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Glasgow lockdown restrictions announced amid spike in coronavirus cases

Residents will not be allowed to visit other households

Samuel Osborne
Tuesday 01 September 2020 18:16 BST
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Nicola Sturgeon says coronavirus is believed to be 'spreading primary as a result of household gatherings'
Nicola Sturgeon says coronavirus is believed to be 'spreading primary as a result of household gatherings'
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Lockdown restrictions have been tightened in Glasgow after a spike in coronavirus cases in the area, Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

Residents will not be allowed to visit other households from 12am on Wednesday.

It comes after 66 new positive tests were recorded in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

The new restrictions will apply to people living in Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire.

They will be in place for two weeks, but will be reviewed after one week.

Ms Sturgeon said: “I have just chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) which met to discuss the rising number of new Covid-19 cases across Scotland but particularly the rising number of cases in recent days in Glasgow and the west of Scotland.

“Over the past two days, we have seen 314 new cases in Scotland and 135 of these in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

“If these numbers continue or – and this is the fear – they rise further, then more people will fall ill from Covid-19 and more people will enter hospital and intensive care.”

She added: “Covid continues to be a dangerous and, sometimes, deadly virus.

“It is spreading again, particularly in these three local authority areas and we believe that, in these areas, it is spreading primarily as a result of household gatherings.

“Having carefully considered the data and consulted with local public health officials, local authorities and Police Scotland – all of whom were involved in the resilience meeting discussion that has just taken place – I can therefore confirm this evening that we have decided to take the following action.

“From midnight tonight, if you live in local authority areas of East Renfrewshire, the city of Glasgow or West Dunbartonshire you should not host people from other households in your home and you should not visit someone else’s home – no matter where that is.”

Exceptions were given – on top of emergency circumstances or providing care to a vulnerable person – for extended households which were established during lockdown.

This includes people who live alone, couples who do not reside together and parents who live alone with children under 18.

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