Coronavirus: Nicola Sturgeon rejects claims of lockdown lift in May
- Published
Nicola Sturgeon says there are no plans to re-open schools next month
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has denied claims that lockdown restrictions could be lifted next month.
Several Sunday papers have reported that lockdown measures could be relaxed from 11 May, including the re-opening of schools and some retailers.
Ms Sturgeon said it was still not possible to say when schools in Scotland would reopen.
She said that all decisions must be "solidly based and not premature".
Three days ago, Ms Sturgeon announced that Scotland's coronavirus lockdown would continue for "at least another three weeks".
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She took part in a Cobra emergency committee meeting on Thursday which discussed extending restrictions.
She said that while there was "positive" news that lockdown was slowing the spread of the virus, it was not yet time to ease social distancing.
And she said she would begin to set out the basic principles of an "exit strategy" from the lockdown in the coming week.
But she said her message remained for people to "stay at home", and that "this virus is not going to simply disappear".
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove told BBC's Andrew Marr Show that it was "too soon" to lift the lockdown.
He said reports that the UK government was looking to gradually lift some lockdown restrictions, such as re-opening schools and allowing some small social gatherings, by 11 May were "not true".
"Other countries are relaxing some aspects of restrictions and we will be looking at what they are doing, and looking at our own data and evidence," he said.
"We want to make sure we make a balanced judgement about when restrictions can be lifted, and at what time, but the reports of 11 May are not true."
Mr Gove insisted the country must maintain the current measures until rates of infection are reduced, death rates are falling and NHS capacity is "resilient".
He added that even as some restrictions are lifted the way in which our schools and shops and factories will operate will change.
The number of people who have died from coronavirus in Scotland's hospitals yesterday rose to 893.
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- Published16 April 2020
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