Will Scotland move to level 0? Announcement later

[Homeontherangeuk]

Nicola Steurgeon seems more level & cautious than Boris.. Will be interesting to see if Scotland follow Englands lead or hold back... Cases are very high there also...

God I hope so!

I don’t think so.
Genuine question…what difference is there between 1 & 0?
What “freedoms” do we get back at zero?

You can meet more people indoors and have an weddings go from 100 to 200 people - I'm sure there are more differences but its those that stick in my head.

And no I don't think we will move to level 0 because of case numbers even though deaths are very low. Might be surprised though.

I think in a fortnight cases will be at an all time high due to the euros... She might not want to remove restrictions to have to impose them in a few weeks again... I think she's handled covid well so far..

Any updates?

I would be surprised if she does given rising number in cases although some areas in Scotland are way worse than others, wonder if she would go back to a Tier system?

Level 0 also includes a phased return back to office working.

www.travellingtabby.com/scotland-coronavirus-tracker/

I think the announcement is at 2pm.

Zero also allows indoor contact sports to restart for over 18s. In smaller sports the elite exemptions only apply to those going to the Olympics so in Scotland you have to train outside as soon as you turn 18 while trying to compete with English athletes who have been training indoors for months.

Most of these sports involve up to 20 individuals and less contact than hugging randoms in pubs/football stadia...

Level zero with modifications 🙄

Level 0 until 9th August. Face masks mandatory. Its really just numbers that can meet up that has changed. 8 people (4 households in homes). Groups of 10, I think in a restaurant. No need to prebook in a bar. 2000 outdoors seated, 1000 outdoors standing. 400 inside. 200 at weddings. We still have to physical distance by 1m indoors. Working from home must still be supported. Bars can remain open until midnight. Track and trace still in place. After 9th August those returning from amber countries need not isolate if double jabbed, or if you have been in contact with a positive case (double jabbed). She is calling that 'below Level 0' and even then when all other restrictions are to be lifted we will continue to have a mandate on masks. This is to protect those who have shielded and to protect the young who cant be vaccinated from getting long covid.
I really wish I hadn't bothered with the vaccine. That was supposed to be our route to freedom. The reasons for restrictions keep changing. Wonder what will happen in level -20!

She is also saying international travel should really be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

When do you think the U turn will come? Cases are going to rocket & hoslilisations....

@Homeontherangeuk

When do you think the U turn will come? Cases are going to rocket & hoslilisations....

Why would there be a U-turn? Cases are going down already and not much changes at Level 0.

It's beyond a joke. People don't care about the restrictions and I doubt many could tell you what they currently are. No one to blame but the Scottish government for that. They lost the last bit of credibility they had with the euros.

Yes let's restrict how many you can have in the garden while letting strangers rub shoulders in the fan zone.

Offices are opening up again. Many never shut. Local pubs here do not have a 2 hour booking.

this is all so much more sensible. I'm Scottish but living in England and I wish we had measures like this. I know she's not perfect (she was once my MSP a long time ago...) but the approach is so much more rational than our blithering idiots.

@tigger1001

It's beyond a joke. People don't care about the restrictions and I doubt many could tell you what they currently are. No one to blame but the Scottish government for that. They lost the last bit of credibility they had with the euros.

Yes let's restrict how many you can have in the garden while letting strangers rub shoulders in the fan zone.

Offices are opening up again. Many never shut. Local pubs here do not have a 2 hour booking.

really? I was speaking to my brother last night and he seemed pretty clear on what the restrictions were. Is the messaging not clear? It's hard to tell from here, just sounds good!

@Homeontherangeuk

When do you think the U turn will come? Cases are going to rocket & hoslilisations....

Cases are now coming down here but started to increase in may and June. The highest numbers we have seen in the pandemic. Yet hospitalisation, while have increased, have not increased at the same rate. In the January peak there were around 2000 in hospital. Currently around 500 with far higher case numbers.

Vaccinations seem to be doing their thing.

What I am far more interested in is length of stay in hospital and whether people are in hospital because of Covid or because of something else and tested positive for Covid.

@changingstages I don't think people know the current rules, beyond masks are mandatory.

Certainly I couldn't tell you how many is "allowed" in my house or garden. Nor how many households can meet inside in a restaurant. And none of my colleagues could either.

The rules stopped making sense some time ago. And the farce surrounding the football highlighted that. Could go to the fanzine and literally rub shoulder to shoulder with strangers, but no parents allowed at sports day. Sing your heart out at hampden but no singing at schools. Only 12 are supposed to meet up outside so teenagers wanting an informal kick about are supposed to limit themselves, but can then go to training, often with the same kids, with the full squad etc.

The rules have always been clunky. At Christmas timeI could travel to my level 3 or 4 area for work (living in a different, lower level) but then couldn't visit the supermarket I was literally driving past, as was in a different area to where I live, so was supposed to travel an additional 20 miles out of my way to visit one in my local authority area. Yeah, don't think so.

John Swinney, our deputy FM has announced we are likely to be wearing facemasks until Christmas. (In Scotland)

@Ginandfantalemon

John Swinney, our deputy FM has announced we are likely to be wearing facemasks until Christmas. (In Scotland)

And this is what annoys me. The decision on this, unless swinney is talking rubbish, was obviously made before her announcement yesterday but all she said was "for some time to come" why not announce it with the rest of what she was saying? Why send out swinney less than 24 hours later?

@tigger1001

And this is what annoys me. The decision on this, unless swinney is talking rubbish, was obviously made before her announcement yesterday but all she said was "for some time to come" why not announce it with the rest of what she was saying? Why send out swinney less than 24 hours later?

Exactly. She was softening the blow. I bloody hate masks and I've sat in tears this morning, I really don't know if I can last 'til Christmas like this! That's another 5 months. I know our cases are going up, but I think people may not tolerate this if people in England are not wearing one.

[quote Ginandfantalemon]@tigger1001

And this is what annoys me. The decision on this, unless swinney is talking rubbish, was obviously made before her announcement yesterday but all she said was "for some time to come" why not announce it with the rest of what she was saying? Why send out swinney less than 24 hours later?

Exactly. She was softening the blow. I bloody hate masks and I've sat in tears this morning, I really don't know if I can last 'til Christmas like this! That's another 5 months. I know our cases are going up, but I think people may not tolerate this if people in England are not wearing one.[/quote]
Our cases are now starting to come down (hopefully that trend continues) and I think we need to look at the hospitalisations this time round as although they have increased, not at the same rate as January.

I feel for you though. I hate them too. Another 6 months of struggling to see, struggling to hear properly and red sore skin. Just means for me I limit the places I go in my free time. Shop more online than ever before etc.

@tigger1001
I haven't been out anywhere for a whole year now, other than for a walk. I just wish we could have a chance to decide for ourselves in certain circumstances. I don't want to go to crowded places, I would just like the chance, perhaps, to get my own shopping when the supermarket was quiet. My daughter went for me this morning and she was the only one in the shop. This is the kind of thing I mean.

[quote Ginandfantalemon]@tigger1001
I haven't been out anywhere for a whole year now, other than for a walk. I just wish we could have a chance to decide for ourselves in certain circumstances. I don't want to go to crowded places, I would just like the chance, perhaps, to get my own shopping when the supermarket was quiet. My daughter went for me this morning and she was the only one in the shop. This is the kind of thing I mean.[/quote]
@Ginandfantalemon Can I ask why you haven't been anywhere other than a walk for a year? The world out there isn't too scary. If you went for you shopping early morning or late evening the shops would be quiet. Is it the masks? Could you wear a light paper one? I am not criticising just trying to understand.

@AppolloandDaphne

It's the masks. I've tried and just cant do it. I've always suffered a bit with anxiety, especially in shops etc. and have had panic attacks. I shake and hyperventilate as soon as I put one on, and I dont even like looking at others with them on. I feel so bloody pathetic, but I feel I've no option that just sit it out, however long that may be. But seeing all the crowds at the football, tennis, etc, is really hard to take.