We’ll do everything to avoid more shielding, promises First Minister

Shielding is a "very blunt tool" in the fight against coronavirus and will not be reintroduced unless absolutely necessary, Nicola Sturgeon and Jason Leitch have said.

Professor Le itch, S cotland's national clinical director, said the Scottish Government "won't hesitate" to protect vulnerable groups, but it wants to avoid another "blanket approach" for the most atrisk people.

And the First Minister said she does not want to bring back shielding because of the "extreme isolation" it can cause. She said new rules forcing central belt bars and restaurants to close and prohibiting the sale of alcohol at indoor venues are in part designed to reduce the likelihood of stricter restrictions for the most vulnerable in society.

At the start of the lockdown, elderly people and those with underlying health conditions were asked to shield as they were deemed to be at high risk from the effects of Covid- 19.

Prof Leitch revealed an estimated 2,900 people are now being infected with coronavirus every day. A record high of 1,246 new coronavirus cases were confirmed through a test in the past 24 hours – 16.2% of all those who were tested – and the deaths of six people were registered, taking the total to 2,544.

Prof Leitch said the number of cases among the over-80s has risen 60% in a week, while infections of people aged between 60 and 79 had increased 120% in the same period.

Ms Sturgeon said: "We don't want to introduce shielding and we will try everything to avoid it because it puts a disproportionate burden on those in the shielding category .”