New restrictions in Scotland (and Wales) have led to, arguably, the greatest variation between the nations of the UK in how governments are responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. Over Christmas, newspapers in Scotland were predicting a flood of people across the border as revellers sought out opportunities to celebrate Hogmanay. Of course, the reality was (and was always going to be) quite different. But how has Scotland been faring relative to the rest of the UK so far in the pandemic?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As in other parts of the UK, cases of Covid-19 have been on the increase in Scotland in recent weeks. On Monday 3 January, positive Covid-19 cases reached over 20,000 for the first time. Public transport \u2013 from trains through to the ferries that connect Scotland\u2019s islands with the mainland \u2013 has been cut back for most of January as staffing levels have been hit. Even the men\u2019s Scottish Professional Football League brought forward their annual \u2018winter shutdown\u2019 as spectator numbers were limited to 500.<\/p>\n\n\n\n