SCOTS overwhelmingly supported the Government in introducing measures to curb the spread of Covid-19, a new survey has revealed.
In response to the revelation, the SNP have branded the Scottish Tories "out of touch with reality" after their assertions that it was the Scottish people rather than Covid measures that led to a fall in prevalence of the virus.
A poll by SavantaComRes for the Scotsman of 1004 Scottish adults showed that more than two thirds (67%) felt that it was the right decision for Scotland to have tougher measures than in England.
It found that 37% of Scots said it was “definitely the right decision” to have tougher measures and a further 30% said it was “probably the right decision”.
Just 13% of Scots felt that it was “definitely the wrong decision” while 14% said it was “probably the wrong decision”. A further 5% said they did not know.
READ MORE: Tory MSP 'lies twice in 10 seconds' about Scottish Government's record
The news won't go down well with the Scottish Tories who have been saying that it was the "Scottish people" rather than preventative measures imposed by the Government on the likes of hospitality and leisure settings, that was the reason for the fall in Covid cases.
At FMQs on Thursday, Scots Tory leader Douglas Ross said Nicola Sturgeon was "far too gung-ho" in imposing new restrictions and called for the First Minister to accept that they had gone "too far".
Sturgeon said that she would continue to take a "cautious approach" to removing restrictions as she said that the "price of throwing caution not paid by governments" but by the people of the country in terms of ill health, serious illness and death.
Most of the restrictions imposed in Scotland in response to the Omicron wave are to be removed from Monday, January 24. Baseline measures to continue wearing face coverings in indoor public spaces and on public transport will remain.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon announces lifting of Covid restrictions in Scotland
Convener of Holyrood's Health, Social Care and Sport committee Gillian Martin MSP (below) said: "As the Omicron variant emerged the Scottish Government made very difficult but correct calls to introduce measures which would curb the spread of the virus as we learned how much more transmissible the new variant was.
“If it was up to the Scottish Tories they would have accepted more people being admitted to hospital and more deaths and that was just not an acceptable outcome. Their plan would have also seen our hospitals overwhelmed, leading to serious harm to people with other illnesses and conditions.
“This polling also shows how the Tories are completely out of touch with reality as a large majority of people in Scotland back the measures put in place by the Scottish Government and recognised the need to keep people safe from the virus.
“It is thanks to the sacrifices that everyone has made and the incredibly high vaccine uptake that measures can be lifted.
“This demonstrates how the Scottish Tories have nothing to offer the Scottish people and continue to operate with an opposition for opposition’s sake mentality.”
The SavantaComRes polling was conducted from January 14 to 18 among Scots aged above the age of 16.
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