What are Scotland's newest coronavirus lockdown rules?
18 June 2020, 16:47
Nicola Sturgeon has announced a raft of changes to relax Scotland's coronavirus lockdown measures.
For the past week, the First Minister had been hinting at moving Scotland into Phase Two of its four-phased approach for reducing coronavirus lockdown measures.
With the number of Scottish deaths falling for the seventh week in a row, according to data from the National Records of Scotland (NRS), Ms Sturgeon decided it would be appropriate to further relax restrictions in a cautious manner.
But what are the new measures mean for the people of Scotland?
Nicola Sturgeon announces Scotland is moving to phase two but cautiously
Visiting friends and family
From tomorrow, larger groups, including family and friends, will be free to meet outside, with a maximum of two extra households and up to eight people.
People can go into other households to use the toilet, Ms Sturgeon announced, but she encouraged everyone to continue meeting outdoors.
These measures are in addition to those outlined in Phase One, such as sunbathing and sitting outdoors, or visiting other households outdoors and in gardens.
Anyone who lives alone or with children aged under 18 can form an exclusive 'bubble', or an "extended household group", with one other residence, which will allow people to stay indoors and stay overnight.
If someone in the group contracts the virus then the whole group will be required to self-isolate.
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People who are shielding
From today, people who have been shielding will be allowed to go outdoors for exercise.
They will also be free to enjoy non-contact outdoor activities, including golf, from Friday onwards as well as meeting people from one other household.
However, they will need to adhere to social distancing measures at all times.
Transport
The five-mile limit for leisure and recreational purposes will remain in place for the time being, with the First Minister saying people should "remain as close as possible to local area" until Phase Three.
However, there is no similar distance limit for visiting friends and family.
From tomorrow, there will be an increase in capacity on public transport but not so much that it could hamper social distancing.
Anyone wishing to use public transport will be required to wear a face mask or face covering.
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Dentists, sports, construction and places of worship
From Monday 22 June, all dental practices will be free to reopen to patients with urgent care needs.
Professional sports can also resume, so long as public health guidance is followed, and unrestricted outdoor exercise is permitted as per Phase One.
However, gyms will not be reopening until Phase Three.
In places of worship, private prayer will be allowed but larger groups and services will not be allowed to gather until Phase Three.
The First Minister also said the Scottish construction sector will, from Monday, move to the next phase of its restart plan.
From Monday 29 June
Outdoor markets will reopen so long as sufficient measures are in place for controlling the numbers of people being let in, while non-essential retailers will also be allowed to open their doors if they have outside entrances, which excludes shopping centres.
Sports courts and playgrounds will be allowed to reopen and non-office based workplaces such as factories, warehouses, lab and research facilities will also be free to let employees back.
There will be a further relaxation of measures in the construction industry and for people moving houses, getting married and working in universities.
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