NICOLA Sturgeon has said that all of Scotland may move to lockdown level 2 at the end of April, offering a more optimistic outlook than the previous Scottish Government position.
The current Scottish route map aims to move the whole country to level 3 on April 26. This would mean that shops, bars, restaurants, visitor attractions, libraries, hairdressers, barbers and beauticians across the country could reopen.
A maximum of six people from two households would be able to meet in hospitality venues, either indoors or outdoors. However, no alcohol could be sold, and premises must close at 18:00.
Speaking this afternoon at the daily coronavirus briefing, Sturgeon offered hope that Scotland may miss that level completely.
She said that parts of Scotland, and perhaps the whole country, might move directly to level 2 of Covid restrictions from the end of April.
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At that level pubs, cafes and restaurants would be allowed to serve alcohol indoors, but only with a main meal, and they must close by 20:00. Outdoors, alcohol could be consumed without a meal and venues can stay open until 22:30.
Level 2 would also see adults allowed to take part in organised outdoor sports, personal training and coaching, as well as indoor exercise classes and non-contact sports. Contact sports are not allowed indoors at this level.
The First Minister said: “I’m making the point that we hope that some parts of the country might be able to go straight to level 2, all of the country might be able to go straight to level 2.”
She went on: “I think the travel restrictions that are more likely to be in place for longer are international travel restrictions because of the dangers of importing the virus.
“I don’t expect us, in our opening up, to be significantly behind England. I think in terms of what we’ve set out so far it puts us roughly two weeks behind.
“That gap might close. They might slow down a bit or we might speed up a bit but that two weeks is roughly the pattern we followed last summer, and I actually think that put us last summer, not obviously in a completely sustainable position because we had another lockdown, but actually we managed to stay open for longer.”
The First Minister said she would not rule out any dates, but said there is uncertainty over how the more infectious virus strain will behave once restrictions are lifted and the impact of the phased return to schools will be particularly scrutinised in this regard.
Speaking after confirming Scotland has recorded 47 deaths from coronavirus and 798 positive tests in the past 24 hours, she said the Scottish Government’s updated framework for easing restrictions focuses on the next six weeks as “that’s the timeframe that right now we can be most confident about”.
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She said: “My hope is that the more we learn about the impact of the early changes, the more confidence we will then have that we can go further and faster, without risking a resurgence of the virus that would set us all back. In the meantime, we will move forward carefully.”
Sturgeon also announced care homes should be supporting up to two named visitors for each resident from March 1, where possible, and Scottish Government guidance on this “very important way forward” will be published on Wednesday.
The First Minister opened the briefing with a further update on the daily coronavirus figures, announcing the daily test positivity rate is 3.9%, down from 4.8% on Tuesday.
There are 1018 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, down 58 in 24 hours, and there was no change in those in intensive care which remains at 93.
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