Nearly 200 schools in Scotland’s biggest city could be closed if the ban on indoor household gatherings does not cut the Covid rate, its council leader has warned.
Susan Aitken said the restrictions announced by Nicola Sturgeon yesterday were a “first step” and could be ramped up as soon as next Wednesday.
She said: “I do hope that we don’t have to get to the point where we are closing businesses and I definitely hope we don’t have to get to the point where we are closing schools.”
Aitken was then asked in a Radio Scotland interview: “Presumably, though, that is still a possibility, if the numbers don’t stop climbing, that would be a possibility - is it?"
The council chief replied: “Of course it’s a possibility, yes. This is a first step. It will be reviewed in a week and the review in a week will be to see if any additional new restrictions are required.
"It will be at least a fortnight before we step forward again out of these restrictions.
“But it will be reviewed in a week and we will be able to see at that point what the impact of these limited new restrictions have been on the numbers, and at that point we will have to make a decision - the public health authorities - will have to make a decision - about whether we require any new restrictions or additional restrictions, or not.
“I absolutely hope that we do not get to that point and that’s why I would really urge everyone in Glasgow please, please, follow the new guidelines because none of us want to have to take another step backwards.”
Latest government figures show Glasgow has 191 schools with - 138 primaries, 30 secondaries and 23 special schools - with nearly 70,000 pupils.
The warning came amid questions over why people have been banned from meeting in homes but can still see each other in pubs, cafes and restaurants.
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