TIER WE GO
Scotland will return to regional Tiers system as lockdown eases, says Nicola Sturgeon as she prepares to set out roadmap
SCOTLAND will return to a regional Tiers system with lockdown restrictions being "gradually lifted", Nicola Sturgeon has said.
The First Minister will address the Scottish Parliament with an update on the pandemic and at around 2.20pm tomorrow.
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The First Minister will announce Scotland's planned exit from lockdown and set out an "indicative order of priority" of the easing of restrictions.
The Ministerial Statement will also outline plans to return to the Tier system which means specific geographic levels of restrictions.
But the FM told Scots it will be a "cautious" easing of restrictions with a "sure and steady" approach to prevent another lockdown being required.
'GRADUAL LIFTING'
Speaking at the daily coronavirus briefing, Ms Sturgeon said: "I will be giving a statement to parliament which will be at around 2.20pm tomorrow afternoon.
"That statement will set out our current thinking on the overall state of the pandemic and it will provide details of the revised Strategic Framework document that we are publishing tomorrow.
"Now, as I said last week, the framework will not set out hard and fast dates for the easing of all restrictions.
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"As I indicated last week it is really important in this stage of the pandemic, particularly given everything we learned from our emergence from the first lockdown, that we are driven by data more than we are driven by dates.
";However, we will seek to set out tomorrow an indicative order of priority and the likely phasing of firstly the gradual lifting of the current lockdown restrictions and then in due course a return to the geographic levels system.
"This will be a cautious way forward because it is really important that as we come out of this lockdown we do so sustainably, we've got every reason to be very optimistic right now, the lockdown is working and all of the indications are that vaccination is having an impact as well.
"But we don't want to set back our progress. Sure and steady, even if it is a bit slow, is definitely how we want to proceed."
NO TIERS FOR ENGLAND
Meanwhile Boris Johnson will address the nation at 7pm today to spell out his roadmap out of lockdown.
The PM is expected to lay out a four-step plan to lead Britain back to normal life.
Mr Johnson will first speak to MPs in the House of Commons at 3pm today to explain his approach.
He will later address the nation at 7pm during a Downing Street press conference.
Mr Johnson has repeatedly stressed that lockdown will be eased cautiously, and he will be guided by “data not dates”.
Under his plan, regional tiers have been ditched and all of England will begin the phased return to normality.
Step One will see schools reopen from March 8 - though the government may opt for a staggered return following a backlash from teaching unions.
Brits will also be able to socialise outside with a friend or relative from another household, with current regulations limiting meet-ups to exercise only.
The national stay-at-home order is to be scrapped as the Rule of Six returns on March 29 to parks and private gardens — allowing six people from up to six different households to mix outdoors.
If just two households come together they can meet with no cap on their size.
This means families will be meeting together in parks and gardens by Easter.
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