‘Stay at home’: Sturgeon calls on Scots to ditch NYE parties in Covid-19 plea, as cases hit record high

Amid soaring case numbers, Scotland’s first minister has called on its people to “sit up and take notice” of Covid-19, and do their bit to fight the virus by staying home on New Year’s Eve instead of partying.

“I know we’re all desperate to kick 2020 into touch but we must do that safely, and the safest way to do that this year is to be in our own homes,” Nicola Sturgeon told the BBC on Tuesday. 

Sturgeon said it was not safe to celebrate the coming of the new year in the normal manner, amid a surge in Covid-19 cases which has seen the entire Scottish mainland hit by Tier Four restrictions. 

Tight restrictions were temporarily eased somewhat to allow people from three households to mix on Christmas Day. New Year’s Eve – or Hogmanay – is traditionally a big celebration in Scotland, but the restrictions will not be paused for the event.

"The main message to people is to make sure you are not visiting other people's houses just now. Unfortunately, that includes Hogmanay and New Year,” she noted.

On Tuesday, Scottish health authorities registered 1,895 cases of Covid-19, more than any other day since the start of the pandemic.

The first minister noted there had been “quite a big jump in cases,” but said this could be down to the "Christmas lag,” meaning some reporting has been delayed.

The UK as a whole has been severely hit by the coronavirus, and a new strain prevalent in Britain is reportedly up to 70 percent more contagious. On Monday, the UK registered 41,385 new infections, the highest recorded in the country on a single day during the pandemic so far. 

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