Scotland's national clinical director has hinted the two-metre social distancing rule will be scrapped in the country.
Professor Jason Leitch said he could not be 'entirely sure' when the restriction would be replaced, but said physical distancing measures will change.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to reduce the physical distancing rule from two metres to one metre in England, and some have been calling for Scotland to follow.
Some businesses are fearful that they will struggle to stay open if customers cannot come within two metres of each other.
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But the Scottish Government has said the two-metre rule is under constant review, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hailing progress made with Covid-19 but stressing the virus has not yet gone away.
Speaking to the BBC this morning, Jason Leitch spoke of the progress made in tackling Covid-19 and how that means different decisions could be made going forward.
He said: “That means, in the round, the package of measures can change. That’s why we can do things like add a bubble if you are a single person, we can ask the shielded group to say ‘you can now meet people outside’.
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“I think you will see, over the next week and weeks, gradual opening up of that.”
He added: “I don’t think we are going to be physically distanced forever. We are going to learn to live with this infectious disease as we live with tuberculosis and flu. I think physical distancing will change. I am just not entirely sure when.”
The two-metre social distancing rule in England looks likely to be relaxed after Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the Prime Minister’s review “will make an enormous difference” to businesses.
Boris Johnson is expected to make an announcement next week on pubs, cafes, restaurants and hotels – with their reopening in England an ambition from July 4 to start reviving the economy.
He is under pressure from leaders of the hospitality sector and his own MPs to lessen the two-metre rule, which aims to slow the spread of Covid-19 but places major constraints on businesses.
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