THE First Minister has said pubs and restaurants will be kept under review in Greater Glasgow, where a further 91 new coronavirus cases were identified today.
Five local authority areas – Glasgow, East and West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire – now face tightened lockdown rules due an increase in cases.
People living in the local authority areas cannot visit other households, while only outdoor care home visits are allowed.
Nicola Sturgeon explained why the decision was made last night to extend the rules to East Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire.
READ MORE: Lockdown restrictions extended to Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire
She told the Scottish Government briefing: "The evidence we have at this stage suggests that house gatherings, which, by their nature, are hard to regulate for things like physical distancing, have made the biggest contribution to the spread of Covid across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
"They're also a setting in which older and more vulnerable people are often most at risk of infection, because older and more vulnerable people are more likely to socialise at home rather than visit pubs and restaurants.
"As a result, our restrictions focus on meetings in people's houses. However, some transmission, we know, is taking place in pubs and restaurants, so we will also keep that under close review.”
The First Minister added the Scottish Government will be working with the local authorities facing restrictions about the further steps required to keep pubs, bars and restaurants operating in line with coronavirus guidance.
Sturgeon also stressed the importance of following the guidance while people face restrictions on household gatherings.
She said: “One point I would stress here is there has always been and remains a responsibility for customers. The rules on indoor meetings still apply in pubs. When you go out there should be no more than eight people from a maximum of three households in any group in a pub or restaurant."
The First Minister stressed people should be following social distancing rules and warned against complacency.
It came as Sturgeon announced 176 new coronavirus cases across Scotland, with cases reported in every mainland health board area.
There were also three new deaths recorded over 24 hours, the first time this figure has been reported since June.
The First Minister said at the briefing there may not be any further easing lockdown as cases continue to rise.
Though a review is due on Thursday, she said “we may well not be able to go ahead with any further easing of restrictions at this time".
Sturgeon added the responsibility for avoiding the reimposition of more restrictions lies with all of us.
She reminded viewers of the FACTS guidance – face coverings in enclosed spaces, avoid crowded places, clean hands and surfaces regularly, two-metre distancing and self-isolate and book a test if you experience coronavirus symptoms.
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