FACE coverings will remain a legal requirement in the majority of indoor public spaces until at least Easter Monday (18th April), the first minister has said.
Speaking in the parliament today (30th March) Nicola Sturgeon said the legal requirement would be moved into guidance on a “phased basis” from Monday 4th April.
This will see face coverings no longer legally required in places of worship or during events such as weddings or funerals from 4th April, with other indoor settings following from Monday 18th April.
In taking the decision Sturgeon said the Scottish Government has “taken account of the very high level of infection and the pressure on the NHS and also the fact that face coverings do provide an important layer of protection against transmission of the virus from one person to another”.
She added that, after 18th April, the Scottish Government will “continue to encourage the wearing of face coverings in certain indoor places, especially where significant numbers of people are present”, but this will no longer be a legal requirement.
“This phased approach strikes, I think, a sensible balance between our desire to remove this one remaining legal measure and the common sense need for continued caution, not least for the sake of the NHS, while this wave of infection does subside,” said Sturgeon.
