More than a million Scots barred from visiting other homes and pubs and restaurants could follow

More than a million Scots are now forbidden to visit other households and pubs and restaurants could follow after Nicola Sturgeon extended a ban on indoor gatherings in the west of Scotland.

The First Minister said the restrictions - which come into effect at midnight - were being widened to around 287,000 people Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire to "stem the tide of transmission."

The ban now applies to more than 1.1 million Scots in - just under 20 per cent of the population - after Ms Sturgeon imposed it last week in Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire. It includes her Glasgow home.

In another major blow, the Scottish Government said it would monitor the hospitality sector over the coming days to see whether it should be extended to pubs, bars, hotels and restaurants.

Among the affected areas are the affluent towns of Milngavie and Bearsden in East Dunbartonshire and Bridge of Weir in Renfrewshire. The measures will be reviewed next Monday.

They were announced after Ms Sturgeon earlier lashed out at Scots who think her "continued restrictions are an overreaction" and warned she may have to "put the brakes" on lockdown being eased further this week.

The First Minister said she was "more often" hearing the view that her Covid-19 lockdown was too strict but she insisted this opinion was "dangerous."

Last week's ban caused widespread anger and confusion over why homes were deemed unsafe but not pubs. However, house parties and smaller family gatherings have been blamed for a spike in cases.

Police Scotland said officers attended 391 parties over the weekend in response to reports of breaches of coronavirus regulations, a 23 per cent rise compared to the previous weekend.

Ms Sturgeon warned "we risk in the weeks ahead going back to a mounting toll of illness and death", with the rise in cases eventually translating into fatalities.

Although a recent surge in the virus has been driven by cases among young people, who are less seriously affected by the virus, she said they could pass it onto older friends and relatives.

Her warning came as Scotland recorded another 146 new cases, 78 of which were in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area that includes the five councils with the indoor ban.

An average of 152 positive tests have been recorded in Scotland each day over the past week compared to 14 per day six weeks ago and 52 three weeks ago.

Announcing the new restrictions, Ms Sturgeon said yesterday speedy action now "gives us the time and the space to protect people and get more control over the virus."

She said: "Having looked at where cases are being identified, the advice from the public health experts managing this outbreak is that restrictions on indoor gatherings should be extended to Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire and continue for at least a further seven days in Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire.

“I understand this will not be welcome news for people living in these areas but it is necessary to help us limit the spread of Covid-19."

She said her public health officials think the "significant factor driving transmission" is people meeting in homes, and the ban on gatherings was therefore "proportionate" and "likely to be the most effective."

However, she added: "We will be paying close attention in the days to come to hospitality and the five local authorities will be stepping up their enforcement."

The only exceptions to the indoor gathering ban are for "extended" households, such as couples who do not live together, and those providing care and support for the elderly.

People in any of the five local authority areas are also barred from visiting households in the other four, or elsewhere in Scotland.

However, they can continue to meet for the time being in pubs, bars, restaurants and public spaces such as gardens, subject to social distancing.

Indoor visits to hospitals and care homes will be limited to essential visits only to protect the most vulnerable. Dr

Linda de Caestecker, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde director of public health, said: "We know it’s not much fun right now not being able to socialise as we would like to and Covid has gone on much longer than any of us would want.

"However, the only way we are going to beat this is by working together and sticking by the rules."