Sturgeon 'optimistic' about launching next stage of easing restrictions

Nicola Sturgeon has dropped a strong hint that phase two of easing the lockdown could begin in 10 days’ time – IF everyone obeys the current rules after Scotland recorded no new coronavirus deaths for the second day running.

The First Minister said she had “longed” for the moment when she could announce no new deaths but warned that more are expected to follow. At the same time she offered a “heartfelt” thank-you to the Scottish people for the suffering that they had endured in the lockdown.

She confirmed that she would be “optimistic” that at the next formal review the country could move into at least some parts of phase two that could see the reopening of some businesses.

Ms Sturgeon also revealed that those who are in the most vulnerable group and are shielding could, except those in a nursing or care home, start going outside for exercise from June 18.

However, they would be asked to continue shielding – meaning they must remain distanced as much as is possible from others.

“In the past 24 hours no deaths have been registered of patients confirmed through a test as having Covid-19 – the total number of deaths in Scotland under that measurement remains at 2415," Ms Sturgeon said.

“This is the second day in a row that no deaths have been registered in the preceding 24 hours. This is obviously very encouraging. I can't tell you how much I've longed to report such a development, and I know all of you will have longed to hear that.

“But even so we must still exercise caution. We know from previous weeks that there tend to be fewer deaths registered at weekends, so it is still highly likely that more Covid-19 deaths will be recorded in the days ahead.

“Today, I want to convey a special message and it is a message very much from my heart to everybody who is watching. I want to take a moment again to thank you for the sacrifices you have made in recent weeks.

“These are times in our lives that we don’t get back, and the worry and the loneliness of these weeks will live with all of us forever. That's true for everyone but it will continue to be, especially for those who are in the shielding category.

“There are no words that will adequately express the sorrow I feel for all that you have gone through or the gratitude I feel for the way that you have borne this.

“I also know that as you listen to me report statistics that are now going in a positive direction, you will be asking if these sacrifices remain necessary. And, as you witness some people – even just a minority – not abiding by the rules I suspect you may also be asking, ‘Why should I bother?’

“But it has brought us to where we are today with this virus in retreat but not gone and still posing a real risk, especially to the most clinically vulnerable – and that's the key point I want to make.

“This is such a crucial juncture in our battle against this virus, we will either keep going, keep beating it back as we are now, or we will give it the chance to roar back with a vengeance – we must, must do the former.

“If we break the chains of transmission even more and drive down the number of new cases to a lower base, the safer it will then be to more meaningfully ease the restrictions and speed up our journey back to some normality.

“And if we do keep making the progress we have in the last few weeks I am optimistic that 10 days from now, at the next formal review, we will be able to move – at least in part – into the next phase of a route map out of lockdown, with more individual freedom restored and more businesses able to open up and operate again.

“But that depends on all of us. So please, please stick with it for now – every day that we do, does bring us closer to getting back to a form of normality.”

• More coronavirus news

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.