Scotland Level 1 announcement RECAP: Nicola Sturgeon announces Glasgow lockdown rules change | Edinburgh remains in Level 2 | Full list of areas by level | What does Level 1 mean | Third wave concerns | FM statement in full

Live updates on Covid-19 from Scotland, the UK, and around the world.
Nicola SturgeonNicola Sturgeon
Nicola Sturgeon

Scroll down to see how coverage of Nicola Sturgeon’s coronavirus levels update unfolded.

Coronavirus in Scotland RECAP: The latest updates on Tuesday, June 1

Key Events

  • Glasgow will move down to Level 2
  • Scotland records no covid deaths and 478 cases on Tuesday
  • Majority of Central belt will remain in Level 2 restrictions
  • Share Covid jabs with poorer nations, world leaders urged

Majority of Central belt will remain in Level 2 restrictions

The vast majority of Scotland’s central belt will remain in Level 2 restrictions, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The First Minister said that Edinburgh and Midlothian, Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, North, South and East Ayrshire, North and South Lanarkshire, Clackmannanshire and Stirling did not meet the criteria to see restrictions ease.

Ms Sturgeon told MSPs there could even be an argument to move these areas into Level 3 restrictions, given the raw figures, but the impact of the vaccination programme has meant this would not be needed.

“However, it is important to stress that this is a pause, not a step backwards,” the First Minister said.

“And Level 2 is not lockdown. It does have an impact on opening hours of pubs and restaurants and the numbers that can attend certain events.”

She added: “And taking a cautious approach now – while more people get fully vaccinated – gives us the best chance of staying on the right track overall.”

Sturgeon restriction easing made possible by vaccines

It would have been “impossible” for restrictions not to have been re-imposed based on current case figures, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The First Minister told MSPs that 19 local authorities would see restrictions ease, while the remainder would stay in their current levels.

This has been made possible by the continuing vaccination programme, Ms Sturgeon said.

“The vaccines are changing the game. And that means we can still be optimistic about our chances of much more normality over the summer and beyond,” she said.

“Indeed, in the days ahead, and while it may still feel a way off for many of us, we will publish more detailed work on what we expect life beyond Level 0 to look like, as that greater normality returns.

“Indeed, one reason for proceeding with more caution now, is to make it easier in the future to resume our progress to Level 0 – and then beyond.”

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Watch Sturgeon make Glasgow announcement

Getting vaccinated is in your own best interests – whatever age you are, it makes it much less likely that you will become badly ill from Covid. But it’s also part of our wider civic duty to each other. It means that all of us can help suppress the virus and reduce the harm that it causes.

Nicola Sturgeon

Several areas of Scotland will be kept in level two for an additional period of time in a bid to stave off a potential third wave of Covid-19 caused by the so-called Indian variant, Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed.

The First Minister also confirmed Glasgow will move to level two as planned at midnight on Friday after more than eight months in some of the strictest restrictions in the UK.

Read the full story:

Sturgeon urges caution over lockdown easing

“I ask everyone to remember that though stable and starting to decline, cases in Glasgow do still remain high – so please continue to be cautious,” Ms Sturgeon told MSPs.

“In particular – and this actually applies to all of Scotland, particularly while we enjoy some better weather – although limited indoor meetings are now possible, it is still better to stay outdoors where possible.

“And in Level 2, groups of up to eight people from up to eight households can gather outdoors.”

Lockdown to ease across most of Scotland

Covid-19 restrictions will be eased in parts of Scotland on Saturday, but much of the country will retain tougher measures due to spikes in cases of the virus, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The First Minister updated MSPs in the Scottish Parliament on coronavirus restrictions.

She said parts of Scotland could move from Level 2 to Level 1 of the five tiers of restrictions, which run from 0-4.

But Edinburgh and Midlothian, Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire, the three Ayrshire areas, North and South Lanarkshire and Clackmannanshire and Stirling will remain in Level 2.

Glasgow, which was kept in Level 3 when measures eased in the rest of the country on May 17, will move to Level 2 on Saturday, with Ms Sturgeon saying the outbreak there had stabilised with case numbers falling slightly.

Glaswegians will be able to drink alcohol indoors, meet in private residences, and hug loved ones from the weekend.

Those in Level 1 areas can meet outside and indoors in public places in larger groups.

Numbers at events, weddings and funerals can also increase, and pubs can open slightly later indoors.

Scotland currently has the highest rate of new cases of Covid-19 of the four nations of the UK.

Scotland has highest rate of infection in UK

Scotland currently has the highest rate of new cases of Covid-19 of the four nations of the UK.

But Ms Sturgeon said there are “many parts of mainland Scotland where cases are at very low levels and broadly stable or where case numbers might appear to be rising, but we are assured that they relate to clusters that are being managed”.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross previously said areas should not be left behind if restrictions are relaxed.

He said: “Everyone understands that there will be a need for local, targeted measures when an outbreak occurs.

“But leaving behind whole areas should be ruled out. Sweeping measures that unnecessarily hurt a whole city or council area are unfair on businesses and local people waiting to get on with their lives.”

Mr Ross argued: “Selectively imposing restrictions and targeting resources at smaller areas is entirely possible. The blanket council-wide approach is not the only plausible option.

“The one-size-fits-all approach should be replaced by targeted interventions to tackle local outbreaks.”

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