‘ Measures may take one month’

FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that the current lockdown restrictions could need to be in place for another month before it can be seen if they have worked.

The daily number of positive cases has fluctuated over the past week – but Sturgeon said daily differences do not affect decision- making.

She said that the restrictions for Glasgow and the west of Scotland at the beginning of September have “blunted” the rise that was seen over August.

The First Minister explained that the overall pattern in the city has been confused by the recent university clusters.

But she said the restrictions on household visits have already had an impact on slowing down the spread of the virus.

Sturgeon said: “A single day’s figures will not in and of themselves determine a course of action. We look at seven- day averages and trends.”

She added: “Measures should start to have an impact a month from now.”

Sturgeon said without action, Scotland was on the same trajectory as France and Spain, but four weeks behind.