Nicola Sturgeon pledged to make resources available for local health teams to rollout walk-in coronavirus vaccine centres as she pumped the brakes on lockdown easing amid a surge of cases in the north east.
The first minister told the Scottish Parliament that plans to move to the lowest level of restrictions on June 28 will likely be postponed by at least three weeks because caution is needed to provide extra time to push ahead with vaccinations.
Ms Sturgeon said a “significant portion” of the country has not yet been fully vaccinated and that this remains “our biggest vulnerability at this stage – and it is a significant one” with the Covid case rate now five times higher than it was in early May.
It comes as the latest government figures showed spikes in a number of areas around the country. Dundee has been singled out as a particular concern with cases rising to 294.7 per 100,000, double the national average and significantly higher than Glasgow.
In a statement at Holyrood on Tuesday, Ms Sturgeon said plans to ease restrictions will “in all probability” be paused and that this will be confirmed following the next scheduled review of protection levels on June 22.
She said: “Given the current situation – and the need to get more people fully vaccinated before we ease up further – it is reasonable to indicate now that I think it unlikely that any part of the country will move down a level from June 28.
“Instead, it is likely that we will opt to maintain restrictions for a further three weeks from June 28 and use that time to vaccinate – with both doses – as many more people as possible.
“Doing that will give us the best chance, later in July, of getting back on track and restoring the much greater normality that we all crave.”
Cases are rising
The announcement means Scotland’s mainland council areas will remain in either level one or level two, although many island communities including Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles are already in level zero.
Ms Sturgeon said 6,651 new cases of the virus have been reported over the past week, which compares to 5,475 the week before.
It means cases have risen by more than a fifth over the past seven days, with those aged between 30-39 now making up the largest group of new hospital admissions with confirmed cases of the virus.
Ms Sturgeon said health boards across Scotland will from next week begin bringing forward appointments to meet the new eight-week target for second vaccinations.
She added: “Local health boards of course will use surge testing (and) walk-in clinics as they think appropriate.”
The first minister confirmed the Scottish Government will also publish a paper outlining what it hopes life will look like beyond level zero – the lowest tier of restrictions – and that this will be accompanied by a review of physical distancing.
Mixed messages
However Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the Scottish Government had put out “mixed messages” and called for action to speed up vaccinations.
He said: “In order to maintain public trust and confidence we need consistent communications, consistent decision-making, adequate support for businesses and employees alongside a robust vaccination programme, and hot-spot protocols.
“I accept what the first minister has said around the delay, but there has been mixed messages that I think do not help maintain public trust.
“We have also seen inconsistent decision making: why is it okay to have 3,000 fans at a fan zone, but parents cannot attend a nursery graduation outdoors?”
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said Ms Sturgeon and national clinical director, Jason Leitch, “don’t seem to be on the same page” after Prof Leitch said on Monday that it could be September before Scotland moves to level zero.
Accusing the first minister of attempting to dodge answering if that is the government’s position, Mr Ross said: “People all over the country will be frustrated at the news that restrictions may continue for weeks or even months.
“We had all hoped for a summer of freedom – but this stubborn virus is determined to keep us scunnered instead. We are all thoroughly fed up with Covid and the damaging consequences it’s having on jobs, businesses and people’s mental and physical health.”