Due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Scotland, Scottish Government has confirmed that the legal requirement to wear face coverings on public transport and most indoor public settings will continue until at least Monday 4^th April.

This will be reviewed and revised as required. All other COVID-19 legal restrictions will move to guidance as planned, on Monday 21^st March, including legal requirements for hospitality businesses and service providers to collect customer details for contact tracing.

However, people are asked to be mindful of the Distance Aware scheme, and other people’s space and comfort.

Forth Valley Royal Visiting Update

Additionally, due to the number of local cases, Forth Valley Royal has returned to essential visiting arrangements only (announced via social media on Tuesday 15^th March); community hospitals and community mental health wards remain at 2 visitors.

Test and Protect Transition Plan

The First Minister has also announced the Test and Protect Transition Plan, which sets out how testing will become more targeted, with the aim of reducing serious harm from COVID-19.

As part of this plan, from Monday 18^th April people without COVID-19 symptoms will no longer be asked to take regular lateral flow tests.

The changes to Test and Protect mean that, from this date:

most people without symptoms will no longer be asked to take COVID-19 tests
free lateral flow devices (LFDs) for the purposes of twice weekly routine testing will no longer be available for the general population given the changing advice, but will continue to be free for any purpose for which testing continues to be advised – for clinical care, for health and social care workers and for people visiting vulnerable individuals in care homes or hospitals
until the end of April, people with symptoms should still isolate and get a PCR test
vaccinated close contacts of someone with COVID-19 should continue to test daily for 7 days with LFDs

People who have symptoms of COVID-19 will still be able to book PCR tests in the usual way until Saturday 30^th April. From that date, test sites will close and people with symptoms will no longer be advised that they need to seek a test. The public health advice for people who feel unwell will then be to stay at home until they feel better, to reduce the risk of infecting other people.

For further information, please visit the Scottish Government website.