Sturgeon’s warning: Stay home in lockdown

Sturgeon says restrictions on travel may be backed by law

SCOTS have been told to stay at home during lockdown amid warnings of tougher curbs to control the news train of coronavirus.

Nicola Sturgeon yesterday urged people to ‘stay as local as possible and at home as much as possible’ when Level 4 restrictions are imposed on every part of mainland Scotland from Boxing Day.

The First Minister went further by saying she will consider in the coming days whether to ‘place that advice in law’.

It raises the prospect that people could face fines if they leave their home without a legitimate reason.

But the Scottish Government faced criticism last night for being unable to fully explain what these reasons were or what is meant by staying ‘as local as possible’. Opponents urged Miss Sturgeon to give ‘simple and clear’ advice.

It comes amid growing alarm about the rise of the new strain of Covid-19 over fears that it could be responsible for hundreds of cases a week in Scotland – and accounted for 14 per cent of positive tests last week.

Figures show the overall number of people confirmed as positive has also rocketed in the past fortnight.

Miss Sturgeon said action is being taken because ‘we see a train coming down the track and we need to get out of its way’.

She added: ‘For those living in Level 4 areas – which from Saturday will be the vast majority of us – our strong advice is to stay as local as possible and at home as much as possible.

‘We will be considering in the days ahead whether we need to place that advice in law.’

But the Scottish Government has not yet updated its travel guidance, and was unable to give further details about the stay-athome rules or what is meant by keeping ‘as local as possible’.

In the first national lockdown, in spring, people were advised only to leave home for essential work, food, medicine or exercise, limited to up to an hour a day of walking, running or cycling.

The rules were never written into law – meaning those who failed to comply did not face fines. A fivemile cap on travel was only relaxed in July.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said: ‘People are already frustrated by the sudden abandonment of regional restrictions and the big changes to what they had previously been told would apply at Christmas.

‘Nicola Sturgeon doesn’t miss an opportunity to speak in front of a camera, but what she says often lacks detail and substance.

‘In exchange for asking people to make these continued sacrifices they deserve clarity and to be told exactly what is expected. To fail to provide such key information helps no one and only sows confusion.

‘Throughout this pandemic we have done well with consensual adherence to Covid restrictions, notre sorting to threats of criminalisation.’

It was also confirmed yesterday that the tougher new Level 4 lockdown restrictions will not allow garden centres and homeware stores to open.

Level 4 rules already include the complete closure of bars, restaurants, cafes, non- essential shops and hairdressers.

Yesterday, the First Minister said: ‘After a sustained period of decline, our case numbers are now more volatile and have risen by around 15 per cent in the last couple of weeks.

‘The numbers of people with Covid who are in hospital and ICU have also risen slightly again after a period of quite marked decline.

‘The very rapid spread in London and the South-East of England serves as a warning of what we will face here if we do not take firm action to suppress the virus.

‘We have a real concern that, without significant counter measures, we could be facing another period of exponential growth as we enter the New Year.

‘That would mean many more people catching Covid and, even without this new strain causing more severe illness, that would result in many more people needing hospital and intensive care.

‘That would put enormous strain on the NHS and lead to much more loss of life.

‘To be blunt, that is what we have to act now to stop.’

Last night, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: ‘This new strain is clearly a serious threat so a cautious approach is the right one.

‘But if the Scottish Government are asking for the public to make even more sacrifices, they need to be completely clear about what activities are and are not allowed.

‘The police have been sensible and restrained in enforcing the rules so far but people are more likely to understand the new rules and behave sensibly if they are dealing with simple and clear advice from the government.’

Asked to clarify the new guidance last night, the Scottish Government said that people will be able to leave their homes but ‘we are just asking them not to where possible so we can reduce the spread of the virus’.

On the plea to stay as local as possible, the Government said this means ‘not travelling any further than is absolutely necessary’.

It also said that if travel restrictions do become law, information will be published on ‘what is and isn’t allowed’.

‘Enormous strain on the NHS’