Central Scotland braced for lockdown
Scotland’s retailers are demanding Nicola Sturgeon reveals scientific evidence of Covid transmission in shops to justify moving into tier four restrictions, reports Alistair Grant
NICOLA Sturgeon is expected to announce tough new lockdown rules for much of west central Scotland today, including the closure of cafes, restaurants and most shops.
The First Minister said moving to level four restrictions – the highest under Scotland’s five-tier system – for a “limited period” could allow restrictions to be eased over Christmas.
But the Scottish Retail Consortium said the scientific evidence is clear that “shuttering shops will do little to reduce the spread of Covid”.
Level four would see non-essential outlets such as shops, bars and restaurants forced to close, while gyms and public buildings would also shut. Schools and stores such as supermarkets would remain open. Ms Sturgeon said an announcement on what areas will be affected will be made in Holyrood today, but added: “We are talking the west of Scotland in particular.”
She said councils within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area are causing the “most concern”, with the possible exception of Inverclyde. North and South Lanarkshire could also be targeted, while councils such as Ayrshire and West Lothian are being looked at too. The new rules could come into force on Friday.
CLOSING shops in the crucial Christmas period risks “devastating” businesses, it has been warned, as Nicola Sturgeon is expected to announce a return to near-lockdown for much of west central Scotland.
The First Minister said moving to tough level four restrictions for a “limited period” could allow restrictions to be eased over Christmas.
But the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) said the scientific evidence is clear that “shuttering shops will do little to reduce the spread of Covid”.
Level four would see non-essential outlets such as shops, bars and restaurants forced to close, while gyms and public buildings would also shut. Schools and stores such as supermarkets would remain open.
Ms Sturgeon said an announcement on what areas will be affected will be made in Holyrood today, but added: “We are talking the west of Scotland in particular.”
She said councils within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area are causing the “most concern”, with the possible exception of Inverclyde.
North and South Lanarkshire could also be targeted, while surrounding councils such as Ayrshire and West Lothian are being looked at too.
David Lonsdale, director of the SRC, said it fully supports the drive to reduce transmission and “get on top of the current public health situation”.
He added: “However the SRC has been consistently clear that closing shops should only be a last resort to suppress the virus.
“The scientific evidence is clear shuttering shops will do little to reduce the spread of Covid; but closing stores in the crucial Christmas period could be devastating for those businesses.
“That’s why we are alarmed over the possibility of local lockdowns prior to the festive season.
“If shops, which all the evidence shows are safe, cannot trade throughout this period then losing that revenue might prevent the business re-opening, with direct consequences for jobs.
“The reality is there isn’t a taxpayerfunded support scheme which can replace the potential losses – of up to £200 million a week if store closures were Scotland-wide.”
The SRC pointed to a recent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) paper, which assessed the impact on Covid transmission of the closure of non-essential retail as “low”.
Dr Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said: “Due to the fragility of so many businesses, a level four lockdown will make Christmas a bleak prospect for those people and their families who depend on employment they provide.”
Speaking during her coronavirus briefing, Ms Sturgeon said parts of the west of Scotland have a “stable but stubbornly high” prevalence of the virus.
She said this means there is not enough assurance that hospital and intensive care services will be able to cope over the winter.
The First Minister added: “Stubbornly high prevalence means that we might have less flexibility to offer some limited and careful easing of restrictions over the Christmas period, which we are very keen to do.”
She said moving to level four restrictions for a “limited period” would help to address such concerns.
Ms Sturgeon said the priority for Christmas is to allow families “some ability to get together”.
She added: “If we do go to level four for any areas... then part of it – not the whole reason, but part of the reason – is to try and get prevalence down to the point where we think we can have some limited easing around that.”
Elsewhere, she stressed it is not a “one-way street”.
She said: “We’ll also be looking to see whether there are any parts of the country that should go down a level, where prevalence of the virus has fallen sufficiently and we’re satisfied enough about the sustainability of that.”
Asked about those areas where rules could loosen, Ms Sturgeon said this would only affect a very small number of council areas, “one or thereabouts”.
She pointed to areas in the east of Scotland, such as East Lothian, but stressed no decisions have been taken.
The First Minister said mandatory travel restrictions are also being considered as parts of the country move to level four.
Meanwhile, Ms Sturgeon said it is the “objective and intention” to keep schools open in areas under level four restrictions, despite concerns raised by union leaders.
Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the EIS teaching union, said schools in the worst-hit areas should move to blended learning.
He previously warned that if areas are moved to level four, it will heighten the likelihood that staff will turn to industrial action if they do not feel safe.
Ms Sturgeon said ministers don’t “take lightly” the safety of young people and teachers.
She also said: “Sometimes we are asking people – adults, those of us grown ups – to bear a few more restrictions in order that we can keep the virus at levels where we’re able to keep schools open.
“Why? Because we know that it does damage to young people not to be in normal schooling.
“Young people have had months out of school already this year, and if we can at all avoid it, we want to ensure that they don’t have further time out of normal, full-time schooling.”
Dr Gregor Smith, the interim Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, insisted the data showed schools are not an environment where there is extensive transmission.
He added: “In fact, ONS [Office for National Statistics] data suggests that teachers, people who work within schools, are no more likely to become infected than people of a similar age in other occupations.”
He added: “We are not seeing evidence of any significant, increased risk with transmission particularly among adults within schools.”
He said keeping schools open has a “very strong public health benefit” for children and young people.
Ms Sturgeon said Scotland had recorded six deaths from coronavirus and 717 positive cases in the previous 24 hours.
The SRC has been clear that closing shops should only be a last resort to suppress the virus