Covid-19 in Scotland
The Scottish government have announced that Scotland will move beyond Level 0 from Monday 9 August with most restrictions being removed.
Check the level for an area using the postcode tool.
At Level 0:
- you can meet socially in groups:
- of up to 8 people from 4 households in your home or theirs – and can stay overnight
- of up to 10 people from 4 households in an indoor public place like a café, pub or restaurant (please note that from 19 July, hospitality settings will be required to close at 00:00 hours)
- of up to 15 people from 15 households outdoors
- under 12s do not count towards the total number of people or households meeting outside but count towards the household numbers indoors (please note that from 19 July, under 12s do not count towards the total number of people meeting outside or indoors)
- you do not need to physically distance from family and friends in a private home
- from 19 July, you will not need to physically distance outside within your social grouping of up to 15 people, but you do need to continue to maintain at least 1 metre from all others outside
- from 19 July you need to maintain at least 1m distance from other households in all indoor public settings
- 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 anywhere in 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 200 people can attend weddings and funerals
- you can take part in any sport or exercise activity, including adult indoor contact sports
- tradespeople can carry out any work in your home such as painting, decorating or repairing
- you should work from home where possible (please note that from 19 July, current Level 0 allowances to return to offices in a limited and phased way are now being changed to post Level 0)
From 9 August:
The legal requirement for physical distancing and limits on gatherings will be removed on 9 August when all venues across Scotland are able to re-open.
Some protective measures will stay in place such as the use of face coverings indoors and the collection of contact details as part of Test and Protect. Capacity limits of 2000 people indoors and 5000 people outdoors will also remain in place although some exceptions may be possible on a case by case basis. These will be reviewed on a three weekly basis to ensure they remain proportionate.
Adults identified as close contacts of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 will also no longer be automatically required to self-isolate for 10 days from 9 August. Anyone who is double-vaccinated with at least two weeks passed since their second dose and who has no symptoms will be able to end self-isolation if they return a negative PCR test. The same conditions will also apply to anyone aged between five and 17 years old, even if they have not been vaccinated. The requirement to take a PCR test will not apply to children under the age of five.
Test and Protect will also implement revised guidance for under 18s. This means that the blanket isolation of whole classes in schools will no longer happen and a targeted approach, that only identifies children and young people who are higher risk close contacts, will be adopted. Fewer young people will have to self-isolate, and most will be asked to self-isolate for a much shorter period of time. To allow time to monitor the impacts of these changes, the majority of the mitigations that were in place in schools in the previous term will be retained for up to six weeks. This will help support a safe and sustainable return to education after the summer break.
While the gateway condition on vaccination has been met, with 92% of those over the age of 40 protected by two doses of the vaccine, there are still many more people who have not had the vaccine, cannot have it, or are not yet eligible for it. Invitations for vaccines are now going out to 12 to 17 year olds with specific health conditions that make them more vulnerable to Covid. This follows the recent advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. We expect to have offered first doses to this group by the end of August.
Background
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: First Minister's statement – 3 August 2021
Further detail about measures announced today and updated guidance for the education sector will be published shortly.
Further guidance will be provided to businesses to help them adopt measures to mitigate risks, including ensuring good ventilation; maintaining good hand hygiene; practising respiratory hygiene; getting vaccinated; and continuing to engage with Test and Protect.
Some baseline measures will remain in place:
- it will continue to be the law, subject to exceptions, that face coverings must be worn in indoor public places and on public transport
- Test & Protect will continue to contact-trace positive cases. To assist with this there will be a continued requirement for indoor hospitality and similar venues to collect the contact details of customers. Anyone who is required to self-isolate will, if eligible, continue to have access to support
- we will work closely with local incident management teams on appropriate outbreak control measures
- we will continue to use travel restrictions, as and when necessary, to restrict the spread of outbreaks and protect against the risk of importation of new variants
- for now, we will continue to advise home working where possible, recognising that some staff will start to return to offices in line with staff wellbeing discussions and business need. we will encourage employers to consider for the longer term, as the Scottish Government is doing, a hybrid model of home and office working - which may, of course, have benefits beyond the need to control a virus
- we will, for a limited period, keep in place a gateway process through which organisers of outdoors events of more than 5000 and indoor events of more than 2000 will have to apply for permission. This will allow us and local authorities to be assured of the arrangements in place to reduce risk
- we will continue to issue appropriate guidance to assist individuals and businesses to reduce the risk of transmission as much as possible, such as rigorous hygiene, including regular hand washing
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).
If you need medical help, please use the NHS 24 111 service.
Please click here for more general information.
