Nicola Sturgeon has said she remains optimistic that Scotland’s lockdown easing will still go ahead as planned despite a recent surge in covid cases.
The First Minister announced today that there was initial evidence that the number of new covid cases was beginning to level off.
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A pattern being replicated in Renfrewshire, the rate of infection in the local authority has fallen from a peak of 550 cases per 100,000 on June 2 to 407 on June 6.
The rate of positivity as a percentage of the total number of tests carried out has also dropped from 15.5 per cent on June 26 to between eight and 11 per cent over the course of the past week.
Explaining the data was giving cause for some optimism, the First Minister said a final decision on the easing of lockdown restrictions will be made on Tuesday.
But Ms Sturgeon hinted that not all rules scheduled to be removed from July 19 may be implemented as part of Scotland’s planned move to Level 0.
She said: “Next Tuesday I will set out to parliament the final decision on whether that move to Level 0 is able to proceed.
“It is worth noting, just as a statement of fact, that these decisions needn’t always be binary.
“It is possible to proceed with some planned changes but hold back on others if we think that is appropriate.”
But she added: “Obviously I hope that we will be able to move ahead as planned.
“And the apparent slowing down of numbers gives me more cause for optimism than I might have had a week ago.”
The data on positive cases is being closely monitored alongside the uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine amongst younger people.
Renfrewshire this week saw the roll out of drop-in vaccine clinics for the under 40s for the first time.
Dozens were seen taking up the offer at Johnstone Town Hall today.
A second clinic will run on Friday, from 9am to 6pm, at Paisley’s Lagoon leisure centre.
To date, 54 per cent of those aged 18 to 29 in Renfrewshire have had a first dose of the vaccine, with a further 19,000 people aged 30 to 39 (81 per cent) having had an initial jab.
Across Renfrewshire, a total of 125,558 adults have had their first jab - 86.5 per cent of those aged 18 and over in the local authority area.
A further 92,546 have had a second dose, 63.7 per cent.
