Nicola Sturgeon says Boris Johnson's new lockdown rules are 'not sufficient' as she bans family and friend visits

23 September 2020, 07:59

By Alice Dear

Nicola Sturgeon has announced stricter lockdown measures for Scotland after claiming England's regulations are "not sufficient" to bring the R number down.

Household visits banned across Scotland from Wednesday

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has announced a ban on friends and family from different households meeting indoors following a surge in COVID-19 cases across the UK.

This announcement came shortly after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new regulations to the hospitality sector as well as stricter fines on those breaking the rule of six.

However, in her address, Nicola Sturgeon said that while Scotland is following suit with the curfew for pubs, restaurants and bars, it is "not sufficient" to stop the spread of the virus.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson announces strict new lockdown measures will be in place for six months

In her address she explained: "I can confirm that we will introduce measure on hospitality similar to those outlined for England by the Prime Minister a short while ago."

She went on: "However, the advice given to the cabinet by the Chief Medical Officer is that this on its own will not be sufficient to bring the R number down".

This means in Scotland, from Wednesday, indoor gatherings of different households are banned.

Nicola Sturgeon explained the new restrictions, saying: "Household interaction is a key driver of transmission, and we intend to introduce nationwide additional restrictions on household gatherings similar to those already in place in the west of Scotland."

She added: "We must stop the virus from spiralling out of control, and we can only do that if we accept restrictions in other aspects of our lives."

The New Coronavirus Measures Announced By The Prime Minister

During Boris Johnson's speech in the House of Commons, he announced that the new rules for England is "by no means a return to a full lockdown".

However, he said that we "must take action to suppress the disease".

In England, the main changes introduced see restrictions put in place for the hospitality sector, as well as stricter penalties for those breaking the rule of six.

The Prime Minister also encouraged those who can work from home to do so.

You can find a full list of Boris Johnson's new lockdown measures here.

READ NOW: Boris Johnson increases penalties for those refusing to wear a face covering in shops and public transport