Coronavirus Scotland RECAP: Nicola Sturgeon says 'regrettably' Glasgow will remain in level 3 covid restrictions | East Renfrewshire rules will not tighten | Moray situation 'positive' and lockdown will ease | travel restrictions imposed for travel to parts to England

Live coverage of the Scottish Government’s latest coronavirus announcement.
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Coronavirus in Scotland RECAP: Updates on Friday, May 21

Key Events

  • Glasgow to remain in Level 3
  • Moray will move to Level 2
  • East Renfrewshire rules will not tighten
  • Sturgeon announces travel restrictions to England
  • Spain to lift restrictions for UK travellers

More than 400 new cases in Scotland

The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 414. Of these, 212 were in Greater Glasgow & Clyde, 62 in Lanarkshire and 48 in Lothian.

The total number of cases represents 1.9 per cent of the total number of tests and it means that the overall number of confirmed cases is now 231,282.

Currently, 81 people are in hospital - two fewer than yesterday, and four people are in intensive care - that's one less than yesterday.

No deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours.

Moray will move to Level 2 from midnight tonight, after the Covid situation there improved "very significantly" in the past week, the FM has confirmed.

She said test positivity has also fallen "quite markedly" from 2.8 per cent a week ago to 1.9 per cent now.

Glasgow to remain in Level 3

Glasgow is to remain in Level 3 for another week, Ms Sturgeon has confirmed.

She said that, “regrettably”, the city needs more time to “turn the corner” and lower its infection rate.

Glasgow to remain in Level 3

Glasgow is to remain in Level 3 for another week, Ms Sturgeon has confirmed.

She said that, “regrettably”, the city needs more time to “turn the corner” and lower its infection rate.

Today’s figures show that across much of Scotland, cases remain at relatively low levels, and that is positive, and the number of people in hospital continues to be lower than it has been for the majority of this year.

Nicola Sturgeon

East Renfrewshire rules will not tighten

The First Minister confirmed that East Renfrewshire will remain in Level 2, while the situation is monitored more closely.

Scots advised not to travel to England

From Monday onwards travel restrictions will be imposed between Scotland the three local authority areas – Bedford, Bolton and Blackburn and Darwin.

The First Minister said: “If you are planning to visit these areas in the next few days please consider whether you need to make your visit or whether it can be delayed.”

She said it was hoped these rules would not be in place for very long, but added they were “a further way of helping us reduce the risk that any more of this new variant comes into Scotland while we are trying to deal with outbreaks of it we have right now”.

Let me stress that we’re confident the major public health interventions under way will be effective, and they will bring the virus rates back under control - but they need a bit longer to do that.

Nicola Sturgeon

Sturgeon: Case numbers may not be key pandemic marker in future

The First Minister said she hopes coronavirus case numbers will cease to be a key marker of the pandemic’s progress in future.

Ms Sturgeon said that, as more Scots are vaccinated, the number of Covid-19 infections will no longer “translate” into hospitalisations and deaths in future.