Nicola Sturgeon’s draconian lockdown measures pushed Scottish families to consider “suicide pacts”, shocking evidence heard by a public inquiry has revealed.
Evidence heard by the Scottish COVID-19 inquiry on Tuesday highlighted harrowing accounts from those adversely impacted by lockdown, including young people with learning disabilities and care home residents.
The group claimed groups at high risk from the virus were unfairly prioritised over people with other conditions.
Scotland entered lockdown at a similar stage to England.
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However, the former First Minister was slower than her UK-wide counterpart Boris Johnson to ease restrictions.
Amber Galbraith KC, representing the learning disability charity PAMIS, said that a “vital framework of support” had collapsed with the imposition of lockdown.
She also claimed that some of the most vulnerable people north of the border had been left “abandoned, forgotten and invisible” by the Scottish Government.
Services used by such people were abruptly axed or at least severely disrupted by measures enacted by Holyrood.
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Princes Street, Edinburgh in Scotland, when Covid-19 restrictions were increased in response to a new strain of the virus
Galbraith explained: “Another mother expressed concern about care arrangements for her son if she and her husband became ill with Covid themselves.
“She was told the only option would be for him to be placed in a care home.
“Some families became so worried that they considered suicide pacts.”
The inquiry, which is being chaired by Lord Brailsford, heard how one 12-year-old autistic boy attempted to take his own life five times.
Nicola SturgeonPARachel Holt, representing groups including the National Autistic Society Scotland, said: “The child’s anxiety increased and he believed that if a person caught Covid they would die or end up in hospital hooked up on machines.”
“The child withdrew from family life. He withdrew from his parents and when restrictions eased, from wider family such as his grandparents.
“When school started, he struggled with the mask mandate and the constant changes to the rules.
“The child’s first suicide attempt was not treated appropriately and in the [mother’s] view was dismissed with inadequate treatment.
cottish Government public information signs along Edinburgh's Princes Street
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“It was only after the child’s third attempt on his life that he was referred to a psychiatrist.
“She is of the view that while the strategic response to the pandemic may have saved clinically vulnerable members of society, it has caused a loss of many more members of society who are or were vulnerable in other ways.”
Speaking on behalf of Scottish ministers, Geoffrey Mitchell KC said they had always tried to do the right thing.
“This pain, suffering, sacrifice and endurance is recognised, understood and acknowledged by the Scottish Government,” he said.
“The Scottish Government understand that legitimate questions arise as to whether the suffering needed to be so great.”