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'Stay at home' is still key, Sturgeon insists Scottish exercise rule eased but disagreement over 'stay alert' message
(about 4 hours later)
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said stay at home remains her "clear message" to Scotland. Scotland's First Minister has asked the UK government not to advertise its new "stay alert" message north of the border.
It comes after reports of a change in coronavirus messaging from the UK government to "stay alert". Nicola Sturgeon also said the devolved nations should not be learning about each others plans for the first time in the media.
The first minister said the Sunday papers had been the first place she had seen the new slogan. She also stressed the situation remains "fragile" but confirmed an easing of the exercise guidelines.
However, she said that given the "critical point" which had been reached in tackling the virus her message was still to stay at home and save lives. From Monday the once-a-day limit will be removed.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to unveil a new slogan, telling the public to "stay alert, control the virus, save lives". But she said people must still stay close to home and emphasised the move does not extend to picnics, sunbathing or barbeques.
Health secretary Jeane Freeman told BBC Politics Scotland the Scottish government had not been consulted on it and she had "no idea" what it meant. The first minister said the Sunday papers had been the first place she had seen the UK government's new slogan and admitted: "I do not know what 'Stay Alert' means."
Ms Sturgeon accepted the need for other parts of the UK to move at different speeds, based on scientific evidence and said she is committed to the closest possible cooperation.
But she added: "We should not be reading of each others plans for the first time in newspapers and decisions that are taken for one nation only, for good evidence based reasons, should not be presented as if they apply UK-wide.
"Clarity of message is paramount if we expect all of you to know what we are asking of you and as leaders we have a duty to deliver that clarity to those that we are accountable to, not to confuse it.
"To that end I have asked the UK government not to deploy their 'stay alert' advertising campaign in Scotland."
Ms Sturgeon added that the message in Scotland is not "stay at home if you can" but rather "stay at home full stop".
She was speaking after latest figures show the number of deaths has increased by 10 to 1,587, while the number of positive cases is now 13,486.
Boris Johnson will address the nation from Downing Street on Sunday evening, setting out the next steps in England's coronavirus response.
'No idea'
The lockdown, which was announced on 23 March, has already been extended for another three weeks in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to 28 May.
Earlier Scottish health secretary Jeane Freeman told BBC Politics Scotland the Scottish government had not been consulted on it and she had "no idea" what it meant.
"We have not been consulted on the possibility of any change and, as it has been reported, that is not a change that we would agree with," she said."We have not been consulted on the possibility of any change and, as it has been reported, that is not a change that we would agree with," she said.
"I think the first minister was really clear last week that the 'Stay At Home' message is the right message and, if I am perfectly frank, I have no idea what 'Stay Alert' actually means.""I think the first minister was really clear last week that the 'Stay At Home' message is the right message and, if I am perfectly frank, I have no idea what 'Stay Alert' actually means."
The UK government wants the whole of country - not just England - to adopt the new "stay alert" message in the fight against the novel coronavirus, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick has said.The UK government wants the whole of country - not just England - to adopt the new "stay alert" message in the fight against the novel coronavirus, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick has said.
He told the BBC's Andrew Marr that it is the right time to "update and broaden" the message to the public because "we've passed the peak" of Covid-19 cases in the UK.He told the BBC's Andrew Marr that it is the right time to "update and broaden" the message to the public because "we've passed the peak" of Covid-19 cases in the UK.
Mr Jenrick explained that "stay alert" means "staying at home as much as possible" but "stay alert when you do go out by maintaining social distancing, washing your hands, respecting others in the workplace and other settings"Mr Jenrick explained that "stay alert" means "staying at home as much as possible" but "stay alert when you do go out by maintaining social distancing, washing your hands, respecting others in the workplace and other settings"
He argued that it is still "a cautious message because the rate of infection is still high".He argued that it is still "a cautious message because the rate of infection is still high".
'Maximum caution'
The Scottish government's national clinical director Prof Jason Leitch has also said advice remains "very cautious" about any easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
He told BBC Breakfast it was still "too early" to think about any "major changes".
Prof Leitch added that it was "quite clear" that the key message in Scotland was "stay at home".
He described it as a "very, very fragile moment" and a time to exercise "maximum caution" as the public had done "astonishingly well" at reducing viral transmission by staying at home.
"The best protection for this virus is your front door - there isn't any question about that," he said.
"Until the numbers are really low and we understand where it is and we can control outbreaks and we can do our test, trace, isolate systems across the four nations we are still very cautious.
"I am not the decision-maker, I am one of the many advisers, so the advice is cautious.
"The decision-makers in the four countries will then make choices."
He said speculation about any changes to lockdown was unhelpful but it was a question of taking "baby steps".
Prof Leitch added that it was also possible there would be small differences between how different countries moved forward.
"I can see a scenario where we may take the pace at a slightly different rate," he said.
However, he said he did not think there would be any "massive differences" across the UK.