Nicola  Sturgeon: schools in Scotland unlikely to return as early as June 1

The First Minister has also expressed concern about the ‘vague’ strategy announced by the Prime Minister
The First Minister has also expressed concern about the ‘vague’ strategy announced by the Prime MinisterThe First Minister has also expressed concern about the ‘vague’ strategy announced by the Prime Minister
The First Minister has also expressed concern about the ‘vague’ strategy announced by the Prime Minister

Writing in The Scotsman today, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that schools in Scotland are unlikely to be open as early as June 1.

She wrote: “Beyond that, we will continue to consider when and how more businesses can safely start to reopen, what changes will be required to public transport and when and how children can start returning to school – but I do not expect that schools in Scotland will start to return as early as June 1.

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“When it comes to the proposed moves by the UK Government for a period of quarantine for people travelling into the UK, that is something I have made it clear that I believe is vital to our efforts to contain the virus."

Her comment comes as Boris is expected to lay out further details on his lockdown easing roadmap in the House of Commons later today which is likely to include a plan for English shops and primary schools to return from June 1 starting with reception, year one and year six.

Abandoning the stay at home message in Scotland and following Boris Johnson's easing of lockdown would put lives at risk, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The First Minister said Scots should continue to stay at home for all but essential purposes.

She said she will not be adopting the "very vague" strategy announced by the Prime Minister on Sunday evening.

Speaking in front of a large "stay at home" banner for interviews on BBC Breakfast and ITV's Good Morning Britain, Ms Sturgeon said the only change to the guidance in Scotland is people can now go out for exercise as much as they want.

The UK Government has unveiled a "stay alert" message and said anyone who cannot work from home should be "actively encouraged to go to work" in England unless they have coronavirus symptoms or are particularly vulnerable.

Asked whether she felt it would be unsafe to replicate the UK Government's policy, Ms Sturgeon said: "If - given the state of the evidence in Scotland and the state of the virus in Scotland - I was to do that now in Scotland, then yes I think that would potentially put lives at risk."

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Discussing Mr Johnson's statement, she stressed the Prime Minister "has an obligation to be very clear" in his messaging but said: "I think 'stay alert' is very vague compared to 'stay at home'."

"All leaders in all Governments worldwide right now are asking populations to do things that are highly restrictive and the duty on us is to be as clear as possible - not to muddy the water, not to mix the messages but to be clear and to be clear why we're asking people to do that," Ms Sturgeon said.

"I make no apologies for the fact that right now I'm erring on the side of caution.

"I'd love to say go and see your mum and dad, I'd love to go and see my own mum and dad but I must err on the side of caution until we have more confidence that this virus is under control and that we can ease restrictions and keep it under control with a mixture of social distancing and test, trace isolate.

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