Mapping out lockdown exit

Levels-based system set for return

Scotland is to see a return to the levels-based restrictions system as the country continues to chart its course out of the coronavirus lockdown.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon outlined a number of indicative dates as part of a phased re-opening of various sectors of society in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday this week.

The first phase of the ‘routemap’ started on Monday last week and saw a return to in-school learning for youngsters in nursery, pupils in primaries one to three and a select number of senior pupils.

Ms Sturgeon said the second phase, which is unlikely to start before March 15, will include a further phased return for universities and colleges, the return of non-contact outdoor group sports for 12 to 17 year-olds and a partial relaxation of socialising rules to allow outdoor meetings of four people from two households.

The third phase, potentially from April 5, will see the stay-at-home message lifted and a full return for school pupils, as well as the partial resumption of communal worship, a slight increase in the amount of people permitted to attend outdoor social gatherings, and the start of a gradual re-opening of some retail outlets.

A more substantial gear change could take place from April 26 when the tier system is set to be re-introduced.

This will see more retail premises return, as well as some elements of the hospitality industry and other services such as gyms and those involved with the hair and beauty industry.

However, Ms Sturgeon cautioned that the stages will be reviewed in threeweek periods and are still subject to change depending on the Covid-19 infection rate.

Moving back to the variable levels system will also be contingent on the country having vaccinated everyone in groups one to nine of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) priority list – something which it is hoped will be complete by the middle of April.

Ms Sturgeon said: “There is quite a limited scope for the easing of restrictions.

“Most importantly we will see what impact the re-opening of schools will have on transmission.

“We do need to exercise care and caution and must get the virus to as low a level as we can.

“The more of us who are vaccinated and the more we all stick by the rules now, the faster that safe pace is likely to be – if we all stay in this together, our progress will be greater.

“We will set out more detail in midMarch on the indicators that will guide our decisions on levels, as well as on any revision to the content of each level – taking account of our experience and of sectoral views – and the order in which we expect those parts of the economy that have been restricted to start reopening.”

Perthshire North MSP and education secretary, John Swinney, called the route map announcement “a welcome moment” which “acknowledges the strong progress” made in suppressing the virus and rolling out the vaccine.

“With progress on opening up our schools, places of worship and care homes in the next few weeks, we are taking sensible and sustainable steps to enable us all to get back to normal life as soon as it is safely possible”, he said.

Mr Swinney added: “While I understand there will be some frustration that we are not moving quicker, the Scottish Government is guided by science and evidence, both of which clearly tell us that we must be cautious in our approach.”

Vicki Unite is the chief executive of Perthshire Chamber of Commerce.

She said: “The health of the nation is paramount and we support the efforts of everyone working towards getting the virus under control.

“Many of our members are frustrated that they can’t restart their business from an earlier date and they will feel that contingency measures, a great deal of which are ready to be put in place and created with safety in mind, don’t seem to have been taken into account.

“It is particularly hard on hospitality, retail and the personal service sector and we hope that these and other areas which are really struggling will receive enhanced financial support.”

With progress on opening up our schools, places of worship and care homes in the next few weeks, we are taking sensible steps

John Swinney