Nicola Sturgeon to review Covid-19 restrictions in Scotland as Moray outbreak continues but no new deaths recorded

Nicola Sturgeon has said she will review Scotland’s Covid-19 restrictions on Tuesday as one of her first tasks as newly re-instated Frist Minister.

The country is set to move to level two restrictions on May 17, but this has yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government

Ms Sturgeon said on Sunday she plans to meet clinical advisors on Monday, with a final decision to be announced on Tuesday.

The First Minister returned to work at Bute House in Edinburgh on Sunday after her election victory.She told the BBC's The Andrew Marr Show: "We have a Covid review on Tuesday where we will set out the final decisions for the next easing of restrictions scheduled for May 17."

Scotland is set to move to level 2 restrictions on May 17. Picture: AFP via Getty Images

In level 2 up to four people from two households can socialise indoors in a private home. Pubs can sell alcohol indoors, and cinemas, theatres, comedy clubs, amusement arcades and bingo halls can open.

It comes as no new deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test were reported on Sunday. Some 200 cases were were reported, and the daily test positivity rate was slightly higher than the previous day at 1.5 per cent.

Only one death has been recorded in the last week and the test positivity rate has been consistently recorded at slightly above or below one.

So far, 2,897,975 people have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccination and 1,468,296 have received their second dose.

Caroline Nicolls receive an injection of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine administered by nurse Amy Nash.

However, NHS Grampian is battling an “uncontrolled” outbreak in Moray, and the Scottish Government warned on Friday that it would “closely monitor” the situation ahead of any move to level 2.

Moray Police said officers had increased patrols amid reports of young people breaking Covid-19 restrictions.

"Officers in Moray and in particular Elgin will this evening continue to patrol and make efforts to tackle antisocial behaviour and large numbers of youths breaching Covid regulations,” Moray Police said on Saturday evening.

"Please stick to the rules to keep you, your family and your friends safe.”

NHS Grampian has urgently rolled out Covid-19 vaccines to under 40s, and recorded record numbers of first doses on Saturday.

A total of 1,581 first doses were delivered, almost triple the number given the day before and far outstripping the number of first doses on the previous Saturday, at just 25.

Of Saturday’s doses 609 were given to the 30-39 age group and 463 to the 16-29 group.

The previous highest rate of daily first doses had been 1,402, in early February.

NHS Grampian was forced to issue an announcement over the weekend that the outbreak has not been caused by people faking positive lateral flow tests using tomato ketchup.

The health board asked locals to ignore “rumour and heresay” which had been spreading on social media, and stressed that lateral flow tests are confirmed by gold-standard PCR tests.

Across NHS Grampian as a whole some 65 per cent of people have been given a first dose of vaccine, while 31 per cent have received a second dose.

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