EDINBURGH is set to remain in tier 3 of the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 framework.
Council bosses in the capital were told yesterday that the city is “staying in tier 3”, but confirmation will be made this morning, before being announced to MSPs this afternoon.
Last week, the Scottish Government told officials in Edinburgh that it could be moved out of tier three into tier two, but it now looks like the capital is set for an extended stay in tier three – with pubs and restaurants banned from selling alcohol and forced to shut by 6pm.
The decision for Edinburgh to remain in tier three is being partly driven by “numbers up six per cent” in the capital.
READ MORE: Coronavirus Scotland: Glasgow and 10 other areas put into lockdown
Nicola Sturgeon is set to announce any changes to the levels each of Scotland’s local authorities are placed in this afternoon, following a decision being taken by the Scottish Government's Cabinet this morning.
It is thought that Edinburgh’s council leader, Adam McVey, is set to speak to Deputy First Minister John Swinney, before the city remaining in tier three is finalised.
Speaking at her daily coronavirus briefing on Monday, the First Minister said that “stubbornly high prevalence means that we might have less flexibility to offer some limited and careful easing of restrictions over the Christmas period which we are very keen to do.”
READ MORE: Fife, Perth and Kinross and Angus moved into level 3 rules
Ms Sturgeon also revealed one local authority will have reduced restrictions in Tuesday’s announcement - believed to be East Lothian.
At last Tuesday’s review, Edinburgh Southern MSP, Daniel Johnson, called for an explanation from the First Minister as to why the capital had not been moved from tier 3 to level 2.
Ms Sturgeon said that looking at cases per 100,000 people, a key measure of the prevalence of the virus, “the change in Edinburgh had been zero”.
She said: “Before we can be confident about moving Edinburgh down a level, with the significant opening-up that that would entail, we need to see a reduction in cases.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon confirms imminent lockdown likely for west central Scotland
“We are hopeful that Edinburgh will see that in the weeks ahead.”
She added: ”We are in a precarious situation with an infectious virus and moving an area down a level is not a neutral act – it involves an opening-up, and an opening-up involves greater transmission opportunities for the virus. Therefore, before we do that, we must be clear that the authority concerned has the headroom to cope with increased transmission.
“I hope that that will be the case for the city of Edinburgh in the not-too-distant future. However, on the basis of the figures that we have, changing the level now would not be prudent and instead could run the risk of sending Edinburgh in the wrong direction.”
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