Scots are gearing up to find out whether lockdown restrictions will ease next week, with curbs on meeting indoors to loosen for the first time in months.
Nicola Sturgeon is preparing to give her coronavirus briefing today and will announce whether Scotland will move to tier Level 2 as part of the roadmap out of lockdown.
Under the country's coronavirus plan, the Scottish Government has set some key dates for when things can ease, with May 17 to be next on the list.
Here's what we can expect from the timetable for easing restrictions as we move into the summer:
May 17
Scotland is expected to move down to level two on the Scottish Government’s alert system.
All council areas - with the possible exception of Moray - are expected to move from level three to at least level two.
From this date, the following changes can take place:
- Re-introducing in-home socialising for up to four people from up to two households
- Further re-opening of hospitality: bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes can stay open until 10.30pm indoors with alcohol permitted and two hour time-limited slots and until 10pm outdoors with alcohol permitted
- Adult outdoor contact sport and indoor group exercises can resume
- Cinemas, amusement arcades and bingo halls can re-open
- Small scale indoor and outdoor events can resume subject to capacity constraints (to be confirmed following stakeholder engagement)
- Colleges and universities can return to a more blended model of learning
- More in-person (face-to-face) support services can resume
- Non-professional performance arts can resume outdoors
June 7
It is expected that Scotland will move down to Level 1 restrictions from June 7.
From this date, you can:
- You can meet socially in groups:
- of up to six people from three households in your home or theirs – and can stay overnight
- of up to eight people from three households in an indoor public place like a café, pub or restaurant
- of up to 12 people from 12 households outdoors in your garden or a public place
- You can travel anywhere in Scotland in Levels 0, 1 or 2 but must not enter a Level 3 or 4 area unless for a permitted reason
- You can travel anywhere in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands - before you travel you must check the travel rules in those countries
-
Up to 100 people can attend weddings and funerals
-
You should work from home where possible
-
Stadiums and events – with maximum numbers
-
All entertainment (apart from nightclubs and adult entertainment)
Late June
If all goes well it is hoped that areas can move to the lowest level of restrictions in late June.
At Level 0, you can:
- Meet socially in groups:
- Up to eight people from four households inside – and can stay overnight
- Up to 10 people from four households in an indoor public place like a café, pub or restaurant
- Up to 15 people from 15 households outdoors
- Up to 200 people can attend weddings and funerals
-
A limited and phased return to offices
-
Stadiums and events – with maximum numbers
-
All entertainment (apart from nightclubs and adult entertainment)
