Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon addressed the Scottish nation today with the sombre news that she was reinstating draconian measures stopping Scots from spending time together at home once more. As part of her new rule, set to reduce the R-rate of coronavirus in Scotland, Sturgeon urged hopeful-holidaymakers not to jet off.
“Please think of the October break as an opportunity to further limit social interaction,” she said.
“And, given that this is a global pandemic, please do not book travel overseas for the October break if it is not essential.”
Though the same warning has not been issued in England, where Prime Minister Boris Johnson continues to allow social interaction in groups of up to six, in previous weeks the PM followed suit of Scotland’s rules swiftly after.
For example, initially Spain remained on England’s travel corridor list despite rising cases of COVID-19, meanwhile Scotland omitted the nation from its independent list on July 9.
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This means self-isolating for 14-days on return from any country not on the travel corridor list.
Those found in breach of this rule will face fines of up to £1,000.
Other rules in Scotland which will impact travel include car sharing.
Scots are now banned from travelling in a car with anyone who they do not live with.
“We know, again from Test & Protect data, that sharing car journeys presents a significant risk of transmission,” said Sturgeon.
“We are therefore advising against car sharing with people outside your own household.”
The First Minister clarified: “Outdoors, though, we intend to exempt children under 12 – both from the limit of six and the limit of two households. There will be no limits on the ability of children under 12 to play together outdoors.
“And young people aged 12 to 18 will be exempt from the two household limit – they will be able to meet outdoors in groups of up to six, though we will need to monitor this carefully.”
Couples who do not live together are also allowed to continue to meet up in each others households, along with any children either party may have.
This is not the case in England at the time of writing.
There are some areas all nations have agreed upon, however.
This includes a new 10pm curfew at all bars, pubs and restaurants.
In a gloomy address to MPs, the PM shattered any hopes of a return to the normal life Britons once enjoyed before March 2021.
“Unless we palpably make progress then we should assume that the restrictions I have announced will remain in place for perhaps six months,” he concluded.
