Nicola Sturgeon is expected to detail Scotland’s roadmap out of the pandemic at her weekly coronavirus update on Tuesday.
The first minister will use the update to show people how the Scottish Government intends to move on from the coronavirus pandemic that has seen two years of restrictions, isolation and rigorous testing.
It comes as Boris Johnson is expected to scrap self-isolation rules in England, saying people need to learn to live with the virus.
Previously Ms Sturgeon said the roadmap plan will set out how Scotland adapts to living with the virus in a way that “mitigates the harm it does but without the kind of restrictive measures that we are all tired of and which do harm in other ways”.
So what can we expect from tomorrow’s announcement?
Approach will be more cautious than PM
The Scottish Government’s plan is likely to be much more cautious than Boris Johnson’s approach in England.
The first minister says while there is a need to get back to some kind of normality, “we have to recognise Covid is still circulating and cases are still quite high”.
She adds Scotland cannot “continually rely on restrictive measures” to manage the virus, but says “we cannot be indifferent to the continued risk”.
The Scottish Conservatives want to see Ms Sturgeon move quicker, saying Scotland needs to move away from “blanket restrictions and instead trust the public to do the right thing”.
Nicola Sturgeon has often been too quick to introduce restrictions and too cautious when it comes to lifting them.
Tomorrow the SNP must introduce plans to get Scotland as close to normality as possible. pic.twitter.com/Aoi81Nh9ny
— Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) February 21, 2022
The party’s health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP says he wants to see the Test and Protect app scrapped, an interim report on the Covid public inquiry published, a network of long Covid clinics set up, and a national tutoring programme introduced to help kids catch up.
He said: “Nicola Sturgeon has often been too quick to introduce restrictions and too cautious when it comes to lifting them.
“We need to see a bold, strategic plan from her to get the country back on its feet and as close to normality as possible.”
Some measures like face masks could stay
Some protective measures, such as wearing face masks, could stay for the time being to help avoid stricter measures needing to be brought back.
Speaking to STV, the first minister said: “Sometimes when you hear people talk about learning to live with Covid, what seems to be suggested is that one morning we’ll wake up and not have to worry about it anymore, and not have to do anything to try to contain and control it.
“That’s not what I mean when I say ‘learning to live with it’.
“Instead, we will have to ask ourselves what adaptations to pre-pandemic life – face coverings, for example – might be required in the longer-term to enable us to live with far fewer protective measures.”
This comes after the Scottish Government agreed to ditch the need for school pupils to wear face masks in the classroom.
Could full lockdown measures come back?
One thing Ms Sturgeon has refused to be drawn on is whether or not this roadmap will set out “trigger points” for reintroducing restrictions.
Whatever is included, it is likely proposals will be on a whole-nation approach.
It means we probably won’t see situations where some areas of the country have tighter restrictions than elsewhere.
FM will push to keep testing free
One of the big questions is whether or not mass testing will remain, and whether or not it will be free.
Boris Johnson is expected to announce the end of mass testing as part of his plans to move on from the pandemic.
However, because funding for free testing comes from the Treasury, any reduction in spending will have an impact on Scotland, regardless of what the Scottish Government wants.
Ms Sturgeon said: “We are back again being really starkly reminded of this illogical position that the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments have to deal with which is that we are responsible for public health decisions in our own countries, but it’s the Treasury who makes the funding decisions and they seem to be only triggered by the decisions Boris Johnson makes for England.
If this is correct, it’s catastrophic for the UK’s ability to ensure adequate Covid surveillance, outbreak management etc in future. To allow significant dismantling of the testing infrastructure built up in last 2 years would be inexcusable negligence given ongoing risks. https://t.co/8kuZOrYEQt
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) February 21, 2022
“That’s unsustainable, it’s unacceptable, but that’s the situation we’re in.”
She is confident the Scottish Government will be able to arrive at a decision on covering the cost of free testing in Scotland if this measure is scrapped in England.
This is also the position of Scottish Labour – the party’s deputy leader Jackie Baillie says if the UK Government ends free testing, the Scottish Government must do what it can to make sure free tests remain “to help contain the spread of the virus”.
Will self-isolation guidance change?
Even though self-isolation rules are expected to be scrapped south of the border, it is unlikely this will happen in Scotland, at least not immediately.
Ms Sturgeon told LBC self-isolation is a key part of the vigilance needed around the virus “because it means you’re not going into workplaces or shops or restaurants and potentially infecting other people.”
She added: “Self-isolation also makes those who are more vulnerable to Covid feel a bit more confident about going out, and about because they’re more assured that there’s not going to be positive people around them.”
FM not worried about backlash
Recently in countries such as Canada and New Zealand there have been widespread protests at government interference when it comes to managing coronavirus.
This has included lorry drivers blocking border crossings between Canada and the US.
The first minister says she is confident similar uprisings will not happen in Scotland, even if England eases their remaining restrictions quicker.
She said: “I look at polling evidence, and the Scottish Government has done regular polling, that would suggest that everybody wants to get back to normal.
“I want to get back to normal, but there’s strong support for sensible measures, that people understand the role they play in helping to contain the virus.”