The Scottish Conservatives have warned the First Minister not to backtrack on her plans to lift all remaining Covid restrictions, following the recent rise in infection rates in Scotland.
Last month Nicola Sturgeon revealed that the last legal restrictions – including the requirement to wear facemasks in shops and on public transport – would be lifted on March 21.
Tomorrow, the First Minister will deliver a Covid update statement in the Scottish Parliament.
Although the number of Covid cases is rising again, the Scottish Conservatives believe it’s essential that the SNP Government stick to their timetable and don’t further delay Scotland’s return to normality.
The party’s Shadow Health Secretary, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, says Scotland must follow England in removing the remaining blanket restrictions in favour of allowing individuals to take personal responsibility.
He says businesses are desperate for restrictions to go, while the huge success of the vaccine programme across the UK and Scotland means that the risk of serious illness from contracting Covid has been massively reduced.
Scottish Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health, Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP, said: “The First Minister must not use the rise in infection rates as an excuse to kick the can further down the road. The last remaining Covid restrictions must end, as planned, next Monday.
“Of course, we must all remain vigilant and use common sense because Covid has not gone away – but the First Minister accepted last month that we have to learn to live with it.
“Scotland is already behind other parts of the UK, and we would expect to see infection rates increase in the short term as restrictions ease. I think that’s what we’re seeing at the moment, following the removal of some curbs last month, including the need for masks to be worn in classrooms.
“But the game-changer has been the success of the vaccine programme, which has had a huge impact in reducing the number of people becoming seriously ill with Covid.
“Businesses in Scotland have suffered hugely over the last two years – not least with the First Minister’s severe restrictions imposed in the wake of the Omicron wave – and they, and the Scottish public, deserve a return to normality.
“The Scottish people have acted with common sense throughout the pandemic and the public health strategy from now on must focus on personal responsibility, rather than government-imposed blanket restrictions.”