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Today I am seeking to start a grown-up conversation with the public about the complex decisions that lie ahead of us as we consider life after lockdown.

The emergence of the Covid-19 virus is the biggest global challenge humanity has faced for generations. The pandemic is a health crisis, a social crisis and an economic crisis that is causing harm across the world on an unprecedented scale.

The impact of coronavirus on Scotland has been no less profound. No individual, community or business has been untouched and for many of you, that has meant real hardship. But the response from the Scottish people has been equally profound.

The steps we have taken to contain the virus here have changed life as we knew it - but despite the cost to business and society, the public has complied. That has reduced the pressure on our health and social care services and has undoubtedly saved lives.

(Image: Free to use: ScotGov Flikr)

I want to say thank you to the people of Scotland for the way they have diligently followed our public health advice to stay at home. For now, we must keep following the stay-at-home rules.

As a result of the public’s compliance with the lockdown, there are early signs the spread of the virus has been slowed.

That progress, combined with the hardship associated with the lockdown, has led us to open up a discussion on how we move forwards as a nation over the coming months. As we have done all along, we will seek to inform the public with the best scientific advice possible - but the science will never be exact and we are in uncharted territory, so we also need to make careful judgments and be prepared to adapt and change course as we go.

(Image: Garry F McHarg Daily Record)

We want to carefully ease restrictions but we cannot rule out having to reapply them should the virus run out of control - because while we have slowed down the impact of the virus, we have not eradicated it. And while we all hope for scientific advances such as treatments and a vaccine, the likelihood is we will need to live with the virus for some time to come.

But it is equally clear we cannot stay in complete lockdown indefinitely because we know this brings damaging consequences of its own.

The lockdown measures we are taking to contain the virus have resulted in harm to the economy and living standards, to children’s education, to our mental health and wellbeing. So we must try to find a better balance than the one we have now - but as we do so, we cannot and must not take our eye off the need to suppress the virus and minimise the damage it does.

(Image: Scottish Government/AFP via Gett)

What we will be seeking to find is a new normal – a way of living alongside this virus but in a form that keeps it under control.

Physical distancing and limiting our contacts with others will be a fact of life for a long time to come. That means possibly even for the rest of this year and maybe beyond.

It may be that be that certain business will be able to reopen at the right time but only if they can change how they work to keep employees two metres distant from each other. Similarly with schools, classrooms may have to be redesigned to allow physical distancing, so maybe not all children can go back at the same times.

And while some outdoor activity might be able to restart earlier than indoor activities, larger gatherings and events are likely to be off for some months to come.

Crucially we will continue to require that people in Scotland live their lives in ways that also help minimise the spread of the virus.

That includes individuals staying at home if they have symptoms, ongoing physical distancing and the continued need for good hand hygiene as we seek to carefully open up parts of our economy and society.

(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The challenge and necessary change that lie ahead of us will require us all to change how we live our lives as we move towards life after lockdown.

But if we all keep doing the right things there will be a way through and we will find it together.