People feel ‘anxious’ about covid restrictions

Renfrewshire residents are“anxious about what comes next”as Nicola Sturgeon is braced to reveal further potential restrictions today.

Neil Bibby, Labour MSP for the West of Scotland, has challenged the First Minister to get a grip of rising coronavirus cases.

Yesterday Ms Sturgeon said schools would remain open, travel would not be banned and there would not be a ‘circuit-breaker’shutdown.

But it has left publicans, restaurateurs and some shop keepers hanging on to see if she will order some businesses in certain hot-spot areas to close.

The number of cases in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde rose by 303 yesterday.

The First Minister is to spell out any changes in the current lockdown rules to the Scottish Parliament today.

Neil Bibby MSP said:“Nicola Sturgeon planned for a summer of covid elimination, but it is clear that this didn’t happen and covid cases are now on the rise again.

“People are anxious about what might come next and are becoming increasingly frustrated at the mixed messaging coming from the Scottish Government.

“That’s why parliament and the public now need to be assured and we need to see Nicola Sturgeon set out the action she wishes to take and why it is needed.

“Parliament must be given a proper role to question any further restrictions and a full explanation must given by the Scottish Government on how any proposed steps will make a difference.”

He added:“And it goes without saying that public health, as well as businesses and workers’concerns, must be at the heart of these choices.”

In her daily broadcast she did not announce an expected mini-lockdown.

But she did ease the fears of parents and schoolchildren that education would again grind to a halt.

Ms Sturgeon said:“All of us just want it to be over. One day it will be over.

“In order to get through this we need to stick with it and keep making the sacrifices.”