First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said England’s tiered alert system would “give an idea” of a similar scheme to be proposed in Scotland.
New measures were introduced by the Scottish government last Friday, orderings pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes outside central Scotland to conduct only indoor business between 6am and 6pm and not serve alcohol, although alcoholic drinks can be served until 10pm in outdoor areas.
But pubs and licensed restaurants in five health board areas – Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley – were forced to close for all but takeaway service until 26 October.
Snooker and pool halls, indoor bowling, casinos and bingo halls had to close and outdoor live events were banned in these five areas.
In addition, shops were asked to return to two metres of physical distancing and to reintroduce measures from earlier in the pandemic such as one-way systems.
People cannot meet friends and family from another household unless they are part of an “extended household”, available to people who live alone or only with children under 18.
People can meet outdoors in groups of up to six, not including children under 12, from no more than two households. A maximum of six people from two households can meet in public indoor spaces such as cafes, pubs and restaurants.
