The National:

GLOBAL public health expert Devi Sridhar hit back last night as a Unionist Twitter user accused her of “playing politics” amid the pandemic.

The chair of global public health at Edinburgh University, who advises the Scottish Government on their Covid-19 response and is recognised around the world for her research, was unbelievably branded a “so-called” expert by the Twitter user.

The professor had tweeted last night to stress that getting to zero Covid-19 cases is “totally possible” despite what some leaders seem to believe – and called on England to “co-operate” with Scotland on its elimination strategy.

The user replied quickly to tell her: “We don’t need so called experts playing politics….why can’t you just give advice and leave the ‘SNP are the light in the darkness’ rubbish to the rest of the cult.”

Sridhar responded to reject the claims. She wrote back: “I currently live and work in Scotland.

“I want Scotland to get rid of the virus, reopen economy and schools and have those shielding feel safe. I contribute my expertise to support this happening.

“I want the same for entire UK. How can anyone living here want Scotland to fail?”

SNP councillor Mhairi Hunter called on Sridhar to “ignore” comments like these. “These are people whose obsession with politics over-rides their common sense,” she told the professor.

READ MORE: New Scientist analysis: Scotland's virus fight hampered by England

Earlier this week Sridhar warned that Scotland is unlikely to eliminate coronavirus as it is currently attempting to without co-operation from England.

Sridhar said there are big differences between England and Scotland’s approaches, telling the New Scientist that “Scotland’s weeks away” from days with no new confirmed cases, while “England’s months away”.