Our Man in Westminster: We can’t take anything for granted during pandemic as MP Drew Hendry says 'It resonates with me how particularly sad that has been'
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It is almost exactly two years since the voters of this constituency re-elected me for a third time as your MP.
Few, if any of us, could have known, in that freezing December, what would emerge in the following weeks.
It soon became apparent that 2020 was to become the year of Covid and lockdown, what we hoped would last for weeks or months, at most, stretched and stretched throughout the year and into the next.
Last Christmas, we were plunged into another emergency situation – and this year, that looks possible too. This virus has been a terrible experience for everyone, especially for those directly affected by losing a loved one to this disease.
It resonates with me how particularly sad that has been, especially for all the special or precious final moments missed with loved ones.
I believe that feeling of empathy sits with us all and probably goes some way to explaining the anger felt by so many of you over the alleged Downing Street parties.
We know that regardless of the hypocrisy of others in not obeying the rules, we must continue to make sure that we take care in the face of the Omicron strain.
After all, experience tells us that there is nothing we can take for granted about this pandemic.
It seems that we may have to suffer another Christmas of thinking about how we protect others rather than simply enjoying their company. The best present we could all wish for is for this to be the very last Covid Christmas.
More than 10 million vaccination doses have been administered in Scotland since the first jabs against Covid-19 were given a year ago. The vaccine has allowed us to get back to a normality of sorts and the booster programme will help us keep as safe as possible.
From this week, people in their 30s will be able to book their booster vaccine, with the booster programme also being made available to 18 to 29-year-olds soon. Early analysis into Omicron shows that a booster significantly reduces Covid symptoms.
While the vaccination and booster programme is the bedrock of our fight against Covid-19, we must take other precautions to prevent transmission with the emergence of the Omicron variant. To keep each other safe, test regularly for the virus, particularly before socialising and meeting up with others from outside your household, wear face masks where required and open windows to improve ventilation.
We are all sick of this virus, but wishing it away isn’t going to work – we need to keep doing all we can to keep each other safe.
I wish you and your family good health and wishes for the festive season.
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