Covid Scotland: What will restrictions be beyond Level Zero?

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is set to confirm on Tuesday whether Scotland will move beyond Level 0 Covid restrictions from August 9.

In a recall of parliament from recess, the First Minister will also update MSPs on the latest plan for what this easing of restrictions may look like.

Ms Sturgeon has previously said that all legal restrictions may be scrapped after August 9.

However, the Scottish Government has been more cautious than expected in recent restrictions easing, and retained some limits under Level 0, such as outdoor social distancing and the advice to work from home, which had been due to be removed.

Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images

Ms Sturgeon has said the legal requirement for social distancing indoors and outdoors may be removed beyond Level 0, but the official advice to social distance may remain. Mandatory face coverings may also be removed in some settings, but the First Minister has hinted these could be kept in situations such as public transport or shops.

The requirement to self-isolate for contacts of positive Covid cases is set to be relaxed for members of the public who have had two vaccine doses at lease two weeks ago, following this measure being brought in for some critical workers earlier in August.

The limits on gatherings between households may also be relaxed or removed. These were due to be scrapped outdoors from Level 0, but were retained as a last minute move towards extra caution.

In Level 0, up to eight people can meet in each others’ homes, or ten at an indoor public place, while weddings and funerals are limited to 200 guests.

These limits have been removed in England, where restrictions were eased from July 19.

The Scottish Government has set a “gateway condition” for the move to Level 0 of all over 40s having received two doses of Covid vaccine at least two weeks previously.

As of July 26, two weeks before the planned move to Level 0, more than 90 per cent of adults over 40 had been given both doses.

The move is also conditional on an assessment of the Covid situation in Scotland.

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