Nicola Sturgeon announces new household restrictions in Glasgow area

She said there were 314 new Covid-19 cases in Scotland in the last two days, and 135 of these were in Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Ms Sturgeon said: "We could, if we don't stem this tide, see the virus run out of control again."

In a statement, she said the latest move should be a "wake-up call".

Pubs and restaurants will remain open, as will schools and nurseries. Plans for the opening of colleges and universities remain in place.

Members of different households can continue to meet outdoors, including in gardens, and in hospitality venues, provided all existing guidance is followed.

The First Minister said the only exception to the new indoor household restrictions, other than in emergencies or to provide care for a vulnerable person, relates to the extended households that were established during lockdown.

These allowed those who live alone, couples who do not live together or parents who live alone with children under 18 to join with another household to provide mutual support.

In addition to the indoor restrictions, if any member of a household in the three council areas is identified as a close contact of a confirmed positive case of Covid-19, the entire household should now self-isolate for 14 days.

Indoor visits to hospitals and care homes will be limited to essential visits only to protect the most vulnerable.

Outdoor visits to care homes are permitted by three people from a maximum of two households, in line with current guidance.

Those who were previously advised to shield will "receive advice to be extra vigilant at this time", Ms Sturgeon said. 

She said the measures, which will affect more than 800,000 people, or 15 per cent of the Scottish population, will come into force from midnight tonight.

The First Minister said the expectation is the measures will be in place for two weeks. However, they will be reviewed after one week.

She said she "cannot rule out" taking further action, but it is hoped that by acting quickly this can be avoided.

She said: "I want to stress and assure everybody in these three local authority areas that these are decisions that have not been taken lightly. 

"They form guidance at the moment, but we will also consider, if necessary, putting them into regulation and giving them the force of law."

Ms Sturgeon said: "If these numbers continue, or – and this is the fear – if they rise further, then more people will fall ill from Covid and more people may enter hospital and intensive care."

She said West Dunbartonshire's daily incident rate of Covid is nearly 33 per 100,000 people. The City of Glasgow's is nearly 22 and East Renfrewshire's is almost 19. 

For comparison, the rate across Scotland has been rising in recent days but remains at slightly over 10.

The First Minister said transmission appears to be happening inside people's homes and between households, rather than in pubs and restaurants, as happened in Aberdeen before its local lockdown last month.

She said Covid-19 continues to be a "dangerous and sometimes deadly virus", adding: "It is spreading again, particularly in these three local authority areas, and we believe that in these areas it is spreading primarily as a result of household gatherings."

Ms Sturgeon said the latest steps will allow schools to stay open and will limit the impact on jobs and the economy. 

She said: "I know how unwelcome this news this evening will be for people who live in these areas. 

"I know that because I am one of you. I live in Glasgow so these rules apply to me as they do to everybody else in these areas. 

"I won't be able to have my family visit me at home, and nor will I be able to travel to a different local authority, in my case Ayrshire, to visit them. 

"While I know this will be hard, it is essential."

The latest Covid figures showed 66 new cases in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, out of 154 across Scotland.

On Monday, 160 new infections were confirmed, the highest total since May 16.