No other changes in first review of COVID-19 levels system, although some other areas could move out of level three “reasonably soon”
FIFE, Perth & Kinross and Angus will be moved into level three of COVID-19 restrictions from this Friday (November 13), the first minister has announced.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament today (November 10) Nicola Sturgeon said that although Scottish Government indicators for the three areas “are not yet meeting the level three threshold” coronavirus cases in all three areas are “on a sharply rising trajectory”.
She added that, in the cases of both Angus and Perth & Kinross, another factor was “proximity to and interaction with the city of Dundee”.
Dundee is already under level three restrictions.
Under level three restrictions, premises are only permitted to open until 6pm and are not permitted to sell alcohol.
“The advice of the chief medical officer and national clinical director is that level two restrictions may well not be sufficient to slow down and reverse increases of this magnitude and as a result an early move to level three was strongly recommended,” said Sturgeon.
“I know how disappointing this will be to residents and businesses in these three areas.
“However, and this is an important point, by acting now we can hopefully prevent an even more serious deterioration in future.”
Every other council area will remain under their current level of restrictions. However, the first minister said that several areas – including East Lothian, City of Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire, East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk, Midlothian, North Ayrshire and East Ayrshire – were showing “encouraging signs” and could potentially move out of level three restrictions “reasonably soon”.
Other areas are looking less positive, with Sturgeon stating she was “particularly concerned about Inverclyde and Stirling and, to a lesser extent, South Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire”.
Cases in Glasgow, North and South Lanarkshire, West Lothian and West Dunbartonshire were said to have stabilised, “albeit at a stubbornly high level”.
