Rules relaxed for people shielding from Covid-19 in Scotland

The first minister has announced a series of changes to the rules for people who have been shielding from Covid-19.

From tomorrow, those who have had to largely separate themselves from others since the start of lockdown, due to underlying health conditions or age, will be able to meet more people - indoors and outdoors.

It will mean they can meet indoors with up to eight people from two other households, as long as physical distancing is in place, as well as meting outdoors in groups of up to 15 - with a maximum of four other households.

They will also be able to use public transport when wearing a face covering, and visit pubs, restaurants, shops, pharmacies and indoor markets - as well as hairdressers.

Nicola Sturgeon says she hopes to be able to pause shielding guidelines altogether from August 1, if the virus continues to be suppressed. 

Speaking at her daily coronavirus briefing, she said: "I know that shielding has been incredibly difficult. It has separated you from your family and loved ones, it has restricted you in virtually every aspect of your normal lives.

"There are very obvious and very real potential harms to your mental health from extended isolation.

"For all of these reasons we've always been clear that we won't ask you to shield longer than you have to. The infection rate is much lower than it was in March.

"When the shielding advice started more than 20% of Covid tests were proving positive and 150 new cases a day were being reported. Less than a week after shielding started we were reporting more than 300 new cases a day.

"Today, of course, I've reported 16 new cases - and that is 0.4% of people testing newly positive. So as these figures today show, we are now in a very different position to the one we faced back in March."