Nicola Sturgeon has warned dropping the “stay home” lockdown advice could be a “catastrophic mistake” – just days before the prime minister is expected to ditch the slogan.
The Scottish first minister said she would not be “pressured into lifting restrictions prematurely” as she extended Scotland’s lockdown by a further three weeks on Thursday.
She told a daily press briefing “extreme caution” was required at this “critical juncture” – and that scrapping the “clear, well understood” stay at home message could be a “potentially catastrophic mistake”.
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Her decision is at odds with Boris Johnson, who told MPs he hoped some restrictions could be eased across the UK as early as Monday.
The prime minister’s long-awaited roadmap of options for escaping the lockdown are expected to be unveiled on Sunday, and could come into effect the very next day.
According to reports, he is set to scrap the government’s “stay home” slogan, while picnics, sunbathing in parks and unlimited exercise could be put back on the table as he announces the first easing of the UK’s lockdown.
In an apparent change of messaging, official government Twitter accounts have dropped the stark slogan “stay home, save lives” and begun broadcasting the messages “stay safe, save lives”.
Public Health England has also signalled the “stay home” message could be abandoned, with a spokesperson saying: “We are reviewing all communications materials in anticipation of moving to the next phase of the government campaign.”
Downing Street has said any relaxation to social distancing measures next week will be “very limited”, while the prime minister told a cabinet meeting on Thursday: “We will advance with maximum caution.”
Ms Sturgeon said she would prefer for “all four UK nations to make changes together at the same pace”.
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But, she said, she “will not criticise” the prime minister if he “decides that he wants to move at a faster pace for England than I consider is right for Scotland”.
Giving an update on the latest Covid-19 figures for Scotland, the first minister revealed a total of 1,762 patients have died after testing positive for the virus, up by 59 from 1,703 on Wednesday.
She said 12,924 people have now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, up by 215 from 12,709 the day before.
There are 86 people in intensive care with coronavirus or symptoms, a decrease of three on Wednesday, and 1,587 patients are in hospital with the virus, a decrease of 45.
Since 5 March, 2,954 people who have tested positive for coronavirus in Scotland have been able to leave hospital.
Additional reporting by Press Association.
