Six in ten local jobs could face ‘moderate or severe’ impact from coronavirus, study suggests
SIX in ten jobs in Shetland are found in sectors which face a moderate or severe impact from coronavirus, according to a new study.
The analysis from the Social Market Foundation explores the industries, places and groups which face the greatest economic risk over the medium-term period between 2020 and 2023.
The report claims that 61 per cent of jobs in Shetland are liable to face moderate or severe impact from coronavirus.
Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart said the calculations are “nothing less than a stark warning” and highlight the scale of the challenge coronavirus has created.
The highest percentage in the UK – 79 per cent – is found in Camden and the City of London.
The area with the highest proportion in Scotland, meanwhile, is West Lothian at 71 per cent, with Orkney following behind.
More than two thirds of UK jobs are in sectors that face a moderate or severe impact from coronavirus in the medium term, the report says.
These sectors include hotels, restaurants, transport, manufacturing, construction and finance.
The industries which are placed in the ‘mild’ impact category include public admin, education, health, energy, agriculture and fishing.
Wishart said the figures show that the Scottish Government “need to keep listening and responding to the strains and stresses of different industries as they become clear”.
“Without the right support, these figures show the economic impact could be catastrophic. And the hospitality sector is already showing that strain,” she said.
“In the face of these kinds of warnings, it is difficult to be hopeful. But I know that Shetlanders are resilient and incredibly hard working. It’s going to take a mammoth effort, with everyone working together, to see this virus out.”
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