Covid curfews for Scots inevitable, warns professor
And £10k f ine for leaving house in England
SCOTLAND could be hit with curfews and travel restrictions after a surge in Covid-19 cases since May.
According to Scottish Government figures, 350 new cases were recorded in the 24 hours between Friday and Saturday, with three new deaths.
In the past month, the First Minister introduced a number of local lockdown restrictions to control the virus, covering much of the West of Scotland.
But as cases increase, experts have warned that Ms Sturgeon will have no choice but to introduce a raft of national coronavirus restrictions to prevent the pandemic from spiralling out of control.
Professor Linda Bauld, of the University of Edinburgh, said curfews on the hospitality sector were ‘inevitable’, and predicted the Scottish Government would also choose to reintroduce some travel restrictions.
Yesterday, Ms Sturgeon wrote on Twitter that the Government was ‘considering’ what future restrictions north of the Border would look like. She wrote: ‘Today’s report underlines the fact that Covid is rising. The Government is considering over the weekend what further action is needed.
‘Given [the] serious situation across UK, I have also asked again that a four-nations COBR meeting takes place over the next 48 hours. While each of the four UK nations will reach our own decisions – rightly and properly – it makes sense to seek as much co-ordination and alignment as possible.’
Ms Sturgeon added: ‘We know from experience earlier in the year that speed and decisiveness of action is important in the fight against Covid, so the Scottish Government will seek to reach considered decisions as quickly as possible, and I will update as usual through my daily briefings.
‘In meantime, I ask everyone across Scotland to be extra careful. Minimise interactions with other households and keep to a maximum of six people from two households. If in Glasgow, East or West Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire and North and South Lanarkshire don’t visit other households at all.’
The threat of further restrictions in Scotland comes as draconian rules are set to be introduced in England. Boris Johnson is to announce fines of up to £10,000 for Covid sufferers who leave their homes when they are supposed to be self-isolating.
The PM said he was creating a new legal duty for people to self-isolate if they test positive or are contacted by test and trace workers and told to selfisolate. Under a ‘carrot and stick’ approach, four million people on low incomes who cannot work from home will also receive a £500 payment.
But fines for those breaching the rules, which come into effect a week tomorrow, will start at £1,000, rising to £10,000 for repeat offenders.
The rules would not apply in Scotland but could increase pressure on Ms Sturgeon to review the way the system operates north of the Border.
Across the UK, the number of new daily cases reached its highest level since early May, with 4,422 positive cases.
Ms Sturgeon’s plea comes as new statistics show more than 60 people were in hospital confirmed with Covid-19 on Friday, with nine fighting for their lives in intensive care.
The NHS health board with the greatest increase in daily positive cases is Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which witnessed a jump of 116. There have been 56 cases in Lanarkshire and 80 in Lothian.
Ms Sturgeon warned the virus was spreading ‘quite rapidly’ – and if the public did not want another lockdown the Government would have to be proactive with other measures.
‘Decisiveness of action is important’