If you feel like you are experiencing any coronavirus symptoms, please follow the advice from the National Health Service – found here and NHS Inform. Stay Safe, Save Lives.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced a lockdown which will come into place tonight and last for the rest of January.
The decision to reintroduce a lockdown similar to the one last March is due to the rapid increase in cases from the new variant of COVID-19.
The new variant is now spreading quickly across Scotland as it is 70% more transmissible – also almost half of Scotland’s new cases are from the new variant.
Scotland’s cases have been hitting record highs over the past few days – on Hogmanay 2,539 positive cases were recorded.
In the last 24 hours another 1,905 positive cases have been detected in Scotland.
The new lockdown will be similar to the one last March where you are only permitted to leave home for essentials reasons.
However, you can still meet up with one other household outdoors – but only with one person.
All level four rules will remain in place, travelling is not permitted, whilst non-essential retail, pubs and restaurants will remain closed.
Additionally, more measures will come into on Friday too, with being places of worship closing. However, funeral services will still be permitted with 20 people allowed. Weddings will go ahead, with a maximum of 5 people.
Nicola Sturgeon said: “Possibly the most simple way of explaining the challenge we face right now is to compare it to a race.
“In one lane we have vaccines – our job is to make sure they run as fast as possible. But in the other lane is the virus which – as a result of this new variant – has just learned to run much faster and has most definitely picked up pace in the last couple of weeks.
“To ensure that the vaccine wins the race, it is essential to speed up vaccination as far as possible. But to give it the time it needs to get ahead, we must also slow the virus down.”
If you feel like you are experiencing any coronavirus symptoms, please follow the advice from the National Health Service – found here and NHS Inform. Stay Safe, Save Lives.
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