Sturgeon insists her government is ‘not trying to police your social life’

The Scottish Government is “not trying to police your social life”, Nicola Sturgeon said as she stressed new coronavirus powers will only be used as a last resort.

At her daily coronavirus briefing, the first minister also said a further 68 people had tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 20,056.

Today police will be given new powers to break up house parties involving more than 15 people from more than one household.

Ms Sturgeon said the temptation to hold big indoor gatherings will be greater during the cold autumn and winter months ahead, and evidence shows they pose a “significant transmission risk”.

But she said the new powers will be a “last resort only” for use in the “most blatant breaches of the guidance”, and will be reviewed every three weeks.

She said: “I want to make it clear – particularity to young people – this is not about trying to stop people having fun.

“We are not trying to police your social life. Seeing and socialising with your friends is important, especially during what continues to be a very difficult period. But... it needs to be done safely and responsibly.”

The first minister also said data on testing should reassure parents sending their children to school.

She said figures from Public Health Scotland show testing for children and young people has increased eight-fold since mid-July.

“Last week alone just short of 17,500 young people aged between two and 17 were tested,” Ms Sturgeon said.

She said just 49 of those tests came back positive for Covid-19, giving a positivity rate of 0.3%.

“I can well understand why many parents and teachers and young people themselves have concerns about the return to school,” she said.

“Despite an increase of more than 300% in the number of young people that were tested from one week to the next, from the week before last to last week, the number of positive cases recorded increased by just two.

“That’s not 2%, that is just two in total.

“I think that is encouraging and I hope it is reassuring to parents and teachers across the country.”

Ms Sturgeon also stressed that children should only be tested if they had one of the main symptoms of Covid-19 – a new persistent cough, a fever, or a change in the sense of taste and smell.

“Other symptoms, like a runny nose, if they are not accompanied by one of the Covid symptoms, should not lead to a test,” she said.