Having just emerged from the Coronavirus Pandemic that dominated agendas for the past 2 years, it looks as though the world will be facing yet another emerging virus in the form of Monkey Pox. With cases appearing across the world in an atypical fashion, scientists are surprised by the virus and its apparent change in behaviour. As Scotland becomes the latest country to report its first case of Monkey Pox, it appears the Scottish National Party and their Health Secretary Humza Yousaf are distracted by other things, whilst the Conservative Party acts fast to inform the public.
Practicing General Practitioner, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, who is also the Scottish Conservative and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow region, provided the public with detailed advice on the disease:
“Public Health Scotland has confirmed the first case of Monkey Pox in Scotland. So far there have been 20 confirmed cases in the United Kingdom and 80 across the world. Monkey Pox is a rare viral infection similar to smallpox that usually is found in Central and West Africa. The disease first found in monkeys does not tend to spread easily between people but can be transmitted through close physical contact. Symptoms include high temperature, headaches, muscle pain and a rash of gray spots that later turn into blisters. The UK Health Security Agency urges anyone at risk of having caught monkeypox to isolate themselves for 21 days. Public Health Scotland says the overall risk to the general public is low.”
While we are grateful that a Member of the Scottish Parliament with experience in the healthcare sector is able to issue advice and information to the Scottish Public, one must ask what the SNP’s Health Secretary, Humza Yousaf, is doing. All that can be seen from the SNP’s Health Secretary in relation to Monkey Pox is a short tweet with a link to lengthy advice from Public Health Scotland. This is hardly the political leadership this country needs.
Fortunately, as Scotland has remained a part of the United Kingdom we are able to continue to reap the benefits of the Conservative Party’s strong and fast-acting leadership which helps to mitigate the Scottish Government’s inaction. As such, Scotland will be able to benefit from the decision by the UK Government’s Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, to stock up on smallpox vaccines which are expected to be around 85% effective in preventing monkeypox.
It is fair to say that the sudden increase of Monkey Pox cases around the world is not comparable to the coronavirus pandemic. We know this virus, we have vaccines against this virus, and we do not succumb to this virus easily. However, it is important that we get information out there as much as possible to ensure the public is able to take appropriate and proportionate measures to protect themselves from this virus. With Sajid Javid’s fast action on vaccines and Sandesh Gulhane’s public information announcements, it is high time that Humza Yousaf looks to the Conservative benches as an example of real leadership.