One in five failing to stick to the Covid rules

UP to one in five Scots are failing to follow coronavirus rules, according to Scottish Government research.

Interim Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Dave Caesar yesterday said it was becoming more difficult to ensure ‘good motivation’ from the public.

Citing the government research on public attitudes towards the restrictions, he said: ‘The vast majority of people, somewhere around 80-85 per cent, are still doing incredibly well in following guidance as is described.

And we know that, with time, it is becoming more difficult for them to keep that really good motivation going.’

But the true compliance figure could be even lower than the study suggests.

Dr Caesar said ‘people’s intention and recollection of what they would do and what they are doing’ did not always reflect their true actions, even unknowingly.

He said health leaders were trying ‘to understand just how we can make it more likely people will actually do what is required of them’. Scotland was ‘doing pretty well’ on compliance in comparison with other countries and home nations, he said.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: ‘the overwhelming majority’ were ‘making incredible sacrifices to make sure they comply with the arrangements’. He added: ‘But there is always room for improvement.’

The Scottish Government confirmed that the figure Dr Caesar referred to shows the proportion claiming ‘complete or almost complete compliance’.