FM locked in talks over festive rules
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was yesterday locked in talks with Boris Johnson to thrash out plans to relax coronavirus lockdown rules over the festive period.
Ms Sturgeon was due to take part in a Cobra meeting to discuss details of the plans that would allows households to gather for a limited time over Christmas.
She addressed ministers at Holyrood yesterday afternoon, where she revealed no change to Stirling lockdown status.
Stirling is to remain in level four of lockdown for at least another two weeks – until December 11.
Clackmannanshire is to remain in Level 3, however there are concerns over the rising number of cases there.
A decision on the relaxed lockdown is hoped to be confirmed tomorrow (Thursday) by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson following his discussions with the devolved governments.
Speaking yesterday, Ms Sturgeon said: “The Christmas period is the subject of ongoing discussions among the four UK nations. I will take part in a Cobra meeting later today, where it is hoped that we will agree a common framework. I know everyone has a desire to see loved ones over the festive period.however, there is also a very real anxiety that doing so could put those we love at risk, set back our progress as a country, and result in unnecessary deaths and suffering.
“The arrangements that we put in place for the Christmas period will seek to balance those concerns. Any easing of restrictions will be temporary, limited, and accompanied by advice on the precautions that we should take to minimise risk. And we will continue to ask people to err on the side of caution. Our overall advice will be for people to use any flexibility carefully and only if they believe it right and necessary for their personal circumstances.”
On the review of current lockdown conditions, Ms Sturgeon yesterday said: “The latest data shows that across Scotland, the restrictions in place are having an impact. The number of new cases across the country has stabilised in recent weeks - and we now have grounds for cautious optimism that Covid numbers may be declining.
“There’s also evidence that admissions to hospital and ICU are now declining - though these figures fluctuate. Independent estimates also place Scotland’s R number at between 0.8 and 1 – which again suggests that Covid infections may now be declining.however, the national picture masks some regional variations.
“That is why we took action last week to put 11 local authority areas into the toughest restrictions – to try to ensure that case numbers in those areas would fall more markedly.at the time, I said that those restrictions would remain in place for three weeks, until December 11 – and so there are no changes for those local authorities this week.
“People living in these 11 areas should stay at home as much as possible until December 11 – and not travel outside their own local authority area unless it’s for an essential purpose.”
A programme of Covid-19 testing for students wishing to go home over Christmas starts next week. Students will undergo two tests prior to returning to their family homes.
The announcement also revealed that a further 41 deaths had been registered across Scotland in the previous 24 hours, taking the death toll to 3544.