Scotland to return to full lockdown
Scotland will re-enter a nationwide lockdown at midnight in an effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the move Monday, telling Scottish Parliament that people across the mainland will be required to stay at home until at least the end of January. People must work from home where possible, group exercise will be banned, places of worship must shutter and schools will remain closed to most students.
The island areas will remain under Level 3 restrictions but will be closely monitored, Sturgeon said. All of Scotland has been under either Level 3 or 4 restrictions in recent weeks.
The situation will be reviewed on Jan. 18, Sturgeon said.
The new restrictions come as the country battles a rise in COVID-19 infections, with 15% of tests currently returning a positive result. Sturgeon told Scottish Parliament that she was "more concerned about the situation we face now than I have been at any time since March last year."
"It is essential that we further limit interaction between different households to stem the spread and bring the situation back under control, while we vaccinate more people," the first minister said. "In short, we must return for a period to a situation much closer to the lockdown of last March."