The move was announced earlier today by first minister Nicola Sturgeon as she set out new measures to minimise the further spread of coronavirus, in a statement to the Scottish Parliament.
From midnight tonight, there will be a legal requirement to stay at home except for essential purposes, similar to the first lockdown last year.
In the statement, Ms Sturgeon said that Scotland was ‘seeing a steeply rising trend of infections’ and that she was ‘more concerned about the situation we face now than I have been at any time since March last year.’
In the week from 23 to 30 December, the seven day incidence of cases per 100,000 of the population increased by 65 per cent - from 136 per 100,000 to 225 per 100,000.
Test positivity has risen sharply too, she added.
Nurseries, childcare providers and schools will however be able to stay open for children of key workers and vulnerable children.
The planned return to early learning and childcare (ELC) settings has been moved back from 18 January to 1 February at the earliest.
Ms Sturgeon said ‘Just as the last places we ever want to close are schools and nurseries - so it is the case that schools and nurseries will be the first places we want to reopen as we re-emerge from this latest lockdown.
‘They remain our priority.
That is why we are considering whether and to what extent - consistent with our overall duty to vaccinate the most vulnerable first in line with JCVI recommendations - we can achieve vaccination of school and childcare staff as a priority. Many teachers will of course be vaccinated over coming weeks as part of the JCVI priority list.
‘The fortnightly review will not simply be a choice between opening and closing schools - we will always seek to maximise the number of pupils we can safely get back to classrooms and nurseries.’
On Twitter, NDNA Scotland said, ‘We understand this [the planned return of schools and ELC provision] to be reviewed on 18 January and we will be meeting with officials from the Scottish Government to discuss the impact of this decision.
‘The First Minister did make it clear that re-opening educational settings like schools and ELC providers remains a priority. To help this, the First Minister emphasised that vaccinating teachers and childcare staff could be a priority.’
The new measures in Scotland will make it a legal requirement to stay at home unless there is a reasonable excuse for leaving such as essential shopping, education, childcare or to support the vulnerable. Everyone must now work from home where they can.
Other key changes include:
- Changing the 6/2 rule to a 2/2 rule. From tomorrow, a maximum of two people from up to two households will be able to meet outdoors. Children aged 11 and under will not be counted in that limit.
- For everyone else – including 12 to 17 year olds - outdoor exercise or recreation should only take place in a way which is consistent with the 2/2 rule.
- Under-12s will not count towards the 2/2 rule and will continue to be able to participate in organised activities outdoors.
- All schools to continue to use remote learning until the end of January, except in the case of vulnerable children and those of key workers.
- Stronger guidance on working from home is reflected in new guidance for people who are shielding. Those who are shielding and who cannot work from home are now advised not to work. The Chief Medical Officer is writing to everyone who falls into this category.