New Level 0 Covid lockdown rules in Scotland will come into force from next week, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
A number of significant changes will come into effect as Fife, Dundee, Angus and Perth and Kinross all move to Level 0.
Urging caution, on Tuesday First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made some changes to the plans previously outlined for Level 0 but confirmed most changes would go ahead.
What are the Level 0 rules in Scotland?
Major changes will come into force from Monday, July 19.
These include:
- Social distancing: Will reduce to 1 metre in all indoor public settings and outdoors
- Outdoor gatherings: 15 people from 15 households will be permitted to meet outdoors without physical distancing
- Indoor gatherings: Eight people from four households can meet in a home and stay overnight
- Hospitality: Can open until midnight, and two hour pre-booked slots will no longer be required
- Events: Up to 200 people can attend weddings and funerals
- Travel rules: People arriving in Scotland from an amber list country will no longer need to isolate if they have received two vaccines through a UK vaccination programme.
One of the most significant modifications to the previously announced Level 0 rules will be the continued need for homeworking.
The government will continue to ask employers to support people to work from home, the First Minister said.
Face masks
There will be no change to the mandatory requirement for face masks, which will become optional south of the border next week.
The First Minister said it was important that the government ensures compliance.
She said: “On the issue of mandating mitigations like face masks, let me say this. It is my view that if government believes measures like this matter – and we do – we should say so, do what is necessary to ensure compliance, and take any resulting flak from those who disagree.
“We shouldn’t lift important restrictions to make our own lives easier and then expect the public to take responsibility for doing the right thing anyway,” she said.