Covid: Level 4 lockdown 'possible' for west of Scotland

Areas in the west of Scotland have been warned they may be placed under the highest level of Covid restrictions next week.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said contact had been made with councils in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Lanarkshire health board areas.

They were told it was possible that restrictions may need to be increased from level three to level four.

Mr Swinney said increases in cases had also been seen in other areas.

These included Stirling, which is also currently in level three, and Aberdeenshire, which is in level two.

He said the national incident management team would be looking at the data over the weekend.

Discussions will also take place with councils before ministers meet on Tuesday to take any decisions.

Mr Swinney added that there were "wider issues" which would also need to be considered, such as the social and economic harm which could be caused by moving an area into level four.

The highest level of coronavirus restrictions is the closest to a full lockdown, similar to the one introduced in March.

The guidelines say it will only be used if "absolutely necessary", at a time when cases are very high and there is a risk of the NHS being overwhelmed.

At the government's daily coronavirus briefing, Mr Swinney was asked about reports that chief executives of Glasgow City Council and other surrounding local authorities had been contacted to warn them that a move into level four was possible next week.

He said: "I can confirm that officials in the Scottish government have been in contact 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."

He added that a number of other local authorities around the country had been contacted because they had seen "quite significant" increases in rates of the virus.

Mr Swinney said these included Stirling and Aberdeenshire.

He added that the numbers were "so stubbornly high" in some level three areas that it raised a question of whether the restrictions were doing enough to suppress the virus.

"That is the issue that is being looked at over the weekend. We have to do that to make sure we are taking all necessary measures," he said.

Mr Swinney added that if any area was moved into level four, this would need to be for "a reasonable amount of time" so that the effect of the restrictions could be seen.