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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Abbie Meehan

The restrictions still in Scotland as England set to scrap isolation rules

As England begin to put into place a long-term plan to 'live with Covid', the daily death toll south of the border is climbing into the hundreds once more.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to scrap self-isolation for all of the public - even if you have the virus - from Thursday onwards.

The date of when all free lateral flow and PCR tests will also be axed in this upcoming announcement, as well as the £500 grant for low-income workers who self-isolate.

READ MORE - Wealthy Edinburgh cinema owner loses fight to rent luxury mansion on AirBnB

The Prime Minister could also be poised to scrap sick pay from day one of Covid isolation - despite anger coming from work unions and the Labour Party.

So, what does Scotland have to say in terms of restrictions still in place? Here is everything we know so far.

Have any restrictions been axed in Scotland?

The Scottish Government has lifted many of the coronavirus restrictions with 'baseline' measures the only rules remaining.

The most recent update confirmed that secondary school pupils will no longer be required to wear face coverings in classrooms from February 28.

Measures imposed to tackle the omicron surge at the end of last year have also been lifted, such as nightclubs remaining open, no table service required in pubs and restaurants, and groups are allowed to mix in these facilities as well.

Restrictions on both indoor and outdoor events have also been lifted.

Work from home rules have ended, but the Scottish Government will continue to advise staff to work from home in some cases.

Many employers have now instated a 'hybrid' model of working, where employees split their time between office and home-based working.

What restrictions are still in place in Scotland then?

Restrictions still in place in Scotland include:

  • Shops and businesses must take measure to limit the risk of Covid spreading, which includes limiting of numbers, social distancing etc.
  • Face coverings are still mandatory on public transport and most indoor spaces -rules in schools continue until February 28.
  • Covid verification for entry to nightclubs - Covid vaccine passport or negative test.
  • Two metre distancing rules in healthcare settings such as hospitals, GP surgeries, pharmacies and dentists.

Despite these restrictions in place, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that the most recent Covid data is giving the Scottish Government "grounds for optimism", as Scotland continues to make its way towards restriction-free living for the first time in almost two years.

Ian Blackford has also hit out at England's plans to ease restrictions completely, speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's The Sunday Show this morning about the rumours circulating of the plans.

Mr Blackford said: "These tests have been quite instrumental in making sure that we can keep the lid on the spread of the virus as much as we can.

"We can't be put into a situation where our health is being imperilled by the decisions that Boris Johnson may be making to save his own political skin.

"Because let's remember that a number of his backbenchers rebelled against his plans to deal with Covid a matter of weeks ago.

"This is more to do with Boris Johnson than it is to do with taking the right decisions on public health grounds."

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