Stirling’s move to Level Zero from next week has been given a cautious welcome by the region’s MP and MSP.
The move to the lowest level of restrictions was confirmed by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Tuesday amid enhanced confidence about the state of the virus across Scotland.
It means changes to the numbers permitted to gather together both indoors and outdoors, as well as an increase in the capacity limits for weddings and funerals and also for seated and standing stadia.
However, certain mitigations including the use of face masks and the requirement to work from home will remain in place for now.
Stirling reported a further 32 new positive Covid cases at the last update on Tuesday, with 106 recorded across the entire Forth Valley area.
MSP Evelyn Tweed backed the “sustainable. gradual” approach taken towards restrictions and said it marked the success of the vaccination programme in tackling serious illness related to Covid cases.
Ms Tweed said: “Stirling, and Scotland, continues to make strong progress in our vaccination programme, and towards our path to easing restrictions.
“The challenges posed by the highly infectious Delta-variant are very real, so caution must be taken to protect our collective health.
“I understand there will be great anxiety in my constituents, as they see other European countries experiencing sharp rises in case numbers. “
“Whilst evidence suggests the link between infections, hospitalisations and deaths has been weakened, in no small part due to the terrific efforts of our vaccination programme, it would be reckless to throw caution to the wind and completely drop all public health measures overnight. A sustainable, gradual approach stands the best chance of reducing harm, as well as progressing towards greater normality.”
The ‘modified’ Level Zero - which will come into effect across the Scottish mainland from Monday - will then be followed by a move beyond those restrictions on August 9, where measures such as working from home will be assessed.
In her briefing, Ms Sturgeon said the contined success of the vaccination programme “gives us hope” and stressed that case numbers across the country “appear to have levelled off and fallen in recent days”.
However, with more than 500 people in hospitals across Scotland with a positive Covid case, Ms Sturgeon added there were still “reasons to be concerned” and emphasised that pressure on NHS services and staff remained “a concern”.
Stirling MP Alyn Smith added his own note of support for the move to Level Zero.
He said: ‘This announcement from our First Minister strikes the right balance of progress towards greater normality, whilst accepting the dangers presented by the Delta variant and responding accordingly.
“Public attitude surveys and research suggest the public are acutely aware of the ongoing need to continue with some elements of public health measures, such as face-coverings, for the time being.
“This virus can still spread quickly, and the impact of ‘Long Covid’ is still being researched by our scientists.
“We must stick to the public health guidance, and ensure we’re double-vaccinated as soon as we can be.
