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Coronavirus: Sturgeon 'not convinced' lockdown will be lifted next week Coronavirus: Sturgeon 'not convinced' lockdown will be lifted next week
(about 1 hour later)
Nicola Sturgeon has said she is "far from convinced" that any coronavirus lockdown restrictions will be lifted at the next review point on 7 May.Nicola Sturgeon has said she is "far from convinced" that any coronavirus lockdown restrictions will be lifted at the next review point on 7 May.
Strict social distancing rules have to be reviewed every three weeks by law.Strict social distancing rules have to be reviewed every three weeks by law.
But the Scottish first minister said the "margins for manoeuvre" for making changes were still "very, very narrow".But the Scottish first minister said the "margins for manoeuvre" for making changes were still "very, very narrow".
Ministers are considering ways of gradually lifting the lockdown, but Ms Sturgeon warned that it "is not going to be a flick of the switch moment".Ministers are considering ways of gradually lifting the lockdown, but Ms Sturgeon warned that it "is not going to be a flick of the switch moment".
She said the key objective was to "get the virus to as low a level as possible" and then keep it there with continued social distancing and a testing and isolation regime.She said the key objective was to "get the virus to as low a level as possible" and then keep it there with continued social distancing and a testing and isolation regime.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to set out the UK government's thinking on options for easing restrictions in future, after Ms Sturgeon's government published a paper on the same topic.Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to set out the UK government's thinking on options for easing restrictions in future, after Ms Sturgeon's government published a paper on the same topic.
However, the first minister told ITV's Peston programme that any changes to the current lockdown would not happen overnight.However, the first minister told ITV's Peston programme that any changes to the current lockdown would not happen overnight.
She said: "People talk about lifting the lockdown, that is not going to be a flick of the switch moment - we're going to have to be very careful, very slow, very gradual.She said: "People talk about lifting the lockdown, that is not going to be a flick of the switch moment - we're going to have to be very careful, very slow, very gradual.
"I'm far from convinced at this stage that when we get to the next review point on 7 May we'll be in a position to lift any of these measures right now, because the margins of manoeuvre that we're operating in right now are very, very tight and narrow.""I'm far from convinced at this stage that when we get to the next review point on 7 May we'll be in a position to lift any of these measures right now, because the margins of manoeuvre that we're operating in right now are very, very tight and narrow."
Ms Sturgeon has pledged that next week she will update her government's paper with more detailed options on how to begin easing restrictions.Ms Sturgeon has pledged that next week she will update her government's paper with more detailed options on how to begin easing restrictions.
She has said the country could return to something like the previous "containment" phase of dealing with the virus, which would involve a "test, trace, isolate" system of tracking down people who have come into contact with infectious patients and have them go into isolation.She has said the country could return to something like the previous "containment" phase of dealing with the virus, which would involve a "test, trace, isolate" system of tracking down people who have come into contact with infectious patients and have them go into isolation.
She said: "It stands to reason you have to protect your NHS from being overwhelmed, which is why we've said all along protecting the NHS is an objective, but its not a sufficient objective in and of itself.She said: "It stands to reason you have to protect your NHS from being overwhelmed, which is why we've said all along protecting the NHS is an objective, but its not a sufficient objective in and of itself.
"The key objective in my view is to get the virus to as low a level as possible, and then through, unfortunately, a period of continued social distancing. And in the next phase test, trace, isolate to keep it as low as possible so we are minimising the harm it does to people and minimising the number of people who die from it.""The key objective in my view is to get the virus to as low a level as possible, and then through, unfortunately, a period of continued social distancing. And in the next phase test, trace, isolate to keep it as low as possible so we are minimising the harm it does to people and minimising the number of people who die from it."
Testing targets Ms Sturgeon said the whole focus should not be on protecting the capacity of the health services, as NHS Scotland currently only has 114 of its 600 intensive care beds filled.
She said: "If your only objective was not overwhelming the NHS I could say to you, well we could afford to have the numbers of people in intensive care quadrupling, and we still wouldn't be overwhelming the NHS."
Both the Scottish and UK governments have set targets for ramping up testing by the end of April.Both the Scottish and UK governments have set targets for ramping up testing by the end of April.
Ms Sturgeon has said she is confident that the Scottish government will exceed capacity for 3,500 tests per day, but there have been reports that the full capacity is not always used.Ms Sturgeon has said she is confident that the Scottish government will exceed capacity for 3,500 tests per day, but there have been reports that the full capacity is not always used.
She has warned that mass testing should not be seen as a "panacea", and that the current tests are not always reliable unless patients are showing symptoms.She has warned that mass testing should not be seen as a "panacea", and that the current tests are not always reliable unless patients are showing symptoms.
The UK government had set a target of 100,000 tests by the end of April, but again has more capacity than is being utilised.The UK government had set a target of 100,000 tests by the end of April, but again has more capacity than is being utilised.
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said it was "probable" that the 100,000 target would not be met by Thursday's deadline but that it would be in the "next few days".Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said it was "probable" that the 100,000 target would not be met by Thursday's deadline but that it would be in the "next few days".
What do I need to know about the coronavirus?What do I need to know about the coronavirus?