Nicola Sturgeon coronavirus briefing: Lockdown lifting routemap in Scotland will not be 'identical' to England’s

Scotland’s routemap out of lockdown would be “sure and steady, even if it is a bit slow”, according to Nicola Sturgeon, who said the easing of restrictions “will not be identical” in England.

Speaking at the Scottish Government daily briefing, the First Minister confirmed that current lockdown restrictions across Scotland would be lifted “gradually”, before the nation returned to the geographic “levels” system originally imposed in autumn last year.

She said: “This will be a cautious way forward because it's really important that, as we come out of this lockdown, we do so sustainably.

“We've got every reason to be very optimistic right now that the lockdown is working, and all of the indications are that vaccination is having an impact as well.

“But we don't want to set back our progress...we don't want, if we can avoid it, to face another lockdown.”

She insisted that she planned to go sure and steady, even if it is a bit slow”.

Ms Sturgeon said her administration would “make our own judgments” on when it would reopen Scotland’s economy, but added that there would still be “broad similarities” with the approach taken in England.

Divergence between Scotland and England is already apparent, as primary school children north of the border returned to classes on Monday morning.

Scotland’s routemap out of lockdown would be “sure and steady, even if it is a bit slow”, according to Nicola Sturgeon, who said the easing of restrictions “will not be identical” in England. (Jane Barlow-Pool/Getty Images)

In England, however, schools are not set to reopen until the second week of March.

Ms Sturgeon, who attended a meeting with other four nations leaders earlier today, said: “I would think that while our plans out of lockdown will not be identical...I think there will be broad similarities.

“It seems that [the UK Government] will prioritise children and education and getting life back to normal for young people before doing other things,” she said, “and so I think the principles will be the same.

“We're living through the same pandemic.”

Divergence between Scotland and England is already apparent, as primary school children north of the border returned to classes on Monday morning. (Geoff Pugh - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

She added: “Clearly we will make our own judgments about the particular order and the particular timing of [lifting restrictions] because the data is not identical in each of the four nations.”

Ms Sturgeon also argued that the Scottish Government’s routemap out of lockdown must be “driven by data” more that “driven by dates”.

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