Avoid cross-border trips, southern Scots warned
●Trave• alert as two million go into tighter lockdown in north of England
Scottish Borders residents have been told not to cross the Border into neighbouring North umberland unless it is “essential” after new restrictions were announced for the north-east of England.
NHS Borders director of public health Dr Keith Allan said travel is only recommended for “essential purposes such as school or work”.
It came as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned that house parties were now a “danger to life” with tougher fines under consideration for those who host gatherings as coronavirus cases rise. More than 400 gatherings were disrupted by police in Scotland last weekend after a warning from the authorities to keep numbers down to six ahead of new laws to that effect which were introduced on Monday.
Concerns are growing ab out the renewed spread of the virus, with the World Health Organisation warning that new weekly coronavirus cases in Europe have exceeded the numbers reported when the pandemic first peaked in March.
Virus levels in Scotland rose again yesterday with 290 new cases reported, while 100 people have been contacted through the new Protect
Scotland mobile phone a pp and told to self-isolate.
As fears heighten of a second wave of the virus, large areas of the north-east of England were placed under new restrictions. People in Newcastle, Sunderland and Gateshead will not be allowed to mix with other households, while bars have been ordered to close at 10pm.
In a joint media release from Scottish Borders Council and NHS B orders, Dr Allan said: “We are continuing to see increased numbers of c ases of Covid-19 across the UK, with our neighbouring local authority area of Northumberland now facing restrictions on people mixing, and curfews in pubs. As a result we recommend that people in the Borders should only be travelling to Northumberland for essential purposes such as school or work, and they should be extra vigilant.”
There are growing fears that testing capacity south of the Border cannot cope with the growing demand, although Ms Sturgeon has been assured that testing levels will not be restricted in Scotland.
The First Minister said the level of fines and enforcement action is kept “under review” in relation to house par ties after they were identified as a key factor driving the spread of the virus north of the Border.
Current corona virus restrictions mean any gatherings should be limited to a maximum of six people from no more than two households-while in several council areas tougher rules mean people are barred from entering other homes.
Police now have the power to break up house parties with more than 15 people present, as part of efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Police Scotland broke up 405 house parties across Scotland and six people were arrested last weekend, but there have been reports that such get-togethers are continuing prompting calls for tougher penalties from MSPS yesterday.
“These are important issues and we continue to keep all of this under review,” Ms Sturgeon said at First Minister’s Questions.
“I understand that young people want to socialise and see their friends, there is nothing more natural than that, but house parties right now are a danger, they are a danger to people’ s health and frankly they are a danger to life.”
She added: “We will continue to keep the level of fines and enforcement action under review.”
She said the “vast majority of people” are complying with the restrictions, and warned: “Where people are just flagrantly breaching the rules, that should be treated seriously .”
In England, emergency coronavirus laws mean that people hosting house parties can be fined up to £10,000.
In Scotland, fixed pen alty notices are meted out and can rise up to £960 for repeat offenders. Standard criminal law can also be applied resulting in a fine of up to £5,000 and higher fines can be imposed depending on the charge.
The latest figures for Scotland yesterday showed 290 people have tested positive for coronavirus. This is 4 per cent of newly-tested individuals.
Of the new cases, 112 are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 52 in Lanarkshire and 47 in Lothian.
There were no new deaths and 52 people are in hospital confirmed to have the virus, up by one in 24 hours. Of these patients, five were in intensive care, down one.
The First Minister revealed that one million S cots have already downloaded the recently launched Protect Scotland mobile phone a pp which instructs people to selfisolate if they have come into close contact with an infected person.
“One million is already a big enough number for us to know that the app can make a difference,” she added.
“In fact, I can report that more than 100 people have been advised to isolate as a result of using it.”