Covid in Scotland: Restriction levels ease for millions of Scots

Millions of people in Scotland have moved into lower restriction levels despite an overall rise in coronavirus cases being identified.

Many areas in the north and south of mainland Scotland moved from level two to level one at midnight.

Glasgow's move to level two allows people to meet in each other's homes for the first time in nine months, and drink alcohol in pubs and restaurants.

Level zero restrictions apply to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles.

However, 13 council areas with a combined population of 2.3 million people in the central belt of the country, including Edinburgh, remain in level two rather than moving down to level one as had been planned.

The whole country is due to move to level zero on 28 June but the prevalence of the Delta variant, first detected in India, may delay that.

Infections have more than tripled in the past month with Friday's 992 new cases being the highest figure reported since 17 February.

Despite the rise, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles have become the first areas of Scotland to reach level zero since the system was introduced in October.

It means larger groups of people are allowed to meet up outdoors and indoors.

Raymond Hutchison, from the St Ola Hotel in Kirkwall, said the move was a welcome boost to businesses on the islands.

He told BBC Scotland: "What's more exciting for me is that we've got into level zero now at the start of June.

"So does that mean we can get to the next level, which is what we need, as early as the end of the month? That would be fantastic."

But the leader of Orkney Islands Council, James Stockan, also urged caution as increasing numbers of tourists visit the islands over the summer.

"It's the direction of travel that's really important. At the same time we've got to be very conscious that we have more and more people coming here," he told the BBC.

"We're really asking them to take a lateral flow test - and even our own community going away and coming back again. Just taking those tests to give us an extra degree of safety."

Scotland's councils will be in the following levels from Saturday:

Level two - Glasgow, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Clackmannanshire, and Stirling

Level one - Highland, Argyll and Bute, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Angus, Perth and Kinross, Falkirk, Fife, Inverclyde, East Lothian, West Lothian, West Dunbartonshire, Dumfries and Galloway, and the Borders

Level zero - Shetland, Orkney, the Western Isles, and a number of smaller islands

In Glasgow, where residents and businesses have faced the toughest restrictions in Scotland for almost nine months, pubs and restaurants are preparing to open later in the evenings and to serve alcohol indoors again.

Margaret Gilmour, from the Fiveways Inn on the Gallowgate, said she could not wait to reopen the pub.

"The [government] money that you get from the grants doesn't last, you've got other things to pay," she said.

"It's been terrible for everybody who is in this kind of business."

Her pub shut in October for a two-week "circuit-breaker" and has been closed since.

Moving to level two means residents of the city can meet in other people's homes and travel beyond the city boundaries for non-essential reasons.

Outside the central belt most of the mainland now faces level one restrictions.

The change to personal freedoms which comes from a move down from level two is not dramatic, but it does change the mood. The knowledge that it is possible to meet more friends and family members can lift spirits.

In Campbeltown this morning, for instance, the atmosphere seems much more relaxed almost - for want of a better phrase - normal.

Customers in shops still have to wear masks, of course, while cafes still have to take details from diners.

But mainland Argyll and Bute now has lighter restrictions than at any time since March 2020.

In much of rural Scotland tourism is hugely important to the economy and the stakes will be high for many businesses.

But in some rural areas there is a little nervousness too.

Often these areas have had very low Covid rates all through the crisis. Some local people may be worried that reopening travel risks a rise in case numbers - despite optimism that vaccination is breaking the link between cases and serious illnesses.

That perhaps serves as a reminder to visitors to follow the rules and be mindful that some local people, who may seem like they are being over-vigilant, might be a little worried.

After so long, finding a form of normal is about more than the legal easing of restrictions.

Scotland's national clinical director Prof Jason Leitch said at the government's Covid briefing on Friday that about 70% of the latest cases recorded were thought to be the Delta variant.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the variant appeared to be "quite significantly" more transmissible than the Kent variant, which was dominant earlier in the year, adding there was early data to suggest it may increase the risk of hospitalisation.

However, there has not been a significant rise in Covid-19 hospital admissions, leading Ms Sturgeon to describe the situation as "hopeful but fragile" because the vaccine programme seemed to be limiting severe illness.

More than 3.2 million people in Scotland have had their first dose of the vaccine, and 2.1 million of those have had their second dose.

The first minister said a "slight slowing down" of the easing of restrictions was needed while vaccination continues, but described it as "a pause, not a step backwards".

However, Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross has called for an end to shutting down whole local authority areas when there was a spike in cases.

Mr Ross, who is self-isolating in a hotel after a close contact tested positive, said the successful vaccination programme "allowed us to look at different methods to deal with this virus".