Coronavirus in Scotland
The Scottish government have provided further guidance on the roadmap out of lockdown with dates for relaxing restrictions as follows:
Timetable for planned phasing
From 17 May it is expected that most of Scotland including Aberdeenshire will move into Level 2. Details of restrictions in Level 2 are as follows:
At Level 2:
- you can meet socially in groups of up to:
- 4 people from 2 households in your home or theirs – and can stay overnight
- 6 people from 3 households in an indoor public place like a café, pub or restaurant
- 8 people from 8 households outdoors
- under 12s do not count towards the total number of people or households meeting outside but do count towards household numbers indoors
- you can travel anywhere in Scotland in Levels 0, 1 or 2 but must not enter a Level 3 or 4 area unless for a permitted reason
- you can travel to England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands - before you travel you must check the travel rules in those countries
- you can provide informal childcare, for example to look after a grandchild
- up to 50 people can attend weddings and funerals
- tradespeople can carry out any work in your home such as painting, decorating or repairing
- you should work from home where possible
What can open at Level 2
Places and business that can open at Level 2 include:
- cafés, pubs and restaurants
- all shops and stores
- all close contact services including hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons
- gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools
- tourist accommodation
- visitor attractions
- public buildings like libraries and community centres
- cinemas, theatres, concert halls, amusement arcades, casinos and bingo halls
- stadiums and events – with maximum numbers
What must close at Level 2
Places and business that must close at Level 2 include:
- soft play, funfairs, indoor bowling, snooker/pool halls, nightclubs and adult entertainment
This is not a full list. You can get more information in the sections below.
Close all sectionsMeeting others indoors
At home
The maximum number of people who can meet indoors socially in a private dwelling (in a home) is 4 which can be from 2 households, including for overnight stays.
Children under the age of 12 from these households do not count towards the total number of people permitted to meet. For example a children’s party with 6 children from more than 2 separate households would not be allowed, but 4 adults and 2 children from 2 households can meet.
Children under 12 do not need to maintain physical distance from others.
You can also go into another person’s home for certain essential reasons, such as for essential work, to join your extended household or to provide care and support for a vulnerable person. This can include providing emotional support for someone whose wellbeing is at risk, including for those who are isolated because of disability or a caring responsibility or where they are a parent or carer of a child under one.
When you meet people from another household indoors you should:
- minimise the number of meetings you have with people from other households each day
- stay at least 2 metres apart from anyone who is not part of your household
- maintain hand and cough hygiene
- avoid touching hard surfaces with your hands
- wash your hands when you arrive, when you leave, when you get home and especially before eating or after touching surfaces
- not share food or utensils
- keep rooms well ventilated, if possible – consider opening windows or a door
Meeting others indoors in a public place (such as a bar or café)
The maximum number of people who can meet socially indoors in a public place (not a home) is 6 which can be from up to 3 separate households.
Children under the age of 12 from these households do not count towards the total number of people permitted to meet, however they do count towards the maximum of 3 separate households. For example a children’s party with 10 children from more than 3 separate households would not be allowable, but 6 adults and 4 children under 12 from 3 households could meet.
Children under 12 do not need to maintain physical distance from others.
Where an individual household includes more than 6 people, they can nevertheless meet as a single household even if the total number of people exceeds 6. In hospitality settings, this is contingent on the premises being able to accommodate the group size within the available facilities.
Those at a higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus (including those who had been shielding, people 70 and over, people who are pregnant and people with an underlying medical condition) should strictly follow the physical distancing guidance.
Meeting others outdoors
The maximum number of people who can meet socially outdoors in a private garden or in a public place such as a park or an outdoor area of a café is 8, which can be from up to 8 separate households.This applies to anyone aged 12 or over.
Two metre physical distancing should be maintained between members of different households.
Children under the age of 12 do not count towards the total number of people or households in a gathering. Children under 12 do not need to maintain physical distance from others.
You should:
- minimise the number of meetings you have with people from other households each day
- stay at least 2 metres away from anyone who is not part of your household (unless in a public venue that is operating 1 metre distancing with additional measures being in place to avoid transmission)
- maintain hand and cough hygiene
- avoid touching hard surfaces with your hands
- wash your hands when you arrive, when you leave, when you get home and especially before eating or after touching surfaces
- not share food or utensils
Those at a higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus (including those who had been shielding, people 70 and over, people who are pregnant and people with an underlying medical condition) should strictly follow the physical distancing guidance.
Extended households
An extended household is a support network that joins two households.
You can form an extended household with another household of any size if you:
- live by yourself
- are a single parent where all others in your household are under 18 years old
- are part of a couple who lives apart – including any children you each live with
Read more about extended households.
Shared parenting
Where parents do not live in the same household, children can move between their parents’ homes.
Read more:
- shared parenting during coronavirus on Parent Club
- update to guidance on compliance with court orders relating to parental responsibilities and rights on Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service website
- guidance for child contact centre providers during coronavirus
Hospitality
Restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars can open indoors until 22:30 with 2 hour pre-booked slots, and outdoors within local licensing conditions for the consumption of food and alcoholic drinks.
The hospitality sector should follow: sector guidance for tourism and hospitality
The maximum number of people you can meet indoors in a restaurant, café, pub or bar is 6 which can be from up to 3 separate households.
The maximum number of people you can meet outdoors in a restaurant, café, pub or bar is 8 which can be from up to 8 separate households.
Children under the age of 12 do not count towards the total number of people who can meet, but do count towards the maximum number of households permitted to meet. For example an indoor children’s party with 10 children from more than 3 separate households would not be allowable, but 10 children from 3 households could meet.
Where an individual household includes more than 8 people they can continue to meet as a household in hospitality premises.
Table service and the wearing of face-coverings (unless exempt) when not seated by all customers is mandatory in all hospitality venues. When meeting people from more than one other household, you should think beforehand about what size of table you will need to keep physically distanced between members of your group. The venue you are visiting should be able to advise you of booking options.
You will be asked by the venue to provide your contact details (for each person) for Test and Protect purposes. This information is retained for 21 days with a view to sharing with Test and Protect Teams, if required.
You should stay at least 2 metres apart from people from other households at all times, unless the venue is operating 1 metre distancing due to additional measures being in place to avoid transmission. Physical distancing and good hand hygiene remain the most effective measures in reducing the transmission of COVID-19. Therefore, distancing requirements need to be maintained, where reasonably practicable, at all times, including when waiting to enter premises and when seated.
Takeaways can operate as normal. Face coverings and physical distancing rules must be followed.
Hotels and other accommodation providers can still serve food and alcohol to guests staying in their premises up to 22:30. Room service, including alcohol, is allowed as normal.
Holiday accommodation
All holiday accommodation (hotels, B&Bs, self-catering, hostels caravan and camping sites) can open in line with sector guidance for tourism and hospitality.
A bedroom should be occupied by members of only one household (or extended household).
In self-catered or other unregulated (unstaffed) accommodation, in-house socialising rules apply. In Level 2, a maximum of 4 people from up to 2 households can socialise in a private dwelling. Children under the age of 12 from these households do not count towards the total number of people permitted to meet.
In public spaces within regulated (staffed) tourist accommodation, the rules about socialising in an indoors public place apply. In Level 2, a maximum of 6 people from up to 3 households can socialise indoors in a public place. Children under the age of 12 from these households do not count towards the total number of people permitted to meet.
Tourists from Level 3 and 4 areas
People must not travel to places in Level 0, 1, or 2 areas if they are from a Level 3 or 4 area, except for essential purposes.
Workers accommodation
Please see: guidance on workers’ accommodation
Travel and transport
See further guidance on travel and transport and view maps of local authority area boundaries.
Shopping
All retailers can open. They should follow and have implemented Scottish Government guidance to ensure the safety of customers and staff.
Read more:
Whilst retailers will implement procedures to ensure the safety of customers and staff, it is an individual’s responsibility to ensure they comply with the following guidance:
- do not visit any retail premises if you have tested positive or have developed any of the COVID-19 symptoms
- you must wear a face covering when you go into any retail premises including any indoor area of a shopping centre, unless exempt. Read the face covering guidance
- maintain a 2 metre physical distance between other people
- you must follow direction signs, customer flow systems and shop capacities as indicated by the retailer
- during this period adults, unless accompanying a vulnerable person or a child or children under 18, should shop alone
In order to keep transmission rates as low as possible, you are also advised to:
- avoid crowded shops. Try to avoid times when shops will be busy. If you do not think you can maintain physical distancing in a shop, go back later.
- visit stores that are using infection control measures and use the available hand sanitiser and sanitising stations
- try to avoid touching goods unless you intend to buy them
- be polite. Please ensure that you are considerate to retail staff and abide by their guidance and instructions, including removing your face covering if requested for proof of age.
Restrictions on travel for non-permitted activities into Level 3 or 4 areas remain in place. Non-essential shopping is not an exception to this. You should only travel into a Level 3 or 4 area for essential shopping if there are no practical alternatives in your area.
Close contact services
All close contact services, including mobile, may operate providing they follow Scottish Government guidance to ensure the safety of customers and staff. Those providing such services are now able to travel and undertake these services across Scotland, with the exception of any areas which are in Level 4.
Read more:
Close contact services include:
- hairdressing and barbers
- beauty and nail services (including make-up)
- hair removal
- tattoo, piercing and body modification
- fashion design, dress-fitting and tailoring
- indoor portrait photography and art services
- massage therapies
- complementary and alternative medicine services requiring physical contact or close physical proximity between persons, but not osteopathy and chiropractic services
- spa and wellness services
- other services or procedures which require physical contact or close physical proximity between a provider and a customer and are not ancillary to medical, health, or social care services
Whilst close contact retail service providers will implement mandated safety procedures to ensure the safety of customers and staff, it is an individual’s responsibility to ensure they comply with the following guidance:
- people should not visit any close contact service premises if they have tested positive or have developed any of the COVID-19 symptoms
- face coverings should be worn at all times by staff and customers, unless they are exempt. Read the face covering guidance. Close contact service providers cannot provide any service within the high-risk zone, such as a facial or beard trim or other procedures which requires a customer to remove their face covering
- close contact service premises may have a maximum capacity so customers should arrive at the time of their appointment and be prepared to queue outside
- customers should stay at least 2 metres apart when not undergoing any treatment that makes this requirement impossible
Customers should be asked for contact details for Test and Protect purposes. This information should be collected in a safe and secure manner, which is compliant with data protection legislation and in line with existing guidance.
Going to work/working from home
People are advised to work from home wherever that is practicable. By law, employers must take all reasonable steps to minimise the risk of the incidence and spread of coronavirus. Supporting employees to work from home where possible is an important part of that.
Read further information: coronavirus; working from home guidance
Please see furlough guidance: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Businesses which provide essential services can continue to operate, such as those in the Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) sector, courts and tribunals. There are 13 designated CNI sectors including agriculture and food production, activity to maintain the food supply chain, energy and transport.
Not all CNI activity will be essential. Those operations which can be done effectively through home working should be adopted.
Tradespeople, home repairs, and working in someone else’s home
Read further information and guidance on working in other people’s homes
Tradespeople can work in other people’s homes providing they follow guidance on working safely. This includes all in-home workers such as utility engineers, domestic cleaners, furniture delivery and installations.
Mobile close contact services such as hairdressers or beauticians must follow separate guidance for mobile close contact services.
Tradespeople who deliver goods or services to homes and businesses can travel between all levels for work purposes.
Stadia and events
Outdoor seated and open space events are advised to operate with a maximum capacity of 500 people.
Outdoor grouped standing events are advised to operate with a maximum capacity of 250 people.
Small seated indoor events are advised to operate with a maximum of 100 people.
Read more:
Guidance is being produced which may allow higher capacities to be agreed with the local authority/ Scottish Government depending on the event.
Sports and exercise
You are permitted to meet others outdoors and indoors, following the rules around meeting other households (see section above), for informal exercise or sport.
Under 18s
All organised sports and activities are permitted, provided appropriate safety measures are followed.
Sports organisations will need to refer to guidance produced by their Scottish Governing Body of Sport and ensure they operate in line with the guidance.
Read the sport and physical activity guidance.
Adults
All organised outdoor sports, personal training and coaching are permitted, provided appropriate safety measures are followed. Indoor contact sports are not permitted, except for professional sport.
Sports organisations will need to refer to guidance produced by their Scottish Governing Body of Sport and sportscotland and ensure they operate in line with the guidance.
- sport and physical activity guidance
- guidance for coaches, leaders, personal trainers and instructor
Organised exercise (such as exercise classes and non-contact sports) is permitted indoors, provided appropriate safety measures are followed.
Leisure and entertainment
The following businesses must be closed:
- soft play
- funfairs
- indoor bowling
- snooker/pool halls
- nightclubs
- adult entertainment
The following businesses can be open:
- cinemas
- theatres
- concert halls
- music venues
- comedy clubs
- amusement arcades
- bingo halls
- casinos
Those businesses which are open should operate in line with guidance, physical distancing duties, face covering regulations and other hygiene measures.
Small seated indoor events are permitted with a maximum of 100 people. Guidance is being produced which may allow higher capacities to be agreed with the local authority/ Scottish Government depending on the event.
Read more:
You must ensure that you follow the rules on meeting friends and family when visiting such leisure venues.
Film and TV production can continue to take place. All such activity must be done in compliance with industry guidance.
Driving lessons
Driving lessons and tests are permitted. Specific guidance can be found at: Coronavirus (COVID-19): vehicle lessons.
Moving house, letting property, and second homes
It is permitted to carry out the maintenance, purchase, sale, letting or rental of a residential property that you own or are responsible for. All home moves are permitted, provided they can be carried out safely. Please see our home moves guidance for more information about moving home, including buying and renting in the private or social sector.
Second homes
You may travel to your second home in Scotland or within the Common Travel Area (excluding the Republic of Ireland), including to a second home let as self-catering accommodation, and stay there with members of your household and extended household. You must follow Level 2 indoor socialising rules whilst in Scotland. Read more: second homes guidance.
Public buildings
Public buildings such as libraries or community centres can open to the public. When visiting you should comply with the physical distancing and hygiene measures in place. Anyone visiting a building will either be required by law to wear a face covering (unless exempt) or be advised to wear one.
Some public buildings will operate an on-line booking system and some may have dedicated opening times for high risk groups. Calculations for physical distancing guidelines apply in all public buildings except for those delivering an essential public service.
Read more: guidance for public libraries
Courts and Tribunals will remain open. Further details are available from the Scottish Courts and Tribunals website.
Visitor attractions
All indoor and outdoor visitor attractions such as museums, galleries, educational and heritage attractions, zoos and aquariums can open providing there are physical distancing and hygiene measures in place. When visiting you should comply with the physical distancing and hygiene measures in place. Check in advance for visiting arrangements such as pre-bookable time slots. Face coverings indoors are compulsory for all visitors and staff.
Visitor attractions with retail and hospitality facilities can open in Level 2 in line with retail and hospitality guidance:
Public and customer toilets can be opened as long as it is safe to do so. Where toilets are part of a larger premises e.g. a shop, face coverings must be worn.
You must not meet socially at a visitor attraction in a group of more than 6 people from 3 separate households indoors or 8 people from 8 separate households outdoors.
Specific sector guidance can be found at:
Places of worship
Places of worship are required to take measures to protect individuals, worshippers, staff members and volunteers from infection by COVID-19.
Those responsible for places of worship must take measures to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that people are able to maintain a distance of 2 metres at all times from others who are not part of their household, and should limit the numbers attending services accordingly, in line with guidelines on physical distancing capacity.
Ceremonies to celebrate life events such as bar mitzvahs, baptisms, First Communions and christenings can take place as part of a scheduled act of worship. Separate guidance applies to funerals and marriage ceremonies (see Life Events guidance).
Places of worship are asked to maintain a temporary register of worshipper and staff/volunteer contact details for a period of 21 days for Test and Protect. This is to support contact tracing as part of NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect system, in the event of an outbreak linked to a particular venue.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for the safe use of places of worship
Life events (including weddings and funerals)
Wedding ceremonies and civil partnership registrations can take place with a maximum capacity of 50 people (including the couple and the witnesses), provided the venue’s capacity allows for 2 metre physical distancing.
Funerals can take place with a maximum capacity of 50, provided the venue’s capacity allows for 2 metre physical distancing.
Receptions and post-funeral gatherings, such as wakes, can also take place with a maximum capacity of 50 people. Alcohol may be served.
You must maintain a safe distance of 2 metres between people not in your household or extended household.
Face coverings must be worn indoors. Where physical distancing or a partition is in place, there is an exception for the couple getting married or entering a civil partnership and the person leading the ceremony during a wedding ceremony or civil partnership. Face coverings do not need to be worn by the person leading a funeral service or by the person providing the eulogy.
Schools and childcare
Schools can remain open.
Read more:
- Information for parents and carers is on the Parent Club website
- Full guidance for schools
Childcare
Formal childcare
Nurseries, childminders and regulated school age childcare providers are open. Standard protective measures are in place.
Informal childcare
Informal childcare (family and friends) is permitted. You should follow the rules for socialising. Further information is available on the Parent Club website.
Colleges and universities
From 26 April, both colleges and universities are operating ‘Blended Learning’ in Levels 2, 1 and 0. Further information on what this will involve can be found at guidance for higher and further education institutions and student accommodation providers.
Children's organised activities
Sports and exercise
For under 18s all organised sports and activities are permitted, provided appropriate safety measures are followed.
Sports organisations will need to refer to guidance produced by their Scottish Governing Body of Sport and ensure they operate in line with the guidance.
Read the sport and physical activity guidance.
Unregulated children’s activities
Unregulated activities and services for children and young people include groups such as Brownies or faith-based classes for children, and activities for parents and children such as baby and toddler groups.
Read more:
Unregulated activities for parents and children under 5 such as baby and toddler groups that are permitted. It is advised that these activities are limited to a maximum of 10 adults indoors and 15 adults outdoors and unlimited under 5s.
See: children and young people gathering restrictions and activities (PDF)
Public services
Public services are open, but may operate with reduced face-to-face services.
Visiting hospitals
There are some restrictions on visiting people in hospital. However, it is recommended that family support from at least 1 visitor is permitted per patient. Additional visitors above the minimum are at the discretion of individual hospital management.
In addition, you can still visit someone in hospital or accompany someone to appointments if you’re:
- a birth partner supporting a woman during hospital visits
- visiting someone receiving end-of-life care
- supporting someone with a mental health issue, or dementia, or a learning disability or autism, where not being present would cause the patient to be distressed
- accompanying a child
You may be able to be visit for other reasons if you and hospital staff feel it is essential.
You should make any arrangements by contacting clinical staff before visiting.
Visiting care homes
Care home residents are recommended to:
- receive a minimum of two indoors visits a week, one person at a time
- essential visits should be supported at all times
- garden or window visits are also allowed
Visits additional to the above are at the discretion of individual care homes, based on local circumstances and Open with Careprinciples.
Care home visits are classed as essential travel so you can travel to or from any area for this reason.
For more information:
- guidance for visiting loved ones in an adult care home (NHS Inform website)
- visiting guidance for the care home secto
Shielding
Please see: Shielding advice and support
Domestic abuse support
Coronavirus rules and guidance do not prevent anyone from leaving their home to escape domestic abuse or taking other measures to keep themselves safe from domestic abuse.
If you, or someone you know, is experiencing domestic abuse help is available.
Call Scotland’s Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0800 027 1234 or visit Safer.Scot.
Domestic abuse is a crime. Call 101 to report it or 999 in an emergency.
Support for people
Support services
Support services can continue to operate in line with guidance. Examples of support services include peer support groups, talking therapy groups, one to one talking therapy, counselling and child contact services. Support services do not include close contact retail services, such as massage, which are covered by separate guidance on this page.
Building based day services and residential respite/ short break services
Social care building-based day centres and residential respite services can operate in line with the relevant guidance, following all necessary risk assessments and safety requirements.
Relevant public health advice should be followed, which may mean that support could look different and services may be unable to operate at full capacity. Services operating at reduced capacity should prioritise supported people and their unpaid carers who are most in need.
- guidance is designed to support safe re-opening and delivery of building-based day services for adults
- guidance on adult stand alone residential respite
- guidance for residential children’s houses, residential schools, secure care, and residential respite/short break facilities
Supporting others
Remember that some people may find physical distancing rules harder to follow than others, for example those with sight loss, autism, learning disabilities and dementia or other communication or mobility needs.
You can help by being considerate and by:
- keeping your distance – for example, if you see someone with a guide dog, long cane or with mobility difficulties, you can help them by making sure you keep 2 metres away
- being friendly and offering help – for example, by letting someone with sight loss know where a shopping queue starts or if there is a safer place to cross a road
17 May
Three weeks on from the publication of the last update, and given the progress with the vaccination programme and what we have learned about its impact on reducing transmission of the virus, we are now in a position to add a new indicative date for further easing of restrictions. From 17 May we hope to introduce the following easings:
- re-introducing in-home socialising for up to 4 people from up to 2 households
- further re-opening of hospitality: bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes can stay open until 22:30 indoors with alcohol permitted and 2 hour time-limited slots and until 22:00 outdoors with alcohol permitted
- adult outdoor contact sport and indoor group exercises can resume
- cinemas, amusement arcades and bingo halls can re-open subject to capacity constraints
- small scale indoor and outdoor events can resume subject to capacity constraints (to be confirmed following stakeholder engagement)
- colleges and universities can return to a more blended model of learning
- more in-person (face-to-face) support services can resume
- non-professional performance arts can resume outdoors
June
We know that the coronavirus is unpredictable and is adept at mutating in order to survive. It is also vital that we allow enough time between different sets of easings to assess what effect they have had on the R number and other virus indicators. For that reason, it is too early now to give specific dates beyond May. However, we understand the need for people and businesses to plan and so, to give a broad sense of likely timings, from the start of June, we would aim for Scotland to move back to Level 1. This will allow further relaxation across all areas of the economy and society, while still applying physical distancing and other non-pharmaceutical interventions and the FACTS guidance. From the end of June, we hope that we will be able to move to Level 0.
We must also be prepared to pause if the data shows that the virus is spreading again. We will act decisively to reapply higher levels of restrictions to manage localised outbreaks should the need arise. This could be on a local or regional basis, depending on the nature of the outbreak. However, we will not leave any restrictions in place for any longer than they are necessary to meet our responsibility to safeguard the people of Scotland.
Every person in Scotland must comply with these measures
Please be aware that restrictions in Scotland differ from those elsewhere in the UK. For residents of Scotland, please see https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
This page has been designed to provide up-to-date information, guidance and advice with regards to Coronavirus (COVID-19).
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