Scotland to move to level zero from next Monday but with 'modifications'

Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that Scotland will move to level zero COVID restrictions from July 19 but with some “modifications”.

In a virtual meeting of the Scottish Parliament, the First Minister said a "gradual approach" would stand the best chance of "minimising further health harm and loss of life".

And in contrast to the UK Government, where the legal requirement to wear face coverings indoors will be revoked next week, the SNP leader said masks would likely be mandatory in Scotland for some time to come. 

The move to level zero means that from Monday, up to eight people from four households can gather inside a private home, with up to 10 people from four households allowed to sit together in a pub or restaurant, and up to 200 people can now attend weddings and funerals.

However, physical distancing requirements outdoors, which limits gatherings to 15, will remain in place. They were due to be lifted, but the First Minister said the high number of COVID cases in the country meant they would need to remain in place for at least a further three weeks.

In another change to plans, groups will also have to keep a one metre distance from other groups. 

Other modifications include hospitality venues being required to close at midnight, and a delay to the end of home working, with the First Minister saying any gradual return to the office should be postponed until Scotland was "beyond level zero", which, she said, should be on August 9.

Limits on the size of events and stadia attendances will increase outdoors to 2000 seated and 1000 standing, and indoors to 400. However, organisers will be able to apply to stage larger events.

There will also be a relaxation of some self-isolation rules.  From Monday, people arriving in Scotland from amber list countries will no longer be required to quarantine as long as they are fully vaccinated and take a PCR test on the second day after arrival. 

From August, Sturgeon said the Government was hoping to "remove the blanket requirement for close contacts to self isolate if they have been fully vaccinated and return a negative PCR test. 

Sturgeon said the Scottish Government's education advisory group has also been asked "to what extend and with what mitigations" the requirement to self-isolate can also be lifted for school pupils, in a bid to stop students who come into contact with a positive case being sent home for ten days. 

The First Minister told MSPs: “Lifting all restrictions and mitigations right now would put all of us at greater risk - but in particular it would make it much more difficult for the most clinically vulnerable to go about their normal lives.

"It would risk the imposition of shielding by default and that is not something we should do.

“The Scottish Government understands the temptation to lift more restrictions more quickly - of course we do.

“But in our view, and in line with clinical advice and modelling, a gradual approach stands the best chance of minimising further health harm and loss of life and because a gradual approach also stands the best chance of being sustainable, it will be better in the long term for the economy too.

“So we will continue to ease restrictions - but we will do so carefully.”

The First Minister criticised the UK Government for removing mandatory restrictions and mitigations in England and instead encouraging the public to take "personal responsibility". 

She said: "On the issue of mandating mitigations like face masks, let me say this.

"It is my view that if government believes measures like this matter - and we do - we should say so, do what is necessary to ensure compliance, and take any resulting flak from those who disagree.

"We shouldn’t lift important restrictions to make our lives easier and then expect the public to take responsibility for doing the right thing anyway."

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said the government hadn't gone far enough. He said: “People across Scotland and the United Kingdom deserve our utmost thanks and appreciation for everything they have done.

“But now, is the right time to move forward. We cannot continue asking the public to sacrifice so much of their lives indefinitely when we promised them that the vaccine would bring an end to restrictions.

“The consequences for mental health, physical health and family finances have already been catastrophic.

“The balance has to tilt further in favour of moving forward. We have to make progress back to normality.

“The public have done what was expected of them. Now it is time for this SNP Government to deliver and hold up their end of the bargain."

Labour's Anas Sarwar welcomed the changes on restrictions but said "big problems still remain."

He called for the First Minister to change the time between the first and second dose of the vaccine. 

Sarwar said: “The WHO advice is to administer the second dose of the vaccine after 3-4 weeks. The manufacturer's advice is to administer the vaccine after 3- 4 weeks. 

 “Many countries across the world are administering the second dose of the vaccine after 4 weeks, and we know from the data that the significant protection you get to the Delta variant comes from the second dose of the vaccine.

“Will the government now move to a four-week gap between vaccines as recommended by the WHO, as recommended by the manufacturers, and as led by other countries around the world?"

The First Minister said Sarwar was being "irresponsible". 

She said: "In the entire lifetime of this parliament, no devolved government has gone against the recommendation of the [Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation] on vaccination.

"It would be unthinkable for me to go against the advice of the JCVI.

"The JCVI is, I understand, looking at this question. If it was to recommend reducing the dosage interval, there will be fewer people more happy to do that than me."