THE First Minister has defended adopting a “four nation” approach to fighting the coronavirus to date, but has left open the prospect of Scotland diverging from the rest of the UK about when it lifts lockdown.

Nicola Sturgeon was asked about the wisdom of adopting a strategy closely aligned with the rest of the UK’s following major criticism on how the Westminster Government has responded to the pandemic.

Last week, one senior scientific adviser said the UK could have the highest death toll from Covid-19 in Europe despite the virus affecting it later than countries such as Italy and Spain.

Responding to the question at yesterday’s press briefing, the First Minister said: “Trying to do things in a four nation way given the geography of the four nations – or three of those nations in particular – seems to me to make sense.

“This is a virus. It doesn’t respect borders or boundaries ... it makes sense ... to align our activity as much as possible.”

She added: “But I will never be a prisoner of that if something different is required for Scotland.”

She also reiterated some differences between the two governments’ courses of action.

This includes an earlier decision on banning mass gatherings in Scotland, an earlier announcement on school closures earlier, and that lockdown happened at an earlier stage in the virus spread.

She was asked whether Scottish firms would continue to benefit from the Treasury’s job retention scheme where the UK Government pays 80% of the wages of workers put on furlough.

The First Minister said discussions were taking place on the issue.

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During the briefing she said the number of people who have died after testing positive for the Covid-19 is now 985, though the number being admitted to intensive care in hospital with the infection is reducing.

The total number of laboratory confirmed Covid-19 deaths in Scotland was up 70 on Monday’s figure, with 8672 people testing positive for the virus, up by 222 from the day before.

There are 166 people in intensive care with coronavirus or coronavirus symptoms, a decrease of three on Monday, and 1866 people are in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, up from 1809 yesterday.

Sturgeon said while she would “urge caution in interpreting the figures”, the number of people being admitted to hospital appears to be “broadly stable” and the numbers

being admitted to intensive care “are at this stage reducing”.

She said the fact the NHS is not being overwhelmed is down in part to the lockdown restrictions.

The First Minster’s briefing also looked at the economic impacts of the pandemic.

Referencing figures reported yesterday that show a possible contraction of 33% in the Scottish economy, the First Minister said: “Fundamentally, we recognise that in order to protect public health the Government is making extraordinary demands on businesses.

“We appreciate that the onus is on Government to equally do extraordinary things and provide extraordinary support for businesses.”

There will be a “significant increase” in the number of people out of work, she said, which will not be reflected in the labour market statistics published.

She said the health of the economy must be a factor in the decision to cease the lockdown measures, although she added damage to the economy alone is not enough to open the country again.

She said new regulations will allow police to enforce lockdown measures within workplaces, although she said they will not be “routinely patrolling office blocks”, and stressed a timeline for the end of the lockdown period is not yet known.

Meanwhile, in a statement at Holyrood, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman revealed all new care home residents are to be tested for coronavirus.

The First Minister last week rejected calls to test potential care home residents, arguing it could undermine other infection control measures.

Freeman also apologised to personal assistants employed directly by people receiving care, admitting they should not have struggled to secure personal protective equipment.

On care home testing, she said: “Covid-19 patients discharged from hospital to a care home should have been given two negative tests before discharge. I now expect other new admissions to care homes to be tested and isolated for 14 days in addition to the clear social distancing measures the guidance sets out.”

She said the extra level of testing, which comes on top of a standard two weeks of isolation for new residents, would provide assurance for families with relatives in care homes.

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