NICOLA Sturgeon has revealed the provisional coronavirus restrictions that will apply to different parts of Scotland from next week, unveiling a five-tiered system of alerts.
Holyrood agreed on the framework yesterday following a three-hour debate.
The First Minister said the central belt, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, is likely to move into level 3 of the new five-level lockdown system. Much of the rest of Scotland could fall under level 2.
However, Dundee could move into level 3, while North and South Lanarkshire could see tough new restrictions under level 4.
The Highlands, Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles and Moray could move to level 1. The levels will be confirmed tomorrow and will come into effect on Monday.
Opening the debate, the First Minister set out the reasoning behind the approach.
“Having five levels does not prevent us from applying restrictions consistently across the country if that is deemed necessary,” she said.
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“But it means we can avoid a one-size-fits-all approach if it is not. It will enable a part of the country with relatively low transmission to live with fewer restrictions than an area with much higher transmission.
“Such an approach is more proportionate but the downside is that it makes the messages we communicate more complex.”
The First Minister also announced the updated figures on the pandemic, including a further 25 deaths and 1327 positive tests in the previous 24 hours.
It means the death toll of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days has risen to 2726.
A total of 59,201 people have now tested positive in Scotland, up from 57,874 the previous day. The daily test positivity rate is 8.7%, up from 7.1% on the previous day.
There are 1100 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, up from 1052 on Monday. Of these patients, 82 are in intensive care.
The First Minister said a new postcode checker would allow people to know what restrictions are in place in their area at any given time.
The new system runs from level 0, which is as close to normal as it is possible to get without better treatment or a vaccine, to level 4, which is closer to a full lockdown.
Sturgeon previously said level 0 is “broadly comparable to the position we reached in August when the virus was very suppressed in Scotland, but still a threat”.
It would allow up to eight people from three households to meet indoors and most businesses and hospitality venues would be open.
Level 1 would see slightly more restrictions. Initially, people from different households would not be able to go inside each other’s homes.
However, in-home meetings of six people from two households could be allowed later.
Level 2 would entail restrictions broadly similar to those currently in place outside of the central belt, including limitations on hospitality and no gatherings inside people’s homes.
And level 3 would be roughly equivalent to the tougher restrictions that currently apply across the central belt.
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Hospitality rules will be slightly loosened, however.
Under the new system set out by the Scottish Government, level 0 will see hospitality operate “almost normally – subject to rules on physical distancing, limits on numbers and other mitigations, such as table service only”, Sturgeon said.
Under level 1, there will be a 10.30pm hospitality curfew.
Premises may sell alcohol indoors with a main meal up to 8pm under level 2, enabling the service of an early evening meal.
At present, hospitality premises outside the central belt cannot serve alcohol indoors and must close
indoors at 6pm. In addition, the new rules would allow bars, restaurants and other venues to operate outdoor areas until 10.30pm under level 2.
At level 3 – equivalent to the current restrictions in the central belt – the rules only allowing cafes will be removed, enabling all hospitality premises to operate in the daytime, up to 6pm, without the sale of alcohol.
Hotels and other accommodation will continue to be able to serve evening meals to residents.
Under level 4, hospitality would be closed. The expansion of the hospitality provisions within the new levels system takes effect from Monday and will be kept under review as the spread of the virus stabilises.
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