NICOLA Sturgeon has warned there is no guarantee a third wave of coronavirus will not emerge in Scotland – pointing to her regret of relaxing international travel “too quickly” last summer.

The First Minister has warned that speculation the UK Government will allow overseas travel to begin as soon as May “leaves us with a greater vulnerability to importation that I would like us to have”.

Earlier this week, Boris Johnson warned the impact of a third wave of coronavirus facing mainland Europe will "wash up on our shores".

The Prime Minister added the UK should be "under no illusion" it will "feel effects" of a surge in cases in Europe.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson warns third wave of Covid-19 cases likely after spike in Europe

Scottish Greens health spokesperson, Alison Johnstone, asked Ms Sturgeon about Mr Johnson’s comments at Holyrood.

Ms Johnstone said: “It is alarming to hear the UK’s Prime Minister accept that a third wave of the virus is inevitable. It need not be so when we live on an island.

“Effective border controls and a rigorous testing regime must still play a part in driving infections down, alongside the vaccination programme and real support for self-isolating.

“A year on, the UK Government is still refusing to learn the lessons of the pandemic. Instead of looking at the rise of cases across the world and asking what more he can do to protect us, Boris Johnson is apparently accepting a third wave as a foregone conclusion. Scotland should not have to tolerate this complacency towards our lives and economy."

READ MORE: Sturgeon calls for joint effort to build 'fairer normality' after pandemic

Ms Sturgeon bluntly told MSPs that “we cannot stand and guarantee” a third wave will not emerge in Scotland.

She said: “I think one of the many things we have learned over the past 12 months is that just wishing a way the virus or hoping or saying we don’t want a further wave or a further lockdown doesn’t bring any of these things into reality.

“We’ve got to act in a way that minimises the chances of a third wave – that involves all of us doing things domestically, making sure we are cautious as we come out of lockdown, making sure we continue to comply with rules and restrictions for as long as necessary.”

The First Minister said that a third wave of the pandemic “washing up on our shores” was “not inevitable” - but highlighted her regret about re-opening overseas travel with too much haste last summer.

She said: “One of my regrets about last year when I look back is that as we suppress the virus so hard and successfully in Scotland, we opened up international travel perhaps too quickly and too much.

READ MORE: Covid Scotland: Western Isles to move into level 3 restrictions

“The reasons for doing that were not wrong – the industry was in dire straits and people wanted to be able to travel again. I don’t think, on reflection and in retrospect, that was the right thing to do.”

Ms Sturgeon said she was “determined we don’t do that again”, warning that “importation of new cases and new variants of this virus is one of the biggest risks we face”. The First Minister pointed to managed quarantine rules for arrivals directly into Scotland, adding she has “tried very hard for the UK to emulate our policy”.

We have continued rules in place for managed quarantine of people coming in directly to Scotland. Those rules are not as restrictive in the rest of the UK. I have tried very hard for the UK to emulate our policy.

She added: “I cannot force it upon them. It does leave us with a greater vulnerability to importation that I would like us to have.”