More dates for the easing of lockdown - but no acceleration warn experts
Nicola Sturgeon will set out details of the re-opening of shopping, and hospitality later
Last updated 16th Mar 2021
The First Minister will be announcing more possible dates for the for the easing of lockdown measures on hospitality and retail in Scotland to MSPs today,
Nicola Sturgeon will be at Holyrood to set out details of the re-opening of shopping, outdoor and subsequently indoor hospitality, and further relaxations to the rules about meeting up with other households.
Speaking on Monday, she said: "I will seek to set out some details of what changes we hope to be able to make in early April - hopefully around April 5 - and then what further easing we might expect to see in late April, and then mid-May, and in much less detail beyond that.
"We cannot provide certainty on everything at this stage, particularly the further into the future we try to look, but we will try to provide as much clarity now as possible.
She added the statement will "hopefully help you understand when you can expect to see some of the key early milestones in our route back to normality''.
No acceleration
Professor of public health at Edinburgh University, Linda Bauld, told Forth 1 News: "I would be surprised if we saw an acceleration at this stage.
"Not all the numbers are going down. They might be moving in the right direction in two or three weeks time, but the fact they're not all at the moment means we're not going to hear that there will be a speeding up, and there will still be that three week gap between the changes.
"The Scottish Government is very cautious and I wouldn't expect hospitality to be opening at the same time as some of the sectors of retail. I think it will be a staged thing, and it will be a later date for them."
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has called for the "full plan'' to be published.
He said at his conference speech: "We expect a roadmap that tells everyone to get ready - because we're getting our normal lives back.
"The Scottish people expect to be treated as adults, and honestly told - here's what to expect. They know that dates aren't chiselled in stone.''