STURGEON DEFENDS TOUGHER
NEW lockdown rules are “tough but necessary”, Nicola Sturgeon insisted yesterday as seven more coronavirus deaths were confirmed in Scotland. A total of 1297 people tested positive for Covid-19 in the previous 24 hours, sparking fears that a second wave of the virus is running out of control.
The Scottish Government has faced criticism from the hospitality sector after lockdown restrictions introduced last week saw pubs and restaurants across the Central Belt forced to close.
But at her daily briefing, the First Minister said the tougher regulations, including widespread hospitality restrictions, are “firmly rooted in scientific advice”.
Sturgeon was speaking as new figures revealed the number of Scots claiming unemployment benefits has more than doubled in the last year, while redundancies have risen to their highest level since 2009.
She said: “We will do all we can to protect jobs and businesses. But we also must remember that the most important thing we can do for the long-term good of the economy is keep the virus from running out of control.
“This can’t be seen as a contest between health and the economy.
“Keeping people safe from a potentially deadly virus is a prerequisite of a strong economy. And, of course, in turn, a strong economy is vital for our health and well-being.”
She said: “The fact is
that against this virus, we sometimes have to be tough. Half measures often don’t work. What you’ll find is they will still inflict economic pain and harm but they will not have the required public health impact.”
The First Minister said she will soon bring in a new strategic framework to deal with the virus.
She said: “These are the tough but necessary restrictions that we’re asking everyone to abide by as we try to make sure the virus does not run out of control.
“In return, the Government will continue to strengthen Test and Protect and we will work with businesses to ensure that they can trade safely with as much normality as is possible during a pandemic.
“We will be bringing all of this work together in a new strategic framework to guide us through the next phase of this pandemic, and that will be debated in Parliament after the October break.”
On Monday, Sturgeon said she will seek to align a planned tiered alert system as closely with the rest of the UK as possible.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out a three-tier system for England, with areas classed as medium, high or very high risk.
The First Minister also called for solidarity with those asked to self-isolate after coming into contact with coronavirus.
She said: “We should all think about if we can help somebody else if they have to self-isolate.
“Self-isolation over these next few months is going to be a really important way in which we can all show that sense of solidarity and help to break the chains of transmission.”
Sturgeon said the death toll in Scotland since the start of the pandemic has risen to 2557. A total of 41,256 people have now tested positive for Covid-19.
Of the new cases reported yesterday, 419 are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 337 in Lanarkshire, 191 in Lothian and 95 in Ayrshire and Arran.
There are 527 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus – up 40 in 24 hours. Of these patients, 35 are in intensive care.