Scotland eases lockdown measures TODAY meaning up to four adults can meet

258

View
comments

Boris Johnson is facing increasing pressure to speed up England’s roadmap out of lockdown today as Scotland and Wales both relaxed restrictions. 

Four adults from two households are  allowed to meet outside from today under plans brought forward this week by Nicola Sturgeon.

Gatherings can take place in any outdoor space, including private gardens, after the First Minister announced a ‘cautious acceleration’ of her roadmap this week.

Unlike Boris Johnson, the First Minister is prepared to tweak her blueprint if the data allows for a quicker end to curbs.  

Meanwhile in Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford will today confirm that its stay at home rules will be replaced by ‘stay local’ from Saturday.

From tomorrow, four people two households  in Wales will also be able to meet outdoors to socialise, including in gardens – while outdoor sports facilities, including basketball courts, tennis courts and golf courses, can reopen.

Indoor care home visits will also restart for single designated visitors from the weekend.

Hairdressers and barbers can reopen for appointments from Monday, the same day that all primary pupils and those in qualifications years can return to schools. 

But the rules in England remain that only two people from two households can meet outside in public.

The next relaxation is due on March 29, when six people can meet outside. 

The Prime Minister is resisting demands from Tory MPs to speed up his roadmap, and will stick with his four-step easing on March 29, April 12, May 17 and June 21. 

One senior Tory MP said: ‘It is very clear that Boris is pursuing an ultra-cautious approach. That is based on bitter experience. I can fully understand why he is doing that.

‘The real problem is there has been a failure between Westminster and the devolved administrations to agree one coherent national approach.’

Under the Scottish plan children aged 12-17 will also be able to meet in groups of four, but they do not all have to come from just two households. 

But Scots taking advantage of their newfound freedoms will have to bring a coat – as downpours are forecast throughout the day.

Announcing the easing on Tuesday, Ms Sturgeon said: ‘We realise that meeting up – even outdoors – even in Scotland – can be hugely beneficial for our wellbeing.’

Outdoor non-contact sports and exercise in groups of up to 15 will also be allowed to resume today.

Travel rules have also been stretched so children can stray outside of their local area for sport.     

Conversely, as the vaccine rollout continues apace, Ms Sturgeon stressed this week: ‘Of course as I have indicated before if the data allows us to relax more restrictions more quickly than we have previously indicated, we will not hesitate to do that.’

Marking the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organisation declaring Covid-19 a pandemic, Ms Sturgeon said there were grounds for optimism.

She said yesterday: ‘The last 12 months have been incredibly tough – unimaginably tough for everybody.

‘But as I indicated on Tuesday, we do now have real grounds for optimism, albeit cautious optimism.

‘Case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths have all fallen in recent weeks and when we publish the latest estimate of the R number later today we expect it to show that it remains below one.

‘And, of course, the vaccination programme has given a first dose to 40 per cent of the entire adult population and it is set to significantly accelerate over the next few weeks.’ 

She told MSPs the Scottish Government ‘will go ahead as planned with the next stage of the reopening of schools on Monday’.

She added: ‘In addition, changes to the rules on outdoor meetings and activities which I set out on Tuesday will come into force tomorrow and, as I have indicted, next Tuesday I will provide more information about our plans for the phased reopening of the economy.’

This will take into account the positive news but will also acknowledge the risks faced by new variants, she said.

Tuesday will also see changes announced to the levels system of coronavirus restrictions, which is due to come into force from the end of April.

The First Minister added the vaccination programme is set to significantly accelerate over the next few weeks.

As of Thursday morning, she said 1,825,800 people have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, up 16,642 from yesterday, and 141,433 have received their second dose. 

In Wales Secondary schools will have the option to bring year 10 and 12 learners back from Monday, while there will be ‘flexibility’ to allow all other pupils to ‘check-in’ with teachers on a limited amount of days ahead of a full return after the Easter break.

Non-essential retail, which was considered for reopening from next week, will start to reopen gradually from March 22, while restrictions will be lifted on what can be sold in shops which are currently open.

All shops, including all close contact services, will be able to open from April 12, the same date as in England.

Businesses that will be affected by ongoing restrictions will be supported by an additional £150 million from the Welsh Government.