Angus to Remain in Tier 3 of Coronavirus Restrictions
Scotland’s toughest Covid restrictions are to be introduced in 11 council areas on Friday.
The level four rules will see the closure of non-essential shops, pubs, restaurants and gyms.
They will be imposed in East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire.
North and South Lanarkshire, East and South Ayrshire, Stirling and West Lothian will also move to level four.
However, Angus, which was placed into Tier 3 last week is to remain within that level.
The new rules will affect about 2.3 million people living across west and central Scotland, and will remain in place until 11 December.
However, East Lothian and Midlothian will move from level three to level two from next Tuesday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said.
Ms Sturgeon also said the existing advice for people in level three or four not to travel outside their own council area except for “certain essential purposes” will become law from Friday.
The First Minister said there were grounds for “continued and significant concern” about levels of the virus in all of the council areas that would be moving to level four.
She added: “The infection rate in all of these areas remains stubbornly and worryingly high.
“At these levels, we simply do not have the assurance we need that hospital and ICU services will be able to cope as we go deeper into winter.”
In the seven days up to Friday, Scotland as a whole had just over 140 new cases of Covid per 100,000 people.
Ms Sturgeon said all of the areas moving to level four were above that rate – ranging from West Lothian, which saw 158 cases per 100,000, to Glasgow with 277.
All of the country’s other council areas will remain in the same level as they currently are, although Ms Sturgeon said she hoped that Argyll and Bute could soon move from level two to level one.
