Easing of Coronavirus restrictions in Scotland

[Huntergreed]

I'm beyond raging, especially after the data in England showing that lifting all restrictions was completely safe.

Masks until spring looking very likely, and I still have to risk isolating and taking a PCR test if I decide to meet up with anyone.

Social distancing is still encouraged.

Authoritarians are still winning in Scotland. This was much worse than I expected to be honest.

 

[yorkie]

Nicola Sturgeon has really lost the plot. How long is she going to continue this nonsense for, I wonder? I suspect Spring 2022. I'll minimise my visits to Scotland in the meantime.

 

[duncanp]

So you have "localised restrictions" to look forward to over the autumn and winter.

As I said on the support conversation thread, I think the people of Scotland will decide for themselves the extent to which they observe the face covering rules.

 

[devon_metro]

Looking forward to visiting a nightclub and wearing a mask. Not

 

[kez19]

So you have "localised restrictions" to look forward to over the autumn and winter.

As I said on the support conversation thread, I think the people of Scotland will decide for themselves the extent to which they observe the face covering rules.

So much for dropping the system! Well done BBC Scotland putting your foot in it (this was mentioned at start of programme)

 

[MikeWM]

Utterly crazy. So Scotland goes from the stupidly named 'level 0' (with many pointless restrictions) to, I dunno, level -1 (?!), and still with many pointless restrictions - apparently not learning a single thing from what has happened in England over the past couple of weeks or indeed anywhere else, and no apparent exit strategy whatever.

The world really has gone totally nuts.

 

[Watershed]

From 09th August, close contacts will not be automatically required to isolate. If someone is a close contact, they must take a test and, if this test come backs negative, they can release from isolation.

Ultimately this remains an issue of voluntary compliance, as self-isolation (upon testing positive or upon close contact) has never been legally enforceable/mandatory in Scotland (see page 20).

But the big question it raises is - why was this not 'possible' sooner? Is it dependent on case rates, and if so, does that mean that this 'exemption' could be revoked again in the future?

It's also interesting that ScotGov have gone for this approach rather than basing exemptions on vaccination status, as in England and Wales. If anything, it seems to make more sense epidemiologically, and it's certainly a lot less discriminatory.

It's certainly more inconvenient for vaccinated people though - if (as their employer might force them to) they choose to follow the guidance.

 

[kez19]

Nicola Sturgeon has really lost the plot. How long is she going to continue this nonsense for, I wonder? I suspect Spring 2022. I'll minimise my visits to Scotland in the meantime.

Spring 2022? When exactly in spring is she speaking of?

Utterly crazy. So Scotland goes from the stupidly named 'level 0' (with many pointless restrictions) to, I dunno, level -1 (?!), and still with many pointless restrictions - apparently not learning a single thing from what has happened in England over the past couple of weeks or indeed anywhere else, and no apparent exit strategy whatever.

The world really has gone totally nuts.

In Scotland I guess we have non publicised levels of -1 -2 but still I see the media on that part haven’t grasped that either but still we are all in this together…

 

[Failed Unit]

Spring 2022? When exactly in spring is she speaking of?

When seasons are mentioned assume the last day of it

 

[kez19]

When seasons are mentioned assume the last day of it

Aah not the start? So expect 1st June 2022? (being a bit sarcastic in comment)

 

[Failed Unit]

Aah not the start? So expect 1st June 2022? (being a bit sarcastic in comment)

Maybe if you are good, Nicola will reward you. .

 

[kez19]

Looking forward to visiting a nightclub and wearing a mask. Not

I’m surprised on that part, nightclubs can get heated pretty quick surely keeping a mask on whilst dancing etc is a bit of a danger here?

 

[Huntergreed]

I’m surprised on that part, nightclubs can get heated pretty quick surely keeping a mask on whilst dancing etc is a bit of a danger here?

Remember, no other 'risks' matter when compared to COVID these days...

 

[kez19]

Maybe if you are good, Nicola will reward you. .

Lol with what? A free babybox? A cut in council tax oh that’s wishful thinking here!

Remember, no other 'risks' matter when compared to COVID these days...

Baffled totally baffled! Someone faints in nightclub due to heat… watch COVID stay away from person! Seems more harm than good here, hopefully nightclubs step up and tell her to shove it

I’ll add this in terms of nightclubs has she consulted Health and Safety or has she gone with she knows best? Sure the Health and Safety surely can see this as an issue?

 

[Huntergreed]

Ultimately this remains an issue of voluntary compliance, as self-isolation (upon testing positive or upon close contact) has never been legally enforceable/mandatory in Scotland (see page 20).

But the big question it raises is - why was this not 'possible' sooner? Is it dependent on case rates, and if so, does that mean that this 'exemption' could be revoked again in the future?

It's also interesting that ScotGov have gone for this approach rather than basing exemptions on vaccination status, as in England and Wales. If anything, it seems to make more sense epidemiologically, and it's certainly a lot less discriminatory.

It's certainly more inconvenient for vaccinated people though - if (as their employer might force them to) they choose to follow the guidance.

Upon further research, you must both be fully vaccinated and receive a negative PCR to release from isolation.

If you have a negative PCR but you aren't fully jabbed, you'll still have to serve 10 day's house arrest isolate for 10 days.

 

[Crossover]

Must admit. I won’t be hurrying back to Scotland with this proposal.

Likewise - was considering a few days in either Scotland or Anglia (mainly for the new trains there) later in the summer - the decision on which may have just got easier!

 

[Cdd89]

So If I visit Scotland as a fully vaxxed and am contact traced, am I expected to follow the Scottish guidance to isolate? Or exempt because I live in England? Or does it depend where I am at the moment when I get the call or where the contact happened or which authority is doing the tracing…

 

[nlogax]

I'll be continuing to cross the border with regularity, but maybe it's time I deleted both the English and Scottish NHS tracing apps from my phone.

 

[kez19]

I'll be continuing to cross the border with regularity, but maybe it's time I deleted both the English and Scottish NHS tracing apps from my phone.

that’s one thing I have not on my phone was the apps probably lucky!

 

[Watershed]

So If I visit Scotland as a fully vaxxed and am contact traced, am I bound by it? Or exempt because I live in England? Or does it depend where I am at the moment when I get the call or where the contact happened or which authority is doing the tracing…

There is no law compelling self-isolation in Scotland, so unless contacted by English Test & Trace, and you are in England during the period of self-isolation, you would be perfectly free to go about your normal life.

Of course you are double vaxxed so you would be exempt under English Regulations in any case.

 

[Huntergreed]

I'm sure there was a case last year of police fining someone for not isolating under 'reckless endangerment' or something alone those lines, so although it's not written in law, it more or less is mandatory.

 

[devon_metro]

I'm sure if enough people starting checking into venues as Nicola Sturgeon with her Glasgow constituency office phone number (0141 424 1174) then the requirement for test and trace may soon vanish.

 

[kez19]

I see on some sources ie BBC Scotland news/STV News on Twitter the responses seem to say her announcement hasn’t gone down well. It seems if true by social media the public are turning slowly

 

[Merseysider]

Aah not the start? So expect 1st June 2022? (being a bit sarcastic in comment)

There’ll be a new scary variant along by then - go for the end of summer 2023.

 

[kez19]

There’ll be a new scary variant along by then - go for the end of summer 2023.

nah 2030!

 

[Watershed]

I'm sure there was a case last year of police fining someone for not isolating under 'reckless endangerment' or something alone those lines, so although it's not written in law, it more or less is mandatory.

I've not been able to find any reference to this incident.

If you had symptoms, had tested positive or coughed in someone's face then yes, that might render you liable to prosecution for reckless endangerment.

But I think it would be a stretch, to say the least, to make that out if you are 'merely' contact traced.

Anyway it's all rather by-the-by: most people will simply comply with whatever the guidance is, because they're not clued up enough to know otherwise. The same as the English lockdown didn't start until the 26th of March even though BoJo "ordered" people to stay at home on the 23rd, and so on.

 

[Ediswan]

I've not been able to find any reference to this incident.

There are quite a few references to charges of Covid-related "Culpable and reckless conduct", but I didn't spot any for failing to isolate either.

 

[Scotrail314209]

Pleased with seeing social distancing going, not pleased to see face masks staying.

I really doubt making people wear face masks in nightclubs will be practical, especially given how busy nightclubs get.

 

[nedchester]

Pleased with seeing social distancing going, not pleased to see face masks staying.

I really doubt making people wear face masks in nightclubs will be practical, especially given how busy nightclubs get.

I know there are clubs where people wear masks.......oh hang on wrong forum......

 

[Scotrail314209]

I know there are clubs where people wear masks.......oh hang on wrong forum......

I wonder how the mask rule will affect the nightclub industry.