Ayrshire nears 1000 virus cases - 33% are NHS staff
Sturgeon said standing up and announcing deaths to Covid- 19 is the worst thing she’s ever had to do.
“I don’t want to play Russian roulette with any of this,” she said.
“I want to get us to a position where we feel confident about starting to ease this. People will judge whether this is right or wrong, but I make no apologies for it.”
The First Minister’s announcement came amid warnings that Boris Johnson needs to be clear that relaxing measures down south does not apply to Scotland.
On Sunday the Prime Minister unveiled a five step plan to lift England out of lockdown, including a return for some primary pupils in June and allowing sports to take place outdoors.
Nicola Sturgeon has so far only relaxed one part of lockdown, allowing unlimited outdoor exercise to be taken as long as the two metre rule is still followed by Scots.
Ms Sturgeon’s cautious approach came after figures released by the National Records of Scotland revealed almost half of Ayrshire’s coronavirus deaths have now occurred in our care homes.
The figures, which take into account deaths up till May 3, revealed 1,195 had died from Covid- 19 in Scottish care homes.
Adding that number to the total hospital and at home deaths shows at least 3,274 Scots have now died from the virus. At least 192 Ayrshire residents have died as a result of contracting coronavirus.
The total number of deaths in the region rose by 35 on the previous week and that number is expected to rise again when the figures are updated this afternoon.
The stats also show 86 of those deaths occurred in care homes – 38 in South, 19 in East and 29 in North Ayrshire.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran bosses said their workers still make up almost one- third of the positive tests in the region.
On Monday the health board said 302 NHS staff and 18 members of their households have now contracted the deadly bug. This is a rise of 28 from the previous week.