Lockdown can only be lifted when we’re sure it is safe

The persistence of the lockdown over coronavirus is very difficult for everybody and I want to thank constituents throughout Perthshire for following the guidance that has been issued.

The advice to stay at home and to only undertake essential trips for food and medical supplies puts a great strain on everybody.

We are all missing visits to family, we would all like to see our children back in the routine of school and we would all like to be free of the worry that comes with COVID-19.

Unfortunately COVID-19 retains a very significant presence in our society and the information published on a daily basis about admissions to intensive care and the number of fatalities reminds us all of the dangers we face.

As a consequence of the sacrifices that are being made by the public through observing the stay at home message and following the guidance on social distancing, we are beginning to see some progress being made in reducing the prevalence of COVID-19.

But we still have a long way to go before we can relax the strict measures that have been put in place.

To ensure we can have a full discussion with the public on how we might lift the restrictions, the first minister set out a paper that airs many of these questions.

It makes clear the importance of continuing to suppress the virus and that any steps to move away from these restrictions could not take place in the short term and would have to be baby steps into the bargain.

Essentially the public have been invited to discuss with the government how we might ease some of the restrictions and how we could do that in a careful fashion.

I look forward to having that conversation which will help to facilitate the difficult judgements that must be arrived at.

We have tried very hard in the Scottish Government to take action to tackle coronavirus on a shared basis with the UK. Government.

That has not always been straight forward but I think it helps to set out clear messages if we are acting in a co-ordinated fashion.

We intend to continue to do that wherever possible but we must also be driven by decisions that are in the best interests of the people of Scotland. And we will always be looking to ensure our decisions are consistent with that test.

Finally, I continue to be overwhelmed by the scale of volunteering this crisis has brought forward.

One of the great strengths of our community is that people generally contribute a great deal to support others in our society. The need to make sure people are well supported through COVID-19 has been an extra challenge. And our community volunteers have risen to that challenge in great style.

They have planned food collections and deliveries.

They have listened to the need of others and have acted. I am profoundly grateful to them all.

Their efforts complement the efforts of our heroes in the NHS, local government and our other vital public services who have put themselves in danger to safeguard us all.

We shall forever be in their debt.