What's changed? A guide to Glasgow's Covid restrictions

People in parts of Greater Glasgow cannot host or visit other households indoors for at least two weeks.

The restrictions come into effect in three council areas – Glasgow City, East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire – after a surge in virus cases.

Members of different households can still meet outdoors and at venues such as pubs or restaurants, provided social distancing is maintained.

However, how do the rules affect other parts of life in Scotland?

People previously told to shield

Shielding was paused on August 1 and is not being reinstated at this time, the Scottish Government said. However, people who had been shielding should strictly follow physical distancing and hygiene measures.

They are also asked to consider the levels of risk associated with their work and daily activities.

Schools

The measures do not affect schools or early learning and childcare settings, which continue as normal.

It was revealed on Tuesday, there have been 117 confirmed cases of coronavirus among school pupils since the beginning of term, 77 among the 12-17 age group and 40 between the five and 11 category.

However, this is just a fraction of those tested overall as 11,208 in the 12-17 and 28,664 in the 5-11 categories tested negative for Covid-19.

Further education

Those due to move into halls of residence or other shared accommodation ahead of college or university should still do this, according to the Scottish Government.

Hospital and care home visiting

Indoor visits to hospitals and care homes should be limited to essential visits only to protect the most vulnerable. However, this also applies to indoor visits to hospitals and care homes located outside of Glasgow City, West Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire local authorities.

Outdoor visits to care homes are allowed by three people from a maximum of two households.

Hospital visiting will be restricted to lockdown visiting rules and are limited to a birth partner during childbirth, for someone receiving end-of-life care, supporting someone with a mental health issue such as dementia, a learning disability or autism, where not being present would cause the patient distress and finally accompanying a child in hospital.

Shared parenting

Children, whose parents do not live in the same house, can continue to move between households to maintain existing relationships with their parents, as long as it is safe to do so.

Marriages and funerals

Marriages and civil partnerships held indoors in private dwellings should not take place at the moment. Those outdoors or in indoor public spaces can continue to take place, in line with the general restriction that no more than 20 should attend.

Attendance at funerals within or outwith City of Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire continues to be allowed, provided that guidance is followed.

Tradespeople and care providers

Workers can continue to go into other households to carry out work such as repairs, installations and deliveries.

Regulated care providers can still enter a home to provide health and social care to those who need it. That said, such visits are subject to risk assessment, social distancing and correct wearing of masks.

How does the situation in Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire compare to what happened in Aberdeen?

Aberdeen was put back under a local lockdown for three weeks, following a spike in coronavirus cases which were linked to the nighttime economy.

It meant the hospitality sector was ordered to close and also saw a five-mile limit reimposed, as well as residents not being allowed to meet one another indoors for the period.

The situation in Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire is different. The hospitality sector has not been ordered to close and the main restrictions in place focus on indoor gatherings.

This is because the recent transmission in parts of Greater Glasgow has largely come from household settings, where it is more difficult for social distancing and other measures to be monitored.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon explained: “Our data suggests that spread in and between households is driving much of the transmission just now.

“That doesn’t mean there are no cases in pubs etc – but unlike in Aberdeen, pub clusters don’t appear, at this stage, to be main driver. That analysis has guided decisions.”