Coronavirus / Sturgeon confirms people will be allowed to travel to meet other households outdoors
FIRST minister Nicola Sturgeon has clarified that people will be able to travel more than five miles to see members of another household in an outdoor space when Scotland moves into the first phase of relaxing lockdown restrictions.
The Scottish Government revealed its route map out of lockdown on Thursday, and the first phase is due to kick off from 28 May.
As part of the first phase members of a household will be able to meet another household outdoors while at least two metres apart.
In this phase people will also be permitted to travel short distances for outdoor leisure and exercise but they are advised to stay within a short distance of their local community, which is suggested to be within five miles.
Ideally they should walk or cycle where possible when travelling for outdoor leisure and exercise, and the government does not want people congregating at specific attractions.
Sturgeon has now clarified that people will be able to travel more than five miles to visit another household outdoors, such as sitting with parents in a garden – but she stressed people need to use common sense when it comes to long distances.
She said on Friday: “Let me be clear because I know it is a question that has been asked, that doesn’t limit you to seeing just one specific household during this phase – you can see different households, but we are asking you only to meet one at a time.
“We’re also not intending to put a five mile limit on the distance you can travel to, for example, sit with your parents in their garden. But we are asking you to use judgement.
“And increasingly as we come out of lockdown, I’m going to be relying more and more on you to exercise the good judgement that I know you will. If, for example you travel a long distance to see a relative outside, you’ll be more likely to go inside the house to use the bathroom, for example.
“And we don’t want you to go inside others’ houses in this phase because if you are infectious, maybe without knowing it, you risk leaving the virus on surfaces inside the house and that would pose a risk to other people, particularly if you’re visiting elderly relatives – that is a risk we don’t want you to take.
“So please use your judgement and have uppermost in your mind the need to protect those you care about – even if that might mean staying apart from them for just a little a bit longer.”
Sturgeon added that more detailed advice and information will be published in the next week.
The full route map out of lockdown can be viewed here.
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