More coronavirus restrictions are 'likely' to soon come into place, Sturgeon says

"I will not hesitate to take the action that my expert advisers are telling me is necessary to take," the First Minister said

Nicola Sturgeon has told employers to "make really tough decisions" to stop employees coming in to work, and has warned that greater restrictions are "likely" to come in to place to slow the spread of coronavirus. 

The First Minister was speaking to BBC Radio Scotland the morning after making a plea to the Scottish public to take advice on social distancing seriously. 

Asked why so many workers are still going in to offices around the country and whether the Scottish Government is prepared to stop it from happening, Sturgeon said that any non-essential work should stop or be carried out from home. 

She said: "People have to make really tough decisions here.

"There is support in place to help employers pay wages even if workers aren’t working.

"We are absolutely clear that, where possible, people should be at home. That is the advice we are giving and we think that advice is clear.

"People should not be at work if they are not required to do an essential job at work."

She also said that businesses should be prepared to go into "hibernation" if necessary.

Asked why she was so reluctant to impose a ban on workers going in to work, Sturgeon said "I’m not reluctant to do anything."

"Today, as has been the case I will have discussions with my advisers, Chief Medical Officer and others," she said.

"I will not hesitate to take the action that my expert advisers are telling me is necessary to take. 

"I have to be guided by that expert opinion, so that we do the right things and that we do them at the right time."

She added: "We are likely to see more restrictions come into place as we go through this."

"The advice that is given is not to be seen as optional. See them as a set of rules that are to be followed now."