Readers' Letters: Vaccine uptake levels may be in decline, but the nasty microbes have not gone away
A medical microbiologist despairs at the decline in the uptake levels of life-saving vaccines
As one of the very few virologists who worked on smallpox at a time when its extinction was imminent thanks to a vaccine, despite the vigorous activities of antivaxxers, I agree wholeheartedly with Dr Al Qutob’s endorsement of vaccination (December 12) and the Scotsman’s timely editorial about the flu vaccine as life saving public health measures. It is worth remembering that one of the 3,283 fatal cases of diphtheria in 1940 was Harry Hart, the young brother of June Almeida, the discoverer of human coronaviruses, and that his death was an important stimulus that lead to her becoming one of the best electron microscopists in the world.
The diphtheria death toll combined with the outbreak of war enabled the UK government to overcome opposition on the grounds of cost and pressure from antivaxxers to establish a nationwide diphtheria vaccination programme in the year of Harry's death. The disease is now virtually extinct. Sad to say all vaccine uptake levels are in decline, and with the exception of the smallpox virus the nasty microbes have not gone away. As a medical microbiologist, I despair.
Hugh Pennington, Aberdeen
Out of touch
Some time ago I seem to remember the Scottish Labour Party leader, at a conference bizarrely in Glasgow, promising to be a less Central Belt of Scotland party.
However, whether it be pay per mile EV tax, UK-EU fisheries deal, inheritance tax on family farms, constantly banging on about NHS rather than completely inadequate and unreliable public transport system they have shown themselves out of touch with rural Scotland.
The last time the Scottish Labour Party leader turned up in Peterhead was during the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 on his Irn -Bru soapbox to persuade folk to stay in the Union and his name was not Anas Sarwar MSP.
They have since changed the voting age, just not the system, at the General Election but in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East it was realistic contest between SNP and Tories with both Scottish Labour Party and Scottish Liberal Democrats virtually anonymous.
I thought that elections were supposed to be about persuading people to vote for your party not blaming everything on the SNP, Scottish government and First Minister but clearly not according to Scottish Tories, Scottish Labour Party and Scottish Liberal Democrats.
It is a bit like waiting for a bus that might not turn up or be cancelled, delayed or break down with the Scottish Labour Party in rural Scotland, isn't it?
Peter Ovenstone, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire
Ratcheting rhetoric
After Vladimir Putin warned recently that Russia is prepared to go to war with Europe “right now”, Nato chief Mark Rutte has shot back that Europe must be prepared for World War Three. This ratcheting up of rhetoric has taken a chilling turn of late as Russia continues to test Nato’s defences and resolve, the latest being a Russian submarine in UK waters shadowed by a tanker after cuts to anti-submarine frigates. Putin must be smiling.
Meanwhile President Trump has given up on peace between Ukraine and Russia preferring to pursue regime change in Venezuela through tactics more akin to a pirate than a peacemaker. Ukraine is “Biden’s war” he repeatedly claims, not Putin’s, and leaked strategy documents suggests that the US is preparing to abandon what it claims is a Europe led by weak leaders plagued by waves of immigration. Whether the right wing European parties he supports to change the status quo would spend much more in defence is doubtful. Nigel Farage seems keener to make tax cuts and curb spending.
Trump is right to question why Europe talks tough without bothering to back that up through military spending. Russia has been rearming on a war footing for over three years while European nations have sat on their hands expecting the US to defend them. Is it too late to waken up to Mr Rutte’s warning? Let’s hope not for all our sakes.
Neil Anderson, Edinburgh
New ideas needed
As the end of the “auld year” approaches we Scots can only hope for some changes for the better on the political front in 2026. The situation at Holyrood does not bode well for “Scotland’s People”. So many sectors of the Scottish Government are under-performing – be it in the major devolved sectors such as health, transport, education, agriculture, et al – the SNP Administration has run out of “steam” after 18 years in office.
What Scotland needs now are new ideas, different philosophies, and a change of Administration to put them into effect. Sadly our so-called Government reached its zenith some considerable time ago.
The Scottish Administration surely needs fresh ideas in all the devolved areas. If this means a Labour/Liberal Democrat return to power in Scotland, then so be it. Anything would be an improvement on the SNP.
Any interference by Farage and his Reform UK party would only complicate matters in the highly sensitive situation in Scotland. It might be described as moving from “one extreme to the other”. BEST NOT!
Robert I G Scott, Ceres, Fife
Debate the facts
After detailed scrutiny by parliament, stakeholders and the public, it is deeply concerning to see senior politicians adding to confusion about what Scotland’s Assisted Dying Bill contains. Recent comments from the Deputy First Minister, presented as concerns about safeguards, risk undermining the Government’s stated neutrality and repeat claims that are not supported by the bill or by international evidence.
It is important to be clear: assisted dying cannot be accessed on the basis of disability alone. This was explicitly strengthened at Stage 2 with a dedicated “for the avoidance of doubt” clause. Yet organisations such as Glasgow Disability Alliance continue to suggest otherwise, and Kate Forbes has amplified that narrative. This misleads the public and influences MSPs with untrue assertions.
Thirty years of international evidence show no negative impact on disabled communities, and no jurisdiction has repealed its assisted dying laws. Academic research consistently finds no systemic risk for disabled people.
As Scotland approaches a pivotal moment in considering the Bill, we urge MSPs and commentators to elevate the debate by focusing on accuracy, evidence and compassion rather than fear-driven rhetoric.
Emma Cooper, Convenor of the Board of Trustees, Friends at the End (FATE)
Denying rights
Disgracefully, Sir Keir Starmer, in League with the far right Parties of Europe, has conspired to constrain the European Convention on Human Rights, articles 3 and 8, dealing with human rights and torture.
When I voted Labour in the last Election, this move is certainly not what I voted for in a Labour Government. I'll not be voting for them again. One of the first things they did on taking power was to suspend the flights to Rwanda. Now they’re planning something similar, even worse.
The ECHR was founded in response to the Second World War, to recognise and value human life and dignity, not least of the postwar refugees. The Attlee government of the time were signatories and would be appalled by what is being planned by their heirs.
Cruelly, and lazily, refugees are dubbed as by and large, criminals, and a danger to women and children.. These are the, frankly, lies, bandied about by Farage, Badenoch and Co. Truthfully, they are fleeing horrific conditions in wartorn countries, much of which is our doing. They are the homeless refugees of today, for whom the European Convention on Human Rights was written, and unconstrained, is vital for their wellbeing. We should be ashamed.
Ian Petrie, Edinburgh
Who is benefiting
When the cost of benefits and public services were debated on BBC Question Time this week Labour's Anas Sarwar and Conservative Russell Findlay were bookended by the SNP's Stephen Flynn and Malcom Offord of Reform, with Flynn making the case that we must look after the poor no matter what and Offord arguing that the bill is simply too high and must come down, primarily by getting people back to work, and the middle two acknowledging that something needs to be done.
It looks like, for the first time ever, the issue will figure more than ever in a UK election. In the 2021 Scottish elections 2.7 million out of electorate of 4.3 million people voted. In 2025 a total of 1.4 million people - half the number of 2021 voters - arguably depend on whoever is in power for all or some of their income: approximately 760,000 working-age Scots received non-retirement benefits from the DWP, and around 600,000 are employed in the public sector. And that’s avoiding double counting the 468,000 people who get Adult Disability and PIP, paid by the Scottish Government.
I’m just wondering which of the four parties will run a campaign next year with the subtext “don't bite the hand that feeds you - vote for it.”
Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven
Spirit of Christmas
Christmas is for adults and kids alike. Christmas is a marvellous time to reconnect with each other, to recover our social harmony and harmonious coexistence, to rebuild the unbreakable bonds of fraternity and friendship and aid vulnerable populations to heal from the scourges of humanity. Millions of people are mired in the morass of divisions and discords, hunger and poverty, displacement and desperation, disease and decimation. Christmas teaches us that salvation comes through acceptance of the other, tolerance, love, forgiveness and intercultural and interteligious dialogue and understanding. Our differences are a potent source for unity and strength and cultural richness, not a cause for turbulence and upheavals. May all peoples have peace and recovery from scourges of humanity.
Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob, London
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