Scotland Targets Easing of Lockdown Measures Within Two Weeks
Scotland Targets Easing of Lockdown Measures Within Two Weeks
(Bloomberg) --
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon expects to announce within the next two weeks significant changes to the lockdown restrictions currently in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus as the pace of the outbreak continues to slow.
“We will hopefully be taking some concrete steps back to a form of normality,” Sturgeon told reporters in Edinburgh on Monday. These are likely to include more outdoor activities such as golf and fishing and an easing of rules regarding social-distancing, she said.
Scotland rejected U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plans to emerge from lockdown and is charting its own course. The semi-autonomous government will publish details of its plans on Thursday, Sturgeon said. Any changes are likely to begin after the next lockdown review date on May 28.
While the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases have continued to rise, the rate of increase has slowed in recent weeks, official data shows. The number of confirmed cases stood at almost 14,400 on Monday with more than 2,100 fatalities, according to the latest government figures.
“It will also be important to assess the impact of measures in one phase before moving to another,” Sturgeon said. “We will continue to take a cautious approach that ensures the virus is suppressed, while seeking to restore as much normality as possible when it is safe to do so.”
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.