Scotland orders non-essential shops to SHUT in a bid to tackle the spread of deadly coronavirus

Scotland orders non-essential shops from hairdressers to clothes stores to SHUT in a bid to tackle the spread of deadly coronavirus

  • Nicola Sturgeon said retailers not providing ‘essential items’ should shut doors
  • UK coronavirus death toll spiked by 54 to 335 today in second biggest rise yet
  • Ms Sturgeon said too many people were still being expected to work as normal
  • Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

Scotland has ordered non-essential shops to shut their doors in a bid to tackle the spread of deadly coronavirus.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said retailers who were not providing ‘essential items’ should shut their doors.

The UK’s coronavirus death toll spiked by 54 to 335 today in the second biggest rise yet.

Scotland has ordered non-essential shops to shut their doors in a bid to tackle the spread of deadly coronavirus. Pictured: A woman wears a protective face mask in Glasgow

Ms Sturgeon, who has been attending Cobra meetings where the UK’s response to the coronavirus crisis has been co-ordinated, said too many people were still being expected to work as normal. 

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (pictured yesterday) said retailers who were not providing 'essential items' should shut their doors

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (pictured yesterday) said retailers who were not providing ‘essential items’ should shut their doors

 

Ms Sturgeon said: ‘My message to shops that are still open is this and it is clear, if you are not providing essential items like food and medicines then please also close now.’

She said that building sites and hair salons should also close.

‘It has been clear to me that there are still too many people across our country who are being expected to, or expecting to, go to work as normal and this presents a serious and unnecessary risk of spreading the virus,’ the First Minister said.

‘I want to reiterate that if you run a business and if the nature of your business makes it difficult for you or your workers to work from home or to practise safe social distancing then you should close.’

The Daily Telegraph reported that the closure of all shops except supermarkets, food stores and pharmacies could be announced by Boris Johnson at the daily Downing Street press conference tonight.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘We set out steps on Friday in relation to those premises which we needed to shut in order to reduce social interaction.

‘But we’ve also said that we will continue to be guided by the science and by the medical advice, and if there’s more that we need to do then we will do so.’

A series of retailers have already announced they are closing their doors, including John Lewis and Primark.

Ms Sturgeon, who has been attending Cobra meetings where the UK's response to the coronavirus crisis has been co-ordinated, said too many people were still being expected to work as normal in Scotland. Pictured: Greyfriar's Bobby statue has a mask placed on his face in Edinburgh

Ms Sturgeon, who has been attending Cobra meetings where the UK’s response to the coronavirus crisis has been co-ordinated, said too many people were still being expected to work as normal in Scotland. Pictured: Greyfriar’s Bobby statue has a mask placed on his face in Edinburgh

A series of retailers have already announced they are closing their doors, including John Lewis (pictured) and Primark

A series of retailers have already announced they are closing their doors, including John Lewis (pictured) and Primark

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: ‘They are decisions for those individual companies to take.

‘We keep all these measures under review and if there’s more that we can do then that’s what will happen.’ 

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has underlined that a decision on toughening measures is expected ‘very soon’, hitting out at ‘selfish’ behaviour and saying ‘nothing is off the table’.

He pointed to measures in Italy and France – where non-essential shops have been closed, forms have to be filled out to leave the house, and police are on patrol handing out fines.

The backlash has been mounting against Mr Johnson’s ‘relaxed’ style today, with warnings of a ‘full-scale mutiny’ among Cabinet if the lockdown is not extended, and Labour claiming his ‘mixed messages will cost lives’.