Scotland begins lockdown exit
Scotland has begun to exit the lockdown in earnest nearly two weeks after England took similar steps.
Hairdressers and barbers, bars and restaurants, cinemas, tourist attractions, places of worship and childcare centers can now all reopen after a four-month lockdown.
Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has described the development as "the biggest step so far" in exiting the lockdown.
Speaking at her daily coronavirus briefing, Sturgeon, who is also the leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP), admitted she is “nervous” about today’s changes.
"It is vital, more vital than it has been at any stage of this crisis so far, that all of us stick rigidly to the rules and guidance on how to behave in these different settings", the SNP leader said.
Scotland’s First Minister also fired off a warning by saying today’s exit from the lockdown was reversible in the event of a rise in COVID-19 infections.
"If these rules are not respected and the virus spreads again then I am afraid I am going to be standing here in a few weeks' time saying we're shutting pubs and restaurants again", Sturgeon added.
The reopening of indoor spaces is conditional on the implementation of anti-virus precautions inasmuch as all customers will be required to supply their names and a contact number as part of the Scottish National Health Service’s (NHS) Test and Protect scheme.
Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Sturgeon has attracted praise from across the political spectrum for her consistently skilful management of the public health crisis and its economic fallout.
Sturgeon’s steady leadership stands in stark contrast to the chaos in England where Boris Johnson’s government is widely blamed for mismanaging the crisis.
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