New Covid-19 measures will not include full lockdown or travel ban

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. 

No new lockdown, travel restrictions or schools closures are being proposed amid the latest Covid-19 restrictions set to be announced tomorrow, the First Minister has confirmed. 

Nicola Sturgeon said today (Tuesday) that while the government had yet to decide which measures may be introduced to stem the spread of the virus, she was able to offer reassurances about what they would not include. 

“Let me be clear,” she said. “We are not proposing another lockdown at this stage – not even on a temporary basis.

“We are not going to be asking you to stay inside your own homes in the way we did back in March.

“And while we have been asking people to think careful about non-essential travel, especially overseas –  and while restrictions on travel may sometimes be necessary for hotspot areas –  we are not about to impose travel restrictions on the whole of the country. 

“We are not about to shut down the whole economy.”

Ms Sturgeon also confirmed there were no plans to halt the remobilisation of the NHS or to close schools.

Although she was was unable to provide specific details of the restrictions, Ms Sturgeon confirmed the government was considering  “targeted steps” for the next couple of weeks to further stem the spread.

She said the new measures would focus on settings, other than homes, where people are most likely to come together and spread the virus. 

Ms Sturgeon said the new measures may be introduced nationally, regionally or involving a combination of the two. 

Politicians in Shetland, and other island regions, have been calling for their own approach to the restrictions, in recognition of the low cases locally. 

Ms Sturgeon had indicated yesterday that further measures may be necessary to tackle the rising case numbers across many parts of Scotland, particularly the central belt. 

Although a cabinet meeting was held this morning to discuss the response, she said no decisions had been finalised  and further work would be ongoing throughout the day. 

She said she wanted to use today’s lunchtime briefing to address the “entirely understandable” public anxiety around the possibility of new restrictions.