2 Metres rule remains the overall advice. From the end of next week there may be exemptions provided appropriate mitigations in place. (The guidance will be added when available).

• as far possible remain two metres away from people from other households
• 2m will remain the benchmark for the test and protect system
• 2m is a particularly important guideline for anyone in a high-risk group – for example, if you are over the age of 70 or have an underlying health condition.

Specific exemptions will be allowed where agreed mitigations must be put in place. The exemptions will allow relevant properties in certain sectors to operate with one-metre physical distancing, with mitigations implemented. These are exceptions, but the general rule in law will remain businesses and premises must take all reasonable measures to ensure 2m distancing is maintained.

The government will work with hospitality, retail and public transport sectors to agree the mitigations and to finalise guidance, working with trade unions. The guidance will be different for different sectors.

Mitigations might include:

• improved ventilation
• perspex screens
• regulation of customer flow
• seating plans that reduce transmission risk

For hospitality and possibly other sectors, mitigation will also include the collection of names and addresses of customers to help with contact tracing where necessary

The Scottish Government has confirmed these dates for the remainder of Phase 2:

• Travel distance limit relaxed – 3 July
• Self-catering accommodation and second homes (without shared facilities) permitted – 3 July
• Outdoor hospitality (subject to physical distancing rules and public health advice) – 6 July

Masks

From 10 July, wearing face coverings in shops will be manadtory with exception for children under 5 and people with certain medical conditions.

Children

Children under the age of 12 will no longer need to maintain physical distancing from other households

Young Adults 12 -18

For young people aged 12 to 17 years old, the physical distancing rule is not being relaxed.

Young people will still be asked to meet outside with a limit of eight people from no more than three households at any one time.

The limit is lifted on the number of those meetings in any one day. Young people can therefore meet different groups of friends at different times of the day.

Phase 2: Scotland’s route map – physical distancing update

Update 16.00

Provisions to allow children to play outdoors with friends, the introduction of exemptions to the 2 metre physical distancing rule, and mandatory use of face coverings in retail settings from Phase 3 are among measures announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today (Thursday, 2 July).

From tomorrow, children aged 11 and under will be able to play outdoors, without physical distancing, in groups of up to eight and of no more than two other households.

Children aged 12 to 17 are asked to continue to physically distance but can meet in groups of up to eight outdoors and no more than two other households at a time. There will be no limit placed on the total number of households children can meet in one day, enabling siblings to meet separate groups or friends, or to meet groups in addition to those their parents or carers may take part in.

The five mile limit for leisure travel will be lifted for the majority of the country from tomorrow (Friday, 3 July) as will restrictions on self-catering, self-contained accommodation.

The First Minister also confirmed that outdoor hospitality will be able to start trading from Monday, 6 July, in line with indicative dates previously set out.

Following the successful introduction of mandatory face coverings on public transport, the measure will be extended to include retail settings from Friday, 10 July, in line with expected changes to other lockdown measures on that date.

The First Minister also announced the outcome of a review of the evidence on the 2 metre social distancing rule. Advice from the COVID-19 Advisory Group makes clear that the fundamental science around distance and transmission remains unchanged and that risk increases with proximity to an infected individual. As such, the Scottish Government will retain 2 metres as the default physical distancing requirement for Phase 3 but introduce exceptions to this requirement if practicable mitigating measures can be implemented. Settings and sectors considered appropriate for exceptions, pending agreed mitigations, are: public transport; outdoor hospitality; indoor hospitality; and retail. There will be no exemptions prior to the move to Phase 3.