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| Jason Leitch denies giving Humza Yousaf Covid rule 'workaround' | Jason Leitch denies giving Humza Yousaf Covid rule 'workaround' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Prof Jason Leitch told the inquiry he complied with Scottish government data management rules | Prof Jason Leitch told the inquiry he complied with Scottish government data management rules |
| Scotland's national clinical director advised Humza Yousaf to keep a drink in his hands at all times to remain "exempt" from mask rules at a dinner, the UK Covid Inquiry has heard. | |
| The UK Covid Inquiry was shown a WhatsApp exchange between Prof Jason Leitch and the then health secretary. | |
| Prof Leitch told the now first minister "literally no-one" followed official guidance about wearing a mask when not seated at dinner. | Prof Leitch told the now first minister "literally no-one" followed official guidance about wearing a mask when not seated at dinner. |
| He denied giving him a "workaround". | |
| The national clinical adviser said it was "tricky" to comply with guidance at such occasions, and admitted breaking the same rule. | |
| He told the inquiry he had believed it was "legitimate" to stand without a mask after being approached for a photograph at a dinner. | He told the inquiry he had believed it was "legitimate" to stand without a mask after being approached for a photograph at a dinner. |
| Pre-bed ritual comment was 'flippant exaggeration' | Pre-bed ritual comment was 'flippant exaggeration' |
| Chief medic told staff to delete WhatsApps every day | Chief medic told staff to delete WhatsApps every day |
| Leitch deleted Covid WhatsApp messages - report | Leitch deleted Covid WhatsApp messages - report |
| Prof Leitch confirmed he used an auto-delete function on a Covid WhatsApp chat during the pandemic but insisted he followed Scottish government records management policy. | Prof Leitch confirmed he used an auto-delete function on a Covid WhatsApp chat during the pandemic but insisted he followed Scottish government records management policy. |
| But he said a WhatsApp comment he made, previously shown at the inquiry, about deleting messages as a "pre-bed ritual" was a "flippant exaggeration". | But he said a WhatsApp comment he made, previously shown at the inquiry, about deleting messages as a "pre-bed ritual" was a "flippant exaggeration". |
| Messages read out at the inquiry showed then health secretary Mr Yousaf, who served in the role between 2021 and 2023, asked the national clinical director for guidance before attending a dinner where he was due to give a speech. | Messages read out at the inquiry showed then health secretary Mr Yousaf, who served in the role between 2021 and 2023, asked the national clinical director for guidance before attending a dinner where he was due to give a speech. |
| Mr Yousaf wrote: "I know sitting at the table, I don't need my mask. If I'm standing talking to folk, need my mask on? [sic]" | Mr Yousaf wrote: "I know sitting at the table, I don't need my mask. If I'm standing talking to folk, need my mask on? [sic]" |
| Prof Leitch responded: "Officially yes. But literally no-one does. Have a drink in your hands at ALL times. Then you're exempt. So if someone comes over and you stand, lift your drink." | Prof Leitch responded: "Officially yes. But literally no-one does. Have a drink in your hands at ALL times. Then you're exempt. So if someone comes over and you stand, lift your drink." |
| The inquiry heard that at the time, in late 2021, the Delta and Omicron variants were driving a surge in infections, leading to a peak in cases eight times higher than during the initial Covid wave in 2020. | The inquiry heard that at the time, in late 2021, the Delta and Omicron variants were driving a surge in infections, leading to a peak in cases eight times higher than during the initial Covid wave in 2020. |
| Counsel to the inquiry, Jamie Dawson KC, asked: "If health secretary didn't understand the rules, what chance did anyone else have?" | |
| Prof Leitch told the inquiry there was "difficulty" and "nuance" with the rules about wearing a mask at hospitality functions and that he got the impression no-one followed the official guidance at the "few" such occasions he attended. | Prof Leitch told the inquiry there was "difficulty" and "nuance" with the rules about wearing a mask at hospitality functions and that he got the impression no-one followed the official guidance at the "few" such occasions he attended. |
| He said it was a "tricky area that I found tricky as well". | He said it was a "tricky area that I found tricky as well". |
| The national clinical director described an incident that was posted on social media when he was approached at a dinner and asked for a photo but did not have mask on. | The national clinical director described an incident that was posted on social media when he was approached at a dinner and asked for a photo but did not have mask on. |
| First Minister Humza Yousaf previously served as health secretary | First Minister Humza Yousaf previously served as health secretary |
| "Strictly speaking that was breaking the rules but it was during a dinner and during a social occasion and therefore I thought it was legitimate," he told the inquiry. | "Strictly speaking that was breaking the rules but it was during a dinner and during a social occasion and therefore I thought it was legitimate," he told the inquiry. |
| Prof Leitch rejected a suggestion Mr Dawson that he had offered the then health secretary a "workaround" to the rules. | Prof Leitch rejected a suggestion Mr Dawson that he had offered the then health secretary a "workaround" to the rules. |
| "I gave him advice to show him how to comply with the rules," the national clinical director said. | "I gave him advice to show him how to comply with the rules," the national clinical director said. |
| WhatsApp concerns | WhatsApp concerns |
| Earlier, he had been asked about why he said in a WhatsApp group chat from May 2021: "WhatsApp deletion is a pre-bed ritual." | Earlier, he had been asked about why he said in a WhatsApp group chat from May 2021: "WhatsApp deletion is a pre-bed ritual." |
| He told the inquiry he did not delete messages every day. | He told the inquiry he did not delete messages every day. |
| "This was a flippant exaggeration in an informal messaging group and it wasn't done every day before I went to bed," the national clinical director told the inquiry. | "This was a flippant exaggeration in an informal messaging group and it wasn't done every day before I went to bed," the national clinical director told the inquiry. |
| In another WhatsApp chat, Prof Leitch advised colleagues in September 2020: "Just my usual reminder to delete your chat ... particularly after we reach a conclusion." | |
| Covid Inquiry has my informal messages, says Sturgeon | Covid Inquiry has my informal messages, says Sturgeon |
| Why is the UK Covid Inquiry coming to Scotland? | Why is the UK Covid Inquiry coming to Scotland? |
| The national clinical director told the inquiry that he was following Scottish government guidance that once a decision had been reached, and that had been submitted to the records management system, the chat should then be deleted. | The national clinical director told the inquiry that he was following Scottish government guidance that once a decision had been reached, and that had been submitted to the records management system, the chat should then be deleted. |
| Prof Leitch said he also applied an auto-delete function to a group with chief medical officer Gregor Smith and Jim McMenamin, the chairman of the National Incident Management Team. | Prof Leitch said he also applied an auto-delete function to a group with chief medical officer Gregor Smith and Jim McMenamin, the chairman of the National Incident Management Team. |
| Asked whose messages he thought that would remove, the national clinical director answered: "That's good question I think it deletes everybody's." | |
| He said he was "comfortable" doing so despite the risk it could delete messages before a submission had been made to the corporate record because "the decisions we were coming to were being dealt with very, very quickly". | He said he was "comfortable" doing so despite the risk it could delete messages before a submission had been made to the corporate record because "the decisions we were coming to were being dealt with very, very quickly". |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Coronavirus public inquiry | Coronavirus public inquiry |
| Nicola Sturgeon | Nicola Sturgeon |
| Jason Leitch | Jason Leitch |
| Coronavirus | Coronavirus |