Scotland Covid-19 update: Meet-up restrictions to be eased across the country from Friday

Scots will be able to meet in larger groups from Friday, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

The First Minister said four people from two households will now be able to meet outdoors.

For children aged between 12 and 17, outdoor meetings will also be limited to four people, but these can be from up to four households.

The First Minister also said that while travel restrictions cannot be lifted for adults, they will be eased slightly for children taking part in sport where their club may be “a bit outside” their council area.

Outdoor, non-contact sports for adults in groups of up to 15 will also be able to start again from Friday, Ms Sturgeon said.

Communal worship will also resume from March 26. Ms Sturgeon said social distancing needs to be applied but groups of 50 will be able to gather.

She said: “This is in time for Passover, Easter, Ramadan and Vaisakhi.

“In addition, the limit on attendance at communal services will be increased from 20, which was the limit in place before lockdown, to 50 – assuming of course that a place of worship is spacious enough to accommodate that many people with two-metre physical distancing.

“I know that the restrictions on communal worship have been difficult for many people, despite the exceptional efforts made by faith groups to reach out to their communities.

“This change is a proportionate step, which we believe can be achieved relatively safely, and which will hopefully enable more people to draw strength, comfort and inspiration from acts of collective worship.”

Also announced was that next week the Scottish Government will give indicative dates for the opening of shops, hairdressers, gyms and hospitality.

The Scottish Government “will not hesitate” to ease restrictions earlier if data supports it, Nicola Sturgeon added.

The First Minister told MSPs: “If the data allows us to relax more restrictions more quickly than we have previously indicated, we will not hesitate to do so.

“I’m well aware of just how difficult continued restrictions are – and I know that they get harder rather than easier to bear, as time goes on.

“I also know – because I feel this too – that the progress on vaccination makes us even more impatient to reach the end of this ordeal as quickly as possible.

“But I am certain that easing restrictions too quickly would be a mistake that we would regret.”

Meanwhile, Ms Sturgeon also announced almost 40% of Scotland’s adult population has received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The First Minister told MSPs that “good progress” was being made with the vaccination programme, which has inoculated almost 1.8 million people.

Ms Sturgeon said: “There is already strong evidence that the vaccination programme has significantly reduced deaths in care homes.

“Studies are also showing that vaccination – as well as reducing illness and death – can significantly reduce transmission of the virus.

“We, therefore, have increasing confidence that as more and more people acquire some protection through vaccination, we will be able to ease restrictions while still keeping the R number below 1.”