How does Nicola Sturgeon’s lockdown reopening in Scotland compare to Boris Johnson’s roadmap?

Shoppers carry their purchases in shopping bags as they walk in the rain on Princes Street in Edinburgh
AFP via Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeon has revealed further dates for easing lockdown measures in Scotland.

The First Minister’s statement to Holyrood included the lifting of the coronavirus stay-at-home order, the opening of beer gardens and non-essential shops.

Ms Sturgeon previously said on Monday: “We cannot provide certainty on everything at this stage, particularly the further into the future we try to look, but we will try to provide as much clarity now as possible.”

She added the statement will “hopefully help you understand when you can expect to see some of the key early milestones in our route back to normality”.

Here we take a look at how the lifting of lockdown measures in Scotland compares to Boris Johnson’s roadmap for England.

Schools

Children in primaries four to seven in Scotland have returned to school to join their younger classmates, who went back on February 22.

More secondary school pupils also returned to classrooms part-time from Monday.

In England all pupils in all year groups returned to classrooms on March 8 with outdoor after-school sports and activities also allowed to restart.

Retail and hospitality

Ms Sturgeon said hairdressers and some additional non-essential shops such as garden centres will open from April 5.

While other non-essential shops are expected to return from April 26.

There will also be indoor opening of hospitality from the 26th, limited initially to food and non-alcoholic drinks until 8pm.

In England, shops, hairdressers, nail salons, libraries, outdoor attractions and outdoor hospitality venues such as beer gardens will be allowed to reopen from April 12 at the earliest.

Going out

Libraries, museums, galleries, gyms and restaurants will also be allowed to open on April 26 in Scotland.

“Cafés, restaurants and bars will be able to serve people outdoors – in groups of up to 6 from 3 households – until 10pm,” Ms Sturgeon said.

“Alcohol will be permitted, and there will be no requirement for food to be served,” she added.

In England, restaurants and pub gardens will be allowed to serve customers sitting outdoors, including alcohol, from April 12.

Socialising

Up to four people from two households are allowed to meet outdoors in Scotland, as measures on gatherings were relaxed on March 12.

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

In England, people are currently allowed to have socially distanced one-to-one meetings with others outdoors in a public space.

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Care home residents are also allowed a single nominated visitor, who will be required to take a Covid test, wear personal protective equipment and keep physical contact to a minimum.

Larger groups will be allowed to gather in parks and gardens from March 29 in England.

The “rule of six” will return, along with new measures allowing two households, totalling no more than six people, to meet. Outdoor organised sport will also return.

Two households, or groups of up to six people, will be allowed to mix indoors and limited crowds will be allowed at sporting events from May 17.

Churches

Communal worship in Scotland will restart from March 26, with the limit for services rising from 20 people to 50.

People walk past a police car parked at Hyde Park during the third nation-wide lockdown
Getty Images

Places of worship in England are currently open for individual prayer and communal worship. Normal services without social distancing are not expected to start any earlier than June 21.

Travel

Ms Sturgeon said travel restrictions would be removed entirely from April 26.

The First Minister said: “We hope that restrictions on journeys between Scotland and other parts of the UK and the wider common travel area can also be lifted, if not on April 26, then as soon as possible thereafter.”

According to the Prime Minister’s roadmap, self-contained accommodation will open no earlier than April 12 for single households.

Hotels and holiday parks are expected to open in the next stage on May 17 in England.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has been tasked with leading a review of the safety of reopening borders. The review will report its results by April 12 in time for a decision by May 17.

Stay-at-home orders

The stay-at-home order is expected to be lifted from April 2 in Scotland.

She added from early June her hope is that all of Scotland will move to Level 1 of coronavirus restrictions – the second lowest of five tiers.

By the end of June, she said all of Scotland will move to Level 0.

Meanwhile in England, all remaining restrictions on social contact could be lifted from June 21, allowing for larger events to go ahead and nightclubs to reopen.

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