Edinburgh communities thanked for Covid-19 support
Published 24 April 2020
Chief Superintendent Sean Scott has praised the Capital’s communities for their commitment to physical distancing over the past few weeks.
The Divisional Commander also called on everyone to keep playing their part in helping fight the spread of coronavirus.
He said: “This has been a difficult and testing time for many of us, but I am delighted by how positively the overwhelming majority of people within Edinburgh have responded to the restrictions.
“Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham has today urged the public across Scotland to continue and stay at home, avoiding the temptation of the good weather. I echo these sentiments.
“Please do not leave the house unless it is for an essential activity such as buying food and medicine, or for travelling to work, if you are a key worker.
“You are also allowed to go out for daily exercise, but please stay within your local area and where possible keep driving to a minimum.
“We have a number locations which attract residents such as Portobello Beach, The Meadows, Inverleith Park, Cramond foreshore and the Pentland Hills, all of which are beautiful in the sunshine, but the safe and responsible thing to do at this time is to avoid these areas where possible to ensure physical distancing.
“The Chief Constable has previously spoken about the importance of police taking a common-sense approach at this time and so Police Scotland officers are committed to engaging with the public, highlighting the necessity of staying indoors and encouraging people to return to their properties.
“If, and only if, these options have been exhausted, will we consider enforcement of the coronavirus legislation.
“Please also remember that house parties and gatherings with anyone out with your household are not permitted at this time. However, there are plenty of other ways to stay connected with family and friends, such as by telephone or by using online platforms.
“Thank you so much for all of your efforts to date but you still have a vital role to play in preventing the spread of coronavirus. Please stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives.
“Figures issued today show that 118 fixed penalty notices have been issued in Edinburgh between Friday 27th March and Thursday 23rd April.”
