Scotland’s national clinical director, Professor Jason Leitch, advised then-Health Secretary Humza Yousaf on how to remain “exempt” from mask rules at a social event in late 2021, the UK Covid Inquiry has heard. He suggested that keeping a drink in his hands at all times would allow Yousaf to avoid wearing a mask when not seated at a dinner. However, Leitch denied giving him a “workaround” and instead argued that he was providing advice on how to comply with the rules.
The evidence presented at the inquiry showed a WhatsApp exchange between Prof Jason Leitch and the then health secretary, in which Yousaf sought clarity on the rules for wearing a mask at a dinner where he was due to give a speech. Leitch’s response advised that officially, Yousaf should wear a mask when standing and talking to people, but suggested that having a drink in his hands at all times would provide an exemption.
In his testimony, Prof Leitch described how following the mask rules at such events is a “tricky area,” in which he also found it difficult to comply. He stated that the guidance was not being followed at the “few” occasions he attended, and pointed out that cases of COVID-19 were surging at the time, driven by the Delta and Omicron variants.
The national clinical director admitted to breaking the mask rule himself, saying that he believed it was legitimate to stand without a mask after being approached for a photograph at a dinner during a social occasion. Despite this, he denied offering a “workaround” to the rules and insisted that he was providing advice on compliance.
Concerns were raised at the inquiry about Leitch’s use of WhatsApp, including his admission of using an auto-delete function and messages about deleting chats as a “pre-bed ritual.” He admitted that he had not retained informal communications related to managing the pandemic and defended his actions by claiming to have followed Scottish government records management policy.
In response to the evidence presented, Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie suggested that Prof Leitch should be sacked for advising Yousaf “how to avoid the rules” and for wiping his WhatsApp messages. Meanwhile, Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr. Sandesh Gulhane criticized the Scottish government, questioning their attitude as revealed in the messages and suggesting that they did not expect this information to come to light.
Deputy First Minister Shona Robison emphasized the importance of allowing the inquiry to scrutinize messages and decision-making, while also stating that it was not fair to focus on any individual as Prof Leitch was not present to defend himself at the inquiry.
The article then briefly mentions the next witness to give evidence at the inquiry in the form of Professor Devi Sridhar, who spoke about her working relationship with former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the abuse and death threats she received as a well-known public figure during the crisis. Additionally, it touches on an exchange between Sridhar and Sturgeon, during which they discussed a draft policy paper, highlighting concerns about overstepping the mark.
Finally, it explains that Sridhar admitted feeling “too friendly” with Sturgeon, and her similar relationships with other politicians. This portion sets the stage for the continuation of the inquiry’s proceedings.