Household visits will be banned across Scotland from tomorrow, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced at Holyrood.
Pubs and restaurants will also have to close at 10pm every night from Friday.
Ms Sturgeon, in an address at the Scottish Parliament this afternoon, said employees should still work from home if they can.
In Full: Read Nicola Sturgeon’s statement on the new Covid-19 restrictions
She told employers who have encouraged people back into the office to “rethink that”.
She added that if there is non-compliance from employers, then the Scottish Government may impose a “legal duty” on businesses to allow home working.
A media campaign will also be launched north of the border, the first minister said, to urge compliance with public hygiene guidance from members of the public.
On the decision to extend restrictions on household gatherings across the country, Ms Sturgeon said: “One of the reasons we have decided to do this is that our early data suggests that this restriction is starting to slow the increase of cases in the west of Scotland.
“So if we take the difficult decision to extend it nationwide now, in an early and preventative way, we hope it will help to bring the R number down and the virus back under control.”
Those living alone will be able to form extended households, couples not living together, those who need childcare and tradespeople will be exempt from the measures.
The changes only impact meeting in people’s homes, with regulations for outdoor and public indoor meetings remaining the same.
What are Scotland’s new Covid-19 restrictions and when do they come into force?
On the 10pm curfew, the first minister said that the Scottish Government was seeking to strike a balance between reducing the spread of the virus and safeguarding jobs in the industry.
Further resources will also be given to environmental health officials to step up enforcement and inspections to ensure that social distancing and other hygiene guidance were being adhered to.
Ms Sturgeon said: “This decision today means we can reduce the amount of time people are able to spend in licensed premises, thereby curtailing the spread of the virus while still allowing businesses to trade and provide jobs.”
“This is the best balance for now.”
The measures banning household gatherings are already in place in seven of the country’s 32 local authorities: East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire.
