Coronavirus: Government playing 'blame game' with public, says health expert

Nicola Sturgeon, by contrast, ‘knows how to communicate with public’

A public health expert has accused the government of blaming the public over the coronavirus crisis, the day after Boris Johnson said in an address to the nation that there had been “too many breaches” of the restrictions.

Linda Bauld, a professor at the University of Edinburgh, suggested that the “punitive message” coming from the prime minister and other leading politicians was a “problematic” communications strategy.

Downing Street’s “blame game” consists of reproaching young people for their behaviour, accusing the population of wanting too many Covid-19 tests and of threatening the public with larger fines, according to Ms Bauld.

"There are differences between the devolved nations and the punitive message is only being sent by Westminster,” she added.

Ms Bauld praised Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon for including “much more social solidarity” in her messaging - in contrast to Mr Johnson’s approach.

Citing some of the remarks Ms Sturgeon made in Holyrood on Tuesday, the public health professor tweeted on Wednesday that “this is how you communicate with the public”.

“Not blaming particular groups. Not threatening people with hefty fines. Not saying that the military will be brought in to control the population. Acknowledge challenges, focus on the response & convey hope,” Ms Bauld added.

During the speech Ms Bauld referenced, Ms Sturgeon thanked the public for their sacrifices and said that one day the pandemic would pass.

The first minister added: “We are all struggling with this - and, believe me, we are all struggling - let’s pull together, let’s keep going, try to keep smiling, keep hoping and keep looking out for each other.

“Be strong, be kind, and let’s continue to act out of love and solidarity.”

Whereas, Mr Johnson said in his televised speech that there “there have been too many breaches - too many opportunities for our invisible enemy to slip through undetected”.

Professor Carl Heneghan, director of the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine at Oxford, also contrasted Westminster's coronavirus response unfavourably with the steps taken elsewhere.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the threat of fines had caused a “manta of fear”, while saying Sweden had a “much more supportive approach".

“In Sweden, if you're unwell, you have a PCR positive test for Covid, you get two weeks of full pay to stay at home, so that's a much greater incentive,” he added. 

Additional reporting from PA