Coronavirus Scotland: Two households can meet outside as of tomorrow, Sturgeon announces

'I don't mind admitting to you that, as we take these first steps, I do feel a bit nervous,' says first minister

People from different households in Scotland will be able to meet at a distance in a garden or a park from tomorrow, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The first minister urged Scots to meet up in groups no larger than eight people and to practice social distancing when they see others, avoiding close contact, sharing food and going inside other people’s houses.

The move comes at odds with government advice for England, where people are still advised against visiting friends and family.

Speaking at a briefing in Edinburgh, Ms Sturgeon confirmed “careful but cautious” changes to lockdown protocol north of the border as the coronavirus infection rate had reached a “sustained and unmistakable” downward trend.

From Friday, the public will now be allowed to meet up with another household outside, either in a park or a private garden, in groups of no more than eight people. People are also advised against meeting more than one other household at a time or per day.

Ms Sturgeon said: “I know how much all of you, all of us, will be looking forward to seeing family and friends for the first time in a while, but how we do this will be vital.

“Before you meet up with people from another household, you should stop, think, read the guidance and make sure you’re protecting yourself and others.

“In particular, you must stay outdoors and stay two metres away from people from the other household – that is crucial.”

Ms Sturgeon implored the public to take care to avoid touching the same hard surfaces and to avoid sharing food, cutlery and crockery if they are having a picnic.

She said: “Be respectful of each other’s space and make sure that things still feel different to normal.

“Above all, remember that each individual decision that we take will affect the safety and the wellbeing of everyone.”

She also urged people to resist hugging each other and called on couples who are living apart to continue to follow the social distancing guidance.

People will now be able to travel for exercise but Ms Sturgeon urged Scots to “use their good judgement” and said the advice is that people should go no further than five miles from their homes at this stage.

She said: “We simply don’t want in this phase, to see large numbers of people at tourist hotspots or in local beauty spots.

“Crowds of people, even if they are trying to socially distance, bring more risk than we judge is acceptable and safe at this point.”

Under the new rules, some outdoor work will be able to resume, with plant nurseries and garden centres able to resume trading. Drive-through food outlets will no longer be “discouraged” from opening.

Construction sites will be able to start preparations to reopen and household recycling centres will be able to open from Monday.

Non-essential shops will remain shut and businesses are still encouraged to allow their staff to work from home if possible.

Childminding services and outdoor nursery provision will be able to start next week, and teachers will be able to re-enter schools to start preparing for pupils to return in August.

Ms Sturgeon said: “What I’ve announced today are important steps back to some kind of normality, I hope, but they are by necessity cautious.

“No changes are risk-free and there are no certainties in any of this, but I’ve also said that I wanted to make sure that with every step we do take then the ground beneath our feet is as solid as possible, and that’s what we are taking care to ensure.

“I don’t mind admitting to you that, as we take these first steps, I do feel a bit nervous.

“I worry that the limited changes that we’re making to these rules might lead to much greater change in reality and so I really need your help to make sure that is not the case.”