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Daily Record
Daily Record
Politics
Andy Philip

Nicola Sturgeon tightens lockdown with new restrictions on click-and-collect, takeaways and alcohol

Scotland is going into a tighter lockdown with bans on drinking outdoors and more curbs on retail and takeaways.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced click and collect services will be restricted to essential services only, such as clothes, homeware, baby equipment and books.

Takeaway services will have to be offered through a hatch to stop people coming indoors.

Drinking alcohol outdoors will be banned in all level 4 areas of Scotland, putting an end to any takeaway pints.

Employers will be under a strengthened obligation to allow staff to work from home.

Maintenance and other trade work in people's homes will be restricted by law to essential upkeep only.

The law on leaving a house for essential purposes will be tightened to make sure people do not then stay outside in breach of the wider guidance.

The new rules were confirmed by the First Minister in a statement at the Scottish Parliament today.

Announcing the changes, Sturgeon warned Covid-19 is still dangerous.

"I know that none of this makes for enjoyable listening," the First Minister said.

"If it is any comfort - though I don't expect it will be - it gives me no pleasure to be talking about further restrictions on businesses and on our individual freedoms to come and go as we please.

"But please know that we would be doing none of this, if we did not believe it essential to get and keep this potentially deadly virus under control.

"Case numbers are still so high – and the new variant is so infectious – that we must use be as tough and as effective as we can to stop it spreading.

"That means taking further steps to stop people from meeting and interacting, indoors and also outdoors. 

"Today's measures will help us to achieve that. They are a regrettable, but necessary, means to an end."

Emergency level 4 rules were imposed across mainland Scotland and Skye on Boxing Day. All other island areas were placed at level 3. Schools were kept closed to most pupils beyond the end of the winter break.

Sturgeon issued a "stay at home" order last week unless for essential reasons. But infection levels continue to rise and hospitals are under pressure.

There are concerns people are still mixing too freely despite the health crisis and new rapidly spreading variant of Covid-19.

Today, Sturgeon announced a further 79 coronavirus deaths were recorded in Scotland over the past 24 hours.

The First Minister also confirmed 1,949 new cases of Covid-19 were reported overnight, taking the total figure to 155,372.

She said 1,794 people are in hospital, up 77 overnight, while 134 people remain in intensive care.

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