Pubs, gyms and non-essential shops will reopen for the first time in months after Nicola Sturgeon announced a major lockdown rule change in her Covid update.
The First Minister confirmed that significant changes planned for next Monday, April 26, would go ahead.
Speaking at the Scottish Government Covid update, Nicola Sturgeon said enough progress had been made to proceed with the next steps on the route out of lockdown.
The changes, which include the reopening of outdoor hospitality, are the most significant since the second coronavirus lockdown was put in place in January.
‘Substantial changes’
Included in the changes are plans to allow tourist accommodation to reopen, potentially allowing summer staycations.
Nicola Sturgeon said the weekly case rate per 100,000 people was now 30, with the number of people in intensive care on a downward trend.
Confirming the changes, Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am pleased to confirm that from Monday those parts of the country that are in Level 4 will move down to Level 3.
“Assuming the data continues in the right direction, all of Scotland will move to Level 2 on May 17.”
If circumstances permit, the First Minister said, Scotland could potentially move to Level 1 restrictions from early June.
The First Minister also used her Covid update to detail the latest statistics, revealing 178 new cases.
This was 1.4% of tests conducted.
In addition, 106 people are in hospital, two more than yesterday, with 13 receiving treatment from medics in intensive care.
A further two people have died from the virus after testing positive, taking the death toll under this measurement to 7,644.
Meanwhile, the latest vaccination figures showed that over 2.75 million people have received their first dose of the vaccine.
This means more than 60% of adults in Scotland have had a first dose of the vaccine.
What are the changes announced in Nicola Sturgeon’s update?
The changes from Monday, April 26:
- Non-essential retail will be able to reopen alongside libraries, museums, and other cultural attractions
- Tourist accommodation will be able to open allowing for staycations
- Pubs, bars, and restaurants will be able to reopen and serve alcohol outdoors
- Cafes, pubs, and restaurants will be able to open indoors until 8pm but cannot serve alcohol
- Travel between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will be allowed
- Up to 50 people can attend funerals and weddings.
- Gyms and swimming pools would be open for individual exercise and non-essential childcare would be permitted
- Non-essential work in people’s homes and driving lessons can resume.
Beer gardens near me: Interactive map shows pubs reopening across the Highlands and Moray