As First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said, the data indicates that we are “firmly on the downward slope” in terms of infection rates.
I hope this brings you confidence that life will become more manageable again and that, for those who are fully vaccinated, the health danger from the virus is considerably less severe and the risk of passing it on to friends and loved ones is reduced.
To ensure we continue in this positive direction, it is vital as many of us are fully vaccinated as possible. Equally, if as a collective we are vaccinated, it will help ensure shops, bars, cafes, public transport and services can run with minimal disruption.
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But we should still all be careful. Working from home where possible, wearing masks in public spaces, and regular testing are vital.
It is also important that we remember that there are those more vulnerable to the virus or more anxious in general about being amongst others in public. We must be cognisant of these people in way we act, even if we feel safe going about our daily lives.
To raise awareness, the Scottish government has launched the Distance Aware Scheme. We have invested £55,000 in creation and dissemination of lanyards and badges to help people make others aware that they should distance themselves from the wearer. Lanyards are available in local libraries and Asda stores.
Angus Robertson is the SNP MSP for Edinburgh Central and Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Secretary