Strath shopkeepers ready to open doors
Monday will see most shops in the Strath reopen as part of a further easing of the country’s lockdown rules.
The move is the result of the country progressing to the second phase of its four-stage route map aimed at minimising the Covid-19 pandemic.
Making the announcement last week, Nicola Sturgeon said she understood the desire of all businesses to reopen quickly but said it is vital that they do so “safely and in a way that is consistent with continued suppression of the virus”.
April Oughton of Muthill Post Office and Village Store has been open for most of the lockdown period.
She said those opening again after being shut for so long will have to assess what is best for them, their staff and customers.
She told the Herald: “It really is business-specific and we are all treading water a bit. I have always worked wth the aim of protecting those most vulnerable.
“I’m very blunt with customers and most I have known long enough to be able to tell them to keep their distance.
“The shop has certainly changed and we are selling different things now. I haven’t got papers or the lottery at the moment and I might not go back to that. I have gone from a newsagent’s to more of a shop selling milk and veg and the things people need every day.
“More people are beginning to come out now. As soon as Nicola Sturgeon said on Thursday that those who were vulnerable are allowed to go out we began seeing lots of customers we haven’t seen for ages.
“They are the ones that you have to take precautions for and they will also have a certain degree of agoraphobia from not being used to it.
“At the moment we are just one in, one out but I hope to change that soon and we can have two people serving but it’s not safe enough to do that at the moment.”
On Monday Ms Sturgeon urged people not to become complacent as the lockdown is eased.
She said: “We must remember, all of us, that the virus hasn’t gone away. There are already countries – China and Germany, for example – that are right now dealing with spikes in cases as a result of significant outbreaks.
“And health officials in South Korea have said today that they think the country is now experiencing a second wave.
“So I know that when numbers of cases and deaths here are continuing to fall it’s very tempting for all of us to think it’s all over and we should just now quickly get back to normal.
“We are trying to get back to normal and we want to do that as quickly as possible but let me reiterate my strong view that acting recklessly now would be a serious mistake.
“We must continue to be cautious and all of us must continue to adhere strictly to the public health advice.
“That will help us continue progress and avoid a resurgence of the virus now and it will also hopefully put us in a stronger position ahead of the winter months to come.”
She urged people to use face coverings in enclosed spaces, avoid crowded places, clean their hands regularly, keep a twometre distance from people in other households and self-isolate and book a test immediately if they have Covid symptoms.
It really is business-specific and we are all treading water a bit. I have always worked with the aim of protecting those most vulnerable April Oughton