Up to twelve local authority areas and almost two million Scots could be under stricter level 4 lockdown when Nicola Sturgeon confirms further covid restrictions on Tuesday afternoon.
These areas are likely to be Glasgow council area, the three Ayrshire councils, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire, West and East Dunbartonshire, North and South Lanarkshire and Stirling and possibly Inverclyde, according to leaked documents.
There will no official confirmation on which areas go into the tightest level until Nicola Sturgeon speaks to the Scottish parliament later today after her Cabinet make a final decision this morning.
A further 717 people across Scotland tested positive for covid 19 on Monday with 1,227 people in hospital, 98 in intensive care and a further six deaths.
The First Minister reported on Monday that the rolling average of cases per 100,000 people was about 143 in Scotland.
But for greater Glasgow and Clyde that figure is up at 247, and in the Lanarkshire area it is at 241 per 100,000 which means, according to the First Minister, that action does need to be taken.
Sturgeon has stressed that it is the government's intention to keep schools open even under level 4 measures, despite teachers threatening strike action.
If confirmed as expected, the level 4 decision will lead to further restrictions on travel, closure of non essential shops, hairdressers, pubs and gyms from Friday.
Sturgeon has signalled tough new rules will see travel restrictions become legally enforceable, in an attempt to further suppress the virus.
At her press briefing on Monday the First Minister said that moving to Level 4 restrictions in some areas ‘for a limited period’ would help to address this concern, as well as possibly allowing the easing of measures over Christmas.
Discussions over a four-nation approach to Christmas are under way with other UK leaders.
The review will cover all of Scotland’s 32 local council areas. It is not likely any will see significant loosening of current rules in the five-tier system.
The changes announced will come into effect on Friday morning, unless urgent health measures are identified for immediate attention.
.jpg?w=600)
