EVERY few days, my daughter’s dad phones to ask me the same question: “What’s happening with this virus then?”

Back in the summer, I’d answer with an in-depth round-up of the latest developments, any rule changes and an analysis of what I thought was likely to happen next.

Now, I can muster little more than a weary sigh and a monotone overview of any big rule changes.

If I’m feeling particularly energised, I also remind him that I gave birth to his beautiful daughter – all 9lbs of her – and ask him to bring me treats when he picks her up at the weekend.

There’s no doubt that the rules are hard to keep up with. It’s not that they are difficult to understand – especially now the Scottish Government has FINALLY got round to adding a postcode-checker to the website – but the whole process of absorbing new information, after eight months of this crisis, is exhausting.

I’m tired. I’m crabbit. I miss my family and friends. I want to go on a promising date that starts with a “nice to finally meet you in person!” and ends with a kiss.

But, as Scottish grannies will often tell you, “I want” doesn’t get.

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The rules are complicated and ever-changing because this whole situation is complicated and ever-changing. If we want to avoid the blunt instrument of full national lockdown, we’ll have to just get on with it.

At FMQs today, Richard Leonard raised the issue of the new travel restrictions which come into force tomorrow.

The new rules will mean that people living in level 3 or level 4 areas won’t be permitted to make non-essential journeys outside of their own council area. There will also be no non-essential travel between Scotland to other parts of the UK.

Small mercies then, at least there’s no risk of Boris Johnson hopping on a north-bound train with a view to saving the Union.

In his first question, Richard Leonard raised the tragic case of Linzi Page, a mum of two with stage four cancer, who was worried that the new restrictions meant she wouldn’t be able to go on a final holiday with her children.

Nicola Sturgeon said she had written to Mrs Page to clarify that, given the circumstances, she was exempt from the travel restrictions and could travel from her Fife home to Edinburgh airport to go on her holiday.

“There should be no doubt that Mrs Page would absolutely meet that exemption because one of the explicit examples given on the face of the regulations is, and I quote, travel for compassionate reasons, which relate to the end of a person’s life.”

“Linzi’s situation is tragic, but on both compassionate and indeed on legal grounds she can go on her holiday.”

Richard Leonard thanked the First Minister for her response and the “compassion” that underpinned it. He went on to say that, in a more general sense, the new travel restrictions were confusing and risked criminalising people.

“People want a government that is working with them, on things like the travel restrictions, not against them. The overwhelming majority of people are just trying to keep up with the regulations in order to follow them. But the best-case scenario – as it stands – is that this travel ban will confuse them. The worst-case scenario is that it will criminalise them.”

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He went on to ask: “Will you admit that you have not got this right? And – before it is too late – will you rethink the travel ban and its application?”

In response the First Minister said that she hadn’t always gotten things right but she would continue to take the action that she considers necessary to keep the country as safe as possible.

“Let me sum it up in this way: ‘Levels of the virus have risen. People living in those areas are not able to travel beyond their local boundary without a reasonable excuse.

“This is designed to prevent the spread of infection within the country and to other parts of the UK. I am determined to keep the country safe.’

“[Those words are from] the Labour First Minister of Wales when he introduced statutory legal travel restrictions in Wales. He was right because he is determined to keep his country safe.

“I am as determined as he is to keep my country as safe as I possibly can.”