Catherine Calderwood admits visiting second home twice during lockdown as Nicola Sturgeon responds

“My intention is to continue to focus on my job.”

Scotland’s chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood has admitted visiting her holiday home twice during lockdown, despite Government guidelines urging people to stay indoors.

Images, published by the Scottish Sun on Sunday, show Dr Calderwood, 51, 44 miles away from her home in Edinburgh with other family members at their second home in Earlsferry, Fife.

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During today’s Government briefing alongside First Minister Nicola Strurgeon, Dr Calderwood said her own actions were wrong and admitted she also visited her second home last weekend with her husband. She added: “I’m very sorry, it will not happen again.

Catherine Calderwood admits visiting second home twice during lockdown as Nicola Sturgeon respondsCatherine Calderwood admits visiting second home twice during lockdown as Nicola Sturgeon responds
Catherine Calderwood admits visiting second home twice during lockdown as Nicola Sturgeon responds

“This was a mistake, human error and there are no excuses. I should not have done what I did and I’m very sorry.

“My intention is to continue to focus on my job.”

Ms Sturgeon described Dr Calderwood’s actions as “wrong” but stressed her expertise has been “invaluable” and asked the public “not to be angry” and to allow her to continue providing her expertise during the pandemic.

She added: "All of us, including me, will make mistakes in these unprecedented times we are living in. When we do we must be candid about it and learn from it."

She said the CMO is learning from her error, and added: "Over the past few weeks, as we have been dealing with this crisis, her advice and expertise has been invaluable to me."

She added that "not withstanding her mistake on this, she is doing extremely well".

Dr Calderwood said she was also at her second home last weekend with her husband.