Scotland lifts all COVID-19 related restrictions

Scotland has left the final level of coronavirus restrictions. Level zero ends at midnight with almost all of the remaining anti-Covid measures now removed.

The legal requirement for physical distance has stopped in most places and hospitality places are now allowed to open at full capacity. Large outdoor events can now take place.

But the health secretary cautiously warned and warned the public “the virus is still with us”.

Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced during her latest update that almost all restrictions will be lifted on Monday 9 August.

The remaining restrictions are:

• The requirement to wear face masks inside public places and on public transport
• Pupils and teachers must wear masks indoors for up to six weeks after returning to school
• School staff must keep at least 1 m distance from each other and from children and young people while on the school grounds. In healthcare, there should still be a distance of 2 m office workers should still work from home, where possible.

Details have yet to be given at hospitality venues for testing and protection There are also new rules for self-isolation for close contact with positive cases.

Double-vaccinated adults and all children can now avoid self-isolation if identified as close contact, as long as they are asymptomatic and give a negative PCR test.

Whole classes in schools no longer have to stay home when an infection is discovered, although high-risk children and adults have close contact to isolate.

The new rules also point to the return of outdoor gatherings of more than 5,000 people and indoor events of more than 2,000 – but it must apply for permission from local authorities and the government to proceed.

Saturday has me. Sturgeon said Scotland had a ‘much better position’ with Covid-19 than might have been expected at the start of the summer, but she also urged Scots to ‘continue with prudent measures’ despite many of the legal coronavirus rules be lifted.

He told BBC Scotland News: ‘Today is a very important day. People live with the strictest constraints in their personal lives that any of us will ever remember, and this they did for 17-18 months on and off.

‘It was very challenging for people, so I will enjoy this day, but also remember that the virus is still with us.

“Therefore, you should continue to wear face masks in indoor environments and provide your details regarding testing and protection when going for hospitality. Enjoy it, but stay sensible.”