PUBLIC health experts are looking at ways to tackle Scotland’s recent surge in Covid cases – with a circuit breaker lockdown one of the “options” on the table.
Yesterday the country recorded more than 5000 cases for the first time ever, breaking a record of daily cases set the day before.
It comes just a few weeks after legal restrictions on gatherings and distancing came to an end in Scotland.
Yesterday First Minister Nicola Sturgeon noted there had been another “sharp rise” in cases and urged those not already vaccinated to get their jag.
She also reminded people to follow hygiene guidance, wear a mask in the appropriate places and maintain some distance between themselves and other households.
Sturgeon said she could not rule out implementing further restrictions down the line. Her government has stressed that keeping schools open would be a number one priority regardless of what happens, with deputy FM John Swinney saying closures should be avoided “at all costs”.
Now The Times reports that the Scottish Government is being shown a range of options to tackle the increasing Covid cases, including a circuit breaker lockdown, new rules on social distancing or vaccine certificates.
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A source familiar with the Scottish Government’s planning told the newspaper: “There are two options: You could either put in a circuit breaker, you could shut down completely for a short period.
“Or you could move back through the stages and say we are going to limit indoor gatherings, we are going to re-introduce distancing.”
Speaking yesterday, the First Minister said: “I don’t want to go back to anything like a full lockdown.
“I don’t want to pre-empt any decision that might or might not - and I hope will not - have to be taken about the imposition of the restrictions.
“But if we, all of us, take the basic precautions right now that we know can slow the virus, then I hope no re-imposition of restrictions will be necessary.
“But I also know that no sensible First Minister, in the face of an infectious virus, would rule anything out, because protecting the population has to be the priority.”
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