SCOTLAND may still introduce border controls if the virus in England is not "properly managed", Nicola Sturgeon has said.
Appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, the First Minister said she will keep the issue of cross-border travel "under review" as Scotland continues to drive coronavirus to "very low levels".
Sturgeon said current suppression levels mean importation of Covid-19 cases into the country will be "one of our biggest risks over the next few weeks".
She said that means the Scottish Government must "take a very close look" at travel between Scotland and England: "That's not political, it's not constitutional, it's just taking a similar view to countries across the world in terms of protecting populations.
"It's not something I am immediately planning to do, but I will take decisions the best I can to protect the health of Scotland.
"This is not about saying to people in England they are not welcome in Scotland – of course people in England are welcome in Scotland, lots of people from England live in Scotland, and vice-versa.
"This is not about politics, it's not about a constitutional agenda, it's just about taking decisions that try to protect people in Scotland as much as possible from Covid, just as the UK Government, I'm sure, wants to protect the population in England."
Sturgeon cited controls on movement in place between population centres in Australia and the USA.
She also stated that "all but one" of the 148 coronavirus-related deaths in the UK yesterday had occurred in England.
The First Minister said: "I'd like to see the UK Government be more explicit that it was trying to get to levels of coronavirus that was virtually elimination levels, but that's decisions for the Prime Minister and the UK Government to take.
"We need to be sure that any outbreaks in England are being properly managed, just as England will want to make sure that any outbreaks in Scotland are being properly managed.
"It's when there isn't that confidence that the concern about possible importation would grow."
Emphasising the need for Scots to adhere to face mask, social distancing and other control rules, she went on: "The fundamental primary responsibility to keep the virus low in Scotland is for all of us in Scotland to do the right thing."
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