First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has warned coronavirus is “running faster” in Scotland’s vaccine race than it has ever done before.
Figures released by Public Health Scotland on Tuesday showed there were 3,118 positive cases within the last 24 hours, slightly less than the record high of 3,285 on Monday.
There are now 215 patients in hospital with Covid – an increase of 13 from Monday with 20 remaining in intensive care.
One death has also been reported in Tuesday’s figures.
Will restrictions still be eased on July 19?
Today Ms Sturgeon warned cases numbers were now “double” what they were last week – but stressed the wave of case numbers was beginning to slow.
She stressed the country was currently in a “race” of vaccines against virus with hopes the jags would eventually win.
The first minister said she was still “reasonably confident” current restrictions will be eased on July 19 despite the recent increase.
However, she stressed the country was at a “critical moment” in the coming weeks with care needed from the population to slow the spread.
She said: “The problem we have just now is the virus is running faster than it has ever done before.
“The Delta Variant accounts for the overwhelming bulk of all new cases and is significantly more transmissible than previous variants – and that is helping to drive the steep rise in cases we have had in recent days.
“On the other hand, we know the vaccines are breaking the link between cases and serious illness.
“The nature of this wave of the virus is different.”
Confidence in success of vaccinations
Ms Sturgeon explained vaccines were playing a significant role in protecting those who have been double-jagged – revealing she has “never been more confident” that they will beat coronavirus.
The first minister said 13% of all Scottish cases and 89% of all deaths had been in the over 65 age group.
However, because all those in that bracket have now had both doses the numbers were changing “markedly”.
Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Government’s most recent figures showed over 65s were now accounting for just 2% of all new cases with more than 80% of new cases in people under 44 years old.
She said: “Fewer people who get Covid now need to go to hospital and a higher proportion of people going to hospital don’t need to do so for as long.
“So these two factors are helping to protect the NHS from the full scale of the pressure these case numbers would have heaped on it before vaccination.”
Meanwhile Ms Sturgeon confirmed travel restrictions previously imposed on Manchester, Salford and Bolton would now be dropped due to case levels being similar between them and Scotland.
However, trips to Blackburn with Darwen in Lancashire are still subject to restrictions.
Vaccines are ‘ticket out of nightmare’
Ms Sturgeon has called for renewed efforts in the coming weeks to ensure current restrictions can be eased on July 19 with the smallest impact on the NHS as possible.
The first minister described the current wave as a “concern” but urged everyone to “keep the heid” and follow current health guidelines.
She said: “I can’t stress enough that if people get vaccinated with both doses then it protects you, but also your family, friends and anyone you come into contact with.
“I think this is part of the collective civic duty we all have to each other but, to put it bluntly, it’s also our ticket out of this nightmare.
“We are so close now, not just to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, but also to actually reaching the end of the tunnel.”
Focus on case numbers could change
Ms Sturgeon explained officials were already placing “less of a focus” on case numbers than earlier in the year.
She stressed the vaccine rollout means the current wave was able to be handled by the health service without the need for stricter restrictions.
She said: “Last time we had case numbers anywhere like this we went fully into lockdown – we would never have tolerated these case numbers without stricter measures because we had no vaccine protection then.
“We compare case numbers to the beginning of the year but the context is completely different because we are not in lockdown now.
“We able to have relatively few restrictions still in place.”