Scots will not be required to wear a face covering on the dance floor of a nightclub or while standing and having a drink in a pub from next week, Scotland’s National Clinical Director has said.
Nicola Sturgeon yesterday confirmed that Scotland will move beyond level zero Covid restrictions on August 9 - which gave businesses such as nightclubs the green light to reopen for the first time since March last year.
Laws on physical distancing and the size of gatherings will no longer be in place, but the First Minister said that masks must still be worn inside.
Night time leaders have been calling for the Scottish Government to clarify the rules on wearing face coverings inside nightclubs.
Scotland’s National Clinical Director Jason Leitch appeared to confirm that they will not be required on the dancefloor from next Monday.
He also stated that Scots will be able to keep their face masks off when they are eating or drinking while standing in a pub or bar.
Speaking to Bauer Media, he said: “We’ve engaged with those nighttime industries throughout the day today and clarified that when you’re standing or sitting, eating or drinking, there’s an exemption to wearing a face covering.
“We’re trying to be cautious. We know the virus is still there, we know this is a relatively unvaccinated group of individuals.
“When you’re at a pub, restaurant, or a home or a nightclub, act sensibly.”
When asked to clarify his comments, he responded: "You will not need to wear a face covering when you’re on the dance floor and you will not need to wear a face covering when drinking at the bar.
Mr Leitch’s comments echoes those made by John Swinney, who admitted that it would be a “bit tricky” for people to wear a face covering inside a nightclub.
When speaking to the BBC this morning, the Deputy First Minister said: “I think it's a bit tricky to be honest, so that's why we're having those discussions and we can only finalise those discussions once we've taken the strategic decision to enable nightclubs to reopen and what conditions would generally operate within society.
"I accept that in some circumstances within nightclubs, if people are sitting down at a table for example, and having a drink, then you can say that the hospitality rules can apply there so you don't have to be a face covering.
"If somebody is up dancing, which they are inevitably moving around, then the existing rules would say you should wear a face covering by except that in a nightclub that is quite a challenge.
"That's why we're having the discussions and we will iron those issues out in consultation with the sector over the course of today.”
Full guidance on the Covid rules beyond August 9 is expected to be published in full by the Scottish Government tomorrow.
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