Nicola Sturgeon is to confirm whether Scotland’s Covid-19 restrictions can be eased as planned in the coming weeks at 2pm today when The Scottish Parliament is to be recalled from recess for a statement from the first minister.
The Scottish government had set a target of moving the whole country to level zero from 19 July, before lifting most legal restrictions from 9 August – the same date as most restrictions will be lifted in England.
This would see the number of people who are allowed to meet up in bars and restaurants increased to 10 adults from four households, and to eight people from four households for private homes.
But Scotland has since been hit by a record-breaking wave of infections and she is meeting her cabinet to review the latest data this morning before announcing the decision to MSPs.
Public Health expert Professor Linda Bauld from Edinburgh University told the BBC this morning that she believed the planned easing would go ahead.
She said, “What I am expecting to hear is that we will proceed to level 0 on 19 July. There are a basket of indicators the Scottish government will be looking at.
“Starting with cases we see a decline in the seven-day average – 2,650, down from 3,800 a week before that. We have got more people in hospital now – just under 470 people – and we have three or four health board areas or hospitals that are definitely under strain, but others are coping . And the average deaths is about three or four a week which is regrettable.
“You can see that although the situation is still fragile it is showing some signs of being sustainable and we are able to cope with it.”
Different Covid-19 restrictions are in force across Scotland, with areas in the central belt including Glasgow and Edinburgh in level two and other areas like Aberdeenshire, Fife and the Highlands in level one.
Orkney, Shetland and many island communities are already in level zero.