SCOTLAND may take a different approach to the rest of the UK on easing lockdown measures if it is in the country's best interests, the nation's clinical director has said.

UK Government ministers are expected to announce that the coronavirus lockdown will be extended for another three weeks, amid signs the epidemic is beginning to peak.

Professor Jason Leitch said both he, the First Minister and others agree Scotland is not yet in a position for authorities to recommend the lockdown should be lifted.

He said once restrictions ease there may be differences across the UK as it is "important to do what applies in your context", though there are not likely to be "massive differences" in the approaches of each of the four nations.

Leitch said experts are looking at the R-naught number – the number of people each infected person infects – as they assess the situation.

He told BBC Radio Scotland: "What we are looking for in epidemiological terms is the R-naught number to stay low.

"The R-naught number is the number of people each infected person infects, if you get that below one it doesn't take a genius to work out that if that's below one your curve will begin to fall because you'll have less infected people.

"This virus in the wild has an R-naught of over three and with an exponential rise in cases, very quickly you get a health service that's overwhelmed, you're in real trouble.

"We believe the R-naught in Scotland is below one, but we have to keep that sustained for a period of time to allow the numbers to fall."

READ MORE: UK to announce three more weeks of coronavirus lockdown restrictions

A total of 699 coronavirus patients have died in Scotland, while 6748 people have now tested positive for the virus.

Asked whether Scotland would act out of step with the rest of the UK, Leitch said: "I think as we come out of the curve there may be some differences – mainly geographic or maybe about the nature of that counter measure release.

"I don't think we'll release everything on the one day, so we won't open the pubs and restaurants, the businesses, the hairdressers, we will make gradual step changes to the way we release our counter measures.

"In the main I think they will probably attempt to do that as four countries but there are differences.

"Orkney looks quite different from Oxford Street and it's important to do what applies in your context and the First Minister has repeatedly said that she wants to do as much of that together, but if it's in Scotland's interests to do something different then we will both advise that and she will decide that I'm certain, but I don't think there will be massive differences between the four countries' approaches."

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