8 Jun 2020
Nicola Sturgeon has been challenged on her claims she followed WHO guidance in full in the immediate response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week, the First Minister told Jackson Carlaw: “All the guidance that the Scottish Government has issued … has been consistent with the guidance, the technical guidance that the WHO has set out.”
However, the Scottish Conservative leader has now written to Ms Sturgeon identifying key parts of WHO guidance which haven’t been followed by the SNP.
He cited two key aspects of WHO instructions on testing from March.
One states: “Isolate Covid-19 patients until they have two negative laboratory tests for Covid-19 taken at least 24 hours apart after the resident’s symptoms have resolved.”
The other implores governments to isolate those patients for two weeks if testing isn’t available.
Neither of those points made their way into public health guidelines in Scotland, and the party has now urged the First Minister to correct the official record.
Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said:
“Nicola Sturgeon was quite certain in responding to my concerns that she had followed WHO guidance to the letter.
“We now know that simply wasn’t the case.
“She should correct the official record, and explain why this guidance from the WHO wasn’t passed on in Scotland.
“Testing has been the biggest area of failure for this SNP government, and vulnerable patients and the staff who bravely look after them deserve answers.”
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