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Daily Record
Daily Record
Politics
Peter Davidson

Scots Tories call for all covid restrictions except face masks to be removed by end of month

Douglas Ross is calling on the Scottish Government to scrap all covid restrictions except face masks by the end of the month.

The Scottish Conservative leader said due to improving data around cases it was time for Nicola Sturgeon's government to put trust in the public to keep themselves safe against the virus.

It comes as the First Minister is set to make a statement to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, January 18, about what measures can be lifted over the next week.

Restrictions on large outdoor events were scrapped today, January 17, which means there can be a capacity crowd for Hibernian's trip to Parkhead to play Celtic tonight.

Ross is calling for a number of rules to be lifted including no face masks in schools, the vaccine passport scheme to be scrapped and for people to return to work offices.

He said: "The Scottish Government’s own data shows that we are past the peak of Omicron. The latest evidence means we can now be far more optimistic.

"Protecting mental health, physical health and Scottish jobs is every bit as important as slowing the spread of covid. Our economy and the long-term health of the public must not be held back any longer than necessary.

"We believe the balance must now tip in favour of trusting the Scottish public to do the right thing and keep themselves and their families safe, as they have done throughout this pandemic.

"People across Scotland have learned to live with covid. The success of Scotland and the UK’s vaccine scheme means the public can now tackle covid through their own actions, without the need for so many government restrictions.

"We will be pushing the SNP Government to examine their own data and progressively remove restrictions. The current rules-based approach should be phased out in favour of less restrictive public health advice."

What are the Tories calling for?

  • An end to all business restrictions
  • End guidance on household mixing and social distancing
  • The vaccine passport scheme to be scrapped
  • Face masks to no longer be used in schools
  • Guidance on working from home to be phased out
  • Self-isolation rules to be gradually phased out, with an aim to remove them entirely in the coming months
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