotland of lagging behind England. This, without him or Gove, providing any evidence that Westminster was in front in what has become a farcical political race for who is best at looking after the nations health during this pandemic. Well, I think Scotland knows the answer to that unnecessary question. In fact, the whole world has a good idea as well.

Disregarding the fact that care homes, towns and villages including many of our populated islands, are extremely scattered with difficult means of access – especially this time of the year– it goes without saying that delivery of vaccine and implementation of vaccinations have been carried out superbly by the authorities involved, from our excellent postal services right up to our own NHS.

So let’s shout it for Scotland and our leaders in all levels of public services, and what more we could achieve as an independent country.

Alan Magnus-Bennett

Fife

WHY are UK/English Government ministers still refusing to release the numbers and dates of vaccinations carried out on their own care home residents, England’s most at-risk group?

Right or wrong the UK/English Government has now turned the roll-out of vaccination into a four-nations competition, maybe this is a well-meant attempt to concentrate minds and accelerate the programme.

Keeping in mind that earlier in the pandemic England counted testing kits posted out as completed tests we need clarification on what “offering vaccination” means and how it is being counted in their total of people vaccinated statistics.

Releasing detailed information on vaccinations in English care homes is now essential to dispel any suspicions that leading the race to vaccinate maximum numbers without following the JCVI priorities has left care home residents at risk for longer in England than in the other three countries.

John Jamieson

South Queensferry

I HAD a great start to the day on Wednesday after Michael Gove’s car crash of an interview on Radio Scotland fairly cheered me up.

He had no idea whatsoever on how to answer the nursing home vaccine roll out in England yet seemed to know all about Scotland “lagging” behind the rest of the nations.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon attacks Michael Gove over car crash interview on vaccine figures

His inept bumbling made my day. Keep it up Govey old boy, you’re doing independence the world of good!

Iain McEwan

Troon