The Scottish Cabinet Secretary for transport has announced that with immediate effect, ferry companies will no longer take non-essential travellers.
Nicola Sturgeon announced the move as she repeated warnings from other senior politicians for people to avoid making for remote and rural communities to self-isolate.
Michael Matheson tweeted: "With immediate effect, ferry companies will no longer take non-essential travellers.
"From now on Ferries will be for those who live on our islands, who have an essential need to travel to or from the mainland and for essential supplies or business. Nothing else."
With immediate effect ferry companies will no longer take non-essential travellers.
— Michael Matheson MSP (@MathesonMichael) March 22, 2020
From now on Ferries will be for those who live on our islands, who have an essential need to travel to or from the mainland and for essential supplies or business. Nothing else.
"Those who do not normally live on the islands and have travelled there in the last few days will be able to leave to reduce pressure."
From 20 March we are to stop taking new bookings on all services up to and including 15 July as a result of the ongoing #COVID19 pandemic. Serving fresh hot food will also cease from tomorrow to free up staff to crew our vessels. Info can be found here https://t.co/4K6uAnnFgk pic.twitter.com/rFx5beApcp
— CalMac Ferries (@CalMacFerries) March 19, 2020
Yesterday MSPs and tourist board chiefs urged anyone planning to visit some of Scotland's most remote locations to stay away while they prioritise the health and wellbeing of their residents.
The same plea was made by Judy Murray, the mother of tennis stars Andy and Jamie Murray, who tweeted a simple message to “those relocating to the countryside” – a picture of a car and trailer with “Go home idiots” and “Covid-19” painted on the side.
READ MORE: Coronavirus Bill: why new measures need closer scutiny, by Joanna Cherry
People have been told to self-isolate for seven days if they are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19, which includes a cough, fever, and shortness of breath.
The disease has so far infected over 400 people in Scotland.
Speaking to those who are “flocking to Scotland’s remote communities”, the First Minister said: “It may well be an understandable human instinct to think we can outrun a virus, but the fact is we can’t. What we do is we risk taking it to the places we go.
“And in our remote and rural communities that means extra pressure on essential services and on health services that are already more distant from people.”
As a result, she stated: “As of now we have advised our ferry companies, who have already suspended bookings, to no longer take non-essential travellers.”
Ms Sturgeon, speaking at a Scottish Government briefing in Edinburgh, said: “Those who do not normally live on the islands and who have travelled there in the last few days will be able to leave to reduce pressure, but from now on ferries will be for those who live on our islands, who have an essential need to travel to and from the mainland and for essential supplies or business. Nothing else.”
Scottish Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop stated: “My advice to everybody is stay where you are. Do not travel to the Highlands and Islands.”
Those heading to the Highlands in camper vans or to stay in holiday homes could be putting local communities “at risk”, she told the BBC’s Sunday Politics Scotland programme.
Ms Hyslop warned: “If they get ill there they will compromise the health of others that are living in the Highlands and Islands.”
Emergency legislation being brought in by Westminster in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemnic will give both the UK and Scottish Governments “specific powers” to help with this.
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