The Scottish Conservatives’ health spokesman, who is also a GP, says he will continue to wear a face mask as rules ease – and will ask patients with symptoms to wear one too.
Dr Sandesh Gulhane was reflecting on the major changes to Covid rules across the UK.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon set out the Scottish Government’s strategy for living with the Covid-19 virus on February 22.
Her plans will see all remaining legal restrictions, including the requirement to wear a face mask, ending on March 21.
Ms Sturgeon’s announcement was after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced England’s restrictions will be lifted.
The requirement to self-isolate south of the border is being dropped at the start of April.
Dr Gulhane said scrapping self-isolation on April 1 like England is “a little bit early” for Scotland.
Doctor recommends face masks after March 21
The MSP confirmed he will still follow the Scottish Government’s guidance to wear a face mask in certain situations, such as on buses and trains.
He said: “We know we can’t live with restrictions forever.
“We are highly vaccinated, medicine is coming on stream to treat Covid, case numbers are down, mortality rates are lower and we are seeing hospital admissions trending downwards.
“It seems to be a time that is possible to do these things in England, but it is not possible in Scotland because we are the most restricted part of the UK.
“I plan to continue to wear a face mask on public transport.”
This comes after months of the Scottish Conservatives calling on the Scottish Government to scrap the need for school pupils to wear a face mask in the classroom.
Face mask for those with symptoms
When asked if he would want his patients in his GP surgery to wear a face mask as well, Dr Gulhane said: “It depends on the symptoms they come in with.
“If they come in with a cough, a fever and a loss in taste and smell, I would say to the patient it would be useful to put on a mask because they are presenting with symptoms of coronavirus.”
He was also pressed on his own party’s decision south of the border to end self-isolation rules on April 1, and replied: “We need to trust the Scottish people.
“Isolating in Scotland was never law, but people still did it.
“April 1 seems a little bit early for us in Scotland because of where we start from.”
Dr Gulhane also says he is pleased to see vaccine certificates will be scrapped on February 28, and says Test and Protect needs to be reformed because it “no longer does the job it was supposed to do”.
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