Visit a shop, get tested, intense Covid advisory says

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is urging citizens to repeatedly test themselves for Covid-19 before any public outing, claiming she herself does these check-ups on a daily basis.

“We are asking everyone to do a lateral flow test before mixing with people from other households and on every occasion that you intend on doing so,” Sturgeon said during a Tuesday address to Parliament. 

This testing should be done before a visit to another household or to a pub, restaurant, or supermarket. Sturgeon claimed she is getting tested every single day before beginning work and will require Covid tests from guests visiting over the holidays.

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Scottish officials have warned potential closures and restrictions could be ahead for citizens as Covid cases have upticked and dozens of cases of the Omicron variant have been found in recent weeks. As of Tuesday, there are 99 cases of the variant in Scotland, an increase of 28 overnight. 

Sturgeon said new potential measures are being looked at daily to curb the virus, but as of now no new measures are being put in place. 

“Acting preventatively is often the best way of ensuring that action can remain limited and proportionate,” she said. “However, after two years of restrictions… we know that it is ever more important to minimize further restrictions as far as possible.”

The Scottish leader also urged businesses to enable their workforces to work from home until at least mid-January. She called on citizens to return to “basics” by wearing face coverings indoors, ventilating rooms, and keeping good hand hygiene.