Toughest virus restrictions 'possible' in west of Scotland

Greater Glasgow and Lanarkshire could be put under the highest level of coronavirus restrictions next week.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said councils in the two health board areas had been contacted about the possibility of being moved to level four of the Covid alert system.

The eight councils in those areas are: City of Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire.

Level four is the closest stage to a full lockdown, and would see non-essential shops, pubs and restaurants forced to close.

Full details of the rules under each tier of the five-level system can be found here.

A decision will be made during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning and announced to parliament in the afternoon.

Speaking at the daily coronavirus briefing, Swinney said: “I can confirm that officials from the Scottish Government have been in touch with a number of local authorities in the west of Scotland about the possibility of the area having to be increased from level three to level four.

“Those are in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Lanarkshire health board areas.”

Contact has also been made with Stirling Council – currently in level three – and Aberdeenshire, in level two, over concerns about the number of cases.