The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Leitch warns digital Christmas on cards for Scots families
Large gatherings ruled out
Scots have been told to prepare for a “digital Christmas” this year and warned that the idea of large family celebrations going ahead as normal is a “fiction”, as the Scottish Government considers a ban on Halloween guising.
Nicola Sturgeon said the country is “unlikely to be able to celebrate Christmas with no limits on the people in our houses”, but people could see freedoms unlocked by adhering to coronavirus restrictions in coming weeks.
The first minister was responding to comments by national clinical director Jason Leitch, who earlier in the day told BBC’s Good Morning Scotland that ongoing restrictions would end the chance of a normal festive period.
Professor Leitch said he was hopeful that by sticking to the rules, Scots could enjoy “some form of normality” over the winter break but people should not expect large gatherings with multiple households.
At her daily coronavirus briefing in Edinburgh, Ms Sturgeon insisted Professor Leitch had used the term “digital Christmas” as “shorthand” for the types of celebrations likely to be necessary this year.
“What he’s trying to do is be frank with people about the reality we live in and not prematurely rule things out, and equally not try to give people false assurance.”
She said: “I want us to be able to celebrate Christmas as normally as it is possible to do within the context of a global pandemic.
“My message to people is the more we all stick with these really difficult restrictions right now, the more chance there will be of us doing that.”
Professor Leitch told the programme it was “too early to say” what festivities will look like, adding: “I’m hopeful cost now may get us a more family Christmas, but Christmas is not going to be normal, there is absolutely no question about that.”
Ms Sturgeon was repeatedly forced to the clarify her scientific adviser’s comments during the briefing, something which led to criticism from opposition parties.
Scottish Conservative public health spokesman Brian Whittle pointed to a previous issue involving comments made by Professor Leitch regarding students being allowed home for Christmas, and called on officials to choose their words carefully.
“If the mess around students returning to university proved anything, it’s that when statements have to be changed and clarified after being made, it almost always leads to problems,” he said.
Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said mixed messages “are undermining the national effort” and the words of Professor Leitch, as “the face and voice of the Scottish Government’ s Covid-19 response”, matter.
Ms Sturgeon, who joked she could make Professor Leitch dress up as the Grinch for Halloween as punishment for his comments, said restrictions will likely be in place across the world at Christmas.
The first minister confirmed the Scottish Government is planning to publish fresh guidance on guising this weekend and expects children will be asked to celebrate Halloween without “coming into unnecessary contact with other people”.
She said: “It’s not safe right now to do these things as normal and it would not be fair of me or right of me to say otherwise.
“To parents, to children; think of ways you can celebrate in a way that is safe and doesn’ t have children or others coming into unnecessary contact with others.”
Meanwhile, it was announced the Scottish Government’s “strategic framework”, which will be published today, will outline a new testing strategy that will see results returned faster in a bid to meet a capacity target of 65,000 tests a day.
Ms Sturgeon said at least 10,000 more Scottish tests would need to be analysed by UK Government lighthouse labs, while the NHS laboratory capacity will increased by an additional 22,000 tests a day.
Three new regional hubs are being set up in Grampian, Lothian and Greater Glasgow and Clyde to help meet demand.
The latest Scottish Government figures showed 17 deaths and 1,712 positive tests were recorded overnight into yesterday.
A support package for businesses hit by coronavirus restrictions has been branded a “slap in the face” af ter it emerged firms in central Scotland are receiving twice as much as their counterparts elsewhere.
Pubs, bars and restaurants in the central belt have been legally forced to shut up shop until further notice amid a nationwide ban on selling alcohol indoors.
The restrictions, initially set to run until Monday but extended for at least an extra week, include tough controls on how and when businesses can operate across the country.
The Scott ish Government’s Covid-19 Restrictions Fund provides one-off grants of up to £4,310 to businesses legally forced to close. Firms “directly impacted by the restrictions” but not specifically instructed to shut have access to up to £2,155.
It means many hospitality businesses in the north and north-east of Scotland are in a position where their existing model is no longer viable but they have limited access to support if they decide to close.
North East MSP Liam Kerr claimed north-east businesses had been “left in the wind ” by the funding package and called on the Scottish Government to make things right.
He said: “For businesses who can feel they have done everything right and complied with everything they’ve been asked, this will be a slap in the face.
“There must be proper parity for employers to access grants from the SNP, regardless of where they are in Scotland.”
Nicola Sturgeon was challenged on the issue at her daily coronavirus briefing on Wednesday.
The first minister said her government faced funding constraints but was trying to persuade the UK Government “to do more” on business support.