Nicola Sturgeon covid update RECAP: Hogmanay cancelled | Football crowd cap | Rishi Sunak hospitality funding
and live on Freeview channel 276
The First Minister will address MSPs in the Scottish Parliament on any potential new restrictions that could be implemented due to fears over the new Omicron variant.
She is due to make her statement at about 2.20pm.
You can follow live updates in our blog, right now.
Nicola Sturgeon Omicron update RECAP: First Minister to update Scotland on Covid rules as cases remain high
“And we will also ask indoor hospitality and leisure venues to ensure 1 metre distance, not within, but between groups of people who are attending together.
“We will continue to advise people that if they are attending indoor hospitality or leisure venues - and remember our core advice remains to minimise this - there should be no more than 3 households represented in any group.”
“Finally - from 27 December, again for a three week period - we intend to introduce some further protections in hospitality settings and other indoor public places to reduce transmission risk in what are, through no fault of those who run such venues, higher risk environments.
“I can confirm that a requirement for table service only will be reintroduced for venues serving alcohol for consumption on the premises.”
“Secondly, we intend to issue guidance to the effect that non-professional indoor contact sports for adults should not take place during the three week period from 26 December. This is because these activities, where physical distancing is not possible, also create a heightened risk of transmission.”
“So I would ask the public - despite the disappointment I know this decision will generate - to please understand the reasons for it.”
“But I want to underline why we think this difficult decision is necessary.
“Firstly, we know that the much higher transmissibility of Omicron means large gatherings have the potential to become very rapid super-spreader events, putting large numbers at risk of getting infected very quickly. Limiting these events helps reduce the risk of widespread transmission.
“It also cuts down the transmission risks associated with travel to and from such events
“And second, these large events put an additional burden on emergency services, especially the police and ambulance services.”
“And it will also mean that large-scale Hogmanay celebrations - including that planned here in our capital city - will not proceed.”
“First, from 26 December - inclusive - for a period of three weeks, we intend to place limits on the size of public events that can take place. This does not apply to private life events such as weddings.
“For indoor standing events the limit will be 100; for indoor seated events it will be 200; and for outdoor events it will be 500 seated or standing.
“Physical distancing of 1 metre will be required at events that go ahead within these limits.
“This will of course make sports matches, including football, effectively spectator-free over this three week period.”
“However, while our core advice is to reduce socialising and stay at home as much as feasible, Cabinet’s judgment is that we must also take some further steps to make the places where people might still gather as safe as possible.
“That is why we are proposing some additional protections.”
“So my first new request of everyone today is this.
“From 27 December - as we come out of the Christmas weekend - and at least until the end of the first week in January when we will review this advice again, please go back to limiting your contacts as much as possible.
“Please stay at home as much as possible. When you do go out, please maintain physical distancing from people not in your group.
“And difficult though it is, please follow this advice over New Year - minimise Hogmanay socialising as much as you can.”
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.