Current COVID-19 restrictions in Scotland will remain in place until July 19 after a 40% increase in new cases last week, Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon said.
The Scottish government’s plan was for the whole country to go to Level 0 from June 28, but Ms Sturgeon confirmed the current rules will remain in place for another three weeks.
The renewed plan sees all areas of Scotland that have not yet done so to upgrade to Level 0 from mid-July, when the limits for indoor family gatherings will increase and the number allowed to attend at weddings and funerals will be increased to 200, added Ms. Sturgeon.
It is also hoped that the two-meter social distancing requirement can be reduced to one meter by that date “assuming the data supports it,” the prime minister said.
And the Scottish government plans to lift all major remaining legal restrictions on coronaviruses on August 9 if possible, she told MSPs.
Ms Sturgeon made the announcement in Holyrood on Tuesday as part of the country’s latest roadmap review out of lockdown.
She said the three-week delay in easing the lockdown was due to an increase in the number of cases, after 2,167 cases were recorded in Scotland in the past 24 hours – the highest daily figure since January 8.
“Assuming we achieve the revised strategic goal, we hope that all parts of Scotland, which are not currently at this level, will be able to move up to level 0 on 19 July,” said Ms Sturgeon.
“This means, for example, that the limits for indoor family gatherings will increase from that date, and up to 200 people will be able to attend weddings and funerals.
“We’re also hoping – assuming the data backs it up – that the general indoor physical distancing requirement can be reduced from 2 meters to 1 meter.
“And we hope, from that date, to lift the external requirement of physical distance.
“In addition – in recognition of the reduced risk of external transmission and therefore the desire to …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-06-22 13:52:00
