Reaction to Scotland Covid rule changes

1. Nicola Sturgeon says that Scotland's Covid passport scheme will end on 28 February with the legal requirement to wear face masks being lifted on 21 March
2. Although vaccines, treatments and public behaviour have got the country to the place it is now, the first minister says it is important to remain vigilant and prepared
3. Ms Sturgeon's address comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces that all legal restrictions would end in England later this week
4. Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross welcomes the first minister's statement, saying it was his party who had previously mapped a plan out of Covid restrictions
5. Scottish Labour's Jackie Baillie says she is unclear what the government's approach is to testing and urges Ms Sturgeon to explain
6. The FM says she needs clarity from the UK government on whether additional resources will be made available to pay for a "robust testing system"
7. The number of new positive cases in Scotland stands at 6,427; 1,060 people are in hospital with confirmed Covid 19 and 12 of those are recent patients to ICU

Covid strategic framework: The key points

Nicola Sturgeon confirms lifting dates for Covid rules

Here's a reminder of the key points from the Scottish goverment's Covid strategic framework:

• Vaccine passports will no longer be required in Scotland from next Monday 28 February
• The legal requirement to wear face masks will end on 21 March
• Nicola Sturgeon said people would still be advised to wear masks in shops and on public transport
• On 21 March businesses, places of worship and service providers will no longer be legally required to take Scottish government-advised measures
• A legal requirement for contact tracing will also end on 21 March
• The new strategic framework for living with Covid will rely less on legally imposed measures and more on vaccines, treatments and good public health behaviours
• Nicola Surgeon expressed frustration about a lack of clarity from the UK government about testing infrastructure and funding
• A plan for a more targeted testing system will be published next month
• In the meantime the FM urged the public to continue to make regular use of lateral flow tests

'We can always backtrack if we need to'

Drivetime with John Beattie

BBC Radio Scotland

BBC

Virologist Dr Chris Smith tells Drivetime many of the regulations that have been in place addressed last year's concerns.

Dr Smith, of Cambridge University, says: "We're in a very different place now."

He says the population is highly immune and we're heading towards summer, therefore the odds are stacked in our favour more.

"The measures of de-escalating things moving ahead are sensible.

"At the end of the day no-one is saying abandon all common sense."

"We can always backtrack if we need to," he adds.

Here's how the opposition parties reacted...

'It's not just anxiety - this is life and death'

Drivetime with John Beattie

BBC Radio Scotland

Lynn and Derek Williams

Lynn Williams cares for her husband Derek

Lynn Williams cares for her husband Derek, who has a severe spinal injury. They've been isolating for some time.

Ms Williams has concerns about what she has seen and heard so far about the Scottish government's strategic framework'.

She tells Drivetime: "We have to remember there's a dangerous pathogen still circulating and people remain at risk and I'm not sure the framework document addresses that in any great depth."

Ms Williams says she does not understand concerns people have about wearing a mask and making it a personal choice is "a worry for us".

She says she wants people to have access to FFP2 masks and she expresses concerns that there are lots of things left unaddressed by the framework.

"It's not just anxiety - this is life and death for many families," Ms Williams adds.

A friend in Spain would like to fly to Scotland in April but she’s only had one vaccine. What does she have to do?

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As it stands to count as “fully vaccinated” international visitors to Scotland must have had two doses of a Covid vaccine.

Leire’s friend has only had one so she must follow the rules for someone who has not been fully vaccinated.

That means she must:

• Take a Covid test before arriving in Scotland
• Complete a Passenger Locator Form
• And buy a Covid-19 day two PCR test. This must be taken on or before day two, bearing in mind the day of arrival is day zero.

She does not need to self-isolate on arrival but if she records a positive day two PCR test then she will need to follow the current rules for self-isolating in Scotland.

Bar owners praise testing but condemn 'ineffective' measures

Drivetime with John Beattie

BBC Radio Scotland

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Although many business sectors have criticised the pace of Scotland's restrictions easing, leading figures in the night time industry have praised the Scottish government's approach to testing.

Nightclub owner Donald McLeod, who has long contested the use of Covid passports, said lateral flow testing was the best thing about the government's mitigations.

Similarly Gavin Stevenson, a member of Night Time Industry Association, said he was glad to see Scotland was maintaining its provision of free testing unlike England.

However, both agreed that other measures such as Covid passports or face masks in hospitality settings were ineffective to begin with.

Mr Stevenson said: "If you’re surrounded by people eating, drinking and not wearing face masks, it’s been of little benefit for a long time so we’re very glad to see that change to a more voluntary guidance basis.

"We have to trust people to do what they feel is right for them – if staff want to wear masks they’re very welcome to keep doing so."

Mixed views on masks from shoppers in Dundee

BBC

These Dundee shoppers said they were used to wearing masks and would be "quite happy" to wear them for "a little bit longer" and that they were "the norm now".

"Until somebody says this pandemic's finished, and there's no risk to us or anyone else, we just keep doing what we do," one shopper added.

However, another woman said continued mask wearing was "taking away your human rights."

She said: "I wouldn't have even had them in the first place."

SLTA hails end to Covid passports as ‘common sense'

PA Media

The announcement that the Covid passport scheme will end on Monday has been hailed as “common sense” by the Scottish Licensed Trade Association.

SLTA managing director Colin Wilkinson said: "Calling a halt to Covid passports is common sense and fantastic news for hospitality businesses, particularly the late-night sector where restrictions over the last two years have had such a severe impact.

“However, the legal requirement to wear a face covering in indoor hospitality and other settings for another month is not the news we wanted to hear today."

Mr Wilkinson said a "very, very long and uphill struggle" lay ahead for many hospitality businesses.

Is Test and Protect still in force?

PA Media

Test and Protect is still operational but the first minister has confirmed a detailed plan setting out its longer term priorities will be published next month.

Ms Sturgeon earlier told MSPs it will set out the Scottish government's aims in more detail, and describe the scale of infrastructure that will remain in place beyond the spring.

She added the plan will confirm the duration of any transition period during which the system will operate broadly on the same basis as it does now.

Ms Sturgeon said: "The public health reasons for ensuring a careful, phased transition from the current arrangements to a more targeted testing system are the most important."

Hospitality sector criticises face masks for another month

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The hospitality sector has voiced its agreement that ministers should be doing more to increase public confidence.

Scottish Hospitality Group spokesman Stephen Montgomery argued that the continued use of face coverings could prevent people from going to venues.

He said: "There are a number of details which will require further thought and consultation, and we would have liked to see a clearer and faster transition to the end of restrictions and mandatory use of masks, as keeping these for a further month does nothing for rebuilding consumer confidence."

He welcomed the step towards normality and said the sector would continue to do all it could to keep customers safe.

What are the new isolation rules for Scotland? Has anything changed?

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The first minister used her Covid update to emphasise that in Scotland, for now, those who test positive for the virus will continue to be asked to isolate for the recommended period.

At present anyone who tests positive, regardless of vaccination status, must self-isolate for 10 days.

But since 6 January new cases have been advised they can end self-isolation if they don’t have a fever and test negative on a Lateral Flow Device (LFD) on day six and, again, at least 24 hours later.

Ms Sturgeon says the Scottish government will continue to make self isolation support payments available to those who are eligible but added the recommended period of isolation will be kept under review.

She told MSPs: "It is worth stressing that isolating when positive with a highly infectious virus - and the follow-up tracing that Test and Protect does - remains one of the most fundamental public health protections that we have available to us."

The first minister adds the strategy helps limit transmission overall and protects those most at risk from serious illness should they contract the virus.

Covid strategic framework: The key points

PA Media

• Vaccine passports will no longer be required in Scotland from next Monday 28 February
• The legal requirement to wear face masks will end on 21 March
• Nicola Sturgeon said people would still be advised to wear masks in shops and on public transport
• On 21 March businesses, places of worship and service providers will no longer be legally required to take Scottish government-advised measures
• A legal requirement for contact tracing will also end on 21 March
• The new strategic framework for living with Covid will rely less on legally imposed measures and more on vaccines, treatments and good public health behaviours
• Nicola Surgeon expressed frustration about a lack of clarity from the UK government about testing infrastructure and funding
• A plan for a more targeted testing system will be published next month
• In the meantime the FM urged the public to continue to make regular use of lateral flow tests

Call for support to get businesses back on their feet

Small business owners have welcomed the news that legal restrictions would be wound down - but say work needs to begin immediately to get firms back on their feet.

Andrew McRae, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Scotland’s policy chairman, said ministers need to give the public confidence over returning to a more normal way of life.

He said: “With a new economic strategy in the pipeline, we’d urge ministers to ensure that the local firms and self-employed people that gave up so much are at the centre of their plans.

"And local authorities and the Scottish government must work together to ensure that cash aimed at recovery reaches the real economy."

'A significant step towards normality returning'

CBI Scotland have welcomed the strategic framework document outlining Scotland's route out of restrictions as a "significant step towards normality returning"

CBI Scotland director Tracy Black said: “Firms want the removal of remaining restrictions to be a springboard for confidence, providing the certainty they need to invest and generating a much-needed boost to the Scottish economy.

"But they are also aware that the virus hasn’t disappeared, so will continue to protect their staff and customers, as they have from the outset.

"“Living confidently with the virus means prioritising infrastructure over interventions. Firms will welcome the continued emphasis on our world-leading vaccine and anti-viral programmes as the key pillars in our efforts to keep people safe."

Ms Black goes on to say: “While free testing cannot continue forever, mass lateral flow testing has helped keep large parts or our economy open, and firms continue to believe the economic benefits far outweigh the costs.”

We need more clarity on testing in Scotland - expert

BBC

Coronavirus expert Dr Christine Tait-Burkard, from the University of Edinburgh, tells BBC Scotland News that further clarity on what is happening with testing is needed.

She says Scotland is moving from a population protection approach to protecting individual at-risk groups - and testing is required to help the most vulnerable, for example for anti-viral treatments that can prevent people from going into hospital.

However, she says the good news is that data from other countries indicates that Scotland's case numbers are likely to go down overall after a period of remaining static.

SRC welcomes clarity over timetable to end Covid restrictions

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The Scottish Retail Consortium has welcomed the publication of the full refreshed Covid strategic framework and the indicative date of 21 March for rescinding of the regulations affecting shops.

SRC director David Lonsdale said: “After a difficult winter of regulations and restrictions retailers will welcome today’s milestone announcement of a clear timeframe for ending the remaining curbs and statutory guidance that shops must follow.

"Nearly two years of restrictions have left many retail businesses at breaking point; they will be relieved there is light at the end of this long tunnel."

He continued: "It will be up to retailers and customers to continue to show consideration and good sense whilst Covid remains a risk."

Full details of Scotland's route out of restrictions published

While the first minister has been talking, the Scottish government has published its full strategic framework document outlining Scotland's route out of restrictions.

In her foreword, Nicola Sturgeon says: "Even though the road ahead may yet be challenging at times – we know that recovery and progress to a better future is now under way."

• You can read the full strategic framework document here

Labour calls framework 'more like progress report'

Ms Baillie raises a number of further issues, saying the Covid framework is more like a “progress report”.

She asks the FM to set out what “low, medium and high” risk levels mean and how they will be measured in future.

She also asks for more detail about testing categories and support for those with long Covid.

On risk levels, the FM says it would not be appropriate not to rely on fixed thresholds because different variants will have a different impact.

Ms Sturgeon insists there is a great level of detail in the framework document.

Will free testing continue beyond the end of March?

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Scottish Labour's health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie criticises the conflict between the UK and Scottish governments when she says they should be working together.

She says the FM has suggested that testing will remain free of charge until the end of March - but asks what will happen thereafter.

Ms Sturgeon says that as late as Friday, the Scottish government was expecting the UK government to set out plans for how testing would be retained and how it would be funded - and that a cabinet meeting was postponed "because they were still having conflict amongst themselves".

She says she expects the Scottish government will extend free testing beyond the end of March but she needs to know what resources from the UK are available to support that.

'Covid has not gone away' - FM

The first minister says Douglas Ross has opposed almost everything her government has done during the pandemic.

Ms Sturgeon says: "We will be driven by the data, the evidence and by the application of judgement."

She tells the chamber, in terms of testing, the transition to a more targeted programme should be "careful and phased".

The first minister argues there was no clarity from the UK government on what it will retain in terms of testing or its funding, which is "deeply regrettable".

She points out Covid has not gone away and contingency powers must be retained.

Finallly she insists her ministers continually engage with businesses.