The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Tighter coronavirus crackdown possible
TIERS: Talks today to decide level of restrictions for Perth and Kinross
Council bosses will raise the prospect of a further tightening of c o r o n av i r u s restrictions in Perth and Kinross today as neighbouring Dundee looks set to join the central belt in Tier 3 status.
The suggestion, which would mean the closure of all pubs and strict limitations on restaurants, emerged in a leaked letter from the Scottish Government to Cosla yesterday.
At her daily briefing, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said there was growing concern about the rising cases in the area, adding: “Dundee would be one of the areas where there is a question at the moment about whether it needs to go up a level.”
Perth and Kinross Council leader Murray Lyle said: “If anyone were to fall ill in an area surrounding Dundee, they would logically be taken to Ninewells Hospital.
“But at the moment, the Scottish Government is only looking at these tiers by council areas and there is now the opportunity to discuss that. That is what I intend to do.”
Dundee is bracing itself for tougher coronavirus restrictions amid calls from city leaders for patience and resilience.
At her daily briefing yesterday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said there was growing concern about the rising number of cases in the area.
Ms Sturgeon said the city was being looked at closely, hours before a leaked document revealed Dundee could be given Tier 3 status, which would mean the closure of all pubs and restaurants operating under strict limitations.
“Dundee is an area we are looking closely at,” Ms Sturgeon said, adding that “significant parts” of the central belt were likely to stay at the same level as they are now.
Under the new system, which will come into place on November 2, the central belt areas are the equivalent of Tier 3 – the secondstrictest of the five levels from zero to four.
Ms Sturgeon raised the prospect of Dundee moving up to a similar level.
“Dundee would be one of the areas where there is a question at the moment about whether it needs to go up a level,” the first minister said. “No decision has been taken there, but it is one part of the country we are looking at closely.”
The possibility of Dundee entering Tier 3 emerged in a letter from the Scottish Government to Cosla chief executive Sally Loudon, which was leaked yesterday.
It comes after 60 new positive cases were recorded with the NHS
Tayside area, mostly concentrated in Dundee.
Dundee City Council leader John Alexander said the city will weather any storm if everyone sticks to the rules.
“Dundee is a resilient city and we’ ll deal with whatever tier we are in,” he said.
“The reality is that these measures are there for a specific purpose and the sooner we see rates of cases and community transmission drop, the more likely it is that we’ll be in a lower tier.
“The council, alongside other key partners in the city, will do everything we can to protect and support people in the city.
“I know that people are frustrated and knackered but I also know that the public understand that what we are dealing with is global in scale and a nightmare to manage.
“I have confidence in the city.”
In the past 24 hours, one more coronavirus death was recorded in Scotland and a further 1,122 positive tests.
The death toll, using a measure that takes account of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days, has risen to 2,701.
NHS Tayside interim director of public health Dr Emma Fletcher said local hospital admissions due to C ovid -19 are up and infections rates are being closely monitored.
She said: “In Tayside, as is the case across Scotland, Covid-19 is circulating more widely in the community and because of this we are seeing an increasing number of patients requiring hospital treatment.
“Along with our colleagues in Public Health Scotland and the Scottish Government, we are continuing to closely monitor infection rates in Tayside.”
It has also been suggested the “interaction” between people in Dundee and neighbouring areas may be considered.
Perth and Kinross Council leader Murray Lyle said: “It is looking very likely that Dundee is going into Tier 3 because of the relatively high rate there.
“But the big question for us is whether the Scottish Government will stick with dealing with this by council areas profiles, or if we can negotiate some kind of new terms.
“The point I would make is that if anyone were to fall ill in an area surrounding Dundee, they would logically be taken to Ninewells Hospital.
“But at the moment, the Scottish Government is only looking at these tiers by council areas and there is now the opportunity to discuss that. That is what I intend to do tomorrow.”
Last week, Angus Council leader David Fairweather called for reassurances that decisions will be made by local authority to prevent the county being grouped with places like Dundee, where infection rates are higher.
Last night, he said the spike in cases in the city has reinforced his view.
“Public health and safeguarding people must be the top priority,” he said.
“But businesses here
have dealt with devastating effects because they have faced the same restrictions as areas with much higher rates.
“Given we have such a low rate of infection, I would not be prepared to be grouped with any other authority.
“I don’t want anything that is happening in another authority being detrimental to Angus.
“We may have some links with Dundee but we are very much a rural area and that is how I want us to be considered.
“I have been assured that there will be further conversations to ensure Angus is not grouped with places which have a higher rate of infection.”