Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Loved ones across Scotland able to reunite from Friday
LOVED ones across Scotland will be reunited within days under “accelerated” plans to lift lockdown travel restrictions.
From Friday, travel outside local authority areas will be permitted for socialising, recreation or exercise for the first time this year.
From the end of the week, people will also be able to meet up in larger groups outdoors.
The surprise move, announced yesterday and more than a week ahead of schedule, has been welcomed by mental health campaigners and groups dedicated to fighting loneliness.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the change of plan was possible thanks to a significant reduction in Covid cases, as strict lockdown measures and the vaccine rollout pay off.
She said: “Because the data in the last two weeks in particular has been so encouraging, we can now give a bit more certainty to individuals and businesses about the way ahead – and indeed accelerate one aspect of the exit from lockdown which I think is important for our personal wellbeing.
“From the end of this week, you will be able to meet up with family and friends who live in different parts of the country.”
She added: “We have also made significant progress in reducing the number of new Covid cases that we are seeing now reported in Scotland.
“To put the reduction we are now seeing into some context, in early January we were recording more than 2,000 new cases, on average, every day in Scotland. We are now recording fewer than 300 a day.”
The SNP leader told a coronavirus briefing there had been three deaths from coronavirus and 221 positive tests in the past 24 hours.
Under the relaxed rules on gatherings, six adults from up to six households will be able to meet up outside.
Chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith said: “Because of the success of the vaccination programme, we are seeing a decoupling of the infection numbers we are having across the country and the way they have traditionally translated into severe illness and deaths.”