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Covid in Scotland: What are the rules?

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Restrictions on large outdoor events in Scotland will come to an end on 17 January.

Attendances at football and rugby matches had been limited to 500 people under rules which were introduced as cases of the Omicron variant surged across the country.

It is expected that rules on indoor events and venues, including the need for table service in hospitality premises, will be lifted a week later.

What are the rules on events and hospitality?

Limits on the number of people who could attend public events took effect on 26 December.

This meant there could be up to 100 people at indoor standing events, up to 200 people at indoor seated events and up to 500 people, either seated or standing, at outdoor events.

Large Hogmanay events, such as the famous celebrations in Edinburgh, had to be cancelled and the Scottish Premiership brought its winter break forward.

These limits will now be removed from Monday 17 January.

Restrictions were introduced for pubs, restaurants and other indoor public places on 27 December.

Indoor hospitality and leisure venues have to ensure there is a one-metre distance between different groups of people, and table service is required where alcohol is served.

There should be no more than three households in any group.

Nightclubs also had to close, although they can stay open if they operate as a pub with table service and distancing.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it was hoped that these restrictions could all be lifted from 24 January.

What other restrictions are in place?

A raft of new measures had already been introduced in an attempt to slow down the spread of the Omicron variant.

These steps are a combination of guidance and laws, and include people being asked to limit the number of contacts they have and gather in groups of no more than three households indoors.

Businesses are legally required to take steps to reduce the spread of Covid, including bringing back physical distancing and screens.

There is also a legal requirement for employers to enable staff to work from home where possible.

Adults and children aged 12 and over still have to wear face coverings in all the same indoor settings as before, such as shops, hospitality venues and public transport.

People are also being asked to wear masks in outdoor crowded areas.

What are the rules on self-isolation?

People who test positive for Covid in Scotland will be allowed to exit self-isolation after seven days if they have no fever and record two negative lateral flow tests.

The first of these tests must be taken on the sixth day after testing positive and then at least 24 hours later.

The move, which came into force on 6 January, brings Scotland into line with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In addition, household contacts of people with the virus can take a lateral flow test every day for seven days rather than going into self-isolation.

This applies to everyone in the household under the age of 18 or anyone over that age who has had the first, second and booster Covid jabs.

If one of these tests is positive, self-isolation will then be required for that person.

Anyone identified as a close contact who is over 18 and four months old and not fully vaccinated will still be asked to self-isolate for 10 days and take a PCR test.

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