[ad_1]
Millions of Scots have woken up on Boxing Day to stricter coronavirus rules after the country returned to lockdown.
The mainland of Scotland was placed at level four at midnight after cases of a new strain of the virus, which public health officials believe could be 70% more communicable than previous strains, began to increase. last week.
Nicola Sturgeon told an emergency government conference that “firm preventive action” was needed after the emergence of the most rapidly spreading strain of Covid.
The Prime Minister said the speed at which it could spread meant that this was “probably the most serious and potentially dangerous juncture we have ever faced” in the pandemic. But he said Scotland still had a chance to act preemptively.
He added: “We don’t yet know how widely this new strain of virus is circulating in Scotland, but I think we have to be realistic that this is likely to be an underestimate of its true prevalence at this time.”
The Boxing Day lockdown applies throughout Scotland, with the exception of Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles and other island communities where restrictions have recently been eased. These areas will be located on level three.
At level four, non-essential shops, pubs, restaurants, and gyms will be closed. The period is scheduled to last for an initial three weeks, but the Scottish government will review the restrictions after two.
(Image: PA)
But on Thursday it emerged that the new, more virulent strain of the virus was responsible for 38% of the positive cases recorded.
Some opposition politicians have raised questions about whether Scotland could emerge after that period or whether stricter restrictions would apply for longer.
And Nicola Sturgeon hasn’t ruled out an additional level four adjustment if people don’t play by the rules.
Speaking at Holyrood, he said: “As more evidence of the impact of this new strain becomes available, we will consider whether the level 4 restrictions need to be further strengthened.”
He added that the virus is spreading “much faster” now than in March, and said: “We have to consider whether the current level 4 restrictions will be sufficient to suppress it.”
Sturgeon said there is no evidence to suggest that the new strain made people sicker than previous variants, or that it would change the effectiveness of the vaccine.
It comes after a 24-hour period of relaxed rules for Christmas Day.
For just one day, bubbles were able to form with other households and travel restrictions were eased.
Original plans to ease restrictions for five days were scrapped after a new variant appeared.
The travel ban remains in effect throughout the holiday period.
[ad_2]
