THE Scottish Government will be providing financial support to people who are required to self-isolate.

Nicola Sturgeon made the announcement as part of her live coronavirus briefing today.

The First Minister said that she would be making a full statement to parliament later this week to outline the new measures to be brought in to control the spread of Covid-19.

However, she added: “Whatever else we decide one thing I want to confirm today is that our package of measures will include plans to better support people who are being advised to self-isolate.

“Self-isolation is a key tool in our fight against this virus.

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“It helps us break the chains of transmission so we must make it as possible as we can for people to abide by that advice.”

The First Minister said the Government worried fines for non-compliance with self-isolation may be counter-productive as it would disincentivise people from getting tested.

The Government will be keeping enforcement options under review.

Sturgeon went on: "I believe that people understand the need to keep others safe and they want to do so, but they need to be supported through these difficult circumstances.

"So I can confirm today that we will be putting in place a financial support package to help people, particularly those on low income who face a loss of income if they are required to self-isolate.

"Nobody should be forced to choose between self-isolating for the collective good and paying the rent and feeding their families.

"If that is the choice people face, then it shouldn't be a surprise to us that compliance levels will be lower than we need them to be."

The First Minister said the details of the package are still being worked through, and they are waiting on Westminster for details of additional funding from Barnett consequentials as a result of the announcement they made over the weekend.

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The announcement follows calls in The National from Independent Sage’s Professor Stephen Reicher for such a package of support.

Reicher said: “The [Test and Protect] system you have got is pointless unless people are self-isolating.

“As a matter of urgency I think we should be giving financial support to people if they have to self-isolate. We have got to make it practically possible for them to self-isolate.”

Speaking to The National today, the social psychology professor said he was "delighted" the First Minister had got it "exactly right".

He went on: "If you want people to do something, start by helping them to do it, not punishing them for not doing it.

"Punishment, as she [Sturgeon] said, and as SAGE said, creates disincentives (it stops people getting tested. And providing contacts).

"Support enables people to act and increases trust in government, thereby increasing the motivation to act responsibly.

"It creates a virtuous spiral."

The First Minister also said that cases of the coronavirus are not limited to specific clusters, but are cropping up all over Scotland.

With the UK facing a potential 50,000 Covid cases a day by the end of next month, harsher lockdown measures are expected.