Nicola Sturgeon today announced new restrictions in Scotland in a bid to fight the Omicron variant over the coming weeks.
A further 5,242 cases of Covid were identified in Scotland over the past 24 hours. Around 62.9 per cent of the infections are believed to have come from the mutant strain of the virus.
Advice on gathering in the run up to and on Christmas Day is set to remain the same, but a number of changes are scheduled to come into place from Boxing Day onwards.
This will have an impact on our trips to the pub, restaurants and large events - such as football matches, theatre visits and Hogmanay events.
New restrictions will stay in place for up to three weeks, the Scottish Government confirmed.
Sturgeon said that the measures are ‘necessary’ to slow the spread of the virus during the festive period.
“Sticking to all of this is really hard, but there’s not doubt whatsoever, it will help keep up safer”, the First Minister said during an address earlier today.
Here is how the restrictions will affect these venues and events from Boxing Day and beyond.
Pubs and restaurants
Hospitality venues that serve alcohol will be required to operate on a table service only policy from December 27, under the new rules.
One metre social distancing rules will also be applied between groups of people.
The Scottish Government also advises that groups should contain no more than people from three households.
Football matches
Only 500 people will be allowed to attend a seated or standing outdoor event in Scotland from Boxing Day.
Nicola Sturgeon said that this means that sporting events, such as the football, will be spectator free for up to three weeks from this period.
Football matches that can take place with the limited number of fans must have a one metre rule on social distancing.
Large events
Further limits will also be imposed on a string of large events in Scotland from Boxing Day onwards.
Indoor standing events will be limited to 100 and indoor seated events will be limited to 200. Figures on outdoor events, such as football matches, is 500.
Once again, social distancing rules will be in place at the venues that will continue to run events with spectators.
This means that large events, such as Edinburgh’s annual Hogmanay event, will be cancelled.
Nightclubs
Nightclubs are defined as an ‘indoor standing event’, therefore they will be limited to a crowd of 100 people from Boxing Day
Under the Scottish Government rules, clubbers will have to keep a social distance of one-metres inside venues.
More guidance is expected to be issued by the Government soon.
Non-professional sports
Non-professional contact sports that take place indoors will also be banned from Boxing Day.
Sturgeon said that physical distancing is not possible during these activities and also create a ‘heightened risk of transmission’.
