‘Option’ for Orkney to enter Level Two from April 26

Orkney will have the “option” to enter Level Two of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions from April 26, the First Minister has announced.

At an address to the Scottish Parliament today, Tuesday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gave an update on the next steps of Scotland’s exit from lockdown.

Here she said that conversations with island groups will be held around April 26 to work out what works best for each county, with the “option” to enter Level Two.

Ms Sturgeon also outlined Scotland’s exit from lockdown in more detail.

Across Scotland, Ms Sturgeon said that from April 2, the Stay at Home mandate will be lifted and replaced with Stay Local, encouraging folk not to travel.

From April 12 she said it was likely that all children will be back in full-time education.

She also said that from May 17, all of Scotland will hopefully go from Level Three to Level Two.

From early June, it is hoped that all of Scotland will enter Level One, and then Level Zero by the end of June.

Without giving any concrete dates, that Ms Sturgeon said she would be “plucking out of thin air”, she indicated that by the “summer”, it is hoped that something much closer to normality will be back for people across Scotland.

Full story in the upcoming edition of The Orcadian.