Nicola Sturgeon refuses to keep Scotland’s mask laws in place for YEARS as she blasts Boris Johnson’s Covid plan, saying England is a global ‘outsider’
- The first minister said covering the face ‘not the biggest obstacle’
- Scotland craves Omicron variant measures – but mask rules remain in place
- PM unveils bonfire of almost all restrictions in England until March
nicola sturgeon Said Scotland’s mask rules could be in place for years to come if they help the fight against Covid today – as it exploded boris johnsonThe decision to lift most of the restrictions from this week.
The First Minister said that face coverings were “not the biggest hurdle” people were facing as the country was trying to recover from Covid.
Various measures have been taken on Boxing Day to deal with this. omicron The variant will be phased out from tomorrow, but laws mandating masks in shops and other settings remain in place.
In contrast, the prime minister unveiled the bonfire of almost all restrictions in England until March, including guidance on masks.
Asked today on the BBC’s Sunday Morning program whether she could see people wearing masks in Scotland for ‘months or years to come’, Ms Sturgeon said: ‘I hope not. I do not want any of these remedies to last longer than necessary.
‘But the mask… is something we can do. None of us enjoy wearing them, but they probably aren’t the biggest deterrent to trying to stop a transmission.
‘So while they can make a difference in controlling the virus, I think that’s something we should be doing.
I would suggest again that it is England that stands out here, not Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, or many countries around the world.’
The Scottish Conservative shadow cabinet secretary for COVID recovery, Murdo Fraser, said: ‘Nicola Sturgeon still cannot bring herself to accept the Christmas restrictions that were unnecessary.
The First Minister said that face coverings were “not the biggest hurdle” people were facing as the country was trying to recover from Covid.
In contrast, the prime minister unveiled the bonfire of almost all restrictions in England until March, including guidance on masks.
‘SNP is quick to enforce COVID rules, but too slow to get significant funding to businesses. It’s a shame that so many small companies are still waiting to get a penny.
‘It is shocking that Nicola Sturgeon plans to continue with the Vaccine Passport scheme, even though she cannot point to any solid evidence showing it to be effective.’
His comments on the English Covid regime echo those made by his Welsh counterpart Mark Drakeford in early January.
He slammed England as an international ‘outsider’ for opposing the stringent sanctions over his handling of O’Micron and accused the PM of overseeing a ‘politically paralyzed’ administration that had tied his hands.
From tomorrow, bars and restaurants in Scotland will not only be able to serve customers sitting at tables, but social distancing will also be lifted.
Nightclubs will also be allowed to reopen as it already lifts restrictions Christmas, while the plan to extend the Kovid Passport Scheme has been scrapped.
Attendance limits on indoor events will also be removed – bringing them in line with outdoor events in a move that will go into effect tomorrow.
However, baseline coronavirus measures, including masks, are still legally required indoors and on public transport before the omicron wave persists.
Unlike in England, Mr Johnson last week announced plans to end all COVID restrictions by the spring.
Plan B will also be dropped as the Omicron wave decreases.
The under-fire PM ended working from home with immediate effect, with the remaining omicron-fighting measures – Covid passports and mandatory face masks – removed from Thursday in an effort to win back the support of Tory lawmakers and voters after a partygate row will be given. ,
He also stated his intention to remove all remaining COVID laws by 24 March, including basic measures such as mandatory self-isolation for positive cases and the requirement to give your address to the NHS Test and Trace if you have COVID.
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