Monklands residents will be able to meet in newly-increased groups of up to four adults from two households from Friday in a relaxation to Scotland’s coronavirus rules.
“Outdoor social interactions” will be allowed in all spaces including private gardens, and are allowed for “social and recreational purposes” in addition to the current essential reasons.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the change at Holyrood this afternoon, but emphasised that indoor meetings are still not allowed and that people should still be staying close to home, saying: “We hope to be in a position to relax the travel rules within Scotland to some extent travel in the weeks ahead, but not quite yet.”
Young people aged 12 to 17 will also be able to meet outdoors in groups of four but without the household limit; while outdoor non-contact sports and exercise in groups of up to 15 will also be reintroduced for adults from Friday, and there will be “some flexibility” for young people to be able to cross council borders to take part in sports club sessions.
Today’s other major coronavirus restriction change is that places of worship will be able to welcome up to 50 socially-distanced congregation members for communal worship from March 26, in time for Passover, Easter and Ramadan.
It will be the first time this year that places of worship have been able to open their doors, and the First Minister said of the “careful change”: “We believe it can be achieved safely, but hope it will allow people to draw strength, comfort and inspiration from acts of collective worship.”
Click here for more news from the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser
She said that a “firmer indicative timetable” for the route out of lockdown will be set out next week – and announced that a national silence will be held on March 23, marking a year since the first lockdown was announced to remember all those who have died and been bereaved in that time.
Ms Sturgeon said: “The good progress we’re making on vaccination is important context for today’s statement and the prospects are now very encouraging indeed; but even though we’re heading firmly in the right direction, we cannot afford to take our foot off the brake too soon.
“Timing is essential, as if changes get ahead of vaccination, the virus will run out of control; and if we continue to prioritise education, our scope to make further changes will be limited while we’re still rolling out the vaccination.
“These changes are modest but important and will help health and wellbeing as we all take tentative steps back to life as we once knew it; we expect more substantial changes will be possible in the weeks ahead and will set out more then.”
