THE First Minister has cited the Irish and New Zealand models of alerts when she confirmed her government would introduce plans for a five-tier system to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
At her daily coronavirus briefing, Nicola Sturgeon repeatedly cited the former – perhaps hinting she was more minded to adopt Taoiseach Micheal Martin’s approach rather than the one favoured by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
We will find out the full details of the approach when the Scottish Government unveils its strategic framework today.
Ahead of the document’s publication, it is worth looking at what has been unveiled in Ireland and New Zealand – particularly in terms of what is included in the highest tier level.
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The key difference is that in the Irish system, level five does not include school closures (as indeed the First Minister has pointed out), while the New Zealand system does leave school closures as an available measure for government to impose.
Ireland was placed from midnight on Wednesday on tier five restrictions for six weeks, until December 1.
The Irish tier five restrictions include:
- Ban on travelling more than 5km from home
- Ban on visiting other households indoor or in gardens
- Closures of pubs, restaurants and cafes – though they can provide takeaways and deliveries
- Closure of non-essential shops, hairdressers, barbers and salons
- Requirement to work from home, except for essential workers
- Funerals will be limited to 10 people
- Weddings will be limited to 25 people
As well as schools remaining open, in Ireland nurseries can continue to operate and elite level sports can continue. Construction is also being allowed to continue.
On the other side of the world, New Zealand has adopted a more far-ranging four-tier alert system. Its toughest level of restrictions includes:
- People instructed to stay at home
- Schools closed
- All gatherings cancelled and all public venues closed
- Businesses closed except for essential services – for example, supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics, petrol stations and lifeline utilities
- Rationing of supplies and requisitioning of facilities possible
The First Minister has said the middle three tiers of Scotland’s new system will be “broadly equivalent” to the medium, high and very high alert levels in England, but that there will also be an extra upper and lower level.
The lower level will represent the closest to normal life until we have a vaccine or a more effective treatment for the virus.
The highest, on the other hand, will be “closer to a full lockdown”. She stressed the “default position” will be keeping schools open regardless of which tier is in force. However, she said a move to blended learning – which combines classroom teaching with learning at home – “cannot ever be absolutely ruled out”.
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