NON-essential Scottish hospitality venues could be closed for two weeks in October under "circuit breaker" lockdown plans that have been leaked.
A computer screengrab, which was published by Guido Fawkes, has been widely shared on social media today and lists measures apparently under consideration by the Scottish Government.
The document has not been verified but is thought to be genuine.
The plans include options such as "hospitality closed (except essential residential)" – indicating that some hotels and leisure accommodation could remain open, while pubs and restaurants close for a two week period.
The document, marked "official – sensitive", suggests introducing either a two-week circuit break across the whole of Scotland at the same time, or having a "rolling circuit break" which would coincide with the varying dates for the week-long school half term holiday – due to take place in October.
Other options on the list included: closing entertainment venues such as bingo halls, cinemas, casinos and amusement arcades; travel restrictions of five or 30 miles; a temporary stop on personal retail services such as hairdressers, beauticians or driving lessons; and restrictions on care home and hospital visiting.
It states: “Plus optional ‘circuit break’ which can be factored into either Option 1 or 2.
“This could be either: a fixed, standardised 2-week period across Scotland, or a ‘rolling circuit break’ reflecting existing half-term holiday dates across Scotland.
“We will need to specify what happens within the ‘circuit break’ but it could include some of the following (if not restrictive).”
READ MORE: These are the possible restrictions listed in leaked 'circuit breaker' memo
The document also states schools could close and only remote learning will be allowed for universities and colleges.
Schools in the Glasgow City, Dundee and North and South Lanarkshire regions are among those due to close for the October week on October 9, with classes resuming on October 19.
Schools in Edinburgh, meanwhile, are set to close for their October week on October 16 with pupils returning on October 26.
Asked about the screengrab during today's Scottish Government briefing, Nicola Sturgeon stressed that it would be "wrong" to take from the document that these restrictions would be announced as part of the package of measures this week.
The First Minister added that various options were under consideration but "no final decisions" had yet been reached.
She said she expects to make a statement to the Scottish Parliament on new restrictions tomorrow or Wednesday, adding that she hopes they can be deployed UK-wide.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We do not comment on leaked documents.
“As the First Minister said today, we are looking at a wide range of options. No final decisions have been made.”
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