Chamber and committees

I will bring you back in for a brief supplementary question, Mr Fraser, but I ask for the answers to be brief, as I really have to move on.

We know that the national health service is under a lot of pressure at the moment and, obviously, we knew that it would be. In light of some NHS boards calling in military help and declaring major incidents, can the cabinet secretary provide the committee with a rundown of the position of the other NHS boards?

I understand the Government’s need to explore all the ways in which to achieve the target. Any research on managing demand must consider how to disincentivise car use. Although running a car has become cheaper, the cost of public transport has gone up. What must happen to reverse that situation? What is the UK Government, which has similar climate change targets to meet, doing about that?

Given the importance of investment, through the Ayrshire Growth Deal, in South Ayrshire, which is primarily focused around Prestwick airport, can the Scottish Government give assurances that any future potential buyer for the airport would be supportive of the Ayrshire Growth Deal and the spaceport?

A concerned constituent has been in touch because his mother is in an Ayr care home in which the residents are being told that they need to self-isolate for 14 days if they test positive. With the self-isolation period being reduced from 10 to seven days, will the First Minister advise when the guidance on self-isolation in care homes will be updated?

I have recently been contacted by a constituent who is concerned about the social care that his mother receives. Due to Covid and staff absences, services have been cut so that time slots for care can no longer be given. Given the new omicron variant and the increased staff absences that are crippling many sectors—including the NHS and rail, bus and ferry services—what engagement has the Scottish Government had with local authorities on combating absences across the care sector that are due to Covid?

I will bring you back in, Mr Rowley, but, first, it would be helpful to have clarification on self-isolation before we finalise the bill report. Will that be available to the committee before 13 January?

We all understand the importance of boosters, but 10 per cent of the population are still unvaccinated, and those people are often in our larger cities. A constituent of mine wrote to me recently after watching our meeting on vaccine hesitancy, which took place on 9 December. Angela, in Ayr, who is about the same age as me, said:

“Hi Siobhian,

I wanted to get in touch to let you know that I am just out of the hospital after contracting life threatening Covid-19. I was hospitalised for 9 weeks. I was blue lighted from Ayr, to Crosshouse and was in HDU and ICU with my oxygen level at 38%. I had been unwell for 4/5 days prior and was advised to self-isolate and drink plenty of water and take paracetamol.

Unfortunately, things progressed and I don’t remember much apart from seeing my fiancé and the doctor, then in an ambulance ... Unfortunately, I had not been vaccinated, not because I was against it or anything. I had just landed a new job and missed my appointment as I had to go down south for training ... I sat and watched patients come and go from my hospital bed in HDU, they were a lot older than me, people in their 70s with COPD and Covid but had their vaccinations, and yes they may have been poorly and still required oxygen ... but they were going home after 2 weeks and I watched this happen week after week and felt like an idiot for not getting myself vaccinated. I nearly died, was touch and go a few times ... do not think this thing isn’t real, it’s very real and doesn’t look as if it’s going away anytime soon.

I have been left with Fibrosis and a cluster of clots in my lung, I have panic attacks and palpitations, my anxiety is through the roof, I have covid flashes ... I lost over 3 stone in 5 weeks and have lost most of my muscle mass in my legs and can’t walk from livingroom to kitchen without having to sit down and catch my breath for a few minutes ... I can’t stand for any length of time or go up stairs, I literally am having to train myself to walk again ... I could go on, but I won’t.

I just don’t want this to happen to anyone else, if anyone is hesitant about getting vaccinated then don’t, because however rotten you may feel after getting your jag is nothing compared to nearly losing your life.”

How can we get that powerful message about the importance of getting vaccinated out to the general public, especially to the 10 per cent of people who still have not gone for their first jab?

That concludes our consideration of this item, and I thank the Deputy First Minister and his officials for their evidence today.

Item 2 is consideration of the motion on the made affirmative instrument that was considered during the previous item. Deputy First Minister, do you have any further remarks on the SSI before we take the motion?

Yes.