Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said on Thursday that the lockdown “must be extended,” as easing lockdown restrictions will be “very, very risky.”
Sturgeon said she would prefer the rest of the UK does the same, but the British Prime Minister wants to slightly ease the lockdown measures in England.
Sturgeon said she will “not be pressured into lifting restrictions prematurely before I am as certain as I can be that we will not be risking a resurgence.
“If the prime minister decides that he wants to move at a faster pace for England than I consider is right for Scotland that is of course his right.
“I will respect that and I will not criticise him for doing that.
“There are still significant numbers of people in Scotland infected with this virus and we’re not yet confident that the all-important R number is comfortably below one.
“In particular I want to see what our estimates of cases and the R number look like a week from now.”
The lockdown restrictions will be reviewed in three weeks’ time, she added.
Speaking to Sky News she said, “The only thing that matters to me is that we take the decisions that are best going to suppress and tackle this virus,” she said.
“I think that’s what all of us in leadership positions across the UK are doing.”
He said, “I just want to explain to the House as a courtesy for why it’s happening on Sunday because I’m sure you would be interested in that.
“The reason in that is very simple. We have to be sure that the data is going to support our ability to do this and that data is coming continuously over the next few days.
“We want to get going with some of these measures on Monday and I think it will be a good thing Mr Speaker if people have an idea of what’s going on the following day.
“That’s why I think Sunday is the best time to do it.
“But of course the house will be fully informed and will have the full opportunity to interrogate myself and the government.”
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