Tighter rules imposed

Residents in east Perthshire and beyond have been told to “stay at home” as the region returns to a full Covid-19 lockdown until at least the end of January.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also revealed during an update to parliament on Monday that education facilites will remain closed until February 1, with only vulnerable children and children of key workers able to attend for the time being.

Ms Sturgeon said that the government will enforce legal ‘stay-at-home’ laws from Tuesday this week - similar to those rolled out last March.

People going outdoors will only be permitted to do so for caring duties, essential shopping, excerise and visiting an extended household.

Residents must work from home where possible and those shielding should not go into work at all.

Outdoor meetings have also been further restricted, with only two people from two seperate households allowed to meet in a public place.

Children aged 11 and under are excluded from the above rule.

Current travel restrictions remain in place and, from Friday, places of worship are to close, except to host funerals and civil partnership services.

The new rules will be reviewed in mid-January and the First Minister said they may be extended or changed depending on the infection rate.

Schools in Scotland were due to return full-time on January 18 – but a rise in infections has prompted plans for a longer shutdown.

Scotland saw 2464 new coronavirus cases recorded yesterday, up from 2137 new cases on Saturday, and the daily test positivity rate is now at 15.2 per cent – up from 10.8 per cent on Saturday.

Ms Sturgeon warned the government had to act “quickly and decisively in the national interest”.

She said:“The situation is extremely serious.

“We have decided that from midnight tonight a legal requirement to stay at home will be put in place except for essentials.

“The new variant is a massive blow and has most definitely picked up pace in the last few weeks.

“We have to act quickly and decisively.We are about four weeks behind the position in London and the south east of England.

“We have an opportunity to avert the situation here - but we must act quickly.

“In short we must return to a period of lockdown similar to last March.

“They are, in our judgement, essential.”

SNP spokesperson for education at Perth and Kinross Council, John Rebbeck, said: “Overall I welcome news that online learning will be used until February 1.

“I’m a parent myself and I recognise there is a delicate balance between educating our children and safety.”