Sturgeon Advises a Covid Cautious Christmas in Wake of Omicron Variant
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has set out new guidance in response to rapidly rising numbers of coronavirus cases due to the new Omicron variant.
Adressing the Holyrood parliament, Sturgeon urged people to cut down their social contacts in the run-up to Christmas to stop the spread of the virus. The new guidance advises that gatherings should be in small groups of no more than three households and it would be ‘sensible’ to postpone Christmas parties.
Sturgeon said: “I am not asking anyone to ‘cancel’ Christmas but in the run-up to and in the immediate aftermath of Christmas, I am asking everyone to reduce as far as possible the contacts we have with people in other households.
“We are not banning or restricting household mixing in law as before. We understand the negative impact this has on mental health and wellbeing.”
These household limits have not been advised for Christmas Day.
Sturgeon said: “We are not asking you to cancel or change your plans, and we are not proposing limits on the size of household gatherings. Keeping your celebrations as small as your family circumstances allow is sensible too.”
The Scottish government’s vaccine booster target is to have appointments booked for all those over 18 by the end of the year.
Currently, 46 per cent of the population has now received their booster dose. From tomorrow those aged between 18 and 29 are eligible to book their booster dose through the NHS Inform Scotland website.
The First Minister stated that there are limitations to restrictions devolved nations are able to impose due to the stance and lack of financial aid from the UK Government.
Sturgeon said: “Our public health response is curtailed by lack of finance. There are further steps we could and would have considered today, particularly around hospitality had we the financial ability to do so. But we don’t.”
The Omicron variant is expected to be the dominant variant in Scotland within a matter of days.