Nicola Sturgeon to reveal if coronavirus restrictions will be relaxed further

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “The success of Scotland and the UK’s vaccine scheme means the public can now tackle Covid through their own actions, without the need for so many government restrictions.” Ms Sturgeon has remained tight-lipped on what she will announce to Holyrood, but said Scotland was “in a better position than I feared we would be before Christmas”. “That’s because people have responded magnificently, they’ve behaved in a way that’s helped stem to some extent the transmission of Omicron and we took sensible, balanced, proportionate steps.” As well as an end to current restrictions on businesses that put a cap of 100 on indoor standing events and 200 on seated events, enforce table service for alcohol-selling businesses and mandate social distancing between groups, the Tories are looking for the First Minister to announce the scrapping of the vaccine passport scheme along with guidance on household mixing and social distancing. Leon Thompson, UK Hospitality Scotland’s executive director, said that “a lot hinges on what the First Minister says”, and that businesses needed to know her government “is supporting them as they attempt to begin recovery from the financial impact of two years of closure and restrictions”. “Hospitality needs to know that it can begin trading fully, including nightclubs, so we’re calling on the Scottish Government to lift restrictions no later than January 24,” added the executive director.