Nicola Sturgeon says the vast majority of Scots support her government’s ‘slow and gradual’ lockdown lifting strategy as she vows to ‘err on the side of saving lives’
- First Minister said polling shows 84 per cent support a ‘slow and gradual’ lifting
- 86 per cent said ‘decisions on when and how to lift restrictions must be based on saving lives and protecting the NHS’
- Came as Matt Hancock confirmed the R rate for UK crept up this week
Nicola Sturgeon today insisted the vast majority of Scots backed her decision to lift the coronavirus lockdown more slowly than in England.
At her daily coronavirus briefing on Friday, the First Minister said Government polling shows 84 per cent support a ‘slow and gradual’ lifting of restrictions.
Some 82 per cent also agreed that before further significant changes to lockdown are made the impact of those already introduced should be assessed.
The survey also found 86 per cent said ‘decisions on when and how to lift restrictions must be based on saving lives and protecting the NHS’.
As part of the Scottish Government’s regular polling on the impact of Covid-19, 1,000 people were surveyed between Tuesday and Thursday this week.
The First Minister also announced she will next week outline any ‘minor changes’ that may be made to the current lockdown measures.
The First Minister also announced she will next week outline any ‘minor changes’ that may be made to the current lockdown measures.
health Secretary Matt Hancock told the No 10 press briefing: “We are constantly keeping the R under review. We don’t think that it is above one. So that meets that test
‘As we hopefully see more evidence of a downward trend in the virus, we will then consider changes,’ she said.
But she stressed this would be done ‘on a very careful and gradual basis’.
She said that as long as ‘lives are at stake with this virus’, she would ‘continue to err on the side of caution, err on the side of saving lives and reducing the number of people who might die unnecessarily’.
She added: ‘We can’t live like this forever, so we need to get some normality back as we continue to suppress the virus.
‘Even when we can’t yet give firm dates on when things will open up again, at least we will seek to share with you the order of priority and further phasing.
‘Next week I will share with you more information on the assessments we are making and the range of options we are now looking at, and also any further minor changes we might make in the short- term.’
It came as Britain’s crucial coronavirus reproduction rate has crept up to the point where the outbreak could spiral back out of control – on the same day officials announced the lowest weekly death toll since the end of March, with just 384 more victims.
Experts sitting on Number 10’s SAGE panel saying the reproduction rate – known as the R – has risen to somewhere between 0.7 and 1 after officials claimed it was between 0.5 and 0.9 last week.
Officials must keep the number below 1 – meaning each patient infects one other person – otherwise the outbreak will start to grow again.
health Secretary Matt Hancock told the No 10 press briefing: “We are constantly keeping the R under review. We don’t think that it is above one. So that meets that test.
“It is an incredibly important figure for policymakers but it is one data point to look at alongside the level of new cases.”
The only change the Scottish Government has made to lockdown restrictions so far is to allow people to exercise more than once a day.
Ms Sturgeon also gave the latest Scottish Government figures on Covid-19.
A total of 2,053 patients have now died in Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus, up by 46 from 2,007 on Thursday.
The First Minister said 14,260 people have tested positive for the virus in Scotland, up by 143 from 14,117 the day before.
There are 71 people in intensive care with coronavirus or coronavirus symptoms, and 1,449 people are in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19.
Since March 5, 3,290 people who have tested positive for coronavirus have been able to leave hospital.