Dundonians are being urged not to travel to neighbouring Angus and Perthshire to take advantage of their looser restrictions.
The plea was made by Angus Council leader David Fairweather after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed Dundee will face stricter coronavirus rules from Monday.
The city will be placed in level three under the new structure, following a spike in the local infection rate.
The announcement means stricter measures will be in place on hospitality in Dundee, including a ban on the sale of alcohol.
Non-essential travel will not be permitted into and out of the city, however shops and gyms can remain open.
Angus, Fife and Perth and Kinross will be under level two restrictions, meaning restaurants, cafes and bars can open until 8pm, with alcohol permitted indoors with a meal. Outdoors the curfew will be extended to 10.30pm.
Independent councillor Mr Fairweather, who argued against proposals to put Angus in tier three due to its proximity with Dundee, said: “People absolutely cannot decide because Dundee pubs are closed that they will go to Angus or Perthshire for a pint.
“I would vehemently say to them ‘do not do that’ because it risks us all, including Dundee, being able to drop tiers and get back to normality.
“We have an opportunity to get some freedom back but if we’re silly about it we will pay the price, move up a tier and face more restrictions.
“Hopefully we will all stick to this and work towards having a good Christmas.”
It comes after The Courier reported NHS Tayside was lobbying to put Perth and Kinross into tier three restrictions.
Health chiefs believed the virus wold be more manageable if the local authority is given the same restrictions imposed on Dundee City Council, despite a huge disparity between the two areas, with 212 cases per 100,000 population in Dundee in the last seven days, compared to 73 in Perth and Kinross.
Mr Fairweather was also concerned about being “lumped in” with Dundee and wrote to Ms Sturgeon last week asking that areas were considered by local authority, not region.
He said: “I’m obviously pleased we are in tier two which will give our hospitality and other businesses some much needed relief.
“That does not mean to say we can be complacent and we still need to adhere to the restrictions that are in place, especially the need not to travel outside our tier level unless absolutely essential.
“It would have been good to get tier one status but there is a link with Dundee, particularly to Ninewells as the main hospital, so I understand where NHS Tayside were coming from, but the Scottish Government said we should be judged by local authority, not health board, and I agree with that.
“Tier two gives us an opportunity and goal to get this virus under control and move us back to normality.”
