Nicola Sturgeon: It has been a long journey but we are almost there

It has involved a lot of bumps along the way – and we are navigating another one at the moment – but the power of vaccination means that the light at the end of the tunnel is there, and it gets brighter every time one us rolls up a sleeve to get jagged.

But we need to stick with it now to ensure that we can continue on our roadmap to most restrictions being lifted on August 9.

In the past few weeks we have seen cases rise to their highest level at any point in the pandemic.

These numbers are concerning, and we must not be complacent. But it is important to stress that we are in a different position now than we were back in the winter.

Be in no doubt that if we were seeing these numbers a few months ago we would have no choice but to go back into full lockdown. Back then, lockdown measures were our only real way of stopping transmission.

However, we have a powerful new weapon in our armoury now, in the shape of vaccines.

We are seeing clear evidence that when someone has been fully vaccinated with two doses then, even if they get the virus, their chances of becoming seriously ill, ending up in hospital or dying are much, much lower. At the start of the year, around 13% of all positive cases ended up in hospital. Now that is just around 3%.

So every time someone rolls up their sleeve to get the vaccine we continue to make that link between cases and serious illness even weaker.

We have administered more than six million doses of vaccine in Scotland so far, with more than half the population having received both doses.

That is testament to our fantastic NHS vaccination teams and to everyone who has come forward so far.

The Delta variant is causing concern and that is why it is so important that not only do we receive one dose but follow that up with a second dose to provide the maximum protection.

It has been extremely heartening to see queues of people outside vaccination centres across Glasgow and long may that continue.

If you have not yet received your invitation for your first dose and you think you should have, then you can register for an appointment on the NHS Inform website.

And from this week, every mainland health board is offering drop in clinics for anyone who hasn’t had a first dose or whose second dose was eight weeks or more ago.

You can check out NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde’s social media for more details.

Our evidence suggests older people are now in a small minority of people contracting the virus and that it is younger people who are make up the vast majority of reported cases.

Even though it is less likely that young people suffer from serious illness, there is still a risk they can become seriously ill and suffer the effects of long Covid for weeks after being infected.

We still do have sections of the population that are vulnerable to infection and so we do need to wait slightly longer to ensure everyone has had at least one dose before we open up completely.

The vaccine is in a race with the virus – but we cannot allow the virus to overtake the vaccine, so if you haven’t had an appointment yet then please ensure you book a slot to get the jag or go to a drop in clinic.

We are still in a fragile position on our road back to normality and even though we do have a lot more freedoms than we did we must continue to stay safe and follow the guidance.

I know people across Glasgow will be keen to watch the final stages of the Euros in their homes with friends and family.

We will have more major sporting events soon with the Olympics getting underway. If you are planning on watching these with friends and families, ensure rooms are well ventilated and you take all necessary hygiene measures, as well as sticking to the limits on numbers.

We are still more at risk from the virus in indoor settings and taking these measures will ensure that the virus has less chance to spread. I would also encourage everyone to test regularly with free rapid home testing kits, which can be picked up from local pharmacies or ordered through NHS Inform.

It is especially important to test if you are planning on visiting someone.

Finally, I would like to thank the efforts of everyone in fighting this pandemic. We have come a long way together and I would ask that those incredible efforts continue for a little while longer as we look ahead and a return to greater normality in the not too distant future. With the help of vaccines, we are nearly there, we just need to stick with it to get over the finish line.