'Get your waterproofs out': Bad weather no excuse to break lockdown, Nicola Sturgeon warns
Scots have been urged to refrain from meeting indoors and adhere to coronavirus lockdown rules ahead of a weekend of bad weather.
Lockdown rules were eased slightly in Scotland on Friday, allowing people from different households to meet outdoors in groups no larger than eight within five miles of their homes.
Speaking at the daily COVID-19 briefing from Holyrood on Thursday, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon told the public not to meet up unless they are “willing to get their waterproofs out” and convene outdoors.
Her statement came after the nation recorded one daily death from COVID-19 on Monday, the first time Scotland has recorded single digit figures since 21 March. On Thursday, fatalities rose to nine, taking the figure to 2,395.
Despite the drop in figures, the first minister said Scots should continue to focus on current social distancing rules.
Sturgeon said: "I'm asking you today to focus not just on what you are allowed to do as a result of the small changes we made last week.
“But to focus even more so on what we are asking you to not to do. It is by not doing certain things that we all help stop this virus spreading.
"So that means not meeting households indoors, not coming within two metres of people from other households, not shaking their hands, not sharing food with others, and not leaving your face uncovered in enclosed spaces like shops and public transport.
"Ahead of a weekend when unfortunately the weather forecast is more traditionally Scottish – i.e. heavy rain – I want to particularly emphasise this point: you cannot and you must not meet people from another household indoors. That is a sure fire way of allowing this virus to spread again.
“So if you're not willing to get your waterproofs on and meet outdoors, do not meet up at all. I cannot emphasise that strongly enough.”
The R number in Scotland has reduced from between 0.7 and one to between 0.7 and 0.9 in a week, Sturgeon confirmed during the conference.
On Thursday, 15,553 people had tested positive for the virus in Scotland – up 49 from 15,504 on Wednesday.
There are 1,021 patients in hospital with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, a fall of 96 in 24 hours.
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