Mixed views as lockdown exit plan is revealed
Business sector frustrated but prof says caution is key
the priority has to be that we don’t get back to anything like we have seen in January.
“And that means lifting the lockdown very cautiously keeping the R-rate below one, seeing what effect these measures have so that we don’t risk a return of the epidemic and the pressures we have seen on the NHS in January.
“We have seen modelling released recently over the last couple of weeks that suggest that as schools go back there is a high risk that the R-rate goes above one.
“I think it is absolutely right that we aim for that not to happen.
“We have seen in countries like Israel that, despite a very suscessful vaccine programme, a large epidemic amongst younger people that can still result in a lot of hospital admissions.”
Owner of the Cherrybank Inn in Perth Scott Findlay said if the region does move back to a tier system, it would still take even more time for his pub to benefit.
He said: “It looks like we go to tier three at the end of April but we can’t open the pub like that.
“Because you are just a cafe and we had to close in tier three last time. It just doesn’t work for us.
“You were only allowed to do food only with soft drinks, so that is a killer.
“Tier two was really good because that was food with alcohol and we did really well out of that.
“But it is impossible in tier two because you are more worried about what the customers are doing.
“[You’re] making sure they follow social distancing more about putting money in your till which you shouldn’t be.
“But we will see what happens going forward.”
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.
“Whilst 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 to re-opening.”
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Liz Smith, however, slammed the route map for lacking clarity and accused the first minister of “back-tracking”.
She said: “On Tuesday, it looked as though several year groups would not return until next term but now some back-tracking appears to be going on leaving families confused about the true situation.
“The public has rightly adhered to the rules and placed very considerable trust in government ministers.
“That trust is dependent upon accurate information and on hope for the future.”
Chief executive of Perthshire Chamber of Commerce, Vicki Unite, 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.”
January has been difficult .... and the priority has to be that we don’t get back to anything like we have seen in January