Facing down coronavirus: Scotland’s new rules

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon outlines what ‘phase three’ will look like • Masks to be mandatory in shops • Children will get to hug grandparents • Relaxation of 2m rule in certain sectors

Face coverings are to be compulsory in Scottish shops from the end of next week as physical distancing is relaxed in retail and hospitality sectors as well as public transport.

Nicola Sturgeon said failure by shoppers to cover their faces could result in a £60 fixed penalty fine as she announced further easing of anticoronavirus measures to come into force on July 10.

Her announcement also included more immediate changes to the guidance, which will give children more chance to play with each other during the summer holidays and to allow them to hug their grandparents.

“Face coverings in shops will be compulsory from the end of next week but please don’t wait until then, get into the habit now,” Ms Sturgeon said.

“As we all start to interact more, it is vital we take all reasonable steps to reduce risk and we know that face coverings can help reduce the risk of transmission indoors.”

The changes were announced at the first minister’s daily coronavirus briefing, where Ms Sturgeon said there had been one Covid-19 death in the last 24 hours and estimated that there were now only 1,500 infectious people north of the border.

Ms Sturgeon said two-metre physical distancing would remain the “benchmark” for the Scottish Government’s test and protection system but said there would be exceptions where it could be reduced to one metre.

The exceptions will be retail and hospitality sectors as well as transport, where the guidance will be reduced to one metre when phase three of the route map out of lockdown comes into force on July 10.

For physical distancing to be reduced, businesses will have to install other measures to prevent coronavirus spread.

Before then, non-shielding children aged 11 and under will be excused physical distancing when they are with other children and adults outdoors from today.

Those aged between 12 and 17 will have to abide by the two-metre rule and stick to the limit of meeting eight people outdoors from no more than three households at any one time.

But there will be no limit on the number of those meetings they can have in any one day.

Organised contact sports for children will resume from July 13.

Chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith said children with asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and kidney disease may no longer need to shield, subject to discussions with their doctor.

Ms Sturgeon also confirmed the fivemile travel restriction will be lifted from today, apart from in areas of Dumfries and Galloway where health officials are dealing with a cross-border cluster of 10 cases, which may have originated in a hospital in Carlisle.

Business groups welcomed the easing of restrictions saying they were needed to prevent more job losses.

Andrew McRae, Federation of Small Business Scotland policy chairman, said: “This is another welcome step along the road to freeing us from lockdown and getting the country back to business. There’s a real need, if we’re to stem the tide of rising job losses and avoid long-term damage, to get as much of the economy up and running as quickly and safely as possible.

“There is a lot in this announcement and it is complicated – particularly around the two-metre rule – so it will be crucial that the businesses who will be in charge of implementing the new rules are given clear guidance on the rules and their practical application.”

Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw described Ms Sturgeon’s announcement as a “reasonable approach” which would “maintain public health while easing the restrictions that would have made it impossible for many hospitality and retail businesses to operate”.

It is vital we take all reasonable steps to reduce risk... NICOLA STURGEON