A year of horror and hardships but vaccine has given us hope
IT’S been a year since the first case was confirmed in Scotland and life has changed beyond recognition.
The Scottish Government announced the first case of Covid 19 on March 1, 2020, in a Tayside resident who had travelled from Italy.
One year on, the country is once again in lockdown and 9347 people have died.
The first death of a Covid 19 patient in Scotland was announced on March 13 as cases hit 85.
By March 22, three weeks after the first confirmed case, 10 people had died and there were 416 confirmed cases.
All restaurants, cafes, pubs and cinemas had been asked to close and people told to practise social distancing.
Schools closed to most pupils on March 20 and would remain shut until after the summer holidays finished in August.
On March 23, the country went into full lockdown meaning people could only leave home for shopping for food, exercise once a day, medical need and essential work travel.
Social events were banned and public gatherings of two or more people were prohibited, while communal places such as libraries and playgrounds closed.
Nicola Sturgeon announced the first “cautious” steps out of the coronavirus lockdown would begin at the end of May.
From May 29, people were allowed to meet one other household at a time outdoors in groups of a maximum of eight, while some outdoor sports were permitted again and garden centres could reopen.
On July 6, beer gardens and outdoor cafes reopened and larger groups could meet outdoors and indoors from July 10.
Malls reopened on July 13 while, on July 15, hairdressers, indoor pubs and restaurants restarted.
People were able to take holidays both within the UK and internationally, and schools reopened from August 11.
However, restrictions on visiting other households indoors were introduced in parts of western Scotland after a rise in cases in early September.
As case numbers continued to rise, on October 15, Sturgeon announced a new tiered system of five levels.
The majority of Scotland was placed in level 3 from November 2, with the rest of the country in either levels 1 or 2.
However, 11 local authorities in west and central Scotland, including Glasgow, were moved into level 4, the highest level of restrictions, on November 21, moving back into level 3 on December 11.
Restrictions were eased to allow people to travel to visit friends and family on Christmas Day but the country went into a strict lockdown from Boxing Day and schools closed again.
However, the vaccination programme has given people hope, with the first jab in Scotland administered on December 8 and schools started to welcome some pupils back last week.