Coronavirus: Nicola Sturgeon’s statement as lockdown measures to continue for at least three more weeks

The First Minister has said the slowing down of the coronavirus is good news, but that social distancing measures will have to remain in place for some time to come.

Nicola Sturgeon spoke in an address broadcast live online following this afternoon’s Cobra meeting and the announcement by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab that lockdown measures would continue for at least the next three weeks.

Ms Sturgeon said that early indications are that the rate of community transmission has slowed down, and that it is hoped that the number of deaths will start to decline.

She said the “very difficult sacrifices” being made as part of lockdown measures are working, but the government is not yet confident that transmission has slowed sufficiently to ease restrictions.

She said: “The clear advice that I have been given at this stage is that these lockdown measures must stay in place for at least three more weeks.”

📺 Watch live: First Minister @NicolaSturgeon gives a statement on #coronavirus (#COVIDー19) ⬇ https://t.co/Z2xY4f7f4p

— Scottish Government (@scotgov) April 16, 2020

Ms Sturgeon reiterated points made earlier today that lifting measures would risk a resurgence in the virus.

It could, she said, result in another peak which would overwhelm the NHS and result in more care home cases and much more loss of life.

Another wave of the virus would also see a potential second damaging lockdown.

“As a result, in short, all of the progress we have achieved together in these last few weeks, through high compliance with the lockdown restrictions, would be lost,” Ms Sturgeon said.

“This is a risk we simply cannot take.”

The First Minister also made clear that she understands the desire from the public to know what will happen beyond lockdown.

She said she will always seek to be open about what she does know and what the Government is doing to seek answers on the issues they aren’t sure on.

Ms Sturgeon shared what she described as “brief thoughts” on the ongoing crisis, including the fact that we have to acknowledge that the virus is not going to “simply disappear” – we will have to live with it a long time.

Scientific advances including vaccines, treatments and tests will help along the way, she said, adding: “But all of that is in the future.”

On easing lockdown restrictions,  Ms Sturgeon said the challenge was to “find a better balance than the one we have now.”

“It will not be easy, and decisions will be complex,” she added.

Those decisions will be made from the government closely monitoring the spread of the virus, where they must be confident it is in retreat before changing the measures deployed.

Any revisions to restrictions, Ms Sturgeon said, must consider the impact they have on spread and NHS capacity, as well as on the economy, equality and wellbeing.

Incremental eases would have to consider what needs to be done instead, for example testing, surveillance, contact tracing, isolation. Work on all of these is underway, the First Minister said.

Ms Sturgeon urged the Scottish people to hold on to the “fundamental and enduring principles of love, kindness and solidarity” during the lockdown, while continuing to adhere to the Government’s social distancing guidance.

She said the Scottish Government would set out more detail about any plans to ease the measures in the “coming days”.

Ms Sturgeon said: “I want to give you as much confidence as I can, but while we don’t yet have all of the answers – no country does – we are developing a plan to help us plot the best course forward.

“In the meantime, thank you again for all you’re doing. We’re all feeling the pressure of these restrictions in our own lives and we are all worrying about family, friends and colleagues.

“Many of you, I know, are also worried about your jobs and how you will pay the bills. The Scottish Government will keep doing all we can to help with all of that.”

Ms Sturgeon thanked people for sticking to the lockdown rules and urged them to continue to do so, saying: “Please stick with the rules. Please stay at home to save lives.”