Caution is the word of the day, with the promised move out of lockdown confirmed today by the First Minister.
From Friday there will be a gradual move out of the strict lockdown measures, but physical distancing and hand washing remain the key pieces of advice.
This is the timetable:
| Friday 19 June 2020 | those shielding can take part in non-contact outdoor activities whether walking or sport such as golf, angling, kayaking and meet one other household in groups of no more than 8 people outdoors. Strict physical distancing and hand washing. |
| A household not shielding can meet two other households outdoors. Max 8 people and may use bathroom at other household. Increased hygiene measures urged. | |
| Anyone living alone or only with children under 18 can form an extended household with one other household. An extended household can meet indoors with overnight stays permitted and no physical distancing required. | |
| People should continue to stay in their local areas for leisure and recreation. | |
| Monday 22 June 2020 | Face coverings become mandatory on all public transport |
| Construction sector to implement remaining stages of their return | |
| Dentists may see patients with urgent care needs | |
| Professional sport resumes | |
| Places of worship open for individual prayer and contemplation. | |
| Accommodation may be provided for employees who need to stay away from home for work. | |
| Monday 29 June 2020 | Some indoor workplaces to reopen – factories, labs and warehouses subject to strict physical distancing. Non essential offices and call centres and leisure and hospitality premises will remain closed Restrictions on house moves relaxed Public gardens and zoos may open but should remain limited to local access. Outdoor sports courts may reopen Playgrounds may reopen Registration offices may reopen for priority tasks. Marriages and civil partnerships will be allowed with minimal attendees outside Street access retail – all retail premises with outdoor entrances and exits may reopen. Some chronic disease management will be reintroduced. Some screening services will be phased in. Essential optometry and opthalmology services will resume Outdoor markets will reopen once guidance is implemented. |
| Thursday 2 July 2020 | Update on outdoor hospitality will be provided |
Between now and 29 June local councils are urged to remove unnecessary street furniture and make plans for the responsible use of public space.
Although the two metre rule remains in place, the First Minister has confirmed that she has ordered advice on this and the possibility of reducing it, for example in schools and on transport.
Public transport will increase their services although capacity may still be constrained owing to physical distancing. Active travel – walking, wheeling and cycling – remains the preferred mode of travel.
Plans will now be drawn up with COSLA and partners to review social care and care home services.
Announcing the measures at Holyrood, Nicola Sturgeon said:“Thank you for the personal sacrifices you’re making to tackle this pandemic. You’ve demonstrated remarkable dedication to our national wellbeing – that effort should never be underestimated, and my thanks can never be overstated.
“Because of your actions, we can now – gradually and carefully – change some restrictions.
“In deciding when to implement each measure in our staged approach, we have to think about how a decision in one area affects life in other areas. Our test and protect system is important to our gradual return to living more freely while suppressing the virus, and early indications suggest it’s already working well.
“I know for those shielding, the requirement to stay indoors at all times, without meeting up with anyone, has been incredibly tough. I hope that this change to our advice can provide a real improvement to your quality of life, without significantly increasing the risks you face.
“Our extended household groups will allow a grandparent who lives on their own to form a group with another household in their family, a single parent and their children to join with another household for support, and it will allow a non-cohabiting couple, where at least one of them lives alone, to be reunited. It will, I hope, help to ease some of the isolation which is one of the cruellest consequences of tackling this virus.
“I appreciate today’s announcement will be hard for the hospitality industry but I want to give an assurance that we will continue to support preparations for re-opening.
“Ultimately, this is a social bargain. The prize for going a bit more carefully now is a recovery that is much more sustainable and will, I hope, allow more normality to be restored to our everyday lives while suppressing the virus.”
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
