THE COP26 summit could “absolutely” spark a Covid surge as 25,000 delegates descend upon Glasgow, admits Scotland’s health boss.
Experts fear the sudden influx of tens of thousands of visitors for the high-profile climate event will see coronavirus infections spiral out-of-control.
Scotland‘s health secretary, Humza Yousaf, admitted there was “absolutely a risk” that Covid cases would escalate, but he said there were no immediate plans for a return to tough restrictions.
He told BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show: “There’s not a public health expert in the world that would say there’s no risk in the middle of a global pandemic to have tens of thousands of people descending onto largely one city.”
The Guardian reported that more than 30,000 people from 196 countries are predicted to visit the area for the crucial two-week COP26 climate conference from October 31 until November 12.
They include politicians, security, advocates and protesters.
Yousaf added: “There is absolutely a risk of Covid cases rising thereafter, but we’ll do everything we can to mitigate that.
“We are also very, very assured by the protocols we’ve got in place (at the conference) to be able to isolate those cases as best as we possibly can.”
He said: “We have been working with the UK government and the United Nations (UN) to make COP as safe as we possibly can.
“Mitigations like daily testing in the blue zone, very strict isolation protocols in place, face coverings being worn in the blue zone and so on.
“We will do everything we possibly can to make the event because we recognise the climate emergency itself is the biggest public health emergency and crisis that we face globally.”
But Scottish Labour deputy leader, Jackie Baillie, accused him of having “no answers to the potential impact of Cop26 on our NHS.
“We are looking down the barrel at a winter of extreme pressure on our NHS and potentially surging levels of Covid.
“We need action from the Health Secretary to avoid this, not warm words.”
Scottish Lib Dem leader and health spokesman, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, warned: “The NHS is already overwhelmed, it will struggle to cope with the extra added pressure an event like COP26 will bring.”
Scotland has recorded 2,528 Covid cases in the past 24 hours, the latest Scottish Government figures show.
A further 21 deaths have been recorded, but the figures released on Sunday were for the previous 48 hours, after a “data issue” meant death numbers could not be reported on Saturday.
Devi Sridhar, an Edinburgh-based professor of global public health, warned on Twitter: “A mass event, with major movement of people in and out, with an infectious virus will cause an increase in cases.
“Which in the case of Covid will put stress on limited health services.”
COP President Alok Sharma told BBC Scotland’s No Hot Air podcast: “People will be tested every day before they come into the venue. If they are found to be positive they will have to self-isolate.
“They will be wearing masks moving around the venue; we will have rigorous cleaning regimes in place and social distancing.”
Worries over escalating coronavirus cases come as Glasgow grapples with transport woes, and a shortage of accommodation for visitors.
The Guardian writes, too, that Glasgow City Council is meanwhile struggling to solve “reduced rubbish collections, a rat infestation and a surge in fly-tipping” with refuse workers confirming plans to strike during the huge summit.
