PARTS of Scotland that are currently in Level 4 will move to Level 3 from Monday, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
The plans include the reopening of non-essential retail, gyms and indoor sporting facilities, as well as beer gardens, restaurants and cafes.
Up to four people from two households can socialise indoors in a public place, such as a cafe or restaurant.
Hospitality venues like cafes, pubs and restaurants can open until 8pm indoors – but without alcohol – and 10pm outdoors where alcohol is allowed to be consumed.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon confirms Scotland to enter Level 3 lockdown: six key things you need to know
Sturgeon insisted the requirements on physical distancing for hospitality has not changed.
The First Minister said there will be updated guidance published today on the collection of customer contact details. This includes the taking of details of all customers.
📺 Watch live: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gives an update on #coronavirus (#COVIDー19) restrictions.
— Scottish Government (@scotgov) April 20, 2021
Joining the First Minister is Chief Medical Office Dr Gregor Smith and National Clinical Director Jason Leitch. https://t.co/n1D8sOhVT2
Sturgeon also stressed that while people would be able to meet indoors in places such as cafes, it was not yet possible for them to meet others in private homes.
“I know that can seem illogical, it can seem really difficult and unfair,” she said.
But she said risks of transmitting the virus could be higher in people’s homes, where it is harder to enforce physical distancing and provide the necessary levels of ventilation.
Gyms can open for individual exercise.
All shops, stores and close contact services can open.
Tourist accommodation can open with restrictions in place.
Driving lessons and tests can resume.
Funerals and weddings, including post-funeral events and receptions, can take place with up to 50 people, but no alcohol may be served.
Indoor attractions and public buildings such as galleries, museums and libraries can open.
Travel will also be allowed on this date to other parts of Britain, with reviews planned on journeys to Northern Ireland and the Republic.
The plans will also see all of Scotland entering Level 2 on May 17, which means people can visit each other's homes.
If the Covid rate stays low, the country will move to Level 1 on June 7.
The FM also announced that Scotland has recorded two deaths from coronavirus and 178 positive tests in the past 24 hours.
It brings the death toll under this measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – to 7644.
Giving a Covid-19 update, the First Minister said 224,092 people have now tested positive in Scotland, up from 223,914 the previous day.
READ MORE: Covid in Scotland: Two further deaths recorded, Nicola Sturgeon confirms
The daily test positivity rate is 1.4%, down from 2.5%.
There are 106 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, up two in 24 hours, and 13 patients are in intensive care, down one.
Sturgeon said 2,750,052 people have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, up 2358 from yesterday, and 797,267 have received their second dose.
She said in the last week there had been “continued welcome evidence” that coronavirus cases are continuing to fall.
She said: “Seven days ago we were reporting 287 new cases every day on average, at the moment we are reporting 226 cases a day on average.”
Average daily case numbers have now fallen by more than 90% since early January, the First Minister added.
Meanwhile, the weekly case rate per 100,000 people has dropped from 38 to 30 over the past seven days, with the numbers of people in hospital and in intensive care on a “downward trend”.
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