SCOTS are being urged to use their common sense by not travelling to the north-west of England so as to avoid a fresh spike in Covid-19.
Nicola Sturgeon responded to the lockdown which affects Greater Manchester, some other parts of Lancashire and areas around Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees in Yorkshire towards the end of last week by saying: “We have always been clear that localised flare-ups are likely as we continue to suppress the virus.
“But by responding quickly and appropriately we can limit the effect these have on wider transmission.
“I strongly advise anyone planning to travel to areas affected in the north of England, or anyone planning to travel to Scotland from those same areas, to cancel their plans.”
READ MORE: Aberdeen coronavirus cluster: 13 cases linked to city centre pub
The measures will also apply to those living in the infected areas who had been planning to visit Scotland.
Those in the localised lockdown areas will not though be required to return to Scotland early but should “be extra vigilant” and check for symptoms.
The clampdown across areas of Lancashire and Yorkshire corresponded with the start of the Eid celebrations for the end of Ramadan. It brought criticism from Muslims who have been forced to change their plans at the last minute, with leaders in the community comparing the restrictions to “cancelling Christmas on Christmas Eve”.
The First Minister addressed Muslims’ concerns over a very different Eid this year with her message to the community. She said: “At Eid al-Adha, I want to send my very best wishes to Muslims here in Scotland and around the world.
“These past few months have been tough for everybody but they’ve obviously presented particular challenges for our Muslim communities.
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“You’ve not been able to gather together as you usually would. These sacrifices have been difficult but they have also been very necessary. Here in Scotland they have helped us make major progress in reducing Covid-19.”
She also welcomed the re-openings of mosques with a reduced capacity of 50 people. “These restrictions will mean that this year’s Eid will feel different to previous years. However, I hope they will mean that Muslims across Scotland can celebrate this occasion safely,” she said.
Football too returned this weekend, without any fans, but again the advice is for supporters to be sensible.
The First Minister said: “I don’t have huge concerns about mass gatherings before professional sport gets under way, but I would urge fans to behave responsibly and behave in line with all of the advice.
“It applies to football, rugby or any other sport fans just as it would to anybody else; that is about face-coverings, avoiding crowded places, cleaning your hands and surfaces, two metres’ distance. If you’re in a pub watching something then make sure you are complying with all the mitigations that are in place there and all the advice about self-isolating and booking a test.
“When we are talking about organised sport, the police will have overview of that and take any action considered necessary.”
The first match to kick off would normally draw a full crowd – Aberdeen v Rangers at Pittodrie. Although the stands were empty, two Dons supporters did come up with an ingenious way to see the action – from a cherry picker. They would not have liked what they witnessed, with the home team losing 1-0.
The scenes of people flocking to the beach in Portobello on Friday, on one of the hottest days of the year, was again a cause for concern following a similar deluge of people there earlier in the summer.
And police had to be called to the Edinburgh city beach after reports of around 100 teenagers arriving off a train and congregating in the area.
A Police Scotland spokesperson reported: “We received a report of a large disturbance on Portobello beach. There are no reports of any injuries and inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances.”
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